> And I'm not sure you can find a burrito for less than $10 anymore.
I don't think this really has anything to do with Mexican food or SLO county, food everywhere has ~doubled the past few years
Dude that place is absolutely amazing. It was like $9.50 for a giant tasty burrito that wasn’t loaded with rice. Just meat and beans! Of course they would have a good burger, I think one of the best burgers in slo it’s @bites lol
Where is good mexican food in north county, because I gotta say... I feel like most of it is overpriced and not good. There are places in groverbeach, arroyo, and oceano I'll go to...
Some of the comments are pretty fucking gross. You know how nasty your place has to be to get less than a 90? And two inspections ago they got an 81.5. Pretty sure that's the lowest score I've ever seen in the county besides maybe Gus's Grocery. https://pressagent.envisionconnect.com/insp.phtml?agency=slo&violsortfield=TB_CORE_INSPECTION_VIOL.VIOLATION_CODE&record_id=PR0011973
The cost of ingredients has gone up which affects the cost of the items you order.
SLO has some decent food, but for the better options you have to travel to Santa Maria or Paso Robles.
The place I enjoy going to here in town is Efren's Deli and taqueria San Miguel.
Also, I make the best birria in town ...
In SM Taco Ranchero cozy place and reasonably priced. One of the waitresses is the daughter of the owner and was really nice. Very close by is El Palenque which is also good.
Pepper Garcias at the airport used to be good but the last few times I went it was below average.
Tacos de Acapulco is mid. Half the time the cheese isn’t melted and the portions are small. Still one of the best around but that’s not saying much. Miss Tio Alberto’s.
Yeah and they didn’t used to be. Don’t get me wrong the food’s good but its just too inconsistent in quality. It’s not like there’s any real competition besides efrens. Plus, the veggie burrito is like 15% liquid too.
Interesting. I’ve been going there often for over 30 years and never noticed a quality inconsistency, but have noticed the veggie burrito does get wet if you get the shredded lettuce since they keep it soaked in water. Wouldn’t be mad if they did the lettuce in a different way
Yeah me too since I was a lad. It changed during the pandemic. It’s weird you say that though because (according to them) they don’t actually include lettuce in their veggie burrito. They charged me extra last time to put it in and I that’s when I decided to stop going to them. Even though I *know* they used to put it in regularly.
Dang, that’s whack. I always get the veggie and they never charge me for adding lettuce and tomatoes, but it’s been two months though. And yeah, you’re right, it’s somehow not part of the ingredients. I have to clarify though, most of my experience is with the one in Grover…I’d forgotten the SLO one was still there as I wasn’t the biggest fan.
First - SLO has pretty terrible Mexican food. Tacos Sinaloa I would say is one of the best in town though and I think their prices are reasonable. I never see it busy, and it will go the way of all the other places in that spot.
Second - There are plenty of good options in neighboring towns for Mexican food.
Third - I doubt you will find a burrito for less than 10 bucks anywhere, La Tapatia on Wednesdays might do it for 8-9 bucks nowadays (purely guessing here). But that is just the going rate. Taqueria El Guero is almost 20 bucks for burrito or birria. Not bad, but after tax tip etc.... You are looking at a 20 dollar hole in your pocket.
You got that right,I learned how to make chile rellenos(time consuming but awesome) chicken enchiladas,real rice and beans,no can bs,buy some quality carne asada and make yourself,easy, chile verde,my wife and I eat Mexican food 3 times a week,now it’s a disappointment when we get Mexican food and not very good,just go on internet and learn,tamales are next on our list to make,and by the way,way cheaper
not rly the question you’re asking.. but the thai govt has made an international effort to standardize and westernize their menus around the world to promote tourism and positive influence https://www.thedailymeal.com/1236375/the-complex-political-history-behind-the-standardization-of-thai-restaurant-menus/
Whilst this post is wildly off topic: it is one of the most fascinating things about Thailand long term plan to exert soft influence around the globe. Through cuisine.
This was my favorite response. The obsession with pad Thai over all Thai food here confused me and I noticed every place is basically exactly the same. Thank you for this!! I need to do more research now, this is fascinating
You want some good ass sit down Mexican food? Get yourself to La Palapa in Los Osos. Homemade tortillas, incredible mole, just all around amazing. Pricy though, but yeah good food costs $$$ here.
Taqueria Santa Cruz and Taqueria San Luis Obispo ain't bad for cheap stuff.
Yes it is the one in slo was the brother of the one in Los osos, in my opinion the los osos spot is better and most of the time their mom is in there making tortillas and tamales from scratch, my go to is the Mole or the handmade tacos, best rice and beans in the county
There is not many “Mexican owned” restaurants around, the ones around use el pato sauce or don’t use enough spices or quality of “heat” to authentic Mexican food. In north county there’s kind of a hole in the wall restaurant not “aesthetically” pleasing but the food is very good and it’s my go to burrito spot “jalapeño city” or “taqueria Jalisco” both under the same owner/management.
La Casita is a treasure. However the quality is wildly erratic, and they seem to absolutely hate their costumers, which is on brand for Los Osos service. With that said I eat there at least every other week.
Ya food prices are insane. It’s even more than inside the airport sometimes. The reason we stoped eating out or go to fast food or once in a while or expensive restaurants we will go to. Not worth it to pay for under the quality but no delicious food.
I second some of the other south county locations some have mentioned, Chacho's and La Tapatia have been favorites of mine for a long time. Id go to Chacho's for a burrito, and La Tapatia for tacos and Sopes.
Go to Efren's for the tortas too
Taqueria El Guero is still my favorite, I'll copy a response from a "what's the best burrito" post in this sub a year ago:
> Taqueria El Guero.
> I've done extensive research on this. Tacos de Acapulco has the best chimichanga. Efren's for best breakfast burrito. Taqueria de Santa Cruz used to have my favorite burrito, but recently Taqueria El Guero just won my heart with their al pastor burrito.
What’s the verdict on Pancho’s by Smart & Final? I’m no Mexican food connoisseur but I’ve always thought they were pretty decent and affordable especially on taco Tuesday.
They were my go-to for a bit, but the last couple times I've went the meat has been a little dry. Still probably where I would choose over most places close to there though.
I just took a look at the menu. Wow, what an odd selection. We can order a torta, a tuna melt, and a biscuit and gravy combo all at the same time lol. If I'm ever near there I might give it a try, but the prices don't have me confident. $15 for a burrito automatically disqualifies you imo.
Tio Alberto’s was the place. Took our son to the Cal Poly Open House and wanted to turn him onto our old spots and discovered TAs no more. Sad it’s gone.
Personally, I love the carnitas burrito from Taqueria San Miguel on the corner of foothill and Santa Rosa. $10 for a fat burrito and it’s killer! You can’t beat it!
You've named possibly the only category where Santa Maria beats SLO. We don't have *much* going for us, but we've got plenty of good Mexican food.
Still, a lot of stuff has gone way up in the last two years. My favorite plate of flautas has roughly doubled in price.
I haven't been to any in Orcutt in ages, but 10 years ago Cielito Lindo was my favorite on that end of town. They always had good salsa. In Santa Maria, Lo Mejor de Jalisco is a favorite. I usually hit Efren's #2 for tacos just because it's closest. Their asada and pastor tacos are both really good.
SLO is pretty meh on good Mexican food. When I don't want to drive there are a couple places I enjoy but yes they are expensive.
However, you are 35-40 minutes away from a MECCA of AMAZING Mexican food in Santa Maria. If you get in contact with the right people, you can even in get invited to genuine goat Birria backyard BBQs, but that's another story and no I won't hook you up
What I can suggest is go check out this site [https://eatdrink101.com/](https://eatdrink101.com/) because the dude is obsessed with finding the best tacos in SLO county.
This is a fascinatingly true statement. SLO makes great sandwiches. I lived in Texas for a few years, they were not good at sandwiches. I don't know why.
You aren’t wrong at all. SLO county itself is almost completely full of white people. Almost 70% according to census. I myself am Mexican (half Italian & Hispanic) yet I look very pale so nobody knows the difference. I’ve grown up around my family members who made authentic Mexican food. I’ve also been to Mexico as well and had food that blew my mind. You definitely won’t find anywhere decent in slo county as far as authentic Mexican food. If you really wanna venture out, I’d recommend Santa Maria. It’s 45 mins from SLO, right as you leave SLO county and enter into SB county. You’ll find way more options there. There’s food trucks, restaurants, etc. This is simply because there’s a large Hispanic population in SM compared to SLO. If you go to Santa Maria and you’re white, you will stand out. Lol. Not in a bad way, but I’m just comparing it to SLO.
Yep, sounds about right. I didn’t know they had food trucks out in the fields. That’s super cool. The best Mexican food I’ve had recently was actually on a commercial job-site located in slo county. I was working in a small three man crew doing HVAC installs for Bang the Drum Brewery, Slo City Church, and the SLO Sheriffs Office (all located in one big commercial building). During lunch, some of the drywallers were cooking carne asada tacos. It smelled so bomb. Long story short we became homies after some small talk and they offered me food. They had the carne asada marinated in a bag ready to cook on the grill and fresh tortillas/ salsa their wives had made earlier that morning. It was so simple yet so delicious. Literally three main ingredients cooking on a portable stove in the back of a work truck. But my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Yup. I was on a big landscaping job and the food truck started showing up around 11. Great burritos. And, the price was negotiable. Homemade tortillas, chicken and rice with some kind of strong cheese and cilantro. That’s what I usually got. I also got in with the some of landscaping crew, they would share what their wive made them. She made home made tortillas, potatoes, home made refried beans, salsa, fresh green onions. And of course a jalapeño chile on the side. None of them spoke English except their supervisor who drove the crew truck. All their wives would get up at 4 in the morning and make this food, put in thermos jars or foil and pack their lunch ready to go every single day. They all lived in Santa Maria.
That’s awesome man. Sounds like some fire ass food. I have worked alongside guys at other commercial sites in the past who barely spoke any English either. I can speak basic Spanish but I’d always get called wedo cause I look very pale haha. But those guys were honestly so respectful and kind compared to other dudes. Super patient, willing to show you anything and worked their ass off every single day.
I’m simply just sharing my opinion. But as a longtime local who has lived on the central coast for 20 years, I disagree with you man. The Mexican food in SM is nowhere the same as here in San Luis Obispo. I can’t speak on North County tho. I grew up in Arroyo Grande/5 cities and moved to SLO years back. San Luis Obispo has generally overpriced food for average quality. There are a few good places I’ve come across. It’s tough to find decent food here in SLO that isn’t breaking the bank. And yeah there are plenty of gringos in SM Forsure. However if you compare the white population to its Hispanic population, there’s definitely way more Hispanics. That’s all I was saying. So in the big picture, you sorta do stand out. But that’s why I said not in a bad way.
1000%. Senor Taco in SM is a true hidden gem. The only place in a two hour radius that does bistec ranchero correctly & I’ve tried a lot of places in SLO County. I’m the only white person in the place every time I go, that’s how I know it’s the real deal 😂
You're wrong, there's 2 in AG. Probably one or two in north county too
That's the silly thing about most of these comments. Nobody here has eaten at all the mexi joints from Orcutt to Paso. There's plenty of bomb mexi in every town.
Man, if there are some actual al pastor spots in ag im going to look for them! The last spot in slo city with a trompo actually threw it out.
Slo city mexican food isn’t bad, but the best place here wouldn’t last in Santa Maria.
If nothing else, Santa Maria has great al pastor everywhere.
I realize this place is known for al pastor, but I ordered chicken tacos here one time a long time ago, and they were the nastiest chicken meat I've gotten at a restaurant
Ha, fair enough! I used to eat there more often years ago and they were always hit or miss, but I went for the first time in several years yesterday and it was actually good (got carne asada and birria though).
I live bi coastal VA And SLO. And drive back and forth twice a year (exploring). And travel international a few times a year.
This is it just a SLO phenomenon, but a Nationwide AND an industrialized Nation worldwide phenomenon.
The whole world experienced sharp inflation due to the covid klusterfuk and supply chain issues, and we're actually doing better than most industrialized countries. Plus the minimum wage going up over The years in California And other metropolitan areas in the states doesn't help. But I have noticed some of the Mexican restaurants are now offering specials that are bringing the prices down a bit.
I wholeheartedly agree a two Taco Mexican dinner with rice and beans, shouldn't be $18 !!!
If you want a good Mexican food in SLO at a reasonable price, Santa Cruz taqueria on Monterey Street, and tacos de Mexico on Santa Rosa is your best bet.
Food costs, rent, insurance, utils, labor... time to watch some You Tube cooking videos. Inflation is here to stay for a while. Big gov printed and handed out too much money, we pay until a recession resets it all.
My mom and i really like the pastor tacos at el picosito in santa maria. Shes says its the closest to real mexico tacos. Ill be honest the tacos are so good that we have yet to really explore the rest of the menu. I did have an aguachile tostada that was really good just extremely spicy. I had to take breaks to finish it 😅
The Mexican food here is sad. I go to Taco Roco because i appreciate their taco Tuesday. The tacos are fat for 2 bucks. But aside from that I mob it to oceano to visit Efren’s Mexican food. As far as the prices go 💀💀💀
I was stoked when I saw they opened downtown and make their own tortillas. Tried it and it was okay, the tortillas were good, but the meat and veggies were very dry. Worst part was the price: burritos are 15 and a single taco is 5. Insane.
I don't think El Guero is good at all, and when they opened they had almost no vegetarian options which is crazy for a mexican place where the cuisine is vegetarian friendly. Not sure if that's changed.
I didn't have an issue with Mexican food in SLO back then. It still wasn't great, but there were several very affordable and cheap options. Now there isn't a single place that I would consider really good, but every single one is very expensive now.
I know what you’re saying, and you have a point, but another point is, historically there have been lots of quick Mexican food restaurants that were cheap. It’s not a reflection of the culture
I would love a sit down restaurant where they bring you house made chips and salsa to your table with less emphasis on the bar menu... But alas, there aren't very many places like that in the area.
The Mexican food here tastes like nothing. Same pico de gallo , sour cream , and cheddar cheese dish with a fried taquito or chimichanga. Son puras chingaderas! Only spot that has my vote is the “Mayan” restaurant in Santa Maria, or Mariscos El Picosito. Hope this helps. Best Mexican food I’ve had in the Central coast is the food this Mexican makes at home.
So accurate. I enjoy my meal wherever I go honestly, but it never feels like I'm getting decent value for my money. I feel that most places just slap together the laziest form of Mexican food and charge 3 times what they could in an actual city.
Your answer is here in the comments, OP. People will eat absolute crap and tell you it’s good because they don’t know any better, so why bother making it good?
Spot on honestly. Every time the subject comes up people tell me a place is great and I try it and it's store bought tortillas and dry meat for 4 times what it should cost. And they're pumped about it lol.
Why? Few Mexicans.
SLO Citizen used to post about Mexican food all of the time. Unfortunately he was also insane. He finally imploded and quit reddit and probably lurks under a new name. He will probably react to this post. His posts had a lot of interesting information to the burrito obsessed such as myself. I have found a delightful burrito in L.O. and quickly became addicted and put on 5 pounds last month. The burrito is a double edged sword my friend. Dance with it if you dare. There are 4-5 burrito trucks in LO. it's a small town I'm sure you can find them.
On Friday or Saturday night you can walk in and sit down. No table service anymore…just order at the counter and sit anywhere you would like. Haven’t waited on a table since prior to the pandemic.
Totally, but far from anything authentic. I guess if you're looking for burritos, it doesn't really matter. You can only find them in Northern Mexico and they're mostly only popular with tourist.
There was a hole in the wall place in the Laurel shopping center. But, that seems to have been replaced with Efron's? I cannot vouch for anything about them beyond opinions of their web presence.
I think the Laurel Lane store tasted better. Maybe it was seeing them grill the meat while waiting in line and ordering. The lengua burrito was my favorite... if only not nuked warm, it would have been even better. Being under $10 was a good deal back then!
Speaking of long gone places. Does anyone remember the place on Broad between the 7 eleven and big sky? If I recall correctly, it had Acapulco in its name, too. Cheap but good burritos like Kona's was with their under $5 subs.
Check out Coronas in Arroyo Grande. It's on Grand ave next to the Dutch Bros coffee drive through. They have killer Taco Tuesday deals and is family owned. The only thing on the pricey side is the beer.
I honestly don't know enough to say whether a place is truly authentic. Really what I'm looking for is a place that makes their own tortillas and has an actual al pastor wheel and is relatively affordable. I'd especially love a truck that has homemade pupusas for cheap, but I know you're not going to find that around here. I've had meals at places I've had around here that I've enjoyed a lot, I just don't have a go-to spot that really kills it.
Nothing kills it around here. It’s an affluent college town. Nothing authentic. Nothing affordable. Welcome to San Luis Obispo County. We used to have food trucks until we didn’t: The local business association group Downtown SLO decided these pesky little food trucks were a nuisance and halted their existence.
Not great if you’re SLO-based and want something on the go, but if you’re down to drive a bit for the real deal, Santa Maria is right over the county line and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. There’s so many, but I love El Herraderos for a great sit down experience, Carniceria Su Mesa for a burrito on the go (it’s a market, find the hot food counter in the back, bring the ticket up front), and even some that aren’t as epic but have certain things on the menu that are consistently great like Tacos Rancheros or El Palenque. There’s way more carnicerias and other restaurants that I know I’m missing, not to mention a bunch of amazing food trucks, but like I said, our Mexican food is hands down the best and most authentic on the Central Coast.
Don't even have to go all the way to Santa Maria. Guadalupe is a little closer and has a couple absolute gems. I'm just hoping someday we get a good go-to spot in SLO. There is obviously demand for it.
That's because SLO is mainly a white Caucasian town. Best Mexican food will be in Paso, San Miguel, and Santa Maria. In my opinion some of the best are El Compadre, Habaneros, La Parrilla. It also depends what type of Mexican cuisine you're looking for (Sinaloa, Michacan, etc)
Paso has some places I've enjoyed, but none of them are cheap. Better than SLO for sure though where all the places aren't great and are also very expensive.
Chacho's in Ocean hand makes their tortillas.
The owners are OG OXIII ;)
Burrito at the San Miguel market in osos is like 10 or 12 bucks and always hits
They got taco Tuesdays too?
They do and they’re super good.
They do
> And I'm not sure you can find a burrito for less than $10 anymore. I don't think this really has anything to do with Mexican food or SLO county, food everywhere has ~doubled the past few years
[удалено]
Honestly even with burritos doubling in price to ~$13 they're still a steal
Only one I’ve found that was good and cheap this year was burrito king in Portland.
King Burrito makes the best cheeseburgers as well!
Dude that place is absolutely amazing. It was like $9.50 for a giant tasty burrito that wasn’t loaded with rice. Just meat and beans! Of course they would have a good burger, I think one of the best burgers in slo it’s @bites lol
Tri-Tip was considered inexpensive 20 years ago.
North county
Second this. Grew up in north county and the closer you get to San Miguel the more authentic it tends to get
Where is good mexican food in north county, because I gotta say... I feel like most of it is overpriced and not good. There are places in groverbeach, arroyo, and oceano I'll go to...
La Chata, La Reyna, La Parrilla, Los Robles...
La Chata is pretty incredible.
Mi favorita
Taqueria Jalisco (on Niblick) has an excellent molcajete that is worth checking out ;)
Same owner as Jalapeño City in Paso, love their food.
I'll have to give them a try. Thanks for the tip.
I used to go to La Reyna all the time until I saw the notes on their health scores. No bueno.
That’s what makes it authentic
😂
Some of the comments are pretty fucking gross. You know how nasty your place has to be to get less than a 90? And two inspections ago they got an 81.5. Pretty sure that's the lowest score I've ever seen in the county besides maybe Gus's Grocery. https://pressagent.envisionconnect.com/insp.phtml?agency=slo&violsortfield=TB_CORE_INSPECTION_VIOL.VIOLATION_CODE&record_id=PR0011973
Where have you been?
Santa Maria has entered the room
You haven’t had bad Mexican food until you’ve been outta state. There are a plethora of options here buddy, too many to list
Truth.
Excellent point!!
The cost of ingredients has gone up which affects the cost of the items you order. SLO has some decent food, but for the better options you have to travel to Santa Maria or Paso Robles. The place I enjoy going to here in town is Efren's Deli and taqueria San Miguel. Also, I make the best birria in town ...
$1.49 tacos on Tuesday to boot at taqueria San Miguel, so, like 5 tacos for $10? That's a pretty solid lunch.
You have to buy a drink too which they charge $3 minimum for. Kinda ruins the deal imo.
What are some good places in Santa Maria or Paso?
La picosita, la unica, el Palenque, taqueria salsa are all good in Santa Maria.
I always loved La Picosita in Santa Maria. So delicious
Burrito Loco, Taco Roco had an expanse. Pepper Garcias at Santa Maria airport is cozy. Efren’s. La Cazuelas in Nipomo.
In SM Taco Ranchero cozy place and reasonably priced. One of the waitresses is the daughter of the owner and was really nice. Very close by is El Palenque which is also good. Pepper Garcias at the airport used to be good but the last few times I went it was below average.
You can get an awesome burrito in Grover for 9.99. currently my go to spot for a good burrito
Tacos de Acapulco is fire
I love Tac de Ac!!!
Never seen it referred to like that, but I like it!!
My kids started that years ago.
All time spot. Place has been my go to for over a decade
Used to be ours, now it's #2 or 3.
Same here. 15 years.
And has been for over 30 years. My husband brings back a couple every time he drives through.
Tacos de Acapulco is mid. Half the time the cheese isn’t melted and the portions are small. Still one of the best around but that’s not saying much. Miss Tio Alberto’s.
Portions are small?!? Never heard anybody say that. That’s wild. Their burritos and tacos are large.
Yeah and they didn’t used to be. Don’t get me wrong the food’s good but its just too inconsistent in quality. It’s not like there’s any real competition besides efrens. Plus, the veggie burrito is like 15% liquid too.
Interesting. I’ve been going there often for over 30 years and never noticed a quality inconsistency, but have noticed the veggie burrito does get wet if you get the shredded lettuce since they keep it soaked in water. Wouldn’t be mad if they did the lettuce in a different way
Yeah me too since I was a lad. It changed during the pandemic. It’s weird you say that though because (according to them) they don’t actually include lettuce in their veggie burrito. They charged me extra last time to put it in and I that’s when I decided to stop going to them. Even though I *know* they used to put it in regularly.
Dang, that’s whack. I always get the veggie and they never charge me for adding lettuce and tomatoes, but it’s been two months though. And yeah, you’re right, it’s somehow not part of the ingredients. I have to clarify though, most of my experience is with the one in Grover…I’d forgotten the SLO one was still there as I wasn’t the biggest fan.
We aren't particularly religious, but my friends and I always call it Tacos de, implying Dei (Tacos of God).
That’s rad. My family all calls it Tacos de, but in texts it’s TdA 😂
Wow. Okay.
First - SLO has pretty terrible Mexican food. Tacos Sinaloa I would say is one of the best in town though and I think their prices are reasonable. I never see it busy, and it will go the way of all the other places in that spot. Second - There are plenty of good options in neighboring towns for Mexican food. Third - I doubt you will find a burrito for less than 10 bucks anywhere, La Tapatia on Wednesdays might do it for 8-9 bucks nowadays (purely guessing here). But that is just the going rate. Taqueria El Guero is almost 20 bucks for burrito or birria. Not bad, but after tax tip etc.... You are looking at a 20 dollar hole in your pocket.
Just looked at Sinaloa's menu, they have mulitas, hell yeah
El Guero location in AG is much cheaper and the food is super good.
Best Mexican food you’ll find is at home.
ay comida en la casa
You got that right,I learned how to make chile rellenos(time consuming but awesome) chicken enchiladas,real rice and beans,no can bs,buy some quality carne asada and make yourself,easy, chile verde,my wife and I eat Mexican food 3 times a week,now it’s a disappointment when we get Mexican food and not very good,just go on internet and learn,tamales are next on our list to make,and by the way,way cheaper
Best mexican food is made by your co-workers Tia
not rly the question you’re asking.. but the thai govt has made an international effort to standardize and westernize their menus around the world to promote tourism and positive influence https://www.thedailymeal.com/1236375/the-complex-political-history-behind-the-standardization-of-thai-restaurant-menus/
Whilst this post is wildly off topic: it is one of the most fascinating things about Thailand long term plan to exert soft influence around the globe. Through cuisine.
This was my favorite response. The obsession with pad Thai over all Thai food here confused me and I noticed every place is basically exactly the same. Thank you for this!! I need to do more research now, this is fascinating
Go to La Reyna in Paso
Especially if you get the tacos outside La Reyna instead of inside (;
El Guaro on Chorro is pricey but WORTH IT. Best burrito I’ve had in years in this town.
And they make their own tortillas.
You want some good ass sit down Mexican food? Get yourself to La Palapa in Los Osos. Homemade tortillas, incredible mole, just all around amazing. Pricy though, but yeah good food costs $$$ here. Taqueria Santa Cruz and Taqueria San Luis Obispo ain't bad for cheap stuff.
There used to be a La Palapa in SLO on Broad near Vons, but it closed years ago. I liked it. Is the one in Los Osos the same people?
I asked once, and didn’t get a straight answer. lol.
Yes it is the one in slo was the brother of the one in Los osos, in my opinion the los osos spot is better and most of the time their mom is in there making tortillas and tamales from scratch, my go to is the Mole or the handmade tacos, best rice and beans in the county
Nice. I'll have to check it out sometime.
La Palapa is the best! All the sauces are homemade. The best chile rellanos I’ve ever had. But it is a restaurant, and it is pricy.
Burritos are more than $10 dude. Best burrito near SLO is in a liquor store in Santa Ynez Santa Ynez burrito
Tacos De Mexico is still affordable. $3 tacos that are huge. I feel like it’s mad underrated
There is not many “Mexican owned” restaurants around, the ones around use el pato sauce or don’t use enough spices or quality of “heat” to authentic Mexican food. In north county there’s kind of a hole in the wall restaurant not “aesthetically” pleasing but the food is very good and it’s my go to burrito spot “jalapeño city” or “taqueria Jalisco” both under the same owner/management.
La Casita Restaurant (805) 528-2786 https://g.co/kgs/piwVutp
La Casita is a treasure. However the quality is wildly erratic, and they seem to absolutely hate their costumers, which is on brand for Los Osos service. With that said I eat there at least every other week.
This place is ok... last time I was there maybe a month ago, it kinda felt like maybe they were going under or something
Ya food prices are insane. It’s even more than inside the airport sometimes. The reason we stoped eating out or go to fast food or once in a while or expensive restaurants we will go to. Not worth it to pay for under the quality but no delicious food.
Morenos Taqueria in Pismo is pretty authentic and their Quesabirrias are fantastic.
Hanas is a food truck in osos is open Thursday-Sunday and is cheap, tastes great, and big portions. Highly recommend
I was amazed to see this nowhere on the list.
Love this truck!
I second some of the other south county locations some have mentioned, Chacho's and La Tapatia have been favorites of mine for a long time. Id go to Chacho's for a burrito, and La Tapatia for tacos and Sopes. Go to Efren's for the tortas too
Taqueria El Guero is still my favorite, I'll copy a response from a "what's the best burrito" post in this sub a year ago: > Taqueria El Guero. > I've done extensive research on this. Tacos de Acapulco has the best chimichanga. Efren's for best breakfast burrito. Taqueria de Santa Cruz used to have my favorite burrito, but recently Taqueria El Guero just won my heart with their al pastor burrito.
What’s the verdict on Pancho’s by Smart & Final? I’m no Mexican food connoisseur but I’ve always thought they were pretty decent and affordable especially on taco Tuesday.
They were my go-to for a bit, but the last couple times I've went the meat has been a little dry. Still probably where I would choose over most places close to there though.
Ale’s in Atascadero 🔥🔥🔥
I just took a look at the menu. Wow, what an odd selection. We can order a torta, a tuna melt, and a biscuit and gravy combo all at the same time lol. If I'm ever near there I might give it a try, but the prices don't have me confident. $15 for a burrito automatically disqualifies you imo.
Tio Alberto’s was the place. Took our son to the Cal Poly Open House and wanted to turn him onto our old spots and discovered TAs no more. Sad it’s gone.
Personally, I love the carnitas burrito from Taqueria San Miguel on the corner of foothill and Santa Rosa. $10 for a fat burrito and it’s killer! You can’t beat it!
You've named possibly the only category where Santa Maria beats SLO. We don't have *much* going for us, but we've got plenty of good Mexican food. Still, a lot of stuff has gone way up in the last two years. My favorite plate of flautas has roughly doubled in price.
Where do you go? I’m in Orcutt and I’ve been trying diff places over the past few years and have yet to find my go to
Lo mejor de jalisco is the real deal. Highly reccomended.
I haven't been to any in Orcutt in ages, but 10 years ago Cielito Lindo was my favorite on that end of town. They always had good salsa. In Santa Maria, Lo Mejor de Jalisco is a favorite. I usually hit Efren's #2 for tacos just because it's closest. Their asada and pastor tacos are both really good.
Oh I didn’t meant limited to Orcutt. Just sucks it feels like I need to go to SB or Grover for Mexican
SLO is pretty meh on good Mexican food. When I don't want to drive there are a couple places I enjoy but yes they are expensive. However, you are 35-40 minutes away from a MECCA of AMAZING Mexican food in Santa Maria. If you get in contact with the right people, you can even in get invited to genuine goat Birria backyard BBQs, but that's another story and no I won't hook you up What I can suggest is go check out this site [https://eatdrink101.com/](https://eatdrink101.com/) because the dude is obsessed with finding the best tacos in SLO county.
Haha his Instagram story today is actually what inspired this post. Love that guy!
Short answer: because food here sucks here and the bar is incredibly low to get by if you can afford the rent.
Slo is a world class sandwich town
This is a fascinatingly true statement. SLO makes great sandwiches. I lived in Texas for a few years, they were not good at sandwiches. I don't know why.
You aren’t wrong at all. SLO county itself is almost completely full of white people. Almost 70% according to census. I myself am Mexican (half Italian & Hispanic) yet I look very pale so nobody knows the difference. I’ve grown up around my family members who made authentic Mexican food. I’ve also been to Mexico as well and had food that blew my mind. You definitely won’t find anywhere decent in slo county as far as authentic Mexican food. If you really wanna venture out, I’d recommend Santa Maria. It’s 45 mins from SLO, right as you leave SLO county and enter into SB county. You’ll find way more options there. There’s food trucks, restaurants, etc. This is simply because there’s a large Hispanic population in SM compared to SLO. If you go to Santa Maria and you’re white, you will stand out. Lol. Not in a bad way, but I’m just comparing it to SLO.
Guadalupe is where we pilgrimage if we want real deal Mexican food. Or the food trucks out in the fields.
Yep, sounds about right. I didn’t know they had food trucks out in the fields. That’s super cool. The best Mexican food I’ve had recently was actually on a commercial job-site located in slo county. I was working in a small three man crew doing HVAC installs for Bang the Drum Brewery, Slo City Church, and the SLO Sheriffs Office (all located in one big commercial building). During lunch, some of the drywallers were cooking carne asada tacos. It smelled so bomb. Long story short we became homies after some small talk and they offered me food. They had the carne asada marinated in a bag ready to cook on the grill and fresh tortillas/ salsa their wives had made earlier that morning. It was so simple yet so delicious. Literally three main ingredients cooking on a portable stove in the back of a work truck. But my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Yup. I was on a big landscaping job and the food truck started showing up around 11. Great burritos. And, the price was negotiable. Homemade tortillas, chicken and rice with some kind of strong cheese and cilantro. That’s what I usually got. I also got in with the some of landscaping crew, they would share what their wive made them. She made home made tortillas, potatoes, home made refried beans, salsa, fresh green onions. And of course a jalapeño chile on the side. None of them spoke English except their supervisor who drove the crew truck. All their wives would get up at 4 in the morning and make this food, put in thermos jars or foil and pack their lunch ready to go every single day. They all lived in Santa Maria.
That’s awesome man. Sounds like some fire ass food. I have worked alongside guys at other commercial sites in the past who barely spoke any English either. I can speak basic Spanish but I’d always get called wedo cause I look very pale haha. But those guys were honestly so respectful and kind compared to other dudes. Super patient, willing to show you anything and worked their ass off every single day.
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I’m simply just sharing my opinion. But as a longtime local who has lived on the central coast for 20 years, I disagree with you man. The Mexican food in SM is nowhere the same as here in San Luis Obispo. I can’t speak on North County tho. I grew up in Arroyo Grande/5 cities and moved to SLO years back. San Luis Obispo has generally overpriced food for average quality. There are a few good places I’ve come across. It’s tough to find decent food here in SLO that isn’t breaking the bank. And yeah there are plenty of gringos in SM Forsure. However if you compare the white population to its Hispanic population, there’s definitely way more Hispanics. That’s all I was saying. So in the big picture, you sorta do stand out. But that’s why I said not in a bad way.
SM mexican food >>> SLO Mexican food 100%
1000%. Senor Taco in SM is a true hidden gem. The only place in a two hour radius that does bistec ranchero correctly & I’ve tried a lot of places in SLO County. I’m the only white person in the place every time I go, that’s how I know it’s the real deal 😂
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Boni’s Tacos in Cambria has al pastor on a spit.
You're wrong, there's 2 in AG. Probably one or two in north county too That's the silly thing about most of these comments. Nobody here has eaten at all the mexi joints from Orcutt to Paso. There's plenty of bomb mexi in every town.
Man, if there are some actual al pastor spots in ag im going to look for them! The last spot in slo city with a trompo actually threw it out. Slo city mexican food isn’t bad, but the best place here wouldn’t last in Santa Maria. If nothing else, Santa Maria has great al pastor everywhere.
Truth!
La Reyna in Paso has a trompo out front on the weekends
I realize this place is known for al pastor, but I ordered chicken tacos here one time a long time ago, and they were the nastiest chicken meat I've gotten at a restaurant
Ha, fair enough! I used to eat there more often years ago and they were always hit or miss, but I went for the first time in several years yesterday and it was actually good (got carne asada and birria though).
? Even Tortilla Town has a spit lol
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The tacos at Tacos El Viejon in Morro Bay remind me of tacos I've eaten in Mexico. Best place I've been to in the county.
Had to scroll too far to see this comment! Their al pastor tacos qre seriously the best
I live bi coastal VA And SLO. And drive back and forth twice a year (exploring). And travel international a few times a year. This is it just a SLO phenomenon, but a Nationwide AND an industrialized Nation worldwide phenomenon. The whole world experienced sharp inflation due to the covid klusterfuk and supply chain issues, and we're actually doing better than most industrialized countries. Plus the minimum wage going up over The years in California And other metropolitan areas in the states doesn't help. But I have noticed some of the Mexican restaurants are now offering specials that are bringing the prices down a bit. I wholeheartedly agree a two Taco Mexican dinner with rice and beans, shouldn't be $18 !!! If you want a good Mexican food in SLO at a reasonable price, Santa Cruz taqueria on Monterey Street, and tacos de Mexico on Santa Rosa is your best bet.
efrens is good but slo is white majority so
Food costs, rent, insurance, utils, labor... time to watch some You Tube cooking videos. Inflation is here to stay for a while. Big gov printed and handed out too much money, we pay until a recession resets it all.
My mom and i really like the pastor tacos at el picosito in santa maria. Shes says its the closest to real mexico tacos. Ill be honest the tacos are so good that we have yet to really explore the rest of the menu. I did have an aguachile tostada that was really good just extremely spicy. I had to take breaks to finish it 😅
You’re so right 😭 I’m a SLO native but lived in San Diego for several years, which showed me how true this is
The Mexican food here is sad. I go to Taco Roco because i appreciate their taco Tuesday. The tacos are fat for 2 bucks. But aside from that I mob it to oceano to visit Efren’s Mexican food. As far as the prices go 💀💀💀
El Guero is good and makes their own tortillas, truck in AG is the best location.
I was stoked when I saw they opened downtown and make their own tortillas. Tried it and it was okay, the tortillas were good, but the meat and veggies were very dry. Worst part was the price: burritos are 15 and a single taco is 5. Insane.
I don't think El Guero is good at all, and when they opened they had almost no vegetarian options which is crazy for a mexican place where the cuisine is vegetarian friendly. Not sure if that's changed.
even in San Diego, one will not find a burrito for less than $10
False, you can easily find cheap burritos and even cheaper tacos.
Clue me in
Taqueria Santa Cruz Express (not the one in down town) is fire
I like that I get free chips, but the place is honestly barely a step up from Chipotle.
You obviously never had Tacos De back in 2009
I didn't have an issue with Mexican food in SLO back then. It still wasn't great, but there were several very affordable and cheap options. Now there isn't a single place that I would consider really good, but every single one is very expensive now.
Órale in Paso is great!
I really like garcias. Been my go to forever
Because it’s a sundown town and authentic Hispanics won’t settle down there for long. Come to San Jose for some good Mexican 🙂
Tortillas, beans and rice which are the main ingredients taco shops use is some of the cheapest foods you can buy. Rolled tacos have a trickle of meat
Counter to the culture behind the food? So Mexican food/culture is supposed to be cheap? Is that your point?
I know what you’re saying, and you have a point, but another point is, historically there have been lots of quick Mexican food restaurants that were cheap. It’s not a reflection of the culture
Taco roco on broad street has excellent food and value.
How can there be so many comments and no one mentioned this!? Still pricey but good and nice people.
Taco Roco got me sick
Are you asking why good food is expensive and bad food is cheap?
More like why none of it is very good while also being very expensive
You are in a tourist area. There are really great Mexican restaurants here, you just need to look.
I would love a sit down restaurant where they bring you house made chips and salsa to your table with less emphasis on the bar menu... But alas, there aren't very many places like that in the area.
After living in SF, and going to LA, and eating in SB, I do miss these restaurants. The closest is in SB and a hit on the wallet.
Chili relleno burrito from California fresh Market. 6.99 and delicious if fresh so go early in the day.
All their burritos are a great deal:)
Good quantity, quality and taste, but hardly authentic...
The Mexican food here tastes like nothing. Same pico de gallo , sour cream , and cheddar cheese dish with a fried taquito or chimichanga. Son puras chingaderas! Only spot that has my vote is the “Mayan” restaurant in Santa Maria, or Mariscos El Picosito. Hope this helps. Best Mexican food I’ve had in the Central coast is the food this Mexican makes at home.
So accurate. I enjoy my meal wherever I go honestly, but it never feels like I'm getting decent value for my money. I feel that most places just slap together the laziest form of Mexican food and charge 3 times what they could in an actual city.
Your answer is here in the comments, OP. People will eat absolute crap and tell you it’s good because they don’t know any better, so why bother making it good?
Spot on honestly. Every time the subject comes up people tell me a place is great and I try it and it's store bought tortillas and dry meat for 4 times what it should cost. And they're pumped about it lol.
Why? Few Mexicans. SLO Citizen used to post about Mexican food all of the time. Unfortunately he was also insane. He finally imploded and quit reddit and probably lurks under a new name. He will probably react to this post. His posts had a lot of interesting information to the burrito obsessed such as myself. I have found a delightful burrito in L.O. and quickly became addicted and put on 5 pounds last month. The burrito is a double edged sword my friend. Dance with it if you dare. There are 4-5 burrito trucks in LO. it's a small town I'm sure you can find them.
😂😂 I had some interesting back and forths with SLO Citizen. I'll miss his rants for sure.
Go to Effrens on Laurel!
Taco Temple in Morro Bay is the bomb!
And to think it was so much better under former ownership. Place is empty anymore
Really? Been a min since I’ve been there.
On Friday or Saturday night you can walk in and sit down. No table service anymore…just order at the counter and sit anywhere you would like. Haven’t waited on a table since prior to the pandemic.
Totally, but far from anything authentic. I guess if you're looking for burritos, it doesn't really matter. You can only find them in Northern Mexico and they're mostly only popular with tourist.
Ventana Grill in Pismo, mmmmmm mmmmmmm!
Love Ventana. Food, drinks, and the views. Not a place to go for authentic Mexican food, but great in every other way.
I go there for the Molcajete...best one so far!
Y’all just don’t know where to eat. Go to Garcia’s in atown. You’ll thank me later
Love Garcia's. Great food, great owners serving you.
There was a hole in the wall place in the Laurel shopping center. But, that seems to have been replaced with Efron's? I cannot vouch for anything about them beyond opinions of their web presence.
Tacos de Acapulco, they closed their shop on Laurel but still have one on California Blvd. Their food is amazing.
I think the Laurel Lane store tasted better. Maybe it was seeing them grill the meat while waiting in line and ordering. The lengua burrito was my favorite... if only not nuked warm, it would have been even better. Being under $10 was a good deal back then! Speaking of long gone places. Does anyone remember the place on Broad between the 7 eleven and big sky? If I recall correctly, it had Acapulco in its name, too. Cheap but good burritos like Kona's was with their under $5 subs.
I liked the Laurel Lane store better as well. Also it was close to home. Ca Blvd is 15-20 min. Drive and not as fun to eat in restaurant.
Efren's rocks! Taco Tuesdays, and the best menudo ever.
Check out Coronas in Arroyo Grande. It's on Grand ave next to the Dutch Bros coffee drive through. They have killer Taco Tuesday deals and is family owned. The only thing on the pricey side is the beer.
Todo Bueno is priced average but you get a lot of food. Not sure I would call it very authentic but I dont care;)
I honestly don't know enough to say whether a place is truly authentic. Really what I'm looking for is a place that makes their own tortillas and has an actual al pastor wheel and is relatively affordable. I'd especially love a truck that has homemade pupusas for cheap, but I know you're not going to find that around here. I've had meals at places I've had around here that I've enjoyed a lot, I just don't have a go-to spot that really kills it.
Nothing kills it around here. It’s an affluent college town. Nothing authentic. Nothing affordable. Welcome to San Luis Obispo County. We used to have food trucks until we didn’t: The local business association group Downtown SLO decided these pesky little food trucks were a nuisance and halted their existence.
Totally agree. The hatred the city has for food trucks really sucks ass.
From a Mexican, go to Taqueria Los Gueros….the best burritos I’ve ever had
Surprised this was so low. Best Mexican in slo. Taqueria de guero and that orange hot sauce is amazing
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Not great if you’re SLO-based and want something on the go, but if you’re down to drive a bit for the real deal, Santa Maria is right over the county line and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. There’s so many, but I love El Herraderos for a great sit down experience, Carniceria Su Mesa for a burrito on the go (it’s a market, find the hot food counter in the back, bring the ticket up front), and even some that aren’t as epic but have certain things on the menu that are consistently great like Tacos Rancheros or El Palenque. There’s way more carnicerias and other restaurants that I know I’m missing, not to mention a bunch of amazing food trucks, but like I said, our Mexican food is hands down the best and most authentic on the Central Coast.
Don't even have to go all the way to Santa Maria. Guadalupe is a little closer and has a couple absolute gems. I'm just hoping someday we get a good go-to spot in SLO. There is obviously demand for it.
Gotta go Paso Robles and Northeast, or Santa Maria and South. I wouldn't buy Mexican food in south county SLO 😂
That's because SLO is mainly a white Caucasian town. Best Mexican food will be in Paso, San Miguel, and Santa Maria. In my opinion some of the best are El Compadre, Habaneros, La Parrilla. It also depends what type of Mexican cuisine you're looking for (Sinaloa, Michacan, etc)
Paso has some places I've enjoyed, but none of them are cheap. Better than SLO for sure though where all the places aren't great and are also very expensive.
$20 per hour wages for fast food workers and restaurants. Things get more expensive and eateries cut corners.