Tacos El Gordo

Experience:
Tacos el Gordo. Everyone in Vegas knows about tacos el Gordo. It’s not your typical restaurant. For someone who is not used to real Mexican taco ordering process, it can be a little confusing.
There are lines for each type of meat/​food items. You order from the person who is prepping the food fresh off the grill. After you have ordered, you take your food to the cashier after pumping your tray amongst everyone else who is eagerly waiting for their food. The restaurant is always always packed because of its popularity. I call it the Mexican DMV.
Food:
The food is delicious! My favorite is the tacos al pastor which derives from the Middle East when migrants moved to Mexico. (Not a lot of people know this) the carne asada is really good. The food is always made fresh.
Technology optimization:
The restaurant could use help with their technology and accepting payment options like Apple Pay and not charging for the payment method. The cash register is the same one that you can find at the public library. It’s 2016 in America, let’s move along Gordo!
Overall:
Bring all your friends here! Highly recommend it and you can never go wrong with the food here! Yum!

This place will be crowded. There will be lines. You may have to eat outside. Just like other reviews say, make sure you wait in the correct line, we were ordering only pastor tacos so the shortest line happened to be the one we wanted. I know i can order several street tacos so we ordered a total of 12 pastor tacos on corn tortillas and 2 drinks which came out to about under $ 25. When you wait in line you order your food, hey make you your tacos fresh and you go to the next register to pay. The restaurant is small, crowded and people will be holding tables for their friends/​family but when we went outside to the outdoor overflow seating, there was no one there, it was still cold but not too bad, we were able to bear the cold, fill our bellies with pastor goodness and go on with our day. As for the tacos themselves, very good! Pork was marinated well, had enough flavor and spice and when topped with some lime juice and washed down with an horchata, so good! Tacos El Gordo, your tacos are legit.

I walked in on a Saturday night and there had to be 40 people in 3 separate lines for Asada, Chorizo, Al Pastor, and a variety of other amazing meats and dishes. You choose a line based on meat, not size.
We stood in line for almost 25 minutes because it was Saturday at dinner time and the grill was cooking. The wait was 100% worth it.
There were 6 of us and we sent one person to save a table (it’s hard to find a place to sit) and the rest savored the smells of what we were about to eat.
I ordered the Carne Asada fries and they were incredible along with a carne asada taco and 2 chorizo tacos. I ended up splitting the fries because it was a ton of food. The others in my group also got fries and taco variations and everyone loved their tacos.
I’ve eaten at lots of other taco places that I love (Taco y Taco, etc.) but Tacos El Gordo is quickly a top 1 or 2 on my taco list now. Everything is incredibly fresh and food is authentic and incredible.

Yes yes baby Jesus so yummy ! Make sure you guys ask for the onions with the chile! My favorite has to be tripita !

Didn’t even get to eat here. We waited in line for 40 minutes and the line barely moved. We didn’t come to Vegas to stand all day, so we finally bailed and went somewhere else. Which is unfortunate, because we were really looking forward to the food.
In our 40 minutes standing in line we also noticed how many people save seats for long periods of time, leaving everyone else with food no place to sit and eat.
This entire place is a disorganized disaster. Not sure the food is worth the wait. I guess I will never know!

Who knew Vegas could serve authentic Tacos. At Tacos el Gordo you get the real deal none of this Tex-​Mex flour tortilla stuff. instead you get the small corn tortillas just like in Mexico the menu is super easy and the guys working the kitchen are hilarious.
my favorites were the tripa, that’s tripe for you English speakers, clean, hot and crispy. The lengua followed and to finish the asada. I had mine with «todo» which means everything onions, cilantro and either red or green salsa.
Do stay away from the sesos way to mushy for my taste.
Tip: If you go get yourself a Mexican soda for the full experience.
All and all two big orale for this place!

This was on our list while visiting Vegas. We were afraid it would be crazy busy, based on the Unilocal reviews. When we got there, we were pleasantly surprised. Also, it was a weekday.
There are different lines for different meats. I can see how this could be kind of inconvenient if it’s crowded, and especially if you’re by yourself and want to taste everything. I suggest going with at least 1 other person so you don’t have to wait in all the lines. We had no problem though because it was pretty empty! Once you get all your food, you pay at a separate station.
We ordered 2 carne asada tacos, 2 adobada tacos, and carne asada/​adobada fries. All items were delicious. Personally, I enjoyed the adobada meat more than the carne asada. I thought it was tastier and had good flavor. And those fries were not hard to finish at all! :P If I ever come back, I would just get adobada on my fries.
Service was friendly and the place nicely kept. Since they have different lines for the different meats, I would suggest knowing what you want before entering.

love their tacos!!! beat tacos ever!!! super authentic!!!
My favorites are al pastor and cabeza!!! don’t forget about your free peppers and onions!

Der Hype bleibt m.M. unverständlich und das Warten ist die Zeit nicht wert. Die Tacos waren pappig, fad, geschmacklos und labbrig. Der Maisfladen war immer vollgesogen mit Fett und Sud, den man wie einen Schwamm ausdrücken konnte.
Beim Bestellen sollte man wissen, in welche Schlange man sich stellt. Links gibt’s Gegrilltes wie Steak, Chorizo etc. Mitte Gekochtes. Rechts Würziges Schweinefleisch vom Spieß. Abhängig davon was man bestellt, gibt es als Soße entweder Guacamole, Salsa oder grüné Salsa. Als Beilage gibt es immer Zwiebeln, Tomaten und Koriander.
Beim ersten Besuch sollte die Wartezeit 2 Stunden betragen. Da die Schlange quer durch den Laden führte, entschied ich mich am nächsten Tag wiederzukommen. Musste ja genial sein, dass die Leute bereit sind so lange zu warten. Obwohl der Laden um 9 öffnete, musste ich über 30 Minuten warten bis ich das Taco mit Steak bekam. Die Chorizos waren nach 10 Uhr nicht mal fertig. Es war rein gar nichts fertig!!! Also ging es erst an die mittlere Bestelltheke. Die dort servierten Tacos schmeckten nach nichts. Alles zerkocht und ungewürzt. Auf den Spieß rechts hatte ich am Ende keine Lust mehr, weil ich meinen Vormittag nicht damit verbringen wollte auf Tacos zu warten, die nicht mal wirklich nach was schmeckten.
Das Bestellsystem ist mehr als optimierungsbedürftig, da das, was ich sehen durfte sowas von ineffektiv war, ja fast idiotisch. Jeder Koch nimmt gleichzeitig die Bestellung auf und serviert. Wie soll man bei drei Bestelltheken mit unterschiedlicher Nachfrage gleichzeitig essen? Die einzige Möglichkeit gemeinsam und alles zu essen ist wenn Laden leer ist. Alles andere ist utopisch. Und dann mit dem vollen Tablett zur Kasse, die sich dann auch beim Eingang befindet. So stolpert der bezahlende den reinkommenden über die Füße und tritt den wartenden auf die Zehen. Was ein Chaos!
Nein Danke! Ein Mal und nie wieder!

Love the tacos, service is terrible, they should move back to Tijuana.
Long lines just to find out you’re on the wrong kind of taco line WTF???
This Gordo guy is blowing it.

This place is real deal taco place only. Make sure you come here after researching. Everything is in Mexican. It took me awhile to order my food.
There’s 3 separate lines depending on what you want to order. After you order, you get your food and then you pay on the right. Ladies are super nice.
I got steak quesadilla but it’s very different from Taco Bell which I’m used to. It comes with onions, salsa sauce, parsley, and cheese. It was really good. I also tried taco pork. It reminded me of char siu meat from Chinese food. But also very good.
I really need to study some Mexican food words next time. I felt pretty lost.

Ever since the location next to Wynn closed down, this location is always PACKED. Yes, loyal taco fans, Tacos El Gordo is an absolute MUST HAVE if you’re in town. It isn’t too far from the strip so if you have a car, please do bother to take the drive down here. If not, you are definitely missing out!
Warning: you will leave smelling like tacos so don’t come in after a fresh shower… Also your fingers will have the taco scent lingering for like the next 7 hours.
The menu is priced at $ 2 or $ 2.50 per taco depending on what you order. You grab a tray, go, and order. On a normal hungry day, I can eat about 7 – 8 tacos.
I highly recommend ordering the adobada (aka «spicy pork» — not really that spicy at all, actually) and ask for pineapples on the side. I eat it with the pineapple and it is sooooo good! I do this by ripping pieces of pineapple and just dropping it on the taco lol. I’ve noticed if they see you add something to the tip jar, most of the time they’ll add the pineapple & extras without you even asking ;)
In addition to that, the classic asada (steak) is always spot on! I’ve explored all the other tacos such as the lengua but it didn’t tickle my fancy. Every time I come here, I now only get the adobada and asada.
The fries are also HUGE. We have shared the fries between 4 people while also eating some tacos. I also enjoy the quesadillas they make here!
I have been to Tacos el Gordo so many times. And every single time I leave stuffed and satisfied. Yum!

The food is amazing as advertised. I got the pastor tacos and they blew my mind. The meat, the cheese, the sauce, the pineapple… all fantastic. Also got a carne asada mulas, which was equally amazing. I could’ve eaten two more of each they were so good.
The ordering system is indeed flawed, and I almost want to take a star away just because of that. There is nothing that prevents someone from getting their food, eating it, and not paying. If I were the owner or manager of the restaurant I would fix that immediately. Furthermore, there are three separate lines that list various meats and types of food (mulas, quesadillas, sopes, tacos, etc.) There really is no order whatsoever. For instance, what if I want a carne asada mulas? There are two signs in different lines. Extremely confusing.
In the end though you get your food, and I bet you can order whatever you want in any of the lines. The food is literally some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. Next time I am in Las Vegas (or San Diego), I am returning.

I wish I could get a couple airbuses full of people from my city to show them what tacos should taste like. Tacos El Gordo exemplifies taco authenticity.
Walking in you may ask yourself, what line for what? I admit if I had not learned Spanish through Rosetta Stone I’d be tornadoing in confusion. But take your time to google the meats before you choose your lines and you will be fine!
The taco dilemma was in full effect here. What combination plate should I create?
My Taco Creation
(2) Asada: The asada was nice. It wasn’t full of fatty pieces nor was it over salty. You can taste a bite and feel like you’re in your mothers vecindario. 4.25÷5
(1) Lengua: I always need that tongue action and Tacos El Gordo gave it to me nicely. Soft and chewy and flavorful, no fault here. 4.25÷5
(1) Al Pastor: Would of been 2 but someone drunk dropped one. My favorite out of them all. The meat was marinated to perfection. 4.75÷5
(1) Asada Sope: This was okay, sope ingredients were eh. ³⁄₅
Tortillas: Not handmade but it’s a street taco not a mercado taco. Fits the schema well.
Customer Service was Mexican fast paced, meaning no smiles, just order and keep it moving, except for the cashier (;
Tacos are made to be eaten here. It’s quite that simple.

I’ve been a huge fan of Tacos El Gordo…
When I heard they’ve moved from their old location, I was devastated! Now that I’m here for the first time at their new location, here’s a few things I’ve learned during my visit…
1) their crazy ordering line is still in place. Try opting to try some crazier stuff like their head, tongue or even tripe. There is absolutely no line for this window
2) grab a buddy. The more the merrier. Split up and grab a buddy for the carne asada line, their adobada line, and a SEAT! They’ve increased their seating but people seem to be grabbing them fast so it’s best if you have a body to secure one
3) don’t be rude. Don’t be that guy trying to cut in line. People will cuss you out. (I’ve seen it happen) lol
4) a lot more somewhat organized than the old location… in a weird way. I remember at the old location it was kind of a free for all and people were just yelling out orders but it seems a lot more tamed this time around…
New location, same taste! Still delivering some of the best tacos I’ve eaten! Never disappointed when I come! Just wish you guys were closer to the strip like before!

I’m a huge fan of this place! One thing I really missed about LA is their tacos. From guisados to the taco trucks, to the ones on the street with the ladies cooking on a cart… I miss all of it. Tacos have been really hard to find in Vegas. I am personally not a big fan of tex mex tacos… I want straight up street tacos with nothing but meat, cilantro and onions and the occasional sauce.
I’ve tried tacos at cardenas and I think they are decently good. When I went to tacos el gordo on a Friday night, there was of course a line. It moved fast though. This place is unique in that they have several lines. Lines depend on the meat you want on your tacos. They have everything from lengua to tripe to asada to al pastor. They didn’t have carnitas though. I lined up for their infamous spicy pork line. When I went up to the guy, I asked for 2 spicy pork and one al pastor… he told me they were the same thing. I thought that was weird because I thought they were different. Anyhow, got 3 tacos and asked them for pineapples (complimentary) on the side.
I went to another line to pay. Finding seats can be hard on a busy night but people eat fast and you just have to keep an eye out. I loved the tacos! More expensive than the dollar ones I used to get on the streets of LA but they were really tasty. I loved the green sauce that it comes with as well. The spicy pork is not spicy at all! The look of it reminds of chinese roast pork because of its red exterior… but I didn’t quite know how the mean taste like alone. I just know that as a combination it was wonderful. I can’t wait to go back again!
My friends also got the lengua and asada. Honestly the asada was not that good. It tasted like a hamburger to me… anyone else agree? The lengua was really good though. It was large chunks of tender and flavorful meat. When I go back, I don’t think I’ll order anything but the al pastor though =).

If you have never been here and are having trouble with the menu I suggest you start off by listening to pitbull song. Cabeza, lengua and other cow body parts can easily be explained through him. Some head and tongue tacos never sounded too bad! :p
If the thought of eating these things disgust you, do not be afraid and just try it! It is not as bad as you think! I was so happy to know that the «guac is not extra» here! The unfortunate part is that the food is actually pretty descent, but what is up with the guacamole! It looks and tastes like green paste! C’mon! :p

Yes, the tacos are pretty pricey. $ 2 a piece whereas I can find tacos for as little as $ 0.50 in Orange County. Is worth it? Hell yeah it is!!!
Everything is prepared fresh in front of you (meat, tortilla). You get in line according to what meat you want on your order (there’s carne asada, lengua, cabeza, adobada, buche, and tripa). Lines can get pretty long around lunch time; I recommend you go in the late afternoon or late non-​weekend evenings. If you want different meats, best method is to divide and conquer. Have friends order in the other lines while you wait for yours!
Carne asada and al pastor are the meats I always go for. Tortillas are thick to avoid ripping since the meat is so juicy (plus you’ll probably be adding tons of salsa). You can choose to add everything to your order; everything meaning guac, onions, and salsa. Radish and lime are at the side bar.
Unique here is what they call «Campechana Fries» ($ 10), which is Carne Asada and Al Pastor added together! Super delicious. Fries were not soggy at all and meat was tender and juicy. Highly recommend this option if you’re not into the whole finger food ordeal! *Campechana fries can come with or without chili cheese*

Okay so I went to Vegas for my friends’ birthdays and you know the drill in Vegas. But this, this was the highlight of my trip! Best freaking tacos I have ever tried and I am from Southern California!!!
WARNING: YOU WILL GET FOODGASM FROM THEIR ADOBADA TACOS. It might be the best $ 2 you have ever spent if you love tacos. Order more than what you THINK you want. You won’t regret it.
I only got 3 adobada’s and they were closing so I couldn’t get to order more D:
Their tortillas made from scratch is nothing like you have tasted before. SO FRESH!!!
I want to go to Vegas just for these tacos!!!

Hype. It either is the maker or breaker of expectations. Unfortunately, this didn’t live up to the hype. Almost everyone that eats late night or has a recommendation for other than regular eats on the strip, will utter this name.
The food wasn’t bad, hell, it was good and flavorful like a lot of places in L.A. I would even dare to say a bit better. The service, well, I don’t expect much, but it was satisfactory. The thing that makes no sense to me at all, the ordering system. Why is there 1 person and a separate line for a selection of meats? Why?! The lines would move so much quicker if they had people in the back cutting up said meats while 4 – 5 counter people take orders. Nope, they think having 1 guy handling each specific meat and 1 guy handling sides (grilled peppers, onions) is the way to go.
Well, it’s not. It’s a huge and annoying clusterf**k of people in line. It just makes no sense. Then, I wanted to buy an agua fresca, but no one told me how to get a cup. What? I ended up with a can of Coke.
Meats and wares are good, but again, don’t get the system of ordering and considering this is quite some ways away from the strip and the wait for food I can get in a good taqueria in L.A., I’ll pass.

Tip: DIVIDE AND CONQUER!!! …the lines
It’s best to come here with a couple of your friends so that you can split up and wait in the different lines for different meats, otherwise, you’re going to be waiting in line forever to try the variety they have here. Make sure to look at the signs at the start of each line to know what you’re getting in line for!
A bit chaotic like the previous location, but still as delicious as it gets nevertheless. Because we ended up waiting for a full hour for all the food, we definitely felt the need to over-​order, ultimately getting almost $ 120 worth of tacos and fries for 7 people. TACO FEAST!
My favorites: Lengua, Adobada, and Buche! The food here will take your taste buds to taco heaven.

A altas horas de la madrugada comer estos tacos te da para seguir la fiesta! muy ricos pero mucha fila.

…es una lastima que tengan buena comida … pero un personal … deficiente e ineficiente … sobre todo las cajeras … prepotentes y déspotas … es jna lastima

Fuimos a visitar el lugar por Unilocal pero los tacos eran demasiado caros, es demasiado lo que cobran por sus productos, en el lugar había moscas por muchas partes, la mesa estaba pegajosa, las tostadas estaban quemadas al igual que la carne. No lo recomendaría.

Extrem gutes Taco-​Schnellrestaurant. Absolute Empfehlung!

very good food. wow muy buena comida