La Victoria Taquería
La Victoria Taquería, known as La Vic's, is a family-owned taquería in San José, California, opened in 1998 across from San José State University and famous for its creamy orange sauce.
History
The original La Victoria occupies an old Victorian house on East San Carlos Street facing the San José State campus, and has been open since 1998. Its hours, from early morning until 3 a.m., made it a student institution. The family business has grown to about six Bay Area locations, most in San José.
Orange sauce
The draw is a thick, creamy orange salsa with garlicky heat that clings to food rather than soaking in. It sits in squeeze bottles on every table and is sold by the bottle. The owners have named garlic, onion, tomato and dried red chiles as ingredients; the source of its creaminess is a long-running local mystery, though the restaurant says the sauce is vegan. KQED recommended the super tacos, particularly with lengua, and the nachos.
Reviews
Reviews on WikiTacos open at launch. Until then, read what diners say on Google and Yelp.
Google Maps reviewsYelpReferences
- "Taquerias Come and Go, but La Vic's Orange Sauce Is Forever". KQED. Retrieved 2026-10-10.