Texifornia Tamale Co

This cool little Mexican food place was good, too bad they moved to San Diego. Now closed.

Sadly Texifornia has left the mountain. They are now in San Diego, I believe the Hillcrest area.

Excellent food! Service was good or bad depending on the server, closed to reopen in San Diego. Give them a shot! Hopefully will have a large enough kitchen to add the fried chicken full time on the menu.

They have extremely tasty tamales, and they’re very friendly people.
I felt a little uncomfortable ordering and sitting in the restaurant.
I don’t know why, but I will be back and hopefully will get a little more comfortable.

Brisket Tamales!!! Man o man!!! You guys should get a get truck and hit the South Bay!
⁷⁄₁₅: Headed to San Diego this weekend — you guys open yet???

We live in San Diego, so our standards are high for Mexican food. This place is truly awesome. Great quality food, excellent flavors, and very friendly service. We would definitely come back, and we will!

Pleasantly surprised! !!! Ridiculously good high quality food, different and worth a visit. Family friendly honest genuine service. I was sure I did not like tamales until they gave me a sample. These people have pride in their business and they work hard to make their customers happy. Excellent Sunday lunch.
Thank you !!

Strike one:
We deliberately looked up a dog-​friendly place to bring our two dogs. However, when we pulled up, I did not notice a patio, which is where customers and dogs are usually accommodated. So I went in to make sure it was in fact dog-​friendly.
Jeff explained that we’d have to tie up our dogs outside somewhere; we wouldn’t be able to see them, but they’d be in the shade with water. He said his daughter would watch over them and called her over. I assumed she’d be an adult, but Skyler was about 11 – 13. Perhaps Jeff saw I was apprehensive about it, because he reassured me that she’s as good as they come. (Later, he referred to her as an «old-​pro» then joked, «well, young pro.») I talked it over with my partner and decided we’d eat quickly and go. I told Skyler to watch for leash-​chewing.
Strike two:
I considered the Wet-​urrito, but mole, no way, so I ordered the Veggi-​rrito ($ 9).
Jeff claimed it will be the best vegetarian burrito I’ve ever had and asked me if I wanted it wet or dry. I said wet, because wet burrito in Pomona means there is salsa on top of it.
When he totaled up our bill and it sounded higher than I calculated, I asked about it. He said the Wet-​urrito was $ 12.50, to which I replied, «I ordered the Veggi-​rito.» He proceeded to tell me about the mole which makes the burrito wet, to which I replied, «I do not like mole.» He said, «Most people don’t like mole because they’ve had it from a can; we make our mole here.» I told him I had in it Mexico and I didn’t like it there. He was still trying to convince me that his mole is different.
Me: Does your mole have chocolate?
Jeff: Yes.
Me: I don’t like chocolate.
So he told me he’d do something different. I’m not quite sure what he was going to do, but a long line was starting to form so I just let it go – I felt really uncomfortable having to argue for my food. He did, however, tell me to let him know if I did not like it.
The salsa that came with our chips was delicious and my partner and I agreed that it was the best thing at our table. It seemed really freshly made because it was still warm. The sauce that came on my burrito was sweet, so I was not thrilled that I was cajoled to pay an extra $ 3.50 for it. The salsa I poured on it made it better, but it was definitely not the best vegetarian burrito I’ve ever had!
Strike three:
In our 20ish minutes there, my partner and I took turns checking on the dogs, each checking on them twice. Skyler was petting them a couple times we went out, but we’re not sure where she went the other two times. When we finished our meal, we went to get the dogs and we saw that one of our dogs was sitting there, with no leash. Skyler was in the middle of hooking him back on his leash. She then unhooked our other dog, without holding on to him. When I saw this, I held on to his harness to make sure he didn’t get up and run away. She explained that they had gotten tangled. It was very sweet of her to untangle them, but it still made me very uneasy to come out and see the dogs free, with a child, next to a parking lot. Additionally, one of the leashes was chewed up :/​
*******
Having said all that though, our waiter (the only waiter) was really really nice. We have to pay and tip before eating, but he was still very attentive and extremely polite to everyone in the room, so we threw him some extra tip.
TL;DR:
1) Dog-​friendly here means dog will be tied up outside restaurant (in the shade, with water) out of view, and under the supervision of a child.
2) You may be asked to choose an option, one of which costs extra; however, you may not be informed of the extra cost, if you don’t ask.
3) A child may or may not watch your dog outside; preferably not.

Texifornia Tamale Co. is a California fresh spin on tex-​mex cuisine in Blue Jay. It occupies a structure that looks like a house in the back corner of the Jensen’s parking lot. It is a somewhat odd space. During the day, you order at the counter up front. (Dinner is table service.) Then, there is a dining area, which is the walled in patio on the front of the house. Not really insulated, it is VERY warm in the summer time. It is also a pretty small space. There are two levels — one has a half dozen booth/​tables and the other has about four more. I imagine that this place gets REALLY crowded.
I would not say that there is a lot of atmosphere, because you are sort of eating in a lean to. There are lacquered butcher block tables, vinyl banquettes and standard chairs surrounded by windows in the uninsulated walls. The owner and his staff are INCREDIBLY friendly. The one guy working the dining room really hustled to keep chips/​salsa filled as well as beverages. (This is really important, because it did take 20 – 25 minutes for our entrees to come out of the kitchen. Be prepared for a leisurely meal.) I did fill my own water glass once, but I am a bottomless pit. (And, service in mountain restaurants can leave a lot to be desired. This is one of my more favorable mountain dining experiences.)
The chips are packaged (I think), but they are fresh and quite good. The salsa is AWESOME (and both are plentiful). The salsa is mild and on the less chunky side with a smoky well seasoned flavor that can be eaten on its own. (I should know; I put some directly on my fork.)
There were four of us, so there were four different entrees. They have less available on their lunch menu than on their dinner menu, but you can choose from tamales, enchiladas, tacos, tortas, and quesadillas as well as salads. DD had the smothered smoky pork tamale ($ 9.50). More on the pork tamale later, this is served with rice and the chorizo refried beans. I did not taste anything on this plate.
DM ordered the taco trio ($ 10) with one each of the brisket, chicken and slow smoked pork. All of the meats were incredibly tender and generously served (these are baja style, with two small tortillas and about ½ cup+ of meat in each taco). DM preferred the brisket to the chicken which she preferred to the pork. The tacos were topped with cabbage, onion and cilantro. The owner was more than happy to substitute a side salad for the rice and beans. YAY! I did try the brisket and the pork, and I liked both, but I preferred the next dishes.
DH ordered the two tamale box ($ 12.50) with a slow-​smoked pork tamale and a green chicken chili tamale with rice and chorizo refried beans. I skipped the rice, but I heard that it was rich and buttery — just needed a little salt. The chorizo refried beans were unfortunately plated a little on the early side, so they were not as HOT as I would like. However, I thought they were outstanding — lean with a little spice and body from the chorizo. DD missed the lard in the beans, but that is the reason that I found them edible! Awesome with the salsa. The tamales were OUTSTANDING. Fresh masa, but not too much, is wrapped around a generous portion of meat. Despite not having sauce on top (personal preference), there is lots of flavoring and moisture inside. The smoky pork was the best — in a flavorful red sauce that is finger licking food. However, the green chicken chili was also very good and well seasoned. The smoky pork just knocks it out of the park.
I ordered the enchiladas ($ 13) with shrimp and green sauce and beef in red sauce. I got a side salad in lieu of rice and beans. The side salad is a generous serving of spring mix with tomatoes and caramelized onions and poblanos. This was amazing with the salsa (my salad dressing of choice). The enchiladas have one drawback — they are tiny. But, I really enjoyed them. They use the small baja style tortillas and drizzle them with crema. One was wrapped around bay shrimp and coated with green sauce and cooked with cheese on top. It is then moved to the plate, so you don’t get extra sauce (a bummer for me). The shrimp was very tasty, but it was a little dull. The brisket enchiladas was AWESOME. Those tortillas wrapped around super tender chopped meat with a super flavorful and well seasoned sauce and topped with cheese. Once again, it is melted off plate so you don’t get extra sauce, which is again a bummer for me.
I left VERY full and satisfied. I would definitely come back and try more on their menu. I wish that there were more sauces provided and that the enchilada portions were more generous (like the very generous tacos and tamales), but it is worth the trip.

I feel guilty writing this less than stellar review because our server was outstanding and my jalapeño margarita knocked my damn socks off and I’m pretty sure I grew a full chest of hair.
The food didn’t do it for me. They ran out of their famous tamales, so I was forced to go with the enchiladas, which disappointed me with dark meat chicken and bone. The brisket definitely saved the dish from humiliation because that was absolutely divine. But the beans, rice, chicken and guacamole were far under par.
For the record, my husband loved his burrito, and raved about the flavors, especially his brisket! We also really appreciated the owner asking how our meal was as we were enjoying our dinner.
However, I can’t join the five star band wagon on this place. Wishing them continued success, just not my personal flavor ;)

I’m a local and reluctant to try new places. But I had guests up and they tried it while I was away. They told me to try it.
So I went with my son tonight and the flies wouldn’t leave us alone the whole time we were there. Some of the food was good but overpriced! Service was ok and so far overall not bad. Then I get the bill. It’s already printed with a 40% gratuity up with the food items. So there is still a blank line for gratuity, however, the total for food already includes a 40% tip. I don’t say a word and let them pick up the check with my card. Sure enough the food total includes the 40% tip and the gratuity line is blank. So anyone not paying attention would be tipping on top of the tip they force on you.
This is a scam, a total scam. I paid the ridiculous bill and told the people next to me to be careful and that I would never be back!
And I won’t. It’s a small town so I know I can at least discourage the locals I know from going or at least warn them.
They lost my business for good! Too bad because there aren’t that many places to eat up here and it’s a bummer to loose one.
But I had a funny feeling about the people who worked there and their scam only confirmed my suspicions.
Let’s see if they make it through the winter pissing off locals!!!

A small place near the back of the parking lot, but absolutely one of the best restaurants around! You can’t get better tacos anywhere else. The ambience is casual, but the food is made to gourmet perfection! The service just makes this place even better because they’re so nice here. When you have great food and great service, you know you’re in the right place. Oh and they serve chips before you get your food! :) haha

I come here almost every Sunday for brunch and I absolutely love it!!! Best brunch on the mountain hands down. They have gourmet Texas style food and every item on the menu is fantastic.
The mimosas are the best I’ve ever had. I love coming here, I feel like I have discovered this gem of a place. I highly recommend everyone to try this place out for Sunday brunch. You will not be disappointed!

This is a must try place next time you are in the area. Friendly service and awesome food. The tamales are very good but the al pastor with grilled pineapple quesadilla was the bomb. You will love it.

Every time my wife and I stop by the area, this place is a must! Top that with a check-​in in Unilocal for a free drink, excellent! We have just been sticking to what we like: the tamales! The slow cooked pork is a personal favorite, spicy brisket when we want things to be a little spicier. The chips and salsa are always great to munch on while you wait for your food.
Seating for up to 6 if you have that many, plenty of parking.

We stopped here for lunch on your way to Big Bear.
Food was GREAT, location easy to find, service was great as well.
My boyfriend got a taco combo plate which he really liked. I had an amazing chicken salad. Chips and salsa where fantastic. The salsa here is VERY spicy!
Will definitely be coming back next time we’re headed up the mountain! :D

I can see why people would love this place. Service is attentive, devoted, and friendly. The wet burrito is HUGE, but very very unfortunately I did not order it. Much regret. Instead, I got the enchiladas. The one with shrimp is delicious. However, the pork and beef was okay to me. Portions of the enchiladas were small; the 3 enchiladas I ordered could probably equal to 1 ½ enchiladas in LA. For $ 13, it came with some rice and beans; the rice was bland sadly, not the typical Mexican rice you find elsewhere. There is also half a tortilla on the plate; maybe for the rice and beans?
The tamales were okay to me, I found myself wanting more flavor. Maybe I was tired, maybe I was not in the mood. All I know for sure was I should have gotten that darn wet burrito!

Great, fresh food.
Terrific specials, best tamales ever, don’t miss the «Armadillo eggs”(cheese stuffed jalapeño’s wrapped in bacon) OMG!
Family owned, nice people.

Many of you already know the wonder which is Texifornia. My husband and I had been dining with them regularly since their grand opening, but we found ourselves too busy to stop in over the last several months. Luckily, we changed that recently, and I’m excited to write an updated review.
Texifornia’s filet quesadilla is perfection on a plate, and if you happen to get lucky enough to enjoy their seared ahi (tuna) at dinnertime, your taste buds will thank you all night long.
This week, we stopped in for lunch on $ 10 Wednesday. I don’t know why we haven’t had their taco trio before now, but I’m utterly thankful that we finally did. Not being a fan of pork, I almost skipped out on what was the most positively delightful taco I’ve had in years. The trio includes three tacos: brisket, chicken, and pork. The brisket was super juicy, the chicken was tender, and the pork sent me thundering toward the kitchen to thank Miss Micki for changing my attitude toward pork.
For $ 10, we each had a taco trio with their signature chorizo refried beans and rice, as well as chips, salsa and a beverage. You cannot beat this deal!
If you haven’t been here yet, then you’re really missing out on some culinary heaven in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains.
Pure love! My mouth has never been happier.

The best tamale I’ve ever had! I hope my mom doesn’t see this because she makes tamales every Christmas :/​Sorry mom.
I tried the following:
Spicy brisket tamale: The masa was super moist & not too heavy. The brisket was so incredibly tender it melted in my mouth! The flavor profile consisted of smokey goodness with a hint of chipotle! Amazing!!!
Green chicken chile tamale: Again the masa was moist & light. The chicken was juicy and the green chile flavor was well balanced and really elevated the dish to gourmet status!
I opted for a la cart so I didn’t try the beans but the salsa was really really good!
The owner came by to ask if there was anything he could do to make my experience better! Talk about an A+ for customer service! I can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu!