El Vaquero Taqueria

Finding an authentic Mexican Restaurant that’s quick, fun and affordable in a city where you’re unfamiliar is one of the reasons I love Unilocal!El Vaquero Taqueria — Mexican take-​out is a little hole in the wall with seating for 6 at the most on benches, no tables, inside, worth three picnic tables outside. So, most people probably opt to come take it home, but we’re from outta town. So, we were grateful for a clear day. The food was the best Mexican since Raul & Lupe invited me to their home when I was a kid! What a find!

Hands down the best mexican good I have had since so cal. What a treat. Could be the best food in helena and the owners are wonderful. Flavors galor, meat always tender, even veggie stuff is packed with goodness.

Friendly service, homemade style food. The quality and taste is incredible, everything is made from scratch, you will know right away you have been missing out once you take a bite of anything. Burrito and enchilada are my favorites.

Excellent Mexican food, great prices, gets very busy and if weather is bad, no seating.

Yes, yes, yes! The smells were amazing, the place charming and clean, people friendly, and service fast and the food was so so good. Even one taco at under three dollars was big, fresh and delicious.

I was surprised by how great of food they have. Refried beans, rice, Street Tacos are great. I also have had their beef enchiladas with the traditional sauce. The burritos are good size as well. Only downside is their hours of operation. Wish they were open for dinner. The service is excellent.

We usually go here once a week. Always great food, it reminds me of my grandmothers & mother’s cooking as a kid growing up. We haven’t anything here that wasn’t top notch. Adam and Erika are great and very welcoming and we’ve come to know them personally. It does get really busy over lunch, but they have some tables outside now. We tend to take a take lunch on the go to avoid the crowd though.

Good food! The people are amazing and very friendly. Definitely better than every other Mexican restaurant in town. Hopefully they change the hours.

Such a great place… Small place… Outdoor seating… Great prices… Big portions… The staff was soo polite! Food was so good… Salsa was super fresh! I will come here again for sure… Maybe tomorrow!

I live in Denver CO and I travel all over. After seeking out and having some of the best rated tacos in Colorado, Texas, Michigan and parts of Mexico, I was skeptical about El Vaquero Taqueria. I was stunned by how delicious the carnitas tacos with guacamole and sour cream were. Not only that, but they were huge and inexpensive. I’m writing this review almost 6 hours later and my stomach still feels like it’s going to explode. If you are in the area, you would be doing your self a great service to stop in and grab a taco.
6 out of 5 stars!

Good food at a good price, Please don’t change the food to accommodate the Pinche Gringo’s, thanks for keeping the food real! I wish you were open for breakfast. Papas con huevos y chorizo y queso

I usually go here once a week. Always great food. I haven’t anything here that wasn’t top notch. Adam and Erika are great and very welcoming. It does get really busy over lunch, but they have some tables outside now. I tend to take a late lunch to avoid the crowd though.
I hope they stay around for a long time.

This place is outstanding.
Environment.
Expect a genuinely warm greeting from owners Adam and Erika when you come in the door. This place is small and personal. It has the feel of walking into a relative’s kitchen in the middle of Thanksgiving. If you frequent this establishment expect to see familiar faces throughout the weekdays jockeying to find themselves a place to sit. The regulars know the routine and won’t hesitate to ask to sit next to you due to extremely limited indoor seating when the weather will not permit use of the patio.
If you can handle the tight quarters and aren’t shy; eat your food on premises. They will bring chips and salsa to you while you wait.
Food
Outstanding flavor and quality. The meats are slow simmered and provides for consistently high quality in terms of texture and flavor. You can order most menu items with one of four meat options. I don’t eat pork and I prefer the shredded beef option in most of my dishes. I switch my menu choice between the Mexican Street Tacos, burritos, quesoaladilla, or taco salad with the occasional chalkboard special to add more variety. I have never been disappointed in any of the dishes.
Service
Outstanding. The help can see you and are quick to drop off chips and salsa and wipe down the tables.
Price
Too low for the epic lunch you receive. Expect to pay between 6 to 8 dollars if you don’t get a soda.
Overall
Best lunch in Helena that I have found so far. Support this business. I would recommend either coming early (11am) or late (1pm) to somewhat avoid the noon rush.

This place has some of the best Mexican food I’ve eaten, and it’s in Montana nonetheless! Salsa is delicious. The Burritos are HUGE, filled with high quality ingredients, and grilled on the outside.

Great fresh food and really friendly crew. I love the street tacos the best. Really generous portions and tasty with the squeeze of lime on the top.

Good bean burrito #5 on the menu, busy for lunch, staff friendly and helpful… go there.

I am so glad we finally stopped at this place! It can be a little difficult to find really good, authentic Mexican food here in Montana. But this place hits the nail on the head! Warm, welcoming staff, and wonderfully delicious food make this a must stop for us at lunch-​time! I do wish they were open during dinner, but hopefully they will expand with time. A favorite lunch spot!

WOW. This place is such a hidden gem! Everything was so tasty and well made. The cook talked to me directly about his recipes so I knew what would be in the food. Great service! Everyone was very sweet and helpful. The chips are homemade and the salsa is fresh. Good beans. The meat is well prepared. Seating is small, so be prepared to take your food away if the tables are full. So yummy!

Limited but terrific and affordable menu. Very friendly staff. A vegetarian burrito, hooray! It’s hard to enjoy any so-​called Mexican food here after a decade in Southern California, but this place is legit. Great guacamole, too.

«Taqueria» is kind of a misnomer as most of the menu isn’t actually tacos. They are focused on take-​out, and there is very, very limited seating.
Most of the menu was also pretty typical US-​Mex fare like enchiladas and burritos with rice and refried beans, but there were a few standout exceptions. First, the «street-​style» carnitas tacos were excellent. Tender, yet slightly chewy meat, onion, cilantro, lime, and oddly, cotija cheese. Second, the guacamole was outstandingly fresh and vibrant, with the perfect chunky/​creamy ratio.
Lastly, the prices are a steal. I’m sick of everyone in Montana complaining on Unilocal about places being «pricey». I’ve almost never dined somewhere here where I thought I was being ripped off. If you want cheap food, eat at home or some crap fast food.
That said, El Vaquero is dirt cheap for what you get. The food is good, and the portions large.