tako cheena by pom pom

must have been an off night. everyone's raved about thisplaceand i could honestly see the potential but went on a friday night and they were packed. we were rudely helped and then told to sit down halfway through our order. my friend didn't order yet. so they just didn't bother to come to our table for awhile. so they brought our food out and she didn't even order. our food came with tons of cilantro after we said we were allergic and didn't want any added. and our food was actually kind of cold. so i was really disappointed and most likely won't be back.

love thisplacebut their phone never works!!

i decided to visit taco cheena because of the reviews. parking is difficult in a truck, so hopefully you drive a yugo. i hope i don’t get towed. theplaceis really small. like 8 small tables small. dining area is about 16x16. the decor is nice. asian mexican fusion artsy. i ordered the 3 taco special. i ended up choosing panko crusted cod, tom yum mojo shrimp, and the pernil asada. to drink i chose the cucumber water. i started with the pernil. it was pretty incredible. i thought, i should have left this one for last, but i didn’t, so i decided to live in the moment. i then moved onto the shrimp. the shrimp was spicy with staying power. it was nice with a blend of unique flavors. last but not least, the cod. now, i must admit, i not really a fan of cod, but the waiter suggested it so i went for it. nice crispy fried cod nuggets with green onions, red cabbage, carrots and a sauce. delicious. sweet and savory. i think these guys have it figured out. asian mexican fusion. brilliant. really enjoyed it. hope you all do too.

i get so tired of eating quick fast foods for lunch so when someone tells me about a new lunch i have to try it out. i'm so glad my friend ian told me about tako cheena. as the name suggests they have tacos. but that's where any other tacoplacepales in comparison. i tried their panko crusted cod tako. tasty, light fish with a sweet/sour sauce and scallions. just the right amount of everything. the bahl mi is a chinese sweet sausage. pickled daikon radish, cucumber, cilantro and spicy mayo. i had my doubts about it but i'm so glad i ordered it, my friend had an epanada with beets and although i am an admitted beet-aholic this was over the top. the corn bread wrap with beets and kimchi slaw was perfect.

thisplaceis so good and so cheap.
under $10 for 3 tacos and a full belly, they are moving next door in a bigger location with a pick up window for orders to go.
my favorite tacos are in order: the cod, the crispy tofu, the pulled pork and the peanut chicken!!!!

no joke, thisplaceis magical.  the food is ridiculously good.  the prices are so cheap.  i don't know what else to say, thisplaceis perfect.  tacos, specialty hot dogs, and burritos prepared in a wonderful japanese-latin fusion style.

so, i've never written a review, and never really planned to, but because tako cheena has "sh*t the proverbial bed" the past and only two times i've been here, i sit here compelled to. first, let me set the record straight. the only thing trendy about this "hipster taco spot" is the pandora ja-rule blasting 24/7.
now, to the food and service. my first venture here resulted in uncooked "asian" hotdogs and overly garnished tacos. as my gf and i debated about which protein was in each taco, i vowed never to come back. but now, desperately hungry on a sunday night, here i am; taco cheena falls flat on its face again. i walked in, waited in a 5 minute line, to find out dine-im's had to wait on a waitress. 10 minutes later, after i had grabbed my own menu, she yells "u ready to order yet"?. i picked the top 4 options, and they all f*ckin sucked. first bite into my hawaiian chicken taco was ice cold. in fact it compared to coors light on the sh*ttiness levels. the rest of the "distinguished" item menus were basically all the same, just a different generic sauce on the bbq. at least this time i could tell the protein type. overall 0-10 and as sad as the sad sign for vday. oh and the payment machine went out as i tried to pay.

tldr. thisplaceblows avoid!!!!

greatplaceto eat and has a real chill orlando vibe. great asian-texmex fusion spot with interesting tacos, burritos, and crepes. small spot and definitely a go toplacemills district.

perfect after a late night!. i've never been to aplacelike tako cheena before. the dishes are unique and extremely flavorful and make for an excellent late night (or early morning!) meal. the few times i've been here it was very early morning and extremely crowded, which really shows how good the food is. the restaurant is small with limited seating but well decorated and the employees are attentive. i've tried several of their dishes, mainly the burritos, and have never been disappointed.

great cheap eats. if you've never been to tako cheena, and you like street food with a gourmet twist, you need to go to tako cheena. the tacos are around $3 each, and are delicious. highly recommend the asian beef. the arepas are very greasy (compared to traditional real venezuelan ones) and are definitely a gut bomb. service is decent, although last night i asked for a water and one taco, and never got my water, had to get it myself. greatplaceoverall.

omg amazing food and service. pork belly taco was so good i had to order another half way through the first! waiter was great. knowledgable and helpful. don't miss thisplaceif you are in orlando.

all around awesomeness!. i went here for the first time saturday night, and i was blown away! i cannot wait to come back to this wonderful place.

totally hip, eclectic environment. small area yet doesn't feel overwhelming or crowded even when full. the vibe of theplaceis casual, comfortable, inviting, yet very cool. it's open late night, so this is a happening spot to begin or end your night. (closed mondays- take note)

i went with a few friends for a bite to eat after going out saturday night, and it was a perfect end to the evening. our server, a cute younger female in great stockings, was extremely friendly and accommodating (she moved tables together for us in the middle of a rush and didn't blink an eye about taking on a rowdy party of 6 at 1:30am). i wish we remembered her name, but she has short bangs and was excellent - i'll definitely try to get into her section next time!

on to the food: the 3 taco combo (thai peanut chicken) was delicious and filling (my companion described it as better than sex) - super full of flavor. my buddhist friend got the tofu tacos and said it was fantastic- if more people tried it they wouldn't miss meat so much! i had a burrito (i don't remember what it's called but it was an indian-inspired samosa tasting delicious experience). we tried a few other things but these were our standouts! there isn't an item on that menu that i wouldn't try based on my first experience here - if they were open today i'd be there right now!

overall- great place. everyone should try this great little gem in the mills/50 area.

i wish thisplacewas better. i love pom's teahouse and sandwicheria. anyone that comes into town, i have to take them there to show them aplacethat is uniquely "orlando." for this reason, tako cheena was incredibly disappointing to me. i went there for the first time immediately following their opening, and was unimpressed. i thought that this might be due to the menu not being completely solidified yet. however, i've been back 2-3 more times since and been similarly underwhelmed. the food isn't bad, at all. it's just.. plain. bland. mind you, the ideas are really creative. who doesn't want a bulgogi burrito? i think the main issue is that the only flavor profile is "savory." there is rarely sweetness or spiciness, and there is never any acid. a simple lime served to the side of any taco, to be squeezed over the dish, would dramatically improve the experience. if you do go, get the panko crusted cod. that's the only thing that turns out pretty ok. again, i'm not hating on this restaurant. i want it to be good. i love the company and the concept. i just can't love the bland food.

love this place. i have eaten here many times and brought many others to enjoy the great food, ambiance and good service. it is my grandson's most favoriteplaceto go. being a pescetarian, there's enough to choose from and it's soooo good.
highly recommended. thanks for being there.


-----08 aug, 2013-----

love this place. i have eaten here many times and brought many others to enjoy the great food, ambiance and good service. it is my grandson's most favoriteplaceto go. being a pescatarian, there's enough to choose from and it's soooo good.
highly recommended. thanks for being there.

what a cool concept! no there are no "normal" type tacos here but that's not the point. it's unique, it's yummy, it's solid gold. must try! so far everyone i have introduced to thisplaceloves it and i even had them cater my graduation party. the asian braised beef is a mae zing