Wednesday, September 12, 2012

El Taco/Taco Jr.

Taco Jr.
2101 Harbor Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(714) 642-6230

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El Taco
615 S Euclid St
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 535-2059

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If you've ever wondered what Mexican fast food tasted like before it got too kitschy and mass-produced then take a trip to El Taco (not to be confused with Del Taco, Taco Bell, or other such establishments). El Taco has been around since 1958 and is still making its food the same way, with fresh ingredients and most of the fixin's prepared right in the store. All its locations seem to be the originals and you can tell that they have never bothered to update their architecture, but as quaint and charming as it is you don't really want them to. They have an extensive menu featuring nachos, salads, quesadillas, soft and crisp tacos, tostadas, burritos, taquitos, chile rellenos, flautas, and breakfast burritos and tacos. They even have the bun taco and reference it on their menu as something of a Mexican sloppy joe. Out of the different items I tried on several visits the item that needed the most help were the nachos, which were somewhat lifeless and topped with an even more lifeless layer of bland guacamole, which seemed to just be pureed avocados. Apart from this flaw everything else was respectable and can be enlivened with their red or green sauce made on the premises and served in little plastic cups.

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For some reason the location on Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa has been renamed "Taco Jr." but there is still some "El Taco" branding if you look for it.

Read Dan's review of their Orange location at Eat in OC.

3 comments:

  1. Get tips about other great Mexican dining in Orange County at Locale Magazine.

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  2. The best way to order their nachos is to ask for the red sauce they put in the quesadillas to be added to it. You will never look at nachos the same way ever again... :)

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  3. Will try next. It's gotta be better than that guacamole.

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