Taco Loco

Damn, that’s good. We’ve gotten take out here a couple of times. So good.
Chips and salsa, check.
Guacamole, check.
Quesadilla, triple check.
Tacos, burritos, tamales and enchiladas, check.
I want to eat here all the time. Also, double bonus points for the girl working the cashier/​waitressing. Not only did she communicate well, but she tolerated all my questions and special requests and got EVERY SINGLE ONE RIGHT.

Am I only the second person to review this fine establishment this year? I always pick up a couple dozen tamales in the grocery area of El Rey to take back home in Pennsylvania. I had a couple of hard shell beef tacos to honor taco Tuesday and they were very good. I also indulged myself with a chile relleno and the starches (beans and rice) off of my wife’s enchilada plate. The guacamole was grand according to my wife but I thought that it lacked something, a squeeze of lime. A dash of salt??? The salsas were very good too, red and green and. drum roll… everything was very fresh. Good job to all. I’d give ya another star but I want to work my through your big menu.

Excellent food and wonderfully attentive staff. My family likes to go to El Rey for all the yummy food on the hot bar. We kept threatening that we’d eat at the restaurant attached ‘someday’. Yesterday was the day. My husband and I took 2 of our kids and my mother out for dinner here on a Sunday night. I was sure, when we thought of it, that it would be closed. To our delight, it was open and the gentleman running it was more than happy to have us!
He helped us first by answering lots of questions about drinks. My husband had pretty particular needs and we got enough information to decide that a Jarritos was just the ticket. Not being able to decide at first on flavors, our waiter offered to let my husband and daughter try before choosing. How refreshing to have someone willing to help! My youngest son chose the fresh pineapple juice that was bubbling in the drink dispenser and I decided on an horchata, good stuff.
Chips and salsa were awesome, wouldn’t expect less from El Rey, home of the yummiest tortilla chips.
The menu has great variety and varying amounts of food. I chose the 3 tacos meal as I’m all about the meat and beans and rice. Delicious, wish I could have eaten every last bite! Other food of note is the tamales! My daughter craves them, they do not disappoint.
If you’re looking for good food without high prices, you’ve found it. The best part is that a lot of the food served in the café, is available for purchase a la carte in the store or the restaurant does take out as well.
Good food, friendly staff!

I decided to give this place a shot when I stopped in El Rey to buy some chips for a SuperBowl Party.
A staff member was mopping the floors and it looked like the major dining room may have been shut down, or at least I got the feeling they didn’t want anyone walking on the freshly mopped floors. I thought they were closing so I asked. They closed at 8:00. It was 5:00.
I played nice and sat at the counter. A young lady at the register told me she would take my order over by her when I was ready (um, so you’re not going to come to the dining counter to take an order from only the second customer in the restaurant?). Ok. I’m easy.
I ordered a combo with a Barbacoa (shredded beef — only available on weekends) taco, a Barbacoa enchilada with salsa verde, and a chicken tamal (tamals only available with chicken or pork). Dinners also include a side of rice and beans.
When my plate arrived, I didn’t see any salsa verde on my enchilada, in fact I didn’t see any sauce at all. Just a few specs of red dots, which were red sauce drops before they dried up and became one with the tortilla.
I asked about it but she was certain (–ly wrong) that I ordered red sauce. No worries, I will eat as is. I cut into the enchilada and was surpised that it wasn’t soft from being freshly baked. So I’m not thinking the tortilla had a little sauce put on it, was heated on a flat top or a skillet, then filled and rolled and maked nuked to melt the very small amount of cheese on top. It didn’t look or taste like an enchilada.
The taco was fine and the tamal was small but also fine, nothing to write home about. The Barbacoa had a decent flavor to it and was somewhat moist, so that is a positive.
The rice and beans were also ok.
The dinner was alright for $ 8 but I felt like the staff didn’t care about the food they made or the service they provided. It was disappointing. No reason for me to eat here again.

I really want to like this place more but I’ve found it fairly mediocre. After months of anticipation as i waited for it to finish being under construction, i finally tried it a few weeks ago. Here are the results of that and other visits:
— Staff very friendly on all occasions.
— More than enough food each time
— Free chips and salsa
— Clean kitchen and eating area
— Beans pretty good
Sadly, i have found these issues:
— greasy food no matter what the order
— very very salty chips
— rice often tastes overdone
Prices are alright and comparable to other area Mexican restaurants, but as it’s the same price, the main dish, rice and beans, and chips are better at another nearby Mexican place I’ve reviewed on 60^th.
I’ll probably swing by yet as it is convenient and my husband enjoys it. I also would like to try their breakfast but usually am not available in the mornings. Will try it sometime but would love if breakfast was served all day!