Taco Gringos

 

10

23

JB B.

Seattle, WA

$2 RABBIT TACOS

These are some of the best tacos on the west coast hands down!! You can't beat the taste or the price. For some real 'authentic' tacos, try Yuca's when you're in Los Feliz/LA next (link below). They won a James Beard award -- nothing but a shack in a parking lot. You'll be blown away. These 2 places are in the same league. There are some real good eats in Seattle.

http://www.yelp.com/bi...

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Elite '08

207

155

Matt R.

Edmonds, WA

Don't get me wrong, these things make an awesome snack.  Especially when drinking.  That is the key.  I wonder the ratio of drunk to sober customers at this place.  Do sober people ever go here?  

So, here's the deal: the tacos are good.  They are just tiny, very small.  The ingredients are bomb (I ate several rabbit tacos) and their hot sauce rules.  I heard they were $1, but they were $2.  They are the perfect size for $1 tacos, not quite enough to justify $2.

My suggestion: get one (remember, they do taste good) then to fill up your stomach go to Amantes and get a decent pizza slice for $2.50.

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Elite '08

112

100

Betsy K.

Seattle, WA

Best $2 tacos in town.

They are open really really late (except Sunday and Monday, don't try to go there then - you will be disappointed)

The menu is always revolving and has a very interesting selection of ingredients from pulled pork to rabbit to alligator to veggies. If you're in the area, you gotta try it!

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0

4

Fumi S.

Seattle, WA

Yum yum yum...what I like about this restaurant is that they change the menu almost everyday (Yeah, I check it everyday on the way home...). I wish they open earlier, but not matter what, their yummy treats make my tummy happy~

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41

232

Ass Man Z.

Seattle, WA

Drunk and stoned at 2am on the Hill and the hot dog guy in front of Neighbors too far? Oh look...tacos!

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Elite '08

225

180

Janeane S.

Seattle, WA

The perfect spot to go at drunk thirty when you're jonesing for food!  On my way home from the Crescent, I was delighted to actually walk by this when they were open! (They're only open from 8pm-230am).

For a mere $2 per taco, I find it to be a pretty good deal.  You'll need 3 or 4 for an actual meal, but one or two is perfect for that midnight snack.  They have different tacos every night.  So far, I've tried the beef tacos and the pork tacos and liked them both.  It's no Rancho Bravo, but still really yummy!

What I REALLY love here are the hot sauces you slather your tacos with.  The spicy red one is oh so good and packs enough heat to make this Korean girl tear up a little.  The mild green sauce is tangy and tempers the heat of the red.  Both were absolutely delicious on my tacos.

What I would like for them to change is to have more veggies/less meat on the tacos.  And two tortillas per taco, not just one.

All in all, a great little taco joint!  Oh and I should mention their eclectic selection of magazines that you can skim while eating.  My personal faves:  Cat Fancy and American Cheerleader magazine.

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Elite '08

231

167

Riss J.

Bothell, WA

What can I say that hasn't already been said? Not much, but here i go anyway.

Yes, they are small, quite small. For $2, I really would like to see more than that, but I get it.

I did actually like the place. The tacos were really good (I had the chicken), and I tried one little 'squirt' of each of the 3 sauces they put out and all were enjoyable. The "hot" had a decent amount of heat.

I wouldn't recommend coming here if you are really hungry or expecting a full meal for $5 or less. (you're looking at $8 to $10 to get enough baby tacos to be a meal would be my guess).

The guys are funny, and willing to engage in conversation as you wait.

The magazines for your enjoyment on their one and only tiny little corner table included "high times', conveniently left open to the Top 20 blends.

This is a place for:
(a) a quick snack
(b) have $10 and am too lazy to drive to (taco truck, grocery store, etc)
(c) oooo, look I found a $2 bill on the ground
(d) Just enough food in my tummy to let me get my drink on (this is my check mark here)

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1

2

Jaxon S.

Seattle, WA

It's $2 tacos....so what were you expecting?

What you get for $2, let's see:
A small place w/ standing room only but still cool as it is way  warmer & dryer than a food cart off of an alley. (and better placement too)
3 rotating choices for soft tacos. 1 is always vegetarian and the other 2 are meat.

Interesting selections so far. Though my fav is the pork. Personally, I don't like "gamey" tasting foods so I don't find things like duck and goat appealing.

Beverages offered too, some soda, etc.

Come here to eat if:

1) You're drunk/tipsy (If necessary - 'easy in, easy out' in more ways than one.)
2) Feelin desperately munchy but don't have the time (or space of mind) to wait or to sift thru multiple selections. (better than wandering a grocery store and pickin up stuff in your food-crazed haze)
3) You're broke (like me) and you feed your dog better than yourself

This place is perfect for what it is meant for.
Hungry people on the move.

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6

16

Jon X.

Seattle, WA

Size does not matter... ok maybe it does but quality does too. Yes, these tacos are not the most authentic but how can you beat the purity of two dudes making tacos for the late night crowd... They taste pretty excellent and rotate varieties (I've had the chicken and pork) but I say either make them $1 each or 2x the size.

I stumbled into this taco joint over the weekend in the wee hours of sat evening when I realized I did not actually have any cash on me. A nice customer kindly bought me a chicken taco which satisfied my hunger for about 5 minutes.

Nevertheless, whoever you are stranger... your kindness is appreciated!

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Elite '08

27

77

Alan H.

Seattle, WA

Wow, what a cool place.  They are original, edgy, and creative.  You have been warned that the tacos are small, but they are packed full of delicious meat and veggies.   Tacos Gringos is not meant as a meal in my opinion, but more as a snack or after a night of heavy drinking food craving.

The menu is  small, they only offer one thing... tacos.  But they have 3 different choices of tacos that seem to rotate when ever they want.

In the future I would love to see more options, maybe the option for bigger tacos, but  i have a feeling that since there 'kitchen/prep area' is so small that they cant produce enough meat to make bigger tacos.

Overall, this place is a must go.

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Elite '08

876

901

Michelle B.

Seattle, WA

Dios Mios! Are we really this starved for tacos up on the hill?

This place isn't cheap. $2 for a teeny tiny taco that has an ounce of meat and only one of the two tortillas you are supposed to get? I'm small, and I'm generally willing to shell out a premium for tasty food, but it's going to cost me at least $6 before I've even felt like I've eaten anything.

This place isn't convenient. It doesn't open until 8:00pm. There is no where to stand and wait, let alone sit and eat. The food is cooked to order, which is nice, but makes for a bit of a wait when things are crowded, and they don't have a grill to speed things up.

The menu isn't fantastic. You get your choice of three items. Chicken, which was quite tasty, Chorizo, which was solidly good, and Vegetarian, which was a joke of a few seasoned black beans and a bit of cabbage slaw on top. The tortillas are steamed instead of grilled which makes them a bit gummy, and could stand a few seconds on the grill, if they had one.

You can tell that this place is run with a lot of heart, so I'm hoping that it will evolve into a place I'm stoked to have down the street from me. As it is, I'm either going to have to drive down to the taco bus on Ranier, or open up my own can of black beans from QFC.

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19

20

Joey Y.

Seattle, WA

oh dear.  such a great idea.  and you can tell the two gentlemen running the place mean so well.

but the execution of all things here is not as great as it could/should be.  

is capitol hill in dire need of a great taco stand?
OF FUCKING COURSE it is.  but there's no need to rush it.  for $2, you can find yourself with either a pork, fish, or veg taco.  a small one.

I myself chose the pork [isn't that the golden rule? try the pork first?] and found the meat to be very chewy, almost as if it were softened jerky instead of the soft, juicy bits of pig i expected it to be.

the kitchen looks like they hefted their own stove/oven range from their condo and purchased a few steamer trays.  not that there's a problem with that, it just adds to the "cap hill" charm [i mean, the place is fucking called "tacos gringos"].

the salsa they suggested was pretty good, but it was the taco that was so disappointing.  i'll go back to try their fish and veg, but i won't be expecting too much.  the guys do seem nice though, in a very nonchalant kind of way, but cool only goes so far.

TACO TRUCK, WHERE ART THOU??

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Elite '08

57

32

Zach G.

Seattle, WA

Two stars?  Three stars?

I dunno, it's a tough one.

Taco Gringos is a great idea.  Proper tacos, on the Hill -- what's not to like?  But the execution falters.

Like the people are saying, these tacos are small.  And not exactly proper, what with the steamed, single tortilla per each.  Tiny little appetizer-sized tacos, only for twice as much as you'll pay at the Bus.  Yes, rent isn't cheap in Capitol Hill, but then again, the Gringos don't even have a kitchen.  Every order is lovingly warmed up in a teflon pan on a smooth topped home stove, and what should take 5 minutes takes ten.  Eh.  I just can't get excited, and I really wanted to.  Give me tiny little tacos for $2 each, but at least get them to me in seconds flat from a convenient location; or give me normal sized tacos for $2 (twice the usual price) and give them to me at your usual semi-glacial pace.

Ugh.  I liked the chicken and chorizo well enough, and I liked the idea, but I can't help but feel they'd be better off buying a van and a griddle and setting up a stand somewhere closer to the heart of things on the Hill.  Speed up the operation, give us a bit more variety and a bit more value per dollar, and they could really take off.

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13

22

Ang A.

Seattle, WA

We'll see how Tacos Gringos progresses as time goes on but they are off to a solid start.

Looks like there is typically a rotating selection of three tacos on the menu at any given time. When I dropped in it was chicken, beef tongue, and vegetarian, each for a paltry $2.

Worth it? Completely.

Though I did make the heinous mistake of throwing, like, a quarter cup of salsa on the chicken taco I bought, it was still obvious that great care had been taken to season the tender-as-hell meat. As a total cilantro freak, I also appreciated the sprinkle of fresh minced leaves the cook threw on top.

The vegetarian was, as far as I could tell, black beans and hominy with, of all things, carrot slices. Trust me, though-- it worked. I ate it too fast to discern what spices were involved but they were good ones. The carrot slices were cooked but not overly and still maintained a crunch that made a fantastic contrast with the beans.

Anyway, this is getting way too long and all I really want to say is, Give it a shot. These are nice guys making nice food. I definitely plan to make a habit of stopping in.

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Elite '08

57

216

Jessica Y.

Seattle, WA

It's like a taco truck without wheels, which is great because there's never any question about where it is going to be.

After getting kicked out of The Redwood (because they were closing, not because we were rowdy. although we kind of were) I remembered hearing about a new late-night snackery over on Olive. "Fuck yeah!" I thought, "tacos!"

It's $2 a taco (cash only!), they offer meats and a vegetarian option (which was declared tastier than the pork taco by a non-vegemite) with a few beverages and squirt bottles of hot sauce to spice things up. It was quiet and cold out (and they hadn't put up the "take your tacos and scram!" sign yet) so we chatted with the two gringos running the place while we ate. They're adorable. The place is new, so things are constantly changing to adjust to their needs, but it seems pretty solid so far.

The group consensus was pretty much summed up about a half block away with, "we should've gotten more tacos."

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0

5

Jay K.

Federal Way, WA

Bueno tacos! A bit pricey for what you get but just buy another to get your fill.

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4

17

Patrick D.

Seattle, WA

I agree with the other reviews. The tacos are disappointingly small. I literally ate mine in 3 bites.
I love the concept of this place - catering to the late-night munchies crowd - but that target demographic wants big, greasy food that will soak up some of the alcohol in their stomach! At Taco Gringos I'd need to order 3 tacos ($6) to do that, or probably like 8 tacos ($16!) if I wanted to eat dinner there.
Instead I'll walk over to Hot Mamas and get a much more satisfying slice of pizza for $2.50.
I hope the owner changes his approach and starts making big, cheap, greasy tacos or burritos.

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Elite '08

138

140

Lindi M.

Seattle, WA

FINALLY - there is a place on Capitol Hill to get tacos!

Unfortunately, they aren't as amazing as I hoped for.

This place was a little different than I expected. They have a 3 item menu. That's it. They offer chicken, pork/chorizo and vegetarian tacos. The tacos themselves are pretty small compared to other taco joints and only have one measly tortilla which is sure to rip. I need at LEAST three to satisfy my hunger. But, even still, I end up feeling like I need more.

Don't get me wrong, I am really excited there is a place to get tacos close to my house. But, the bad thing is that they are only open from 8 PM to 3 AM! I can't wait that long for dinner! It's great for all the Drunkie McGees - but it sucks for me! The only time I can really come here is on the weekend.

Also, the inside is TINY, there is no place to sit...or stand. The owners nicely ask that you take your tacos and get the hell out! Which is understandable - but I honestly can't wait to walk the 4 blocks home to eat them so I have to eat them while walking (which usually means I end up with half of a taco on my shirt).

The tacos here may sadly be the best Capitol Hill has to offer. I would choose this place over other taco places on the hill. But, because they are never open when I want to eat, I usually end up elsewhere.

I'm sure I'll be back sometimes on weekends after getting drunk at a nearby bar when my choices are limited to this place or hot dog carts. But, other than that case, I'll make the drive out to Wallingford to get good tacos.

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0

5

Aaron W.

Seattle, WA

So, here's the deal...
It is exactly what it claims to be.  Tacos made by Gringo's.  Anyone who is complaining that it is not authentic is perfectly correct.  It is not.  But it is GRUBBIN', (so get over your self righteous "This is not authentic" crap).
Get a couple tacos, they ARE small, but they are inexpensive.  Everything is done from scratch, and the food is tasty (even when you are sober...)  Both of the guys have cooked at some of the better restaurants in Seattle, and they know their way around a stove.  These guys can cook, and are still feeling their way through the process.  I have stopped by three times and the food has gotten better each time.
Give it a shot!

NEW NOTE:  Last time I was there they had Duck and Goat Tacos.... C'mon.... that's AWESOME.

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1

12

JD E.

Seattle, WA

Just not good, they tried, but seemed to miss the mark. I got the impression that they were attempting to provide authentic tacos. First of all, tortillas should never be steamed, Their chorizo was bland and not nearly greasy enough. Plus they are charging 2 bucks for a taco that is smaller at a taco truck only costing $1.75. The salsas were ok, nothing spectacular

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0

2

Blaire N.

Seattle, WA

If there is one thing I miss about growing up in California, it's good cheap Mexican food.  Tacos Gringos isnt great Mexican food, but it is nonetheless delicious.  Sure the tacos small?  Yes?  Is it worth the price?  Absolutely.  When you are drunk and are starving and dont feel like Dick's, Tacos Gringos is the perfect place.

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7

15

Jeffrey B.

Seattle, WA

YES!

At last, tacos on the Hill that don't suck.  No more having to trek down to the taco bus on Rainier Ave. Sure, they're a bit smaller and twice as expensive ($2 ea including tax), but it's Capitol Hill guys. Rent ain't cheap.

I had one of each: vegetarian (i.e. seasoned beans), chicken, and chorizo (pork sausage). Though I found the chicken a little on the bland side, the other two were awesome--especially the tangy chorizo. They are indeed small. Looks like a 3" tortilla, maybe? I dunno. I didn't have time to measure it. Maybe they should give two tortillas instead of just the one.

I do wish they opened earlier. I understand they're aiming for the bar crowd, but it would be nice to grab dinner there on the way home from being sober, too. Also: Jarritos. Get on that.

"I'm glad you guys are here. Capitol Hill needs tacos." That's what I told the gringos on my way out. They laughed. It's funny because it's true.

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Elite '08

9

72

Michelle G.

Seattle, WA

Recently I took a rare jaunt over to Capitol Hill for some libations at a friend's house.  It got reeeeeally late, my friends and I emerged for some  karaoke at The Crescent, and my stomach and bloodstream were definitely feeling the effects of drinking.  I thought aloud to myself, "Man, I really want some tacos."

Then out of the sky dropped Tacos Gringos, a place I had never even seen before, and it was open!  It was a miracle!!!  That was some trippy Alice In Wonderland shit right there.  This place is probably only a figment of my imagination, and I'm pretty sure that if I ever tried to go back there it wouldn't exist.

The tacos were kind of pricey and middle-of-the-road in flavor, somewhere between Taco Time and your favorite Southern California taco truck.  The bottom line here is that Tacos Gringos exists to fill one need (that need being to fill the stomachs of wasted people late at night), and they do it well.

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0

15

Matt S.

WA

When something is right on the money, you give it the five stars.

Taco Gringos is right on the money.  They serve a finely crafted taco that will set your California Mexican Food Gland (should you be gifted with one) doing whatever it is such mysterious organs do.  They rotate the menu, so that you could go there like all the time and not get bored.  They charge only two dollars per taco, and while they're small, show me a place open until 3 that you can get your fill at for less than ten dollars, and I'll show you a surprised matt.

So when you stumble out of whichever Olive St bar you frequent, be it Clever Dunne's, the Crescent, the Elite, or even the Monk, as you shamble by Taco Gringos, enter without delay!

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3

9

Daniel Y.

Seattle, WA

tasty, three-bite tacos. rotating selection. try the tongue and the veggie when they put potatoes in it.

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6

17

Allan L.

Seattle, WA

My apologies to anyone drunk enough to even get close to this place.  To even compare it to California tacos is a slap in the face to anyone who has ever visited the Golden State.  In fact, if you even suggest this is "Californian" style, you would most likely get mauled by a Californian bear.  Anyway, being a vegetarian and living on Mission St in SF for over two years, I can attest to really delicious and cheap tacos.  I was at first suspect by the name of the business, but I thought it was ironic enough to compensate for my initial doubts.  I was wrong.  When I received two of their "vegetarian" tacos, each one consisting of a single dollop of black beans on top of some pico de gallo, the feeling was immediate: I felt like someone just told me that my ex-girlfriend was my secret long lost half sister.  In other words, I felt equally queasy and morbidly wronged.  Next time, there should be a warning telling you that you're about to be involved in a cross cultural taboo, that way I could think of better things to do with my five dollars (I tipped a dollar before hand).  For instance, I could see how long it would take to dissipate in toilet water or I could measure the height of the ashes after I burned poor old honest Abe.  Please follow my advice, use the money on a burrito at a gas station.  It's about the same quality.  And you'll most likely get it in half the time and half the price.

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0

3

Julia C.

Seattle, WA

delicious.  absolutely.  and they'd have five stars if the tacos were $1.50 instead of $2.  as for the food--the vegetarian taco, dear lord.  hominy and black beans wrapped with cabbage and cilantro.  the flavor was surprisingly inspiring.

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