I'm convinced Mexican food doesn't get better than this. A true hole in the wall over on central avenue, everything I've ever had here is out of this world. Don't even get me started on their Al Pastor. It sits cooking in Bbq and pineapple on top that drizzles juices into the meat. On this day I had pastor tacos. They come very simple as I ordered Mexican style. They come with cilantro, onion and salsa and meat. This is all you need as the pastor truly shines and the pineapple presents brightly amongst the bbq and smoky taste of the pork. This is one of a kind pastor that's for sure. They make much more authentic Mexican food here than most Mexican establishments I've been to, and their salsa is very hot so for those not used to such flavor it may come as a slight shock, just something to consider going in. Staff here are always so kind and warm and friendly. I never feel out of place when I come here. This stays on my rotation for lunch as I work nearby, and it's a 10/10 always! read more

El Taco Riendo - Al Pastor Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Tried the Sopes. It's a flat disc, made of masa that's fried, and thicker as well as softer than a tostada. The dish includes 3 sopes and I got to select a different meat for each. I didn't really get the flavors of the meats due to all the toppings (beans, lettuce, pico, sour cream), which if you want to omit anything, you can. I also went for the tres leche cake, which was good. To be honest, we were actually heading to another restaurant on the block, but being a Monday, they were closed. Thankfully El Taco Riendo wasn't because I enjoyed the experience. They have a large menu written on the wall. Right above the cashier is another menu with pictures, and I believe there was a smaller menu with pics on the counter. Prices were fair and service good. After placing our order we were given our drinks and told to have a seat, the food would be brought to us. The food came out in less than 10mins. However, out cakes weren't, so eventually I just notified an employee who took care of things immediately. In all it was a nice experience. read more

El Taco Riendo - Sopes - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I was really excited to try El Taco Riendo because of the great reviews but my experience was pretty disappointing. I can only speak for what I got- a burrito with chorizo and guacamole. The burrito was 80% rice, beans, lettuce, and pico de gallo, with a little bit of chorizo sprinkled in and a few chunks of potato. I paid over $2 extra for guacamole and I either didn't get any or there was barely any in there. The chorizo was flavorless, the burrito itself had zero spice and the side of salsa they provided also had no spice. Quite disappointing read more

Been here a couple times and the food is good, consistent, with very good service. For my latest burrito, there was a decent amount of chicken and I asked for light rice and got it. I was warned the red chili salsa was on the hot side. Overall, I could use another salsa serving or two. On busy Central Avenue, parking can be hit or miss. I'd give it 4.5 stars. I've been to other highly rated taco shops and this restaurant is just as good or better. read more

No doubt in my mind - this is one of the best Mexican places in the Twin Cities! Fantastic salsas? Yes! They were all wonderful. Fresh and flavorful. Tried both the verde and the roja. Yum! Scrumptious street tacos? Oh yeah! I tried the "bistek" - which was steak. Fantastic. I could've probably made a meal of 3-4, but... I had to get my enchiladas! Went with the Rancheros (wish I would've known that the roja was the hotter of the options - but I'll be back to try that). Regardless - they were delish! I threw some of the salsa on it with the onions, cilantro, and jalapeños. Game over - enter food coma... read more

El Taco Riendo - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Take out. Everything fresh and quickly made while you wait. Chile Relleno was the bomb. Sauces galore in the bag and some killer black beans and rice too. Huge fan of this spot. Only bummer was the chips were fairly stale. That never happens at this type of joint. read more

El Taco Riendo - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My son and I came in last night and ordered to go. I ordered the beef empanadas, a tamale, with beans, rice, and chips. My son ordered the chimichanga, beans, rice, and an horchata. When we got home from our 25 min trek, we realized they did not send part of our order. They gave us only one order of rice and beans but we ordered and paid for TWO. No bueno! The atmosphere inside was laid back, it was pretty clean and the staff was very nice. They didn't give limes or any kind of onions with the beans but they did add three chips that were soggy by the time we got home. The food is OK but not something I would go out of my way to eat again. The rice and empanadas both have the same frozen or canned mixed vegetable with peas, corn, green beans, carrots, and lima beans. I've not seen that in an empanada before. The tamale has very little filling and a LOT of maiz. None of it was very flavorful without the salsa verde. I'm not a fan and them messing up our order was the icing on the cake. Won't likely be back again. read more

El Taco Riendo - Empanada with frozen or canned veggie mix - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I was craving elote and went for a drive. Ended up in NE minneapolis at this taco shop I've been to couple years ago. Parking is available in the back and there's a back door entrance. Order at the counter and watch them make it through the window. Service is always good there, however they do get busy, 2 rooms for dining. Taco meats were well seasoned. read more

El Taco Riendo - The window to watch them make your order. - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I first learned of El taco riendo 2 weeks ago. I was able to go in yesterday and I picked up 3 tacos and one chimichanga. My intention was to have 3 tacos for lunch and have the chimichanga later for dinner. However, that plan just didn't work out. After I finished the tacos, It was virtually impossible not to get started on that chimmy immediately. Delicioso!!!! read more

Grabbed takeout. I got the chicken tacos and chips and guacamole. The guacamole was 10/10. Chips were a bit stale and leaving something to be desired... tacos were classic authentic tacos. Very good, but the grilled chicken was a bit dry. Parking was free street parking. Service was good. read more

Solid taco spot in Northeast Minneapolis with parking lot in the back and decent amount of seating inside. It's counter service, so you order and pick up for to go or you can eat there. They had the nonspicy green salsa and a red salsa, but unfortunately, no spicy light green salsa as some other spots do. Tacos were decent, but the tripe were a little chewy on the day I had them. Lengua was okay. Not my favorite Twin Cities taco spot but definitely a good option if you are in the area! Also enjoyed the horchata. read more

Order at the counter service with plenty of seating inside! Overall, I think it pictures better than it tastes. The refried beans have a salivating white melted cheese on top. All the dishes had cheese sprinkled on top, and some came with pico de gayo as well. However, the meat was very under seasoned, especially the chicken. The flautas were kind of mushy (I prefer a crunch shell). The Chimichanga was probably the best thing we ate, the sauce helped give flavor to the bland meat. read more

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This is one (of several) favorites on Central. We always know when we come here, it's about to go dowwwwn. Come hungry! We came around 7 on a weekday and the place was pretty quiet, but plenty of seating inside. Check out their menu and then order at the front: they'll bring food out to you when it's ready. So many goodies on the menu, including authentic items you can't get everywhere like alambre, sopes, and caldo de res. Prices are affordable: you can get uncomfortably full for under $12! I can't NOT get sopes when I see them, so I got the carnitas sopes (comes with 3) and loved the flavors. My partner got the steak quesadilla and was pleasantly surprised by the steak flavor - more of a pot roast then carne asada. He also got a taco and tostada, all great flavor. I didn't see any horchata or queso on the menu, and was craving both! Parking is free street outside, and usually is pretty easy to find. On a street full of awesome spots, El Taco Riendo is always a great choice. read more

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Got an $11 asada burrito, it was small and had absolutely no flavor. Even their salsa is very unremarkable. I don't have any idea how they got a four star rating. Maybe they cater to seniors who don't want to taste their food but this place is an embarrassment to Mexican food. Terrible! read more

Was craving Mexican food and picked up an order to go. Parking - Parking was easy to find on the side streets, I don't recommend parking in central since it gets so busy. Service/Ambiance - Loved the decorations they have along the walls, it was all so colorful! The restaurant seems very warm and welcoming. Staff was great and efficient. My order was filled super quick Food - I ordered a veggie burrito and it was awesome! Perfect size burrito for when you're hungry and don't want leftovers. I loved both of the salsas they had and neither of them was too spicy for me. Super satisfying and quick, will come back! read more

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Great spot with lots of indoor seating. My favorite part of the meal was the elote, which was huge and absolutely delicious. Loaded with the toppings. I like how this place offers both Mexican and American style toppings, added some variety to what a normal street taco place offers. The carnitas tacos were super good, suuuper juicy, and above the average street taco. The chips were pretty bland but the guacamole was delicious. read more

El Taco Riendo - Elote, chips and guac, carnitas and barbacoa tacos - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I've been here several times and have had a good experience-- easy ordering, good food, nice dine-in, nice take out. That is, until my latest visit. Has this place succumbed to the quality curse of 2022 like so many others? I have no problem paying higher prices in this day and age, but when higher prices are coupled with lower standards, poorer service and less quality food, the stars go down along with the chances of my return. Hopefully this place brings back the standard I once knew and experienced. Until then, it's off my go-to list. read more

Taco Riendo is an authentic taco shop that will scratch the itch for food South of the border. They have a simple menu but delicious food. I frequent here whenever I am craving a (big) burrito. read more

El Taco Riendo - Dining area - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The food was phenomenal, the service was 10/10 great, and the restaurant was spotless, very clean. Highly recommend this spot for a super-casual, super-delicious meal. read more

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we ordered today 2 barbacoa burritos, of them without any meat, its bad because we use to go there for tacos and burritos

Not the fanciest places to eat, but it is a great place to eat! It was recommended to us by someone who lives in the neighborhood and I'm happy we stopped here after the Van Gogh immersion. The service was quick and the food authentic and delicious (and I didn't feel ripped off afterwards). It would be difficult for me to say which meat choice I loved the best: Carne Asada or Barbacoa. Better yet, be like me and get one apiece! p.s. I think that the title of the restaurant translates to "The Laughing Taco", but no matter what it's called-it's a great down-home place to get some great Mexican food! read more

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My wife and I were on our weekend new restaurant trip and it led to North Minneapolis. It is still a diverse area, but the hipsters are moving in. It is a nice hole in the wall and they display their wares all over the windows. Lots of locals are here and lots of construction dudes that can burn up the 1,500 calories that one of their loaded burritos fill. Food is so good though. I got three sopas, which I didn't realize was deep fried, or I would have gotten the tacos. I got the tripe, marinated bbq and the tongue. The tongue was by far the best and then the barbacoa and then the tripe. They were all 9's though, Each one was a half a meal in itself. I probably only needed two. I took them next door to Fair State Brewing and had a couple of IPAs with my magnificent lunch. read more

El Taco Riendo - Tongue, tripe, and bbq pork sope. Took it to Fair State Brewing for an IPA - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

It's a shame I have never left a review for this place because it's the number one place I have to stop at every time I come back to MSP since 2017. I am absolutely obsessed with their lengua tacos, I honestly think about them more often than I'd liked to admit. I've taken so many friends here and they really enjoy the food always. Their elote, empanadas, torta, and tamales are also delicious. The quality has always been consistent when we come here and the staff is always super kind. I also appreciate that there's a lot of seating and a fun, colorful atmosphere. Also, you MUST order the choco flan!!! read more

El Taco Riendo - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

A neighborhood favorite, swung in for a 10PM burrito on a Saturday night. The staff was lovely and it only took a few minutes for them to prepare our two burritos. If you want a burrito that is a foot long and pretty good, this is your spot. We're not sure how we ended up with two very different sized burritos though so I can't provide advice on how to order the 11 incher. As stated, the burrito was decent. Maya down the street is superior in flavor in my opinion. The spicy salsa here is spot on. Chips are aight. read more

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Great lunch spot. Counter service was friendly and very helpful explaining our options. Lunch special was 3 tacos with rice and beans for $10.95. Pollo tomate was our favorite meat, carnitas came in second. Everything was delicious. Order Mexican style with cilantro and onion, or American style with lettuce and cheese. Nice dining area if you choose to eat in. Coke products on tap, plus a nice selection of bottled soft drinks and a few beers. Would return to try more of the many meats they offer. read more

As someone who likes to believe that they KNOW tacos and has spent the greater part of 2 years trying innumerable of them around the twin cities, I can't vouch enough for these street tacos served "Mexican style". Unfortunately I don't have pictures because me and my people have already torn into them before I even think to open the camera app. Their carne asada and el pastor street tacos are so flavorful. Packed with meet. The different salsas compliment very nicely. Their chips and guacamole are very good. I've had bites of other peoples' tostadas and burritos and everything is simply delicious, fresh, and authentic. I will continue getting tacos from El Taco Riendo FOREVER. read more

A staple for some great tacos every time. Love stopping in here for a quick bite whenever I'm in the area. Great spot for authentic tacos and other plates. Staff is always helpful and quick with suggestions. read more

I usually get a burrito and it always is delicious, but the last time I went in I saw tortas being made. And so tonight I picked up a torta with barbacoa and it did not disappoint. yummmmmmmmmmmmm read more

El Taco Riendo - Torta with Barbacoa - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Carne Asada Quesadillas were amazing I really like the side of sour cream and guac with it. I also enjoyed the enchiladas I highly recommend. I love that they have an american and mexican style option for tacos. Im definitely gonna try those next time I eat here. over all great restaurant. menu is diverse. dining area looks great for a family get together. would recommend. read more

El Taco Riendo - Quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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We skipped out on a movie we weren't interested in seeing and checked out more Halloween stuff and still had the food from Portillo's to eat. We decided that we wanted tacos after scoring some nice scary stuff to put around the house. By this time Listo was closed. This is when I remembered that my daughter had recommended El Taco Riendo to me. We actually live close to it and I'm still getting used to living in Minneapolis. So, I never even thought about this place. So, after scrolling through my texts to find the name of the restaurant, We Yelped to find out more about it. We were ecstatic to learn that they were not closing until much later. So, we zipped on over and ordered: An Asada Taco; Asada Burrito; and Empenadas. The drive home was one of the fastest ever, as we were very excited to eat our food. Everything was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!! There was nothing that we'd change about our food, other than the quantity. The next time we go, we will get MORE food. All of the dishes had great, balanced flavor. The heat wasn't the blow-your-head-off kind and didn't interfere with the taste of the dishes. My beau doesn't do hot, so he steered away from the heat. He was very happy that he didn't have that challenge. I will get MORE heat the next time we eat this food. I LOVE hot food. You can tell that the meats were cooked long and slow. Everything is prepared with love all over it. The staff is friendly and it was fun with their reaction to the fact that I speak Spanish. Another customer asked me about it, too. Yes, I know that I don't look like I should be speaking Spanish. It's my blood too, folks. I am so glad that this restaurant is close to home. We have no excuse to not eat the food. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and stop in. read more

Loved the tacos a must to visit when I come back and if you are wanting good street tacos definitely the spot . read more

Authentic food, fresh ingredients, always on point. Service is excellent! One of my favorite spots!

This is one of those places that doesn't really stand out from anything when you're passing by. Even walking in, seems kinda whatever. I'd chalk it up as one of those places the locals know about. The food is certainly a different story. Pretty authentic in my book. Several things on the menu I can't pronounce but looks like I should try them. Lots of flavor in everything I tried. I got some deep fried something that resembled taquitos, if you know what I mean. They came with beans and rice and they all mixed together well with their salsa. I got elote also! OMG! Prices were pretty reasonable for the food. You should plan on spending about $10 per person for just food. Any sides or dinks will add a couple of bucks for each item. The kitchen seemed a little slow, although there was a constant line of customers. Most were takeouts. Seating was spacious too. The bathroom seemed a little sketchy, but not so bad I didn't use it. Definitely worth a stop if your looking for good authentic Mexican food. read more

After a recommendation from a friend and reading numerous positive Yelp reviews, we decided to give this spot a try. I love trying new authentic foods from around the world, and this is some of the best authentic Mexican food I have ever had. We have now been back a few times, and will continue to return regularly! We have tried burritos with a few of the various meat options, and have liked them all. You order in kind of a Chipotle like fashion for burritos telling them which toppings you would like on it. The staff helping you may or may not speak english, but personally I could care less. Once you get through that line you will have a burrito that is no doubt to fill you up. I have also tried the Alambres, but would recommend sticking with a burrito instead. I enjoyed the meal, but it was essentially an open faced burrito that was actually almost more difficult to eat. If you're in Northeast with an appetite, you have to give this a try. read more

Authentic Mexican food in Minneapolis; it does exist! One of the hardest parts about leaving California (besides the obvious being the weather) was the all the incredible authentic Mexican food restaurants I was leaving behind. Getting street tacos on corn tortillas with fresh made pico de gallo with a side of the freshest guacamole was a weekly occurrence. Sure there are good Mexican-inspired restaurants like Nico's and Lagos Tacos if you're in the uptown area but it's always missing something. We were in the northeast area grabbing coffee and getting some work done at Anelace Coffee practically next door when hunger started to hit. We saw a taco truck in the parking lot and were immediately inspired to get Mexican. (Little did we know that was El Taco Reindo's food truck you can rent out for catered events!) My fiancé was impressed with the reviews (way to go, Yelpers ) and decided it was low risk walking the 50ft from the coffee shop. As soon as we walked in we knew this was it. The smells of fresh cooked meats seasoned with just enough spice wafted through the air and the decent line at 2pm reinforced that we'd picked right. The menu is a little confusing because there's pictures with numbers in front of you, a breakdown of the different flavors of beef, chicken and pork next to that, and another menu to the right with all their entree items and sides. I ordered two tacos, one bisteca and one carnitas. I tried to order some elote to split but they were sadly all out for the day. My fiancé ordered the pollo verde enchiladas. Both were mouthwatering and full of incredible flavor. Don't be turned off by the "hot" salsa. It's not hot right off the bat but it does heat up a little bit throughout the meal, nothing unbearable though. All topped off with cold Pacificos. They have ample indoor seating but also outdoor seating, which is an obvious go to when the weather is nice. Service was very fast and friendly and everything was made to order in front of you. We will absolutely be back when we're exploring the Northeast area again! read more

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The family was too hungry tonight for pictures but this meal was fantastic. We're brand new to the area so we generally try a nice selection of dishes in order to really see what a restaurant can do. Plus, my kids eat anything so there's got to be plenty. Tonight we ordered tacos dorado with potato, cheese stuffed chili relleno, quesadilla with chicharron in sauce, tamales, a cubano torta, and extra sides of beans and rice. First off, our order was completely right. Everything we ordered came exactly as we ordered it. Always a good sign. Every dish was hot and also seasoned appropriately, nothing was overly salty but there was plenty of flavor in every plate. Far and away, the superstar of this meal was the torta. I've seen a lot of Mexican sandwiches but this one was the biggest and best I've ever had. The cubano torta is definitely more torta than cubano but it's awesome just the same. Layers of deliciousness with several types of pork, pickles, lettuce, tomato, jalapeños, beans and other saucy goodness. All in all, we had a great meal that everyone loved. read more

Came here on New Years Day after a crazy NYE. I needed some tacos and thankfully El Taco Riendo was open. The line seemed to take forever, but I was in one of those bleary-eyed post-partying states paired with a heft dose of jet lag, so my perception of time was a bit off, let's say. I order a couple tacos--one tongue and one carne asada. They make everything fresh right in from of you. The tacos were pretty hefty. Double-corn tortillas (from a bag), cilantro and onion and healthy portions of chopped and slightly charred meat. They both did the trick of filling a stomach running on boozy fumes. I would have preferred some house-made salsa options right at the table. I also would've preferred some house-made tortillas. But overall, they were decent street tacos at a reasonable price. I'd go back if in the area and craving good Mexican food. read more

Worst experience ever!! Do not waste money here. The corn was soggy, the meat overcooked too crispy, and the al pastor flavor was not as good as all tacos truck. Customer service was Horrible, they told us they didnt have burgers so we said we'll get the enchiladas instead. While the cook was cooking i told the cashier our ordered. Turned out the cook made a burger instead of enchiladas and the cashier was angry cause we told her the wrong order. She started yelling with the cook in spanish and i was standing there for 5mins until the cashier finally figured out whats going on. I will never waste $50 here ever again! read more

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This was awful, I know mexican food. This is not it. Trying to find decent mexican food in MN is next to impossible. But I digress. I ordered a carna asada burrito and a horchata. The burrito was entirely too salty, there were more beans and rice than meat. And the horchata...my gawd what a horror. They use powder, I couldve bought my own powder. Know how I can tell? the bottom half of my cup was wet gluelike powder. I went to take a sip from a staw and with a glop of grossness. Never again. I'd give zero stars if i could. read more

El Taco Riendo - Horchata? - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This place is hands down my go to Mexican spot. So many options. So much flavor. A lot of character. And reminds me of my family trips to Mexico to see family. My favorite thing on the menu is the chimichanga. It's a fried burrito. And THE most amazing filling thing you will eat here. Love all their tacos and different meats. My advice is try whatever you're feeling today, because you'll be back to try more of the menu. And I do recommended pairing your meal with a Mexican soda. Pro Tip: you can snag food to go here and then head over to a brewery to eat on their patio. Support your local spots and take advantage of the weather when you can. read more

El Taco Riendo - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota