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    El Taco Loco

    4.1 (86 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order El Taco Loco Takeout or Delivery

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    EL TACO LOCO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Ranita S.

    This place is super authentic. I got the feeling it's a hangout for regular locals, in particular men who want to watch sports in Spanish. I can't remember if the menu was in English or if we had to ask for an English menu. I love places like this because it's like traveling without really leaving. These tacos are similar to the ones a the deli in Mi Pueblo's. They do however have a creamy cilantro and red sauce that are amazing. They bring you the bottles upon request. I enjoyed it but it's far away and it can be intimidating to go alone so bring a friend!

    Steak, Tongue and Chicken tacos
    Michelle N.

    Came here for a late dinner on Friday night and it was pretty chill. There were only a handful of people at the restaurant and we were seated and served promptly. Complimentary chips and salsa was okay, nothing noteworthy but still good. I got 3 tacos: steak, tongue and chicken with fresh corn tortillas. They were all pretty tasty but I couldn't differentiate between the steak and the tongue (since I've never had tongue before). The corn tortillas were surprisingly filling, and the sauces/limes provided also added a nice kick! Overall, I'd come back here again for cheap, good tacos (can't bear $2/taco)! (The pictures don't lie! I was tempted into trying this place cause the Yelp photos of the tacos looked great, and tasted just as good as they looked.) The only issue I noticed was that the ceiling was leaking and dripping water, some of which splashed on my friend's head while we were leaving. Considering there was a heavy thunderstorm the day before, I hope this was just an isolated event.

    Steak and pork taco
    Rob S.

    Tried this out based on the large number of great reviews. This may have raised my expectations some. This is in an old strip mall type setting. The parking lot was fairly empty on a Saturday for a kind of late lunch. Walked in and wasn't greeted by anyone. There was one person sitting at the bar and getting served by the bartender. After standing there for a minute I went in and over to the window/doorway into the kitchen area. I asked if I was supposed to seat myself. One of the waitresses indicated I could sit anywhere. After sitting it took a few minutes but they finally brought out chips (they were ok) and salsa (actually pretty good...little heat). they took my drink order and got that back pretty quickly. Then the first wait started. After at least 5 minutes (menu laying down ready to order) the waitress came back and took my order....2 tacos (one steak and one pork). Now the real wait began. Again they really weren't that busy. But, the wait for two tacos was over 15 minutes. Meanwhile people that came in after me had already been served. Food finally came out and I wasn't blown away. Again, this could be a little bit related to so many good reviews and anticipating greatness combined with an exceptionally long wait for a couple tacos. Both were topped similar and had fresh ingredients, but neither blew me away. The steak was the better of the two. Once I was done, I waited and waited for them to bring me my check which never happened. After another 10 to 15 minutes I went to the counter and asked for the check. I kept getting the feeling that if you go here often and become a 'regular' the experience would be much better. 3 stars is based on food that wasn't too bad at a reasonable price. Would probably come again, but only if I was in the area and hungry.

    Ersklynn M.

    This place has the best street Tacos all around town. I stop through quite frequently through out the week to get a bite and it is always delighful. My favorite are the street barbacoa tacos, oh man are they good. So, if you are looking for a meal with great flavor and also affordable, El Taco Loco is the place to be. Locted conviently on Valley Ave in Homewood, AL. What are you waiting for? get out there are grab one Today !

    Tacos Asada & Chorizo with Arroz & Frijoles
    John S.

    I tried the Chorizo and Asada Tacos with Frijoles and Arroz. Both tacos were good but not the best I have had in the area. Frijoles, Arroz, Salsa and Chips were pretty typical and mundane Mexican restaurant staples. Not bad but nothing special. The 2 unlabeled sauces brought to the table to go with the tacos was were this location departed from the norm. I am making some assumptions but the Green Sauce seemed to be a jalapeno based sauce (more heat than the typical salsa verde) while the orange seemed to be a habanero based sauce. Both were good complements to either taco as I tried both on each to see if I preferred one combination over another. I might come back but more likely to stick with Gordos for the authentic taco.

    El pastor and chicken taco
    Kristen J.

    If your looking for a good taco and you don't want to stand at a taco truck this is the place to go. I ordered the Steak Plate and it came with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de Gallo, avocado, grilled onions and I fried jalapeño pepper all this for only 9.99. I also ordered a margarita and from 5-8 Monday-Thursday their $2. My girlfriend ordered the El Pastor and chicken Taco and also an order of cheese dip which was surprisingly good but kinda thin but good. My only complaint with this place is that the corn tortillas are a little too thick for my taste but other than that go try this place out. Good food and the best deal.

    Tacossss
    Jate' J.

    This place definitely isn't easy on the eyes.... But these amazing authentic tacos will have me in there... Hole in the wall or not! I frequent southern Cali quite often so I'd like to think I know a thing or two about authentic tacos. I must admit.... I was hesitant about finding some authentic tasty tacos in Alabama & El Taco Loco proved me ALL wrong! I'm so glad they did! The tacos are simple but packed with flavor. They aren't all fluffed up with mediocre toppings to disguise the lack of flavor. Perfect. Show me the REAL you taco! My personal favorites are the asada & pollo. Yeah, Plain Jane.... I know. Pair that with chips 'n salsa & a cold Jarritos. Ahhhh I'm done. The carnitas & barbocoa (tend to have excess fat) were decent but not a favorite. Anytime I'm craving tacos.... This is for sure my new spot. No questions asked.

    Campechano, barbacoa, and chorizo tacos
    Rena L.

    I can't say enough good things about El Taco Loco. The person that recommended this place to me claimed that they have the best tacos and they weren't wrong. The meat was incredibly flavorful and the sauce was the perfect complement. I really haven't been able to stop thinking about these tacos; I would completely recommend without a doubt.

    Front of menu with two of their delicious sauces. The salsa verde was my favorite.
    Chris B.

    I was taking a big group to this side of town about lunch time, so I used my Yelp app to pick just the right spot. I know this area is full of authentic Latino restaurants so my radar was up for a new one I've yet gone to. I decided here based on other reviews and pictures. Upon walking in, I knew it was going to be a good spot. I quickly noticed the food on other patrons tables as well as the sauces available for the meals. As we sat down, my mind quickly went to what tacos I would get. I chose three variations: pollo, chorizo, and al pastor. My usual go to at an authentic Mexican food truck/restaurant is al pastor, but it was probably my third favorite here. Don't mistake this as it was bad, but the others were just a bit more amazing. My favorite was the chorizo, followed by the pollo. The tacos are $2 each, so well worth the value. My kids and wife got taco americano versions with flour tortillas. They were equally delicious according to my clan. Others in the group settled on burritos or quesadillas. All left satisfied. I would definitely recommend this place for some good tacos. There are several places near by, but this place can hold its own as compared to the other guys.

    Yummy grilled chicken with rice!
    Jacky V.

    This place? THIS PLACE! I have found a REAL Mexican restaurant in the Ham! This place is pretty amazing. If you have read any of my reviews you will know I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! This place hit the spot. I had tacos. 2 al pastor and one asada. Both where so good! There was a lot of flavor in both. Don't forget to lime, salt, and sauce them. The sauces on the table are made in house and have a HUGE kick. Best part? These tacos are $1.90 each! This is what a taco should cost! My man had this yummy grilled chicken dish with veggies and rice. We also ordered queso and holy hell it was DELISH! And it was only 3.50. Best queso in town for the price! I will be back here again for sure. The service was nice. Our drinks and chips where never empty and our bill wasn't sky high!

    Pollo, Azada, and Chorizo tacos

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Best margerita! Best chili relano! I have have 5 of their menu entrees including their club sandwich, it is all good!

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    5 years ago

    Great authentic tacos and friendly service. The tortillas were perfect and the barbacoa was tender and delicious.

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    9 years ago

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    5 years ago

    The food was great our waitress just took forever to give us our ticket and just kept sitting down to talk finally went up to get our ticket

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    El Barrio - Chicken quesadilla (get the birria instead...)

    El Barrio

    4.5(1k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    When me and mi familia were driving through Birmingham, we stopped at El Barrio for dinner. We had…read morea great experience! The food here was great. For starters, we got chips and queso. They were really good. After enjoying the starters, I ordered some chicken tacos. They were great! The guacamole was definitely my favorite part. I really enjoyed my meal. The service here was great! Our waiter was super kind and helpful. The inside was super clean. The bathrooms were very clean too. This place had a good Ambiance to it. Overall, great Mexican restaurant and I highly recommend trying it if you are ever in Birmingham.

    We heard lots of good things about El Barrio and since we were in the downtown area, we decided to…read morecheck it out ourselves... So glad we did! Being downtown, parking is not always the greatest, but it was a lovely evening for walking less than a block to the restaurant. It was a Saturday evening so there was a little wait, but we were able to sit outside and have a drink while we waited. Once inside, the place was dimly lit, really loud with music and very clean. And for having unisex bathrooms, those were surprisingly clean as well. Our waitress was great, I wish I could remember her name... but I do know she was from Cali. We ordered a couple of strawberry margaritas, which were just your basic drink, but still refreshing. Started off with a basket of chips, salsa and fundido. This is considered an appetizer, so no freebies here. The chips were fresh and warm, the salsa had a nice flavor and the fundido was ok according to the kiddo. We had the grilled shrimp tacos with rice and beans. You had to assemble your own tacos tonight, and order rice and beans separately as the taco plate had no sides, but all delicious.... Beans had a nice kick, the shrimp tacos were missing something in my opinion, but not sure what. We also had the best shrimp quesadilla we ever tried. It has overly stuffed and cheesy with wonderful lime cream sauce to go with it. This entree was a huge hit all around and it did come with a side, so no extra charges. To finish off dinner, we all shared the strawberry tres leches and OMG... Absolutely the best we have had in a while. Too bad it's seasonal. Over all, great experience and would definitely g

    Photos
    El Barrio - The bar

    The bar

    El Barrio - Carbone tacos

    Carbone tacos

    El Barrio

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    Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant - Street tacos with el pastor and rice and beans

    Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant

    3.8(181 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Today was my first time ever visiting Los Amigos. Never knew about it before but troed today as it…read morewas close to where I was going. Since I got take-out, I can only speak to their take-out. However, I do feel that if they can get 5-stars for take-out, then their dine-in is surely 5-stars! First of all, they took time and care in packing the take-out. I got a lunch combo and they packed the Taco and the salad separately. I love it!! Secondly, they also included salsa and chips even though it was a take-out order, which I appreciated. Service was quick. I called in my order, showed up about 10 minutes after that, paid, and my order was ready a couple of minutes later. Employees were very nice. Food was good! Still warm when I opened it up 15 minutes after pick up, which tells me they were fresh and hot when packed! Tomato and lettuce in the guacamole salad were very fresh, which isn't always the case at some restaurants. I really liked their chile relleno as it wasn't fried. Really good. I will definitely visit again!!

    I ordered the shrimp tortilla soup and a large peach marg with a sugar rim. My marg came out with a…read moresalt rim and I asked for it to be changed. The server seemed annoyed by that. The soul had a great flavor profile and I would definitely order again on a day that I'm not feeling fajitas, tacos, or a torta. Bathrooms here are never spotless but clean enough to use on any giving visit. The restaurant was pretty busy for a random Wednesday after 8.. As always I'll be back!

    Photos
    Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant
    Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant
    Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant

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    SALUD - Sonoran Chicken taco

    SALUD

    4.5(84 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Salud is a genuine treasure in the heart of downtown Birmingham. The vibes, the downright lovely…read morepeople who provide excellent customer service and the food all combine into this magic that you feel as soon as you walk in the front door and I just love it. In fact, I'm getting warm feelings right now just thinking about my time here. Their vegan option is a nopal taco (tender, marinated cactus). It's excellent, but what makes it next level is that SALSA BAR with the best salsas I've ever had. It reminds me of taquerias in California. I drowned my taco in all of the sauces. In fact, I could probably be happy eating tortillas and salsa here. Because, yes, the tortillas are that delicious. As is that guac. Again, some of the best I've ever had, gimmicky tableside guac included (never felt that was such a great thing anyway). Here, you get a generous portion of the creamiest quality guac you can imagine. I can't report on the margaritas other than to say they look gorgeous. The wine pours are also generous and the prosecco is damn good.

    I heard alot of great things about Salud…read more Salud reminds me of the taqueria's in Mexico, with the Jarrito sodas, pineapple and mandarin Try them with a tequila shot! Also the guacamole, the cheese dip and the tacos. They do have a full bar and can do frozen drinks. I loved that you can add your own toppings to your tacos. The tacos come with just meat. You can add onions, limes, cilantro and pickled onions and pickled jalapeños as well as sauce. They had a Verde sauce as well as regular salsa, and a Salsa Borachja sauce with onion, garlic and Mexican beer. It was spicy and delicious. They have plenty of counter seating, a few tables inside and several tables outside. This is a tapas bar more than a testaurant.

    Photos
    SALUD - Inside

    Inside

    SALUD - Fries

    Fries

    SALUD - Al Pastor

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    Al Pastor

    Frida's Cocina & Cantina

    Frida's Cocina & Cantina

    4.2(66 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    This was my first time consuming the well respected establishment of Frida's Cocina and Cantina…read more Usually my scores on Mexican food and Tex Mex cuisine can be viewed as quite critical amongst my peers because I spent many years in Houston, TX where Mexican is king. I ordered the Steak Fajita Burrito, which included a special gravy and cheese on top of an excellent fajita paired with tasty rice and refried beans. Words are not sufficient enough to describe how my tastebuds were taken on a rollercoaster ride of flavor. My peer ordered the Hawaiian Fajita which was cooked and served and a real pine apple. I was told that the flavor over delivered. I could not recommend this enough.

    It was a nice day and I decided I wanted a patio and some margaritas. I have yet to try Fridas so I…read moregave it a try. I love the sunken patio which is perfect for relaxing in the shade. When we got seated outside by the friendly staff, we were given menus and free chips and salsa. As I nibbled on the chips and salsa which were just okay I browsed the drink menu. There's a full bar here and plenty of options. Over the course of the afternoon I tried the Frida's Rita and the wonderful rabbit. Both drinks weren't in your face with the tequila mezcal, they were mixed nicely and had a well rounded flavor. I much preferred the Woderful rabbit though as it tasted less watered down and the ginger beer paired with the mezcal was almost quenching. Overall if you're looking for a relaxing spot to enjoy Mexican cocktails this is a good spot! We did feel rushed to get out of there, and maybe it was because we weren't ordering food. Overall good experience however.

    Photos
    Frida's Cocina & Cantina
    Frida's Cocina & Cantina
    Frida's Cocina & Cantina

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    Rojo - Street tacos

    Rojo

    4.1(434 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    We visited Rojo yesterday for the first time in what seems like ages! It's still funky, eclectic…read moreRojo and makes me think of Nana Funk's and The Nick merged and became a small restaurant it would have the Rojo vibe. Jake and the staff were beyond friendly and kind! The patio was a popular spot with hard walls and heavy duty plastic windows, ample seating despite it being a rare 70 degree Alabama December day. Parking is a slight challenge as it has always been, however there was plenty of street parking out front and around the corner. The restaurant was clean, with a few water spills, and the rest rooms (several are unisex) were clean! We had a party of five adults and two children and helped ourselves to push 4-tops together to make room for everyone. It's order at the back counter to the right of the bar. Pay in advance with a three percent (I think) discount if you use cash. You get a number and they bring your dishes to you. I opted for brunch scrambled eggs platter, best friend had their chicken tortilla soup, we shared guac and chips, hubs had an enchalada, daughter had a tofu/meat substitute quesadilla plate since she is a vegetarian, her hubs got a delicious looking meat sandwich plate and their beautiful children enjoyed chicken fingers and fries from the children's menu. The music was fun and relaxing (think early Stevie Nick's) and at a volume that was just right for conversation. We appreciated the kind staff, great dishes, and eclectic relaxing environment for our post Christmas get together. Reservations were not required. Thanks Rojo for delivering since 2002!

    We came here for some Cinco de Mayo shenanigans. It wasn't crowded but eventually the crowd picked…read moreup quickly. They had drink specials on margaritas. The normal Latin/ American food menu was available. I ordered chicken fajitas; they actually were decent and I enjoyed them. I did have to add some extra seasonings to enhance the taste a little. Portion sizes were substantial. I had leftovers. I also had the Kip's dip. I didn't love the margaritas but weren't horrible. The staff had fun / upbeat demeanors. Despite it being busy. I love the ambiance & patio here. The extra side is now for reserved events only. I really wish it was still open for normal visits. We enjoyed our Cinco de Mayo visit to Rojo!

    Photos
    Rojo - Restroom, unisex.

    Restroom, unisex.

    Rojo - Stepdaughter's husband's sandwich

    Stepdaughter's husband's sandwich

    Rojo - Restroom, unisex.

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    Restroom, unisex.

    El Taco Loco - mexican - Updated May 2026

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