Ted's Tacos and Cantina in Oklahoma City: Made-to-Order Tacos with a Full Bar
Ted's Tacos and Cantina is a casual counter-service and full-sit-down restaurant specializing in made-to-order tacos, located in Oklahoma City with a liquor license and a small dining room that serves both lunch and dinner crowds.
What Ted's Tacos and Cantina Actually Is
Ted's operates as a hybrid: walk up to the counter to order, watch your tacos assembled, then sit in the adjacent dining space or take out. The menu centers on traditional tacos built from grilled tortillas, with protein options that lean toward carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, and chicken. Unlike the growing category of elevated or fusion taco shops in Oklahoma City, Ted's positions itself as straightforward and unpretentious, with pricing and portion size calibrated to quick lunch and casual dinner traffic rather than date-night experimentation.
Menu, Pricing, and What to Order
Individual tacos run $2.50 to $3.50 each, depending on protein. A three-taco order typically costs $8.00 to $10.00 before tax. The carne asada tacos, grilled thin and finished with onion and cilantro, are the strongest choice; the meat arrives with visible char and holds its flavor without requiring extra salsa. Al pastor tacos come with pineapple; carnitas are seasoned aggressively and shred cleanly when bitten. Chicken tacos tend toward drier execution and are worth skipping unless you prefer mild flavor.
The cantina side offers beer (domestic and Mexican brands), margaritas (standard mix, not house-made), and well liquor. Margaritas run $6.00 to $7.50. Sides include beans, rice, and chiles rellenos ($4.00 to $5.00). The salsa bar is complimentary once seated; red salsa is thinner and hotter than the green, which leans toward cilantro and lime.
Verify current pricing by calling ahead, as taco costs shift with commodity costs.
How Ted's Compares to Other Oklahoma City Taco Spots
Ted's occupies the middle ground between high-volume taco trucks and the newer fast-casual taco chains. Compared to Tamashii Ramen + Izakaya, which offers Japanese-influenced ramen and gyoza rather than tacos, Ted's is purely Mexican-American in execution. Compared to Fuzzy's Taco Shop (if operating in your area), which emphasizes bar seating and cocktails over food consistency, Ted's reverses the hierarchy: food comes first, alcohol is secondary. The carne asada at Ted's is grilled fresh to order rather than held in a warmer, which distinguishes it from pre-made offerings at food courts.
For a faster, cheaper option, taco trucks parked around Oklahoma City on rotating schedules offer comparable or lower prices but no seating or cantina license. For a more upscale taco experience with house-made salsas and specialty proteins, Nonesuch (if operating) positions itself higher in price and presentation.
Who This Place Suits and Who It Does Not
Ted's suits lunch-break diners, groups of coworkers splitting three or four tacos, and anyone seeking a quick sit-down meal without table service. The cantina license and small bar make it viable for after-work groups wanting a margarita with tacos. It suits people who prefer assembly-line speed over slow cooking.
It does not suit diners seeking high-end ingredients, house-made tortillas (tortillas are commercial but grilled fresh), or a full sit-down restaurant experience. It does not suit anyone on a tight budget; three tacos plus tax comes to roughly $11.00 to $12.00 per person.
What the First Visit Involves
Walk in, scan the menu on the wall behind the counter, and order at the register. Watch your tacos assembled; this takes two to three minutes for an order of three. Pay and take a number, or grab a seat if tables are open. Salsa is self-serve from the small bar on one side of the dining room. Most visits complete in under 20 minutes from entry to exit.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
Ted's operates for lunch and dinner daily. Hours typically run 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekends; call to confirm, as hours shift seasonally. Street parking is available on nearby blocks; there is no dedicated lot. The space accommodates roughly 25 to 30 people seated at any time.
Ted's Tacos and Cantina fills the role of a no-frills neighborhood taco spot with a bar, reliable carne asada, and enough liquor options to justify a casual group dinner. It is not a destination; it is a dependable default.
