Tacaliente Mexican Grill at 1266 University Ave in Hillcrest serves a modern take on traditional Mexican cuisine, pressing fresh tortillas and tostadas in-house and grilling black Angus carne asada to order. The kitchen presses fresh tortillas and tostada shells to order, a scratch technique that distinguishes the University Ave menu from chain options and parallels the Baja-style seafood prep at Oscars Mexican Seafood in the same corridor. The salsa bar stocks multiple heat levels made from scratch, and the kitchen runs a full catering menu for off-site events including taco bars, burrito builds, and nacho stations. Taco enthusiasts working through the neighborhood's lineup can add La Vecindad Neighborhood TACOS to the rotation for a street-style contrast to Tacaliente's grill-forward preparations. The late-night kitchen handles post-bar rush service on weekends, building made-to-order burritos, birria-loaded crunch wraps, and surf-and-turf platters through the early morning hours.