Casita Taqueria

Casita Taqueria — We Finally Got In

The Setup

Last Sunday, Casita was the whole plan — and the whole problem. We walked right up to it before the Jimmy's trip only to find it closed on Sundays, which is apparently its one act of betrayal. So this Saturday, June 13th, we came back to settle the score. Casita has been one of our favorite Grand Central spots for a while, the kind of place with daily specials worth planning around, and we weren't leaving Central Ave a third time without finally eating here.

The Vibe

As always, the atmosphere delivered. Casita is busy in the good way — people everywhere, quick energy, and that easygoing Grand Central buzz. Food comes out fast, the staff was genuinely friendly, and the whole thing just feels good. This place has never had an atmosphere problem.

The Queso (the real headline)

Let's bury the lede on purpose: the queso stole the show. Daniel had it at a 4.5, someone else flat-out called it a 5, and Mike's single favorite bite of the day was the chips and queso — the right hit of salt against a cool, smooth, perfectly seasoned cheese. You can tell it's made in-house and not poured off a shelf, and they're generous with the chips, which were fresh and good enough to eat on their own. If you order one thing here, this is it.

The Tacos

Here's where the crew found its one real gripe, and we all found it together: the tacos were too wet. The flavor was there and the toppings were great — Daniel loved the pineapple, cilantro and queso fresco on his mojo chicken, carne asada and carnitas, Mitch liked the mojo chicken enough to order two, and Mike's pineapple-salsa version with the cabbage slaw and cilantro-crema drizzle was a great combo — but there was just too much watery sauce scooped in. Mike put it best: it goes broth-like, dripping out of the shell and onto you. That's enchilada behavior, not taco behavior. Daniel also wished the corn tortilla had hit the grill a little harder — it came a bit cold and slack when a quick char would've made it.

The Practical Stuff

It's not cheap. Tacos run about six bucks each, and the chips and queso were somewhere in the nine-to-ten range. All in, Daniel's three tacos plus the shared queso came to around twenty-five dollars, which is a lot for a casual taco run. You're paying for the made-from-scratch stuff and the atmosphere — worth it on a good day, but worth knowing going in.

Final Verdict

Casita is still a favorite, and the queso alone is worth the trip. The tacos are genuinely good once you accept the soak, the vibe is reliably great, and the staff makes you want to come back. Drier tacos and a hotter tortilla would push this from "really good" to "great." Daniel landed the whole place at a 4 out of 5, and the table didn't argue.