Chico’s Tacos Menu — El Paso’s Rolled Tacos in Red Sauce
Rolled tacos, tomato sauce and a blanket of cheese. Explore the menu, compare single and double orders, and estimate your meal cost before visiting this El Paso institution.
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A small paper tray carries a big piece of El Paso’s food identity.
Joe Mora opened Chico’s Tacos on July 4, 1953, on Alameda Avenue. His background included boxing promotion and work as a jukebox mechanic. The business grew around a distinctive combination: rolled, fried tacos served in a tomato-based sauce with shredded cheese.
Following Mora’s death in 1992, his family continued the business. Its appeal reaches beyond the signature tacos: burgers, burritos, crinkle-cut fries, grilled cheese and a hot dog served on a hamburger bun give diners several ways to build an order.
The restaurant’s place in local history is unusually well documented. In 2003, the Texas House adopted HR 84 to honor its 50th anniversary and the Mora family. National television exposure later brought the paper tray to an audience well beyond El Paso.
What Makes Chico’s Worth the Trip
The experience centers on a short menu, a distinctive sauce and the way you put the order together.
The Signature Paper Tray
This is a saucy rolled-taco order rather than a dry, folded street taco. Start with a single if you want to try the signature dish before adding more.
The Fry-Dip Ritual
Fries give you something to dip into the sauce left in the tray. They are a separate menu item, so include them when working out the cost of your meal.
More Than Rolled Tacos
Dining with someone who wants a different order? Burgers, burritos, grilled cheese and the hamburger-bun hot dog provide alternatives without changing restaurants.
Build Your Chico’s Order
Add tacos, sides and drinks to see an estimated subtotal using the menu prices above. Split the cost between your group or compare a single order with a larger meal.
Totals use the menu prices and exclude tax, extras and ATM fees. This calculator does not place an order. Per-person amounts are rounded to the nearest cent.
Single vs. Double
At the menu prices, two singles and one double each total $8.88 for six tacos. For nine tacos, three singles total $13.32. Select a single and set the quantity to three in the planner.
Single + Fries + Drink
A single order, regular fries and a small fountain drink come to $9.44 before tax at the menu prices. With small iced tea instead, the estimate is $9.29.
Double + Fries + Drink
A double order, regular fries and a small fountain drink come to $13.88 before tax at the menu prices. Split evenly between two, the estimate is $6.94 each.
The Great Cheese Debate
The cheese change became a local news story because regulars noticed the difference. The documented sequence matters: an older cheese blend was discontinued, leading Chico’s to select Wisconsin cheddar.
Joe Mora opened Chico’s in 1953. The rolled tacos, sauce and cheese became the combination people associated with the restaurant.
Texas Legislature · HR 84Remezcla’s 2019 feature describes an imitation yellow cheese used from the early 1980s until 2016. For many customers, that color, texture and flavor defined their childhood order.
Remezcla · June 19, 2019In July 2017, co-owner Bernie Mora told CBS4 that the previously used blend had been discontinued the preceding summer. Replacement samples were inconsistent, so the restaurant selected premium Wisconsin cheddar.
CBS4 · July 2017Mora explained that the cheddar brought the tacos closer to their 1950s and 1960s taste. CBS4 interviewed customers with differing reactions: some preferred the change, while others missed the familiar cheese.
CBS4 · Owner’s explanationExpect rolled tacos served with tomato sauce and cheese. If the exact cheese matters for an allergy or dietary requirement, ask the restaurant about its current ingredients before ordering.
Ingredient questions are best answered at the counter.Are Chico’s Tacos Even Tacos?
The name can create the wrong expectation if you are imagining a folded street taco. Here is the distinction that matters when ordering.
In Shape, They’re Rolled Tacos
The tortillas are rolled and fried, giving them a form commonly associated with taquitos or flautas. Tomato sauce and cheese turn them into a dish best approached with a fork nearby.
On the Menu, They’re Chico’s Tacos
Order a single for three or a double for six. Those names describe the portion, while the sauce, cheese and separate green salsa define the Chico’s presentation.
Chico’s Tacos, Answered
What is Chico’s Tacos known for?
How much are a single and double order?
Is a double cheaper than two single orders?
How much is a meal with fries and a drink?
Is Chico’s Tacos cash-only?
How many Chico’s Tacos locations are there?
Why did Chico’s Tacos change its cheese?
What can I order besides rolled tacos?
Find Chico’s on Alameda
Chico’s began on Alameda in 1953. Visit El Paso lists the restaurant at 4230 Alameda Ave and confirms the phone number below. Call for the closing time or holiday hours before making a late trip. Visit El Paso listing.
Chico’s Tacos — Alameda
Address: 4230 Alameda Ave, El Paso, TX 79905
Phone: (915) 533-0975
Hours: Check the locations and hours guide and call before a late-night or holiday visit.
Payment: Bring cash. Call to confirm the payment policy or ATM availability.
Known for: Rolled tacos with tomato sauce and cheese, crinkle-cut fries and hot dogs served on hamburger buns.
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