Chunky’s Taqueria | 701 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy., Petaluma | (707) 540-0655 | Most entrees under $15
5 of 5 Oak Leaves
Signature Dishes
Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas — a la carte or with beans — rice and salad
Review
The food at Chunky’s is delicious, satisfying and sold at crazy-low prices. Where else can you find so many dishes available in vegetarian, vegan, seafood and a wide range of meats, including beef tongue?
Chunky’s Taqueria is generous with its portions and doesn’t skimp on the chips and salsa. The salsa and chip bar is closed during the pandemic, but they still give you free chips with your order along with a choice of salsas and classic Mexican condiments. The chips are pre-bagged and the salsas and condiments are packaged in plastic containers, ready to go.
The vegetarian burrito is only $6.40, but it’s enough for two meals. It’s made with rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and your choice of black beans or brown, whole or refried. They offer it mild, medium and hot. The hot isn’t very spicy, but you can make up for that by adding more salsa.
The fish taco is packed with flavor. Buttery, grilled chunks of fish are topped with pico de gallo and a spicy red sauce, all heaped onto two small tortillas. Not quite as satisfying as the burrito, but more flavorful and at $3.25, an equally good value for your money.
Chunky’s motto might be, “Everything’s better with heaps of melted cheese.” The enchilada is slathered in red sauce and cheese. The chile relleno is deep-fried in batter, topped with cheese and packed with a thick, gooey white cheese.
The chicken tamale is one of the rare dishes that doesn’t automatically come with cheese. Nearly twice the size of the average tamale, it’s a bargain at $1.50.
If you want more of a splurge — by Chunky’s standards — order the shrimp fajita plate. Twelve dollars will get you shrimp grilled with pepper and onions on a plate with guacamole, beans and a small salad. Your choice of warm flour or corn tortillas.
Be sure to try the horchata. The rice flavor perfectly balances the sweetness in this classic Mexican drink.
Chunky’s Taqueria is a short walk from the Petaluma campus. When campus opens again, it’s your best bet for a tasty, affordable meal between classes. Until then, it’s takeout only.
The Breakdown
| Category | What were we looking for? | Score out of 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Packaging | Neat? Sustainable? Did they remember cutlery? Napkins? Condiments? | 4 |
| Hygiene | Was clerk wearing gloves? A mask? Both? Neither? What were the pick up and waiting areas like? Clean/neat? | 5 |
| Speed and accuracy | Food was on counter ready for pickup | 5 |
| Portion size | Was it filling or were you left wanting more? | 5 |
| Leftovers | Were there leftovers and, if so, did they reheat well? | 5 |
| Quality of Food | Freshness, quality of ingredients | 5 |
| Tastiness of Food | Flavor, spice and texture | 5 |
| Customer Service | Friendliness, responsiveness | 5 |
| Overall Rating | With 5 being a perfect score, this restaurant rated: | 5 |
