La Chiquita Mexican Food

I ordered crispy ground beef tacos and a cheese enchilada. The enchilada came swimming in a soupy, brown sauce - something like a red chile sauce, but it was more like a watery soup than anything thick and rich. Now, being from New Mexico, I've developed a serious craving for real Mexican food that's hard to find around here - crispy ground beef tacos with homemade shells, fluffy sopapillas with honey (not the same as "sopas"), and enchiladas that aren't drenched in a soupy sauce. I also really miss the New Mexico version of chili rellenos, made with cheddar cheese and Hatch green chiles, not the mozzarella and Anaheim peppers you usually find here. So, when I saw crispy ground beef tacos on the menu, I got excited, thinking I'd finally found a place that could bring me that New Mexico-style goodness. The taco shell was actually amazing - it was crispy and sturdy, just like the kind I've been missing. But the filling? It was a bit off. The ground beef-to-shell ratio was way too high, and I found myself scraping most of it out and trying to repurpose it on the enchilada. Still didn't quite do the trick, though.And about that enchilada... the cheese wasn't even really on the enchilada. It was just a few tiny shreds of what looked like the kind of cheap, pre-shredded cheese you'd get at Walmart, floating in the soupy sauce. I was hoping for something more baked on top, where the cheese is melted onto the top from being baked in an oven. Sadly, this was not that.The chips were a little flavorless, too. A bit of salt or seasoning would've gone a long way. If I'm comparing salsa and chips to the best, Little Onion definitely still has the edge over everyone - not only this place. As for ground beef tacos, I'll probably keep making the drive to Costa Mesa for Great Mex. If I could take the Great Mex filling and cheese and put it in this place's outstanding taco shells, that would be the perfect 10/10 taco!That said, I'm still giving this place a solid 3 out of 5. The taco shell was top-notch, and there's definitely potential here. Maybe I need to try some other things. I just think my excitement for finding crispy ground beef tacos near me got the best of me. I'll likely give it another shot, but I'll keep my expectations in check next time.Just as a side note that I didn't mean to be too hard on this place, I'd rate Great Mex and Little Onion a 3 stars also because each one has only one good thing about them as well: 1) this place for the crispy shells, 2) Great Mex for the taco filling and 3) Little Onion for the salsa and chips.

Excellent from start to finish! The chile verde was the best my husband had tasted anywhere (and that's one of his fave dishes). The chile relleno, enchilada, and huevos rancheros were all great. Huge portions. Friendly service. Tons of regulars coming in throughout. Couldn't recommend more. I only wish I had more room to try the tamales and albondigas soup. I'll be back. Can I put in a special request to add pozole to the menu?

Small hole in the wall restaurant. The food was very good, beans, beef tacos and huevos rancheros. Will definitely come back.

Thank you to the owner Sam for being a supportive community member in Santa Ana. The story behind La Chiquita is a part of Logan Santa Ana history. On the plus side, great Mexican food in a retro vibe old neighborhood of Santa Ana. It is located in middle of residential neighborhood near 17th street off railroad tracks.

This place has been around for many, many years and the food here is as good as ever . They have old family recipes with an attentive and friendly service every time you come in here . This place is old school Santa Ana and will be here for many years to come .

The first time i went there the food was delicious. But the second time i went recently the food didn't taste the same. Idk if they changed cooks or what. But I won't be coming back. The service is good and the ambience is ok. A little quiet for my taste.

This place reminds me of Mexicasa in Anaheim. Super yummy and staff is friendly. Definitely will be coming back

Great legit food, best service.Always consistent.A+++++The people who work here are wonderful, I've never had a bad experience. Only excellent service.

Food was quite good and in generous portions. Carnitas plate includes rice, beans and choice of tortillas. The carne asada plate includes the rice and beans along with a hearty dinner salad. At the time we were there, they weren't busy so service good by default. Beer was lower than room temperature so lowering the temp on the beer cooler would be welcomed.

We were recommended this place by a friend and loved the food there. Best Mexican food that we have had in a while. Order the cheese chips and guacamole. So good