We’re not going to lie: Disneyland has some of our favorite Disney food ANYWHERE. And we’re not just talking about the churros, Mickey-shaped beignets, corn dogs, and cheesy garlic pretzel bread (we could go on and on about our favorite Disneyland snacks).

Disneyland also has some solid quick service restaurants, too, where you can get a good meal quickly. So we’re heading over to Disney California Adventure to visit Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill to try out some eats, and we’re bringing you along with us. 

Atmosphere

You’ll find Cocina Cucamonga in San Fransoky0 Square in an area that feels more like a market than a food court (but there are several good quick-service dining spots here.

The restaurant itself is just an outdoor covered walk-up counter where you’ll place your order and then pick it up at a window. Note that Mobile Order is also available here.

This restaurant is part of a massive area with PLENTY of seating, but you may still need to walk around a bit to find a spot because this area is also usually a bit crowded.

But enough about the restaurant — what’s on the menu here?!

Menu

The menu here is all about street-style tacos and corn, including QuesaBirria, Carne Asada, and San Fransokyo-style Street Corn, which adds an Asian twist to elote.

You can also find some seasonal and special items here from time to time, including special drinks and desserts.

And now, onto the main event — the food!

Eats

First up, we grabbed the QuesaBirria, or braised beef and cheese tacos with tomatillo salsa and consomé. For $12.49, you get two tacos with some slices of lime and radishes on the side (yes, radishes…and yes, they go GREAT with these tacos). Now, we’re just going to tell you that we get these tacos even when we’re visiting the parks for fun and not reviewing food, so this is a DFB go-to meal. They never disappoint.

You get lots of tender juicy meat with a beautiful flavor, crisply taco shells, and melted cheese inside and OUTSIDE the shell (the more cheese, the better, right?). So these are beautifully cheesy and meaty. The consomé adds even more beefy flavor, so you’ll want to just dip those tacos right in it. Our only complaint? These can be pretty greasy, so they can get kinda’ messy, too.

We also tried a menu item that’s new to us: the Tacos Dorados de Papa, which is the plant-based offering here. You get two crispy potato tacos topped with cabbage slaw, dairy-free crema, and tomatillo salsa for $10.99. So we’ll just let you know that these are kinda’ bland. Most of the flavor comes from the dairy-free crema, which is fresh and creamy and tastes like regular crema. But that’s it.

The cabbage slaw adds crunch but not flavor. The potato tacos themselves also didn’t have much going for them and could’ve benefited from something like a seasoning. This was like eating a baked potato, except a baked potato without anything added to it. 

One of the season items is the Ube Cake Flan, an ube cake and vanilla flan for $7.49. Now, our reporter doesn’t necessarily like ube flavors, but it worked with this dessert. The main flavor comes from the vanilla flan, which is the bulk of the treat. The cake is rich and sweet and has a spongy, moist texture.

The ube adds a hint of earthy flavor, but the sweetness balances it out.

If you’re looking for a dessert at Cocina Cucamonga, we highly recommend this one!

Drinks

To drink, we picked up the Cucumber Chia Agua Fresca, which is a Cucumber-Chia Lime Agua Fresca for $6.99. This drink is SO refreshing and has fantastic subtle flavors. You mostly get the light cucumber flavor, but the hints of lime and mint add in a little flavor with each sip.

This would be our pick over soda because it’s lighter and more refreshing, especially during these hot summer months. You can also get this with tequila for $17.

Nosh or Not

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You’re looking for a quick meal. If you’re hungry and want food ASAP, you can get in and out of here pretty quickly, and even faster with Mobile Order.
• You like Mexican food. If you like Mexican food, this is a great spot to get those flavors.
• You want something a little different from typical Mexican restaurant fare. You’ll find some flavors here that mix the heavily Asian-inspired San Fransokyo Square theme with traditional Mexican food.

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You want to find a spot to quickly sit and eat. We’ve eaten here a few times, and it’s not always easy to find seating in this very busy area, especially if you’re with a group.
• You want a table service meal. This is a quick service restaurant, so you’re not going to get a table service experience here. You’ll order your food, pick it up, and seat yourself.
• You don’t like spicy food. The food here isn’t TOO spicy, but if you’re averse to spicy food, it still might be a bit much.

Overall

Like we previously said, this is one of our go-to spots when we need a quick meal in California Adventure. The QuesaBirria has never disappointed us, and if you’re looking for something akin to street tacos, this is where to get it. We also really liked the seasonal dessert, which was a nice twist on traditional flan. Seating can sometimes be challenging on busy days, particularly if you’re with a group, but the best strategy is to find a seat first and then mobile order your food.

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disney World and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!

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Have you eaten at this Disneyland restaurant before? Tell us in the comments!