We were so grateful to find this place, open late, after seeing a show. It had something for everyone! Service was great and they let us know that the kitchen would be closing soon so that we could get our orders in. Food was delicious and they were great with allergies. read more

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DELICIOUS TACOS IN LONDON?! Okay, okay hear me out, I too was skeptical but after turning every other restaurant down that my husband suggested as we tried to figure out what we were going to eat for dinner, we walked by this place and decided to give it a try. Let me tell you, it was one of the best meals we had while we were in England for an entire month. Before we get to the food, I must give a shout out to the staff who were so warm, friendly and attentive. What we ordered: The short rib tacos for sharing. I am not exaggerating when I tell you it was DIVINE. The meat was so well seasoned and flavorful and it was literally falling off the bone. No, seriously, they bring it to your table, bone and all, and shred the meat for you. It's served with unlimited tortillas and some fixings for your tacos such as pickled red onions cilantro, etc. Caesar salad: A good solid caesar salad. Not the best I ever had in my life, but it was fresh, not too much anchovy in the dressing and came with a ton of shaved parmesan on top. Elote corn: nice and flavorful, corn was not soggy. Great smoky flavor from the grill. Guacamole: fresh and flavorful. Margaritas: Well balanced, not too sweet and enough alcohol to where you could taste it but it didn't make you grimace. I ended up ordering 2. Beer: Not sure which beer, but my husband said it was his favorite one he tried our entire trip. Ambiance was great, decor was beautiful, lighting was well put together. It was nice as clean as well, no sticky seats / menus. read more

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It can be pretty difficult to find some decent Hispanic food in London. Try as one might, most of the places out here just don't quite hit that sweet spot that a joint in, say, California might do. This place... comes pretty darn close. I was a bit bummed that they don't have any Carne Asada tacos, but they have most of the other classics like the Al Pastor and Baja tacos. Being a California girl, myself, I crave that spiciness and bold flavor. The Al Pastor checked off both of those boxes. The chicken tacos are, surprisingly, made with fried chicken, whereas I was expecting grilled chicken; this makes them a bit heavier than you might expect, but not unbearably so. The sauces don't quite have that refined balance that I used to find in the States, but they'll do. The Horchata, which is the Mexican drink of choice - minus the alcohol - is on-point, with a delicious sweetness that takes away some of the spiciness of your meal and adds a sense of relief to your palate. The menu itself is well-rounded enough that regardless of what you order, you'll probably be pleased with the closeness and authenticity compared to other restaurants, but there's still something lacking in terms of flavor. Either way, you can do worse. read more

El Pastor - 2 Al Pasor Tacos (Pork), 2 Chicken Tacos, & Horchata (Sweet Rice Drink) - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

We were walking aimlessly in London trying new spots out and decided to come into this restaurant since my fiance loved el pastor. The inside is nice and their margaritas are delicious but we were disappointed in the el pastor tacos. For 10 pounds you get two tacos. They were burnt / crunchy and had some fatty pieces and were also very oily. read more

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staff: the hostess and our waitress were friendly! They both spoke Spanish which was a nice treat! The servers were friendly and explained the meals service: we did not have reservations for lunch on a Thursday. We waited about 25 minutes for a table (which is pretty good given they were packed). They have an app/online service to text/notify you when your table is available. So we walked borough market while we waited. Once we sat down our orders were taken pretty quickly. And food came out relatively fast. establishment: tables/seats outside and inside. Clean. Definitely Latin vibe with Latin music playing. Bathrooms at the back are unisex and kept clean. Food: La comida deliciosa! Ceviche was amazing - great citrus and savoury/spicy flavour. Fried frijoles and guacamole to start were nice. We had the a group of 4 adults and 2 children. We shared 3 orders of chicken tacos, 3 orders of tacos Al pastor, 1 order of shrimp tacos, & 1 braised beef for tacos. Each order comes with 2 tacos and the tortillas have a generous serving of meat/toppings. Nothing was left behind. And My 9 year old said these were one of the best tacos he's had. read more

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For Mexican food in London it's not bad, but lacks the zest and flavor you would get in a more 'authentic' taco spot. That said, I enjoyed the fish tacos a lot. The deep fried chicken taco was less tasty. Overall the portions are pretty small and the prices are high. Seating on the high tops was also a bit uncomfortable so it's not a great place to linger and chat. read more

El Pastor - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

The location, unique. The atmosphere, vibing. The food, a delight to the senses!! Everything about this restaurant is incredible. The food leaves you craving more. And the drinks are incredibly tasty. I would highly recommend. The current review of 3.5 stars is a disservice to the 5-star experience and expedience this restaurant left me with. Servers were incredibly quick and helpful! I will be coming back! read more

El Pastor - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

Great service great atmosphere delicious food!!! My waiter Hayden was exceptional and the hostess Jas was lovely. Will be going back and would highly recommend. read more

El Pastor - Hayden - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

Very good spot for Tacos in Borough Market, better than I actually expected. I shared the "Contramar" Seabream (inspired from the restaurant with the same name in Mexico City) which was very good and well seasoned, with the sauces highlighting the taste of the fish instead of covering it. I also had a Crab Taco which was good although a bit pricey for the quantity of crab. On the other hand, the Tuna Tostada was amazing, with a small tortilla but a lot of tuna of very good quality. The drink menu is also quite interesting. I had a good Mezcarita (margarita with Mezcal) which paired well with food. Prices are fair given the location and service is good even on a very busy Saturday night. read more

El Pastor - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

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irst: I'm Mexican with roots in Texas. Second: I'm actually impressed with the taste of everything considering we are in London. I seldom eat my own cuisine in foreign countries but I was really wanting Mezcal cocktails. We decided to order guacamole as a test meal because if the guac is bad, leave! I've had worse guacamole in the states, this place was pretty good with a hint of spice. I'm impressed. We had the guacamole, Al pastor tacos, chicken tacos, overall I'm shocked but it's actually good. Pricey? Perhaps... but i am also currently living in New York and this seems appropriate for it being abroad and having imported alcohol. I'm here for it read more

3.5 stars is grossly underrated. I'm not sure if they got new management or cook, but the food was bomb. The food comes out incredibly fast. Only real downfall is you pay about £4-5 per taco, but the taste exceeds the price. The staff were very welcoming and even serviced just before the kitchen closed. Some of the best Mexican food I've had in my trips across Europe. Especially cool that it's built in the Borough Market. The vibes are immaculate. read more

So Leanna had to have a taco and of course she found one. If u are from the border and your hanging out in this part of London. Find this place. We stayed at the shard. We walked to it. Loved it! Troy read more

El Pastor - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

I am mystified by these negative reviews for the food and distrust them, especially I have lived on the Texas-Mexico border and have been to Mexico a half dozen times. These are damn good tacos full of flavour. But yes they are small. And the service where we sat outside was terrible so I likely wouldn't return here. For starters I am still scratching my head at the free sauces they plunk down on the table... with no chips or tortillas to go with it. Why not wait to give the sauces once food is actually put on the table?? The waitress had given my friend who got there before me water... but didn't give an extra glass for me. We also didn't get cutlery initially . I ordered the pescado and shrimp tacos tacos. I asked for the blue corn tortillas (vs white corn) as I was excited to see them on the menu. She said the "chef decides which to pick as he knows the flavours best coming from Mexico." Uh, I know which tortillas I want, thanks. Thankfully my dishes did have blue corn tortillas. Yay! And I found them delicious with the right amount of kick, especially the pescado. I also ordered the butternut squash quesadilla which is the smallest quesadilla I have ever seen but still lovely with chunks of squash bursting out. Honestly all three dishes satisfied me rather than left me bloated, which is a good thing. My friend ordered the salad, which was on the medium side, and chicken taco and was quite pleased herself. Our food came quickly which was a plus. But with service like this I'll go elsewhere. read more

El Pastor - Butternut squash quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

Cozy restaurant nestled on the edge of Borough Market offering Mexican inspired dishes with a focus on tacos. We shared 3 types of tacos and a quesadilla and all were excellent. Oddly despite the restaurant name we thought the vegetarian taco with pumpkin and corriander was the best of the three. Their guacamole was tasty. And chichirones was a nice accompaniment. Butternut squash quesadilla was packed with flavor and a pleasant surprise. Only reason for 4 rather than 5 stars is that I'm spoiled by tacos in California and these while excellent are not quite there for me. Perhaps by London standards these deserve 5 stars... read more

Being Mexican I was excited to hear about this new restaurant and went to it last weekend. The restaurant seemed to market itself as an authentic Mexican taqueria. The experience would be an informal setting where tacos are served directly from the grill with double tortillas, packed with delicious, tasty fillings and very hot. The experience at Pastor was nothing like that and I was quite disappointed about the food, portions and prices. The portions were meagre and the tacos were served with only one tortilla. The carnitas were soggy and tasteless and the pastor was equally bland. The salsa's lacked any punch or flavour. On top of that, the food was not hot enough and just slightly warm. I would have sent it back had I not been in with other people. The hibiscus margarita was delicious but quite small for the price of £10. The service was also not very attentive. We kept flagging people to help us which was a struggle. Each of us paid about £35 for the dinner. After that I felt like I had only eaten horderves and was still hungry. I had to eat again at home. To anyone eating here, please know that Mexican food is so much better than this. Those who have been in Mexico City can attest to this. read more

I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the mushroom tacos. The flavours and the nice touch of pumpkin seeds made for an exquisite meal. The food came very quickly and the staff were friendly. Not much more a vegan foodie can ask for! read more

El Pastor - Mushroom tacos - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

We don't live in London but have visited a couple times this year. We have been to this restaurant twice and have loved it both times. When we came back the second time, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as I remembered but it was even better! The guacamole was incredible and I highly recommend getting some to munch on while you wait for your food. We got the lamb quesadilla, Al pastor tacos, chicken tacos, and chicken tostadas. All of them were very delicious. The inside is also so cute and very decorated. There is seating upstairs and also a cool downstairs with a bar/club type feel to it. Both sections are stunning. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting! Our server was also so cute and kind. She was the best! Loved everything about our experience. read more

Tacos were excellent, as well as the quesadillas. We tried quite a few things from the menu. The chicken tacos were great and the guacamole. The grilled corn was also a stand-out. The El pastor tacos were good too but lacked... something. Enjoyed both the cheese and the butternut squash quesadillas but didn't really taste much difference between the two. Dessert was tasty and I enjoyed the Mexican chocolate sorbet. The michelada was a bit of a disappointment. But I'm always happy to have a Pacifico so it sort of made up for it (though I regretted behind wasteful in ordering the michelada). I would probably come again to try more tacos. read more

El Pastor - Corn! One of the sides. - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

los precios del menú son engañosos tengan cuidado.. la comida no esta fresca, mis tacos estaban fríos y nada que ver con tacos al pastor de mexico, no volvería a comer en este lugar read more

I am Mexican from Mexico City, I have had tacos all my life. I was warned that I may be disappointed for craving Mexican food in London, but I went to eat here anyway. In short, it was not a good experience. Salsas had vinegar in them (a red flag), Agua Fresca? tasted sour and the pineapple came from a can. The only Mexican flavor I tasted in my tacos came from chopped cilantro. Salsas tasted weird, and tortillas were not good quality, despite the fact that they were supposedly made with blue corn. Maybe it will take a while to get good ingredients in London for Mexican food. If you are craving spicy food, Indian food elsewhere is a better option than this. It was also overpriced. read more

After venturing through Borough Market with the other hoards of people, I decided I wanted something other than fish and chips or a pie. I stopped in and sat at the bar, and the two bartenders immediately engaged me in conversation, which is great when I am traveling alone. Cool little place with an open kitchen where you can watch them prepare your amazing eats! I first ordered a margarita and then asked for recommendations on an appetizer. Both of them immediately said get the tuna tostada. Well, it didn't disappoint as it was fresh fish and perfectly seasoned. I proceeded to order the Al Pastor Tacos (I mean, it is the name of the place) and the adobe chicken tacos. Both were outstanding and don't leave without trying the al pastor. Everything until that point was outstanding, including the multiple additional margaritas I may have consumed, but the show stopper was the dessert. They recommended the corn cake dessert, which I was a bit skeptical about. However, it will likely be in my top 5 best desserts I have ever had--perfect corn cake with pieces of crispy corn kernels and ice cream on top. I was then told to drizzle Cholula on top, which again I gave a weird expression, but that seriously balanced the sweetness perfectly and put this on my dessert dream list! Without question, a great experience, and outstanding food! read more

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Expensive but good. More spacious than you think. Good food - ok if you are versed in Mexican cuisine. Decent options, pretty authentic and DEFINITELY NOT TEX MEX. I just found them expensive compared to other options around. read more

We all know I love tacos and am on a constant hunt for authentic Mexican cuisine in London, well I do believe I finally found one worth getting excited about. Located in the famed Borough Market El Pastor has a definitive hip vibe to it. Already extremely popular and because of that not always easy to get into. But give it a chance as the staff are very willing to help and get you in best they can. Most of the space is shared tables and bar space but the food comes quickly and the drinks flow. An excellent selection of mezcals which is hard to find in London as is the non alcoholic Flor de Jamaica juice made from Hibiscus flowers that goes down quite refreshing with the spicy food. The tacos al pastor were delicious and while not 100% Mexican, were close and did fill a void, some of the better ones I have had in London. So I can see this being a regular haunt of mine, provided I can get in! This is a jovial place, perfect for going with friends for a bite to eat, good drinks, and good times. read more

El Pastor - Tacos al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

We were so excited to try this new Mexican place. The owners also own Barrafina, which has good reviews, and, coming from America, we really miss good Mexican food. The location is convenient, the vibe is fun, the service was good, and they offer a decent selection of Mezcal and Tequila that you can order by carafe. This explains the two stars. The food was a major disappointment. We started with an order of stale chips that we returned. Aside that flaw, absolutely everything we had was consistently flavorless. I am not talking about heat here, but just common salt, spices, acid, fat... everything was extremely blend. On top of this big disappointment, the portions were ridiculously small. I have to add expensive as well (for Mexican food I mean). Tacos start from 3£ up to 6£ and are about two (little lady) bites. If your plates are small and expensive, make them good to make us feel like they are worth it! We ordered almost everything on the menu (the menu isn't big either) and, after the first round, we decided that nothing was worth ordering a second time. We left with a 45£ bill each (for 4 people with drinks) and walked to another food stall to satisfy our buds. We keep hearing good stuff from food bloggers about El Pastor and, I have to admit, it remains a mystery between us four. I personally feel like it's a good place to have a drink if you happen to be around, but it doesn't deserve a line on the "to do" list of London restaurant. read more

El Pastor - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

This was probably my least favorite place we ate at in London. The portion were extremely small and wayyy too over priced. If you're looking for real Mexican food, don't come here. Y las salsas son como salsas de puro tómate...The tortilla are 1/2 of the size of a normal corn tortilla and will charge you around 8£ for 2 corn tortilla tacos. The place is nicely decorated. read more

El Pastor was okay- and I think this would definitely be a 5 star review if I weren't a college student on a budget. The issue for me was the price vs the quantity and quality of the food. I completely understand that I'm in the city and it's expensive- but I don't think two street tacos is worth $9. However- the calamari plate to share is definitely worth the price and we ended up ordering that on top of our taco plates as we were still famished. If you're looking for a small Mexican dish packed with flavor- this is your place!! But if you're starving I would try somewhere else. read more

El Pastor - Carnitas plate to share - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

I was surprised to have tasty mexican-styled food in London. This place was fun for me and the missy on our last day in town. The tacos were delicious, as we had a variety of them. While I enjoyed the meal, I will say it was a tad bit pricy for the portions. read more

We went to dinner authentic Mexican food, the flavor are true Mexican and totally delicious. I'm from Mexico but I live in USA and almost all the time is hard to find the real Mexican flavor, but this place was totally amazing. I had the tacos con champiñones y queso, quesadillas, esquites, agua de Jamaica and for desert guava flan and guava cheesecake. I will return to El Pastor every time I visit London. read more

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The food is really tasty and good quality. The shame that lets the place down is portion size and price - we ordered 1 starter each and 1 taco plate as a main course. The starter we ordered came out where super tasty and a perfect size, but I was shocked when the main courses came out on the exact same ( very small ) starter sized corn taco. Add in 1 margarita and the bill was £50 which just doesn't add up for the portion sizes read more

Delicious tacos and quesadillas, we had 5 salsas with some tortilla crisps which were all delicious. The tacos and quesadillas were amazing and very tasty, the service was pretty good although not the friendliest frontside staff. Atmosphere was really great and the staff inside were cheerful and polite, the music was great addition, the vibe was on point. Would definitely go again. read more

Cool spot tucked away within the borough market. I had a DELICIOUS butternut squash quesadilla made with blue corn tortilla , which is unique for a quesadilla . They have a few salsa options to choose from and I picked del vic which is a spicy habanero and lime , complemented the sweet and savory squash and Oaxaca cheese I'm still thinking about this quesadilla, I miss it dearly and I'm super sad that I'll probably never see it again :( except in my dreams..... read more

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I didn't even get the chance to eat here! My boyfriend and I were visiting and they recommended us to go try out different foods at the Borough Market, as we did. Well I wasn't really in the feel for tacos, but our Mexican tastebuds said hey let's try out tacos in the UK! Well because I had bought a paella in the market prior to us taking a seat at El Pastor, the waitress told us we couldn't eat other food there. I assumed she meant like we can't just sit there and eat without making consumption from the restaurant. So I let her know, no, we're planning on ordering, she said no sorry we can't. I'm not saying they shouldn't have a rule of outside consumption, but if my boyfriend was going to eat there and I wasn't, was I suppose to sit outside the fence? Very bad customer service and I really hope the food counteracts for it, even though I didn't get to taste it. read more

Cute little taco place in borough market. Nice vibe inside with small tables and decently casual. The tacos were amazing - the soft shell crab is a definite get! The menu isn't huge but tacos are all you would want! Cocktail list is quite extensive, good flavors and a pretty decent price. read more

We came across this little place when walking around the neighborhood after enjoying the view from the top of the Shard. Although it was late in the day, and chilly outside, we opted to sit outside and try this place out. It was a nice surprise to find that the owners and staff are Spaniards, and kind of odd to be sitting on the sidewalk in the middle of London speaking Spanish to place and order. The unique selection of margaritas was excellent and we each enjoyed one with our meal. The tacos were delicious (I had the Choripappa) but I though they were small and could have enjoyed a couple more. The staff were friendly, helpful and moved everything along quickly. Ohbytheway, upon being seated we were told that there was a one hour and forty-five-minute limit at the table. Absolutely recommend this place if you are near the Shard and in the mood for a Mexican treat. read more

Great little restaurant. Awesome location (Borough Market), cute interior, clean bathrooms, quick service, and tasty food. We started with the soup which is delicious and comes with a whole plate of toppings (ranging from avocado to tortilla strips). Next we got a few taco orders to share, and they were tasty and fresh. You need to order the el pastor tacos. There's a reason the whole place is named after these tacos- they're that good. Marinated pork with pineapple, guacamole, and onions. Very tasty. They also have coffee! All around win. read more

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had the al pastor quesadilla which had a strange flavor. the host wasn't overly kind and reminded us of our time limit even before seating us. wouldn't go back. read more

The good: atmosphere, lighting, and mezcal menu The bad: The food. When one thinks Mexican food you expect fresh, acidic, spicy, n' banging flavors - El Pastor delivers on none of those fronts. The most bland and tasteless Mexican I've had the unfortunate experience of consuming. I'm not one to flaunt Wahaca's as a front-runner of Mexican cuisine or authenticity, but it's a helluva lot tastier than El Pastor, at one third the price. read more

I dined with the previous reviewer, Virginie F., and I agree with her assertions. The carnitas were especially disappointing with some bones in it and lacking in saltiness. Just two days after eating here, I had the fortune of eating at a Mexican dive in North Carolina and had carnitas there. What a difference. Each dish was lacking in the kick that its street food version is known for. Another particularly surprising dish was the aguachile, normally a very spicy dish made of shrimp, submerged in liquid seasoned with chili peppers, lime juice, salt, coriander, and slices of onion. The one at El Pastor was very bland and wasn't served in the traditional way. The service was good and the variety of drinks as well, but don't be fooled by the hype. On the other hand, London palates unfamiliar with authentic Mexican spices and flavors might find this quite satisfying. I've admittedly been spoiled and had the real thing for a lot less money. But there are places in London approximating how good Mexican street food can be: Taco Queen in Peckham and Breddo's. Try those and you'll see why our party of four was so disappointed here. read more

The tiny tacos I had were pretty good + so was the guac, but we were all really dissatisfied with the service. The waiters (we had like three) seemed almost annoyed when we asked for more water/the check/etc.? Seriously, we're pretty patient and understanding people, especially if we can see that the restaurant is busy, but it honestly wasn't for how many staff members were working. I'm not upset or angry, just a little disappointed :( read more

Not many vegan options, the dishes are good but very tiny portions, each is the price of a main. £8.5 for guacamole and that will not include chips. Size and price ratio is very off. No takeaway option or cash payment, I would not come here again. read more