"One Manuel's Special still feeds my whole family."
(in 32 reviews)
"I defy anyone to find a better wet burrito anywhere else in LA."
(in 169 reviews)
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El Tepeyac Cafe
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon., Wed-Thu. 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
292 reviews for El Tepeyac Cafe
Review Highlights
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I've been going to El Tepeyac (or "Manuel's" as we know it) since I was a fetus. It wasn't until decades later that I realized that many people viewed it as a novelty Mexican restaurant. When people outside of East L.A. talk about it, they speak of it like it's the prototypical Mexican restaurant. Geez, what pressure! The food is great. Its notorious burritos are amazing. But like anything else, it can be over-hyped. So try to temper your anticipation and don't build unrealistic expectations that can't be met.
I usually don't order the burritos. They're just too big, and I'm gluttonous, which results in an awful stomach ache. And besides, everyone already knows about the burritos. I like the taquitos. Hard shell filled with chunks of pork (or chicken if you prefer) and fresh guacamole. Sometimes I get the Kiko's Special, which is a plate of red chile enchiladas with a fried egg on top ...fried eggs make everything better!.
Expect a line (outside, so bring a jacket). Service is usually rushed, but you'll totally understand after having stood in line. No alcohol (thank goodness. or else you'd be standing in line outside forever!).
My only complaint is that they charge for chips and salsa. It really pisses me off that chips are extra even when you order a side of guacamole. I love avocados but, c'mon, I'm not gonna eat it with a fork. or at least not in public. :P
I've dined at El Tepeyac numerous times and found it to be very good each time.....until recently.
During my last visit I found the the meat in the Hollenbeck burrito was dry and overcooked, as if they took left over meat from two weeks before and added it to that day's batch.
BUT that was not the deal breaker for me. The reason I will never go back again was more of a sanitary reason. Half way into my two week old burrito, I looked back into the kitchen to find the guy who had just made my food BLOWING HIS NOSE IN THE KITCHEN IN PLAIN SIGHT!!!! I saw it and I HEARD it.....Granted he was using a napkin...BUT BLOWING YOUR NOSE IN THE KITCHEN!?!?!?!?! To top it off...HE WENT BACK TO MAKING BURRITOS WITHOUT WASHING HIS HANDS!
I know there are many things that happens behind the scenes in many restaurant that perhaps we are not privi to, however, to see it (and hear it) actually happen in one of your favorite spots just KILLS IT for me.
RIP El Tepeyac......I will never be coming back
Been coming here for as long as i can remember! Drive the extra for this place. I think its as good as it gets and by the look of the lines i know im not the only fan!Very Big portions, i usually get the taquitos platter (which comes with a heaping amount of avocado)and im full for days and sick of avocado! haha i don't know a mexican place that is generous like that!
The only reason i gave it four was cleaniness...dont go to the bathrooms cuz its a scary sight!
I always come armed with sanitizer! but other than the long lines(only long if you want inside seating) im good with the patio seating.It usually doesn't take long to get a seat you just gotta be fast it may not be the loveliest places but hey the foods great so thats fine with me!
I don't eat here as often as I used to (something about not wanting to have a heart attack...) but I still indulge at least once every other month or so. The plates are huge, and the burritos can feed a small army any day of the week. I live about two blocks from here and when I'm running especially late for work, I always make up for it (and distract my boss) by bringing in a Machaca Manuel's Special as a breakfast treat. The food is authentic, and they offer all the traditional options, all of which are pretty good.
It sucks that there's always a line, though. If I don't feel like waiting, I opt for sitting in the patio section even though there's no waiter service.
What can I say? If you go to East L.A. (which thanks to the new gold line is super easy!) you must stop by El Tepeyac- its an East L.A. staple and for good reason- BURRITOS! Now, you can't eat here all the time, alas diabetes is not cute nor good for you, but man do they know their burritos. Try the Hollenbeck burrito and share with all of your co-workers, or a wet burrito, (share it with 2 or more friends). Oh, and don't forget the horchata- You will thank me!
I've been holding off on tackling my first Manny's Special for no good reason, so today I decided to get off my ass and drive to EasLos to meet the monster. After learning about my plans, my dad wanted to tag along for the sake of reminiscing. The last Manny's Special he attempted was decades ago when I was a mere pup, so we decided to make this a father/son challenge.
Once we arrived, we waited for about 10-15 minutes outside, which wasn't bad at all considering it was around 1pm. Once we were seated, we placed our orders and the food arrived in no time flat, piping hot and bursting full of flavor. My dad, being the old man that he is now, couldn't handle the burrito, so he only had a small sliver of it. I, on the other hand, ate about 3/4 of the plate at the restaurant (the rest would be consumed at home later). I have to say that I was deeply satisfied with the dish. I'm sure there are other places out there that offer better food, but honestly I was happy with this spot. Coming to El Tepeyac is about the experience, not just the food. There are few spots where the owner will come outside to meet, greet and seat you. The service and atmosphere here was warm and friendly and of course the food was delicious.
Would I come here again? Most definitely.. Now that I've tackled the Manny's Special, it's time to see what else is good on the menu.
Plus my stomach and toilet can't handle another offering like that for a while.
Recommendations: The Chile Verde Manny's Special was pretty good.. Most of the meat was juicy and tender, but there was the occasional dry/tough chunk which would ruin that individual bite. On a side note: the guacamole here is THE BUSINESS.. Seriously, I was fixing to order a whole side of it to supplement my burrito.. Perhaps next time?
Warnings: I was lucky for my first experience here to find parking and wait only a little bit, but from the looks of it, this place can get packed and the wait and parking can potentially be enormous headaches.
I grew up feasting on the Hollenbeck. It's this massive burrito filled with chunks of red beef, beans, rice, and guacamole. The thing has got to weigh 2 lbs. Obviously, this is a landmark restaurant. I've been there on weekends and seen minivans pull up loaded w/ families from the burbs making the journey to Manuels.
While I rarely get the chance to come here anymore, I did stop by recently to pick up my favorite burrito to go. Nothing has changed. The food was just how remembered it. Oh there is one difference, I'm no longer able to polish off the burrito by myself.
If you're visiting the area and looking for a local institution, forget Philippes or Tommy's. Come to Manuels/El Tepeyac.
I love mexican food, and after seeing this place on Man vs. Food, I had to give it a try on a recent business trip to LA.
Left a little disappointed.
Arrived at 11am for lunch and the place was packed. Coworker and I took seats at the counter. Promptly I was given a free shot of tequila as apparently the week we visited it was their 55th anniversay. Things were looking good.
Order some chips to start. We were given a cup of green and red salsa for dipping. Asked for second cup of the red salsa as we both like red. I was told "no" and a little surprised by that response.
Coworker ordered one of the pork burritos and said he pretty much didn't like it from the start. I ordered the chicken burrito mainly because it listed just three ingredients - chicken, tomatoes an onion. That is what I like! But it came stuffed also with beans and rice - which I don;t like. All other burritos mention having refried beans but not this one. Oh well.
Portions were huge. But overall the taste was just sort of bland. Certainly an odd and interesting place, not only the location but also the staff. But I wouldn't go back.
Also, we looked at the window on the way out. The health inspection rating was a B! Tried to look online and see why they had a B rating but no luck.
I woudl say if you want to check out the hype, give it a try. I don''t think you'll be blown away by anything other then the portion size, but the test is just OK, and the service seems likea bit of an inside joke. Like if you don't knwo they are rude, you'll be upset. Sort of like the soup nazi on Seinfeld.
A message from Manuel: Please know that any and all rumors about Manuel's Original El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights being moved, closed or franchised are not true. To our many loyal customers who come back day after day, week after week - thank you - and for those new customers just discovering us, please be sure that after almost 55 years in the same location, the family tradition will continue in serving the freshest Mexican food in Southern California for many more years to come. Our Family business takes pride in our quality, cleanliness and commitment to all our customers. Our Boyle Heights location is the only family restaurant location for now and we are working on our own plans to expand.
We have had many imitators through the years using similar names and menu style with new ones popping up all the time. Don't be fooled by a new comer who has the audacity to use our familiar logo likeness and name (with a slight twist) that is located in area of Chino Hills - they say there is a relationship - please know that it is not true. An outright lie to mislead those who have enjoyed us over the years.
Reading the comments that precede this message, there are many great reviews of which we are proud of and I thank you very much. To those who may have been disappointed by a recent visit or those are being misled by the writings that are just not true, please come back and talk to me personally, I will greet you at the door with welcome like no other and work to make the next visit a better one - deliciously fresh food at fair prices. Our oversized burritos and one of a kind Taquitos & guacamole continue to be favorites. Come by soon, I will be happy to see you!
El Tepeyac is located on the border of a residential part of East LA, near a cemetery and some of their main streets. There is street parking available without meters. There is indoor seating with tables and chairs as well as a counter. They've also got a small patio available outside. It's not a fine dining experience, but it is an experience to eat there. It's a community favorite.
I've only tried their Manuel's Special One Foot burritos. They taste ok, but nothing amazing. People I know love them, but really... I think it's the novelty of a huge 12" in their face (that's what she said!). The burrito contains rice, beans, and guacamole. It's topped with lettuce, cheese, sauce, and tomatoes. The cost varies depending on which meat you pick, if any ($20-36).
They have an extensive menu including several vegetarian options, however after my visit I confirmed that they use lard to cook their rice and beans. For that reason, I would not recommend it for vegans or vegetarians.
I just opened up all my reviews for other Mexican restaurants and dropped them by one star.
I split a Hollenbeck, two other burritos, and an order of taquitos, and I can't get over how good the meats are. Tender, delicious, and fresh. Guacamole made from scratch, fresh vegetables, generous portions, and a lot of attention to flavors. It's everything you could want in Mexican food.
The other reviews commenting on the cleanliness aren't an exaggeration, but it doesn't bother me.
DISAPPOINTED. saw man vs food. read the reviews. got hyped up and even dragged some friends.
I thought the food was ok. apparently, everyone else thought it sucked.
Burritos are MONSTROUS (they'd better be for 9 bucks)
the 5 lb burrito took 4 people to finish.
What they give in quantity, they definitely do NOT match in quality.
Chunks of meat were decent, although everything tasted a little "off". I'm hoping it was just an off day for them. One friend describe the salsa as "ass-like"
i've had plenty of better tasting mexican food. tepeyac is a notch above your average taco truck, but that's about it
First, I dare anyone to navigate the streets of ELA to get here. It's not easy and requires a lot of courage, unless you live here of course. I used to live off of Rowan and Cesar Chavez Bl. Basically, this was an illegal house to restaurant conversion that eventually received a permit to do business the legal way. Who's gonna deny this place a permit anyway? Fat ass Councilwoman Gloria Molina, The Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, countless cops, firemen, and other politicians frequent this joint I'm sure.
I park around the corner on a public street because I don't want to deal with the hassle of the little lot. In most cases, I have to wait out front until the folks inside start slowly exiting. Upon entering this restaurant, you have a slim choice of a bar stool area, and some dining tables. Room in here is very limited. I wasn't joking when I said this was a home to restaurant conversion.
Manny still works this place and you can identify Manny by his distinguished raspy voice and large prescription glasses. Nice guy all around. I usually order the Hollenbeck burrito. Feeds a family of twenty. Picture two of Oprah Winfrey's thighs wrapped in a large flour tortilla and you can visualize the size of a Hollenbeck burrito.
Just a masterpiece that you can't possibly finish. They also have a walk up window that I was completely unaware of until my last visit here. I cannot wait to go back!
My girlfriend's brother introduced me to this place. They said they had a 5 pound burrito they 5 people share and I decided to see how big this monster really was. The inside dining room was packed and there was a line outside, so we decided to eat outside. I ordered the Manual Special and it came out pretty pricey. Food was made quick and I was ready to tackle this monster. I ate 80% of it then got tired of eating because all it had left was beans.
Very good food, kinda pricey, when you get the Manual special ask for a little beans because they pack it on. Very satisfied would come back again.
I give them 5 stars for their beef taquitos and huge portion of guacamole, rice and beans. Some of their food, like their carnitas tacos, could be much tastier. I'm giving them 3 stars, however, because of the B grade and a couple of months ago, they jipped me on the chips I ordered. And, the last time I was there, they didn't give me the drink I ordered. They are on time out and I won't be going back for a good while.
We also saw this place on Man vs. Food. I love LA's hole in the wall places, like El Matador, Chano's, and the taco trucks in Eagle Rock, so we decided to check out the 'Yac.
First, Many, the owner, meets you at the door. The staff is friendly. The place is small, so the long lines outside are misleading--there is seating for only about 35 people. There was plenty of seating at the counter, but it stinks because you watch the staff washing cups. It is loud inside. The restaurant has a "B" rating, which can be a deal breaker for some.
The portions are huge and the food is priced accordingly, around $8.50 per burrito. I had a Hollenbeck burrito (chile verde [in RED sauce, mind you], rice, beans, guacamole, and more chile verde on top) and my brother had the Okie machaca (shredded beef) burrito. I ate the whole burrito for lunch and have not been hungry for 10 hours.
The food was just ok, nothing special. The pork chunks in my burrito were inconsistent--some were succulent, others were tough & dry, as if they had been sitting around. The taste was normal, just like any other burrito. Remember, you pay for the big portions--other places have smaller portions but you pay $2-$3 less.
I would probably not come back. It's one of those restaurants where you go back just because you forgot the food is nothing special. Give it a try, but don't expect a life-altering experience.
After 200+ reviews you know this is a sacred place. It is literally, a whole in the wall joint that attracts all types of people.
After watching the Man vs. Food my family decided this was a place we had to try. We drove up to East LA last night to watch my sister play vb and after all 10 of us caravaned over here.
Warning: NO PORTION CONTROL HERE! My sister and her bf shared the Manuel's special to realize that the thing was bigger than her head!
I had the chicken taquitos and took half home. Wonderful all white meat chicken and the beans and rice, just like my gma used to make.
My mom had that Chile Rellano and my husband and dad had the Gringo burrito (i think that's what it was called), my brother in law had the enchiladas.
Everything was delicious!!! Even took home enough for lunch and dinner that next day. The only reason that I gave it 4 stars is that there should be a warning outside telling you that will commit a sin coming into this place!
Tip- Order from the Take Out window and sit outside. The line to eat inside is way too long. And be careful if you bring kids bc its not in the safest neighborhood.
All in all- it is something you must experience. Delicious homemade Mexican food, but on steroids!
They're known for their massive Manuel Special Burrito which I witnessed but did not partake in. It looks like it could feed about 5 hungry people. There menu consists of your typical Mexican fare, burritos, taquitos, tacos, enchiladas, etc. A couple interesting things to note "Burritos can be made up to 6 feet long when ordered 24hrs. in advance deposit required for boards/refundable upon of board with receipt." They also have a special Lent menu that has items such as Taqullos De Papa (potato taquitos served with rice & beans) or Fajitas De Eamoron (shrimp with grilled onion, tomato, jalapeno & colored bell pepper served with rice, beans & tortillas).
I ordered two tacos, one carne asada, which was your basic corn tortilla taco, and one pollo, which was deep fried. The carne asada was easily one of the best tacos I've ever had. The meat was beyond words, it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Piled high as can be, it really should have been two tacos. The onions and cilantro were the perfect accompaniments and just the right amount.
The pollo on the otherhand was sub-par, the chicken was somewhat gamey, it was shredded and there was about 4 times the amount of cheese then needed to be. Had I not order this abomination I would have had a much much higher opinion of El Tepeyac. The chips were good and they served a green and a red salsa, both were good but nothing to write home about.
I have photos and a more in depth review on my personal blog.
Food: is awesome, lots of it, 1 dish can really be shared. The Machaca is the best, be prepared for some serious food coma.
location: Its is a really really humble area of boyle hieghts, keep in mind the place is a LA landmark, so you have all walks of life going there from doctors in scrubs, policeman, business people and of course the local's. I have been going there since i was a kid and have never seen anything that would prohibit me from going back, just beware the area is very poor
ambiance: total greasy spoon place, not fancy, go their for breakfast that is the best
service: top notch, the waitresses and busboy's have been their for years, they are all very nice and great with people.
Huge portions and cheap prices. I have been attending this place since I was a little boy. My main dish are the Taquitos with a ton of guacamole. I have also gotten the eggs with Chorizo. The place is small and usually a line. This place is pretty famous as its not just attended by Hispanic people. I see all kinds of people coming to eat here. Their famous dish is the Giant burrito they serve you. I think Two people can easily eat of that and still have left overs.
This place is in the Boyle Heights area so you are also close to Mariachi Plaza.
Its probably even more packed now that MAN VS. FOOD featured it. It got ruined! nooo! Oh well, i guess its good for them so they wont close down.
Manuel's El Tepeyac on Evergreen... Makes me full just thinking of those monstrous burritos. If you're in the Boyle Heights area, GO and you won't be disappointed. Expect a line because it's a pretty popular place. Especially since Man vs Food ruined it for all of us who've been going there for years... Oh well.
I always get the machaca burrito. MY FAVORITE. Shredded beef, eggs, onions, rice and cheesy goodness. This burrito can cover me for TWO meals. No lie. And I can hold my own... And this isnt even the Manuel's special machaca which probably would feed me for 5 meals.
It's good. Try it. Respect the tried and true joints of Los Angeles. There's a reason they have withstood the test of time.
We got here at 10am on a Saturday morning and there was already a line to dine inside. Thankfully we noticed that there was a separate, over-the-counter service for those who didn't mind outside tables.
Anyways, my sister and I ordered a steak burrito with the idea of sharing it. When we got our order I was flabbergasted. MY STEAK BURRITO WAS THE SIZE OF MY EFFIN' HEAD.
Once I got over that initial shock and dug into my food, I wasn't too impressed. Maybe I'm just unaware of genuine Mexican cuisine, but I don't really like gloppy burritos with tough, dry meat.
However, their horchata was great!
I watched the Man vs Food and knew this place. Yesterday we gave it a try . I ordered a beef one and husband ordered a pork one. (I didn't remembered the names). it is not that flavorful, the meat was dry , just taste OK. But my husband is a meat lover, he was really enjoyed it . he wants to go back again,but I won't.
Yeah Yeah, the pork Hollenbeck is good. Id recommend that to first timers but I always get the Machaca Hollenbeck. Another great dish they serve is their Huevos Rancheros, the chilies and onions are great. Also I recently got for the first time the Mechaca Tostada. I was expecting something light, not really. Still alot of food. Manuel gave me a shot of tiquila once, a big shot.
This place is by far " The greatest mexican food in California!" I only wish there was a place like this in the inland empire. While visiting the restuarant i was honored to meet the owner manny. very friendly guy. What people dont realize is that this place has been around for year... It looks like it was built from someones home. People are so used to going to chain restuarants (like chipotle) where every thing is spick and span. Screw that. keep it original, dont change anything. If you dont like the restrooms, piss before or after you go to the restuarant.
We were excited to go to El Tepeyac ever since we saw it featured on Man v Food, because my husband couldn't resist the temptation of taking on one of Manuel's Special burritos. I like Mexican food, but he could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and still love it. That said, he got about a fifth of the way through his Machaca burrito and couldn't eat a single bite more. Not because of the size of the thing, but because it was so tasteless and dry. We waited outside for that?
I got the Carne Asada quesadilla and the meat quality was really bad. I had about five mouthfulls and two contained chunks of gristle and fat. The flavor was pretty bland although the best thing about it was the cheese.
This place was a huge disappointment. I think we'll be sticking with our local SFV Mexican joints from now on.
Good food and service
Well well well. I cannot believe people are raving about this place. THIS PLACE IS DISGUSTING. The worst of the worst when it comes to LA Mexican Food. (See what I say later about Mexican food in LA and San Diego--NO COMPARISON)
I've been to El Tepeyac twice already after hearing of the hype. I agree with others that El Tepeyac delivers QUANTITY over QUALITY. I am absolutely DISSAPOINTED with the food here. I had the red chili beef burrito the first time and the carne asada hollenback burrito the second time. The carne asada was ABSOLUTELY disgusting. It was hard, fatty, chewy and looked like it had been sitting out for about a day or two. Good mexican food is hard to find in LA--San Diego (Lolita's Taco Shop) is where it's at. Lolita's Carne Asada is absolutely and positively second to NONE. It melts in your mouth like butter. Man I want to go there just to cover up the bad experience I had at El Tepeyac.
Anyway about El Tepeyac... the staff was friendly and the guacamole was good though, but their food absolutely can be bested by any Mexican place in Van Nuys. Do not pay the outrageous prices or stand in line for an hour to eat sucky food. I didn't even eat 1/3rd of my burrito. I told my waitress about it and she didn't even give a discount or offer new food. The burrito was almost untouched it was so nasty.
I been going to this restaurant for over 30 years. I loved the food especially burritos Okie and Hollenbeck. But I have been disappointed with the meat and shrinkage. When the Hollenbeck burrito came in a carton container it was a pretty big size. I would share it with my son. Now with the foam it is smaller. A couple of years ago the meat has been rough, dry and the extra fat ewww! Who eats and wants pieces of fat? I have gotten plenty of disgusting looking pieces of meat. These two reasons have kept me from going like I use to. Every now and then I will go back hoping old Tepeyac ways would return. But its been a couple of years and it hasn't so I don't see myself returning.
All i can say is if your from East LA and never ate (or attempted to eat) a Manuel's special....your going to hell!
This place doesn't even need my kudos, i think the history speaks for itself. Some advise when going there....GET THERE EARLY!!
Honorable Mention: Chorizo and Egg breakfast and don't forget your free shot from the owner.......shhhh you didn't hear that from me!
The staff is very friendly and nice.
The portions are huge. But that would be a deal if the food was good.
This is your classic overly hyped place that is assessed on nostalgia and fond memories rather than the quality of its food.
The food quality is not good, so the huge portions is a moot issue.
Just because there are gunks of cheese on food you order does not make it a tasty and good Mexican dish; quite the opposite actually.
If you go here, go for the legendary iconic status it holds. If you are going here looking for great tasting quality Mexican faire, it's not the place.
The ambiance: Quaint and has a lot of character - you may have to wait a bit though because lines can be long. I really love these seemingly hole in the wall places to eat. =)
The food: Pretty good - though the pollo was a bit dry and the asada was also a bit dry. The chile verde was very good though!
The service: Very friendly and courteous. Perhaps it's just me but I always judge by whether or not the waitresses come around to fill up water. I also love that they saw the group, knew what we were going to do and happily served our food, as if they were watching this "feat" for the first time!
The price: very reasonable - a 5lb burrito is $15 -$18 and feeds about 3 people (depending on who you go with I guess!)
I give it a 4 star because I'd come back, if motivated again. =)
OMG. My boss took me here when we were up in LA for a work meeting. He was so excited and raving about the place and grew up eating it.
The inside is small with maybe 8 tables and counter seating. He said we were lucky because we got there early and the line wasn't out the door yet. There were 3 of us that night and we ordered 2 hollenbecks. A male co-worker and I shared one and my boss had the other. The portions were enormous! I ate about 1/4 and so did my co-worker. I took the rest home to the boyfriend who made it into two meals! My boss somehow managed to eat the entire thing. I was almost disgusted watching him though.
The hollenbeck burrito had big pieces of carnitas inside and around the outside. It was covered in red sauce that wasn't too spicy. Inside was refried beans, rice, guac, and cheese if I remember correctly...You could tell the pork had been cooked low and slow because it just fell apart. Yummy!
Service was quick and very friendly.
Prices are good here for the amount of food you get. Unfortunately, I probably will never eat here again since I live "behind the orange curtain". But if I were in the area by some odd chance I would definitely stop in.
Well shyt, what's NOT to like at Manny's El Tepeyac . . . for heaven sakes! From Manuel's kisses hello ~ to his menudo . . . this man has it going on!
My fav is two beef enchiladas ~ alacarte and an order of chips & guac. YUMMERS. Their orchata is pretty damn good too . . . I say go . . . and if there is a line [per usual] to get in . . . take someone you can peck on and give the diners a lil show, since you're in front of the window . . . ;)
I have been on Yelp for awhile and have never been so compelled to write a review about any place I've been to... until now.
Ok, so I have been coming to El Tepeyac for as long as I can remember. I remember being a little girl, and looking forward to going there with my parents, and the owner, Manuel, giving us candy. My family has been going there for decades. So of course, I ranted and raved about this place to my boyfriend, and after a trip to Lincoln Heights to try Mom's Tamales (and finding out it was closed at 1pm due to running out of food), we decided to go to Tepeyac.
OMG, it sucked!
Seriously, a disappointment. My boyfriend was not a happy camper as this was his first time.
We ordered from the outdoor window as there was a line to eat inside the restaurant. The service was terrible.They lagged at taking our order. My boyfriend and I were at the window for awhile before the girl decided to take down our order. She was too busy talking crap about one of the customers to one of the guys in the kitchen. I was appalled by this.
I also didn't remember the food being so terrible!
I ordered the #8, the torta de guacamole. Usually, a torta is a sandwich... umm.. tell me why it was basically a GUACAMOLE OMELLETTE!. OMG.. gross...
My boyfriend ordered the Hollenbeck Burrito with Carnitas. It tasted like dog food. It was too wet, juices were all over the place. He was pissed because he had been craving carnitas all day, and that was NOTHING close to that.
I text my mom to tell her that it was the worst experience there that I can remember and even she was surprised. Needless to say, I don't think we'll be coming back here which sucks because it brings me memories of my childhood.
Good lord they make an enormous burrito. The pictures here really don't do it justice, and that's not a knock on the photographers it's really just that big.
Me and two of my friends, one who eats a lot and one who doesn't, tried to conquer Manuel's Special, Machaca edition and were punished for thinking that we, mere mortals could challenge a god in burrito form. The damn thing was like 14 inches long and 6 inches wide stuffed with beef, eggs, rice, and beans topped with hella cheese and sauce. We probably got through 2/3 of it before he had to tap out. What's crazy is despite how ludicrously big it was, it really tasted pretty good.
We also got the half order of guac which is alot of guac and some horchata, both foolish ideas considering how indomitable manuel's special was. The guac and horchata were both quite good though!
check it out, get the giant burrito but make sure you have atleast 4 people with you and know that even then it will still be a bit of a challange
what's crazy is the menu says serves 2-4. WHAT TWO PEOPLE COULD EAT THAT?!
Just watch my video and you'll see!
El Tepeyac Cafe 5lbs Burrito challenge!
http://www.youtube.com...
Let me get this straight: "HUGE portions" merit the authenticity-stamp for Mexican joints?? *sigh*
This place is as "authentic" as Knott's Berry Farm's Montezuma's Revenge snack-bar.
Maybe I'm spoiled by the regional Piasa joints that don't cater to LA nostalgia but I don't trust any Mexican restaurant that doesn't serve Carne Asada or Pastor meat.
After all the hype from my newly extended East-Los familia and fellow die-hard Dodger fans, Its safe to say I was disappointed by TepeWac's condensed, portion-friendly menu.
I agree, not ALL "authentic" Mexican joints serve the same type of food, but they DO serve a protein other than thawed-out chicken strips and Shredded beef(Machaca)
No trolling. Soon after I ate here, I discovered this place is a joke among un chingo de Mexicanos besides this serote from Long Beach.
At first bite I fell in love with the "Burrito de Machaca." I've never in my life felt a burrito taste so good. It wasn't at all too complicated but it still had a very good kick to it. The salsa is fresh the way it should be. The small enviroment makes it feel more home-like. The workers are nice but wondered why they wouldn't talk to me in spanish. Fresh "aguas" and worth the extra dollar. This is a good place to bring a gf/bf when you only have $20 and starving. =].. Order the "Burrito de Machaca," its melted just right everytime.
Got take out today... There werent many people.. Got me a burrito de machaca and damn is it delicious! I also got a regular horchata... Excellent! Manual was there greeting and chatting around with everyone... Well, back to munching my delicious burrito. My machaca was $9.49, worth every penny.. It's about 10 inches long and 3 pounds... i ate 1/5th and im pretty much full!
The horchata is EXCELLENT!
Will be trying manual's special next :), hope i finish this burrito before the next time I go cause this thing is HUGE!
