You Can Call Me a Mama’s Boy After My Visit to Calaca Mamas

 Calaca Mamas

1550 South Harbor Blvd. 

Anaheim, CA 92802

It's remarkable to think of the number of people who visit OC each year to visit Disneyland. According to one figure, 28 million people visit Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure each year. Sure, some of these people are locals, but I imagine that with Disney's worldwide appeal, a good majority of parkgoers are from outside Orange County. Yes, these people have to eat, and even though the park has one of the best corn dogs on earth and the churros receive rave reviews, some tourists might want to venture out and try a restaurant outside the park. Might I suggest Calaca Mamas? 

Situated on the east side of the Disneyland Resort, Calaca Mamas is located on an area of Harbor Boulevard, which is dominated by budget-friendly hotels and plenty of ho-hum chain restaurants to pick from; Denny's, Panera Bread, Mimi's Cafe, and Tony Roma's, (yeah, I didn't know that Tony Roma's was still in business either). Not a very impressive or good representation of the thriving restaurant scene that OC has to offer. Calaca Mamas shines like a beacon for tourists and locals seeking a more accurate portrayal of our treasured local restaurants. 

Calaca Mamas was brought to life by two sisters, Angela and Mariam El Haj, who, when they opened this restaurant in 2022, became second-generation restaurateurs. They got their feet wet in the restaurant business by working in their parents' restaurant from a very young age. Their restaurant is themed for Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, with vibrant artwork and a wall dedicated to honoring those who have passed. A breath of fresh air compared to their chain restaurant neighbors. 

Not only is the atmosphere at Calaca Mamas warm and welcoming, but their menu is something to behold. They are an authentic chef-driven restaurant that uses organic ingridients and responsibly raised meat and seafood in their kitchen. The menu featured a lot more authentic items than I had expected. Yes, they do have tacos and burritos, but they also feature queso fundido and a tlayuda, which is best described as a Mexican pizza. Prices for entrees range from $20 to $35, while starters cost between $15 and $20. They offer happy hour pricing on select items in the bar and patio, available from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy hour would definitely be on my agenda if I were spending the day at Disneyland. 

We arrived at Calca Mamas at 6pm on a recent Thursday evening. Parking is available at the Best Western Hotel, located adjacent to the restaurant. They will validate for two hours. We were warmly greeted by the hostess, who escorted us to our comfortable booth. Our server, Kyra, came right over and introduced herself, providing us with a rundown of the menu and sharing some of her favorites. We also met Osmani, who was doing double duty this particular evening, bartending and managing the restaurant. He did both jobs wonderfully, checking on each table, and as you'll see in a moment, his mixology skills were on point. Let's review everything we experienced on our maiden voyage to Calaca Mamas. 

As is our tradition when eating in a Mexican restaurant, I like to share a picture of the Chips and Salsa that started off our meal. The chips were fresh and ideal for dipping into the surprising salsa. I'm picky when it comes to salsa, especially regarding its consistency. This one had my desired amount of chunkiness to it. There could have been a bit more heat behind it, but I'd bet I'm more of a heatseeker than most of the people that visit Calaca Mamas. 

Almost every review on their Yelp page mentions either the cocktails or the awesome bartenders at Calaca Mamas, so we had to give their drinks a try. We had Osmani pick his favorite beverages for us, and he did not disappoint. For me, he selected the Miracle Agua ($17.50). It combined some gin, ginger beer, strawberries, rhubarb bitters, lime juice, and a sprig of mint, garnishing the glass. I found this drink light and refreshing, and not overly sweet, which is a plus in my book. The ginger beer was evident in each sip and nicely balanced with the crushed strawberries. 

Even though she's married to me, Katie is not much of a drinker, so she tried the Forgotten Grapefruit Mocktail ($10). This alcohol-free beverage was made with organic grapefruit and lime juices, an organic agave simple syrup, soda water, and a pinch of salt. Katie felt this exuded a fresh feeling when she sipped it. She loved that this beverage did not hit you upside the head with sweetness. It was very subtle, and the addition of a pinch of salt added a little complexity to the drink.  

For our starter, we tried the Taco in a Bag ($15). This interesting item was listed on the small bite portion of the menu, but I feel it should have been listed with the salads instead. Chicken tinga was mixed with lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, crema, and a good amount of Fritos. Growing up, my mom used to make a taco salad that also used Fritos, so that may be why I feel this was more of a salad than a taco. I enjoyed the playfulness of this and that there were extra Fritos in the bag, as they are one of my favorite chips. I'd opt for the carne asada option instead of the chicken tinga next time, as it might have stood out more than the chicken. The serving size of this was quite substantial, and we barely polished it off before our entrees arrived. 

Katie is a birria fiend, so I was not shocked when she ordered the Quesabirria Tacos ($24). If you're not keeping up with the hot food trends of the last year or so, birria is a slow-cooked beef dish cooked in a flavorful consommé, resulting in incredibly tender and delicious meat. This was also the case at Calaca Mamas. The tacos come three to an order and are filled with not only the soft shredded beef, but also an Oaxacan cheese crust, which brings the taco to the next level. Diced onions and an avocado mousse are dotted across the plate to enhance your taco experience. This plate is finished off with rice and your choice of pinto beans or black refried beans. Katie got the black refried beans, and this is the way to go here. They were fantastic, with a good texture and very flavorful, possibly with a hint of garlic. The rice was top-notch, also. 

Carnitas ($30) are my standard order when dining at a Mexican restaurant for the first time. I use this dish as a barometer as to whether the rest of the menu would be worth coming back for. If this crispy pork shoulder dish is any indication, we will be back to try more from the Calaca Mamas menu. Easily the best carnitas I've had all year. They were indeed crispy, and I liked the variety of the bites that I got here, some lean pieces and some a little more fatty. Everything I look for when having carnitas. Since Katie got the black refried beans, I decided to try the pinto beans. They were tasty, but not as good as the black refried beans. 

Dessert should not be skipped, and these Churros ($19) are a testament to that. They were served on a tabletop churro cart with both chocolate sauce and dulce de leche, and a little fanfare thanks to a large firework placed at the edge of the cart. The churros were dusted with sugar and cinnamon and came out piping hot. Katie and I differed on our opinions of the sauces. She loved them because they were not overly sweet, and I wished that they were a bit sweeter. We fought all the way home about this and haven't talked since. Kidding. 

If you've read this far, you must know that I was pretty stoked about our visit to Calaca Mamas. This is not just a restaurant for people visiting Disneyland; locals should also find their way here. If you're worried about traffic, this side of Disneyland is mostly pedestrian traffic. The freeway on- and off-ramps are less than a half mile away, and with validated parking at the Best Western next door, it's a snap to get here. As for my next visit, I have my sights set on their carne asada plate, a burrito with their delicious carnitas in it, and the queso fundido. Everyone we encountered on this evening was thrilled to have us here, and a quick check of their 800 Yelp reviews reveals that good customer service is a theme at Calaca Mamas. Also, a little insider tip: Be sure to snag a seat on their patio for Disneyland fireworks at 9:30 nightly and grab a cocktail or two. Thanks for having us, Calaca Mamas, and we'll see you again real soon.  

For more information about Calaca Mamas, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.calacamamas.com/

**We were provided this meal for free in exchange for an honest review of their service/food. No other compensation was received. **