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El Tapatio Mexican Food
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
9 reviews for El Tapatio Mexican Food
We stumbled upon El Tapatio during the US Sandcastle Open which, never say never, I will not go to again due to the poor layout and lack of crowd control (poor organization in general).
I got the two fish taco combo plate and for the most part it was good but then again I was starving. By the time I started my second fish taco, the entire taco was already soggy. The rice was good but a little try.
If you dine in (which we did), you get chips and salsa but the kind with no chunks of tomatoes - it was spicy. It would have been better for us and the restaurant if the chips came in a bigger basket rather than in a salsa bowl. We asked our kind waitress to refill the chip bowl at least six times.
The portions were good for normal appetite people which I am not. One of my friends got the enchilada combo plate and she couldn't finish it. But my guy friend and I (both got fish taco plates) were still hungry after our plates (and after eating the rest of our other friend's food).
The food was reasonably priced but the beer is what kills your wallet. Two Coronas and a two fish taco combo plate came out to be $14. Beers were $3.75 a pop, ouch.
I give 2 stars for the name alone!!!! I was so excited to find this place when at Sand Castles... Man was I stoked... First of all... the salsa is super spicy, well to me, but that is the way it is supposed to be. I got a huge meal for $7 and their burritos are under or around $5... where else can you get such a fantastic deal! The food was fantastic and came out quickly.. I highly recommend you check this place out... 3 of us had a huge meal for $21!
A cute, quaint Mexican joint but totally worth it. I loved the homemade salsa and chips. The wait staff is pretty fast and attentive. Some of their stuff is a bit pricey but when it comes to their daily specials it makes up for it. I had the Camarron (Shrimp) Tostada which was 3.25 but I enjoyed it because it had shrimp ceviche and it was delicious. Next I had the Adovado Burrito (4.95)(shredded pork with guacamole) and it had a lot of cilantro so it gave it a unique, distinct taste that I enjoyed.It's good for whenever you are craving food! :)
good food and a fun atmosphere. The waiters are promp too. So that's a plus. Try their Carne Asada Burrito, it's very stuffing.
well im glad to be giving this place a good review because its my closest mex food joint. between this place, 7-eleven and IB liquor every weekend= bomb ass time.. i used to come here with my bf before i moved to the area.. th mixe d burrito is my fave. it has this tomato sauce on top MMmmmMM ..party in my mouth..
rolled tacos, cali burritos, and tortas and good too.
the salsa for chips changes so sometiems it will be green or red.. red is freak spicy.. but good. just get a cold glass of horchata . or a 32oz beer from IB liquor :-)
Alright, so we decided to stop in here for a fish taco fix after cruising around IB for the first time. We had just walked to the end of the pier and were subjected to the worst excuse for a fish taco I have ever tried to eat (see the Tin Fish). We also looked in Mi Ranchito, but thought it was sketchy that no one was eating there and it didn't look like anyone had for a while. El Tap, on the other hand, was poppin off for the mid-day rush. We ordered a fish taco, a carnitas taco and a tortilla soup to start and figured we'd feel it out from there. The tortilla soup was easily the best I've had in the states. very hearty and filling with some amazingly seasoned chicken and a nice creamy broth. Very impressed and surprised even. Unfortunately, the fish taco did not follow suit. Before starting it I tried all of the elements on their own and thought it was great. However, in this case, the parts were greater than the whole. The tortilla was too thick and not warm enough. The "fried" (breading) on the fish was soggy. Everything else was good though. Honestly, this would normally only take them down to four stars, but I really wanted a fish taco, so this was very disappointing in the situation.
In fact, the carnitas taco should have been able to save this meal, but again, I REALLY wanted a good fish taco (see Baja Fish Tacos in TJ AKA Andy's). The carnitas were the bomb though. Equally as surprising as the tortilla soup. They were so tender and flavorful with a hint of smoke. There was avocado in the taco, and honestly, the tortilla did not taste that bad for that one. I think I would def eat here again, especially if I'm in IB, but just not when I am jonezin for a fish taco.
the food is good when you eat in!!!!!!
but, when you order it to go they always
seem to mess up !!!!! better of the places in I.B.
if you don't want to drive anywhere, east bound
Their sign outside has been busted for years but it's a nice place to hang with friends for a good meal after surfing down in the SouthBay. Pricier than Panchos (the usual quick bite) and not the biggest portions but as Dre G. said, the carne asada here is so tasty. Have a seat and get the waitress to bring you a glass of cold horchata and chips while you wait for your meal then relax and hang with your buddies for a good long while.
absolutely love their breakfast on hungover mornings. chorizo burritos are awesome and carne asada fries are even better. it is pretty average looking but i have been going there for about 15 years and have always been satisfied.
