A sombrero-wearing skeleton doesn’t sound like the mascot you’d expect from one of Northeast Ohio’s most decorated taco spots, but that’s exactly the character riding shotgun on the food truck that started it all. The Funky Truckeria began back in 2015 as two mobile kitchens working the Ohio festival circuit, dishing out West Coast-style street tacos to crowds who kept asking the same question: where can we find you when there isn’t a festival going on? That demand eventually pushed the owners, who cut their teeth as award-winning food truck chefs, to plant a permanent flag in Norton Plaza.
A decade later, the brick-and-mortar spot at 3200 Greenwich Rd has racked up honors like Best Taco from Cleveland.com and Best Mexican from Akron’s Beacon Best, and it still runs the original trucks for weddings, festivals, and private parties around the region. Whether you catch them parked curbside or grab a table inside, the throughline is the same: tacos built fresh the moment you order, loaded with flavors that wander well outside typical taqueria territory.
What’s On The Menu
The taco lineup here reads more like a passport than a menu, with more than twenty varieties spanning Korean BBQ chicken, Thai chicken, jerk chicken, and Huli Huli chicken alongside seafood options like blackened mahi mahi and island fried shrimp. Singles run in the $5 to $6 range, or you can grab a three-pack for a more filling meal. It’s this willingness to blend Baja, Caribbean, and Asian flavors into a single taco shell that separates the place from the standard ground-beef-and-lettuce crowd.
If you’re after something more traditional, the 3-Taco Plates lean into Mexican street tacos and the “El Gringo Gordo” combo, but the dish people keep coming back for is the birria. The 3 Birria Quesa Tacos served with consomé for dipping have become something of a signature, and that same slow-braised beef shows up again in the Big Birria Burrito, a hefty 12-inch wrap that regularly gets singled out as the top pick on the menu.
Beyond tacos and burritos, there’s real range here. Chorizo Funky Balls come in three or six-packs as a shareable starter, 12-inch quesadillas and loaded nachos cover the comfort-food bases, and everything can be built as a bowl instead of a burrito for anyone skipping the tortilla. Dessert gets weird in the best way with the Salted Turtle Nacho Sundae, which turns cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips into an ice cream vehicle.
Why People Keep Coming Back
Portion size gets mentioned again and again, with tacos arriving generously stuffed rather than skimpy. The consistency is another draw: whether it’s a Tuesday lunch rush or a Saturday crowd, the food tends to come out fast without sacrificing freshness, which is no small feat for a menu this varied. Flavor is the real headline though, with the fusion approach landing as inventive rather than gimmicky.
Atmosphere & Setup
Don’t expect a sprawling dining room. The indoor space is compact, with around six tables, so this leans toward a grab-and-go or quick-bite kind of stop rather than a leisurely sit-down dinner. What it lacks in indoor square footage it makes up for outside, where a good-sized patio gives you more breathing room on nicer days.
The vibe matches the food: casual, a little playful, and unpretentious. It’s the kind of counter-service setup where you order at the register, grab a number, and let the kitchen do the rest. The parking lot is roomy enough that it doesn’t feel cramped even when the place is busy.
Other Considerations
Can I still catch the food trucks? Yes. The original trucks are still active and get booked out for festivals, weddings, and corporate events across Northeast Ohio, separate from the Norton storefront.
Is this good for a family meal? There’s a kids meal option on the menu, and the casual counter-service format makes it easy to bring little ones without worrying about a formal sit-down experience.
What if I’m feeding a crowd? A six-person taco dinner is available for $80, which is worth knowing about if you’re planning a casual get-together instead of catering something fancier.
Is there outdoor seating? Yes, the patio is noticeably larger than the indoor dining area, so it’s often the better bet when weather allows.
The Funky Truckeria
📍 3200 Greenwich Rd, Suite 113, Norton, OH 44203
Website: https://thefunkytruckeria.com/
