Capas Tacos
A new chain is bringing smoked meat tacos and some ceviches across Orange County
Although virtually everyone loves tacos, there’s obviously something challenging about serving them at Rodeo 39 Public Market. Thankfully, after Asian-inspired taqueria Buenos Migos folded in 2023, Capas Tacos appeared in 2024 to take its place. With a more (but not purely) Mexican culinary foundation, Capas combines several types of tacos with two locally inspired ceviches, and though the location’s concept and service are solid, the execution could use a bunch of work.
Individual tacos go for just under $5, with three flavor choices: smoked birria, smoked carnitas, or poke-style ahi tuna crudo with a spicy aioli sauce. A Caribbean-style yellowtail ceviche and a Mexican-style lime & chile shrimp ceviche range from $14 to $15. And although Capas’s focus is apparently on those items, you can also order rice bowls, burritos, and quesadillas with the same proteins for $10 to $16; cheese- or veggie-only versions are $8 to $9. Aguas frescas are available for $6 each, with canned sodas going for $4.
Capas’s key problem is in presentation. We ordered a birria taco and a yellowtail ceviche to eat at one of their few small tables, and everything came in small plastic containers; the taco was so unrecognizable and the ceviche so visually bland that we thought we’d been handed the wrong meal. While the taco actually tasted pretty good one we folded the unexpectedly soft shell up, it was tiny – 3 bites max – and substantially unlike Capas’s photos. And even as huge ceviche fans, we found that the yellowtail ceviche’s coconut base didn’t work particularly well with either the fish or citrus; two of us struggled to finish it, helped only by warm included tortilla chips.
Additional locations of Capas are opening in San Juan Capistrano, Whittier, Fullerton, and Irvine. We’ll consider revisiting if there are some substantial changes to either the ceviche menu or the taco portion sizes for the prices.
Stats
Price: $$
Service: Counter
Open Since: 2024
Addresses
12885 Beach Blvd.
Stanton, CA 90680
949.842.6379
Instagram: @capastaco