Wahoo’s Fish Tacos is a local fast service chain of Mexican restaurants with a healthy emphasis and a pop/surf culture atmosphere. I went with a friend to the Costa Mesa location off Bristol and Baker, just south of the 405 Freeway. The restaurant’s windows are plastered with all sorts of stickers from popular clothing, surfing, skating, and other companies.
We went inside to the counter to order. The menu board has all sorts of burritos, tacos, and other familiar Mexican favorites with an emphasis on food from the Baja region. They also have bowl meals, such as a fish taco bowl, but with rice instead of a tortilla. I ordered a "wet" steak burrito. The "wet" portion is a topping of red sauce and cheese. My friend ordered the 3 fish taco combo and a side of chips and salsa.
We paid at the counter and were given a number to place on our table. We got cups for our drinks and wandered off to find an empty table. There’s a side area with self serve drink machines dispensing soda, lemonade, and all sorts of iced teas. The dining area has a few big flat screen TVs suspended up on the wall playing surfing videos. There’s a wall full of photos of frequent customers and yet more stickers.
A few moments later, our chips and salsa arrived. We scarfed them down and awaited our food. When our food arrived, my steak burrito looked absolutely delicious. It was dripping with red sauce and cheese, so this definitely isn’t a burrito you’d eat with your hands. A nice healthy dab of fresh salsa and guacamole accompanied it. The burrito was great, the steak is nicely seared, the sauce wasn’t watery, but quite tasty.
My friend had the 3 fish tacos. They arrived double clad in corn tortillas and plenty of shredded lettuce, fresh salsa, cheese, and white sauce. The fish isn’t fried, but grilled for a healthy twist on a Baja Mexican favorite. After a squeeze of lime, my friend ate them up in quick order and proclaimed them excellent.
Our total bill was $17.44 for two entrées, a plate of chips and salsa, and two drinks. The food is good; the atmosphere is quite lively and friendly for a fast service restaurant. I recommend Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. This company has really expanded over the years to become a favorite of surfers and skaters and really embodies the Southern California pop culture lifestyle.