Only thing you missed was a salsa . You are always very generous with the double meat and rice… The last time it was 10+ stars and this last time I didn’t get salsa!! Not sure why but most of the time they are very consistent with their quality…. this company is absolutely unbelievable

Surprise deals and electric World Cup energy, but the food remains pretty middling.

I’m calibrating all my scores with 3 stars as a ‘solid/average’ baseline to find the best spots in Chico.

I stopped by Aca Taco while on my mission to rank every taco spot in Chico.

The Vibe: 5/5 for character. I happened to pop in during the Thursday Night Market when Mexico and Korea were playing in the World Cup, and the room was absolutely electric. It is by far the most vibrant, high-energy taqueria environment I’ve been in.

The Highlights: The massive energy of the crowd and the surprise deals. Timing is absolutely everything here.

The Food: Pretty basic. The chicken is nothing to write home about, though the three street tacos did ultimately hit the spot. Also, they don’t have a self-serve salsa bar or automatically offer salsa with your meal, so you have to head back up to the counter to ask for some.

The Value: 4/5 stars. A spectacular bang for your buck if you catch them on the right night. I scored $2 street tacos and two Pacificos for $5 ($2.50 each) during the match. Combined with a $7 kid’s burrito, we walked out fully satisfied for right around $20.

Final Verdict: 3.4/5 stars. Aca Taco is a true Chico staple. While the food itself is fairly average, it’s a solid, highly entertaining spot to visit if there is a local event or a game playing.

To see where Aca Taco ranks against El Lider, Habanero’s, and the other spots on the leaderboard, search for ‘Chico Taco Tracker’ on Substack.