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    El Tapatio

    3.8 (31 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

    El Tapatio Photos

    Business Info

    EL TAPATIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Tapatio

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Always a nice experience. Best drinks . Definitely don't disappoint. Chili verde is with beef not pork .

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Love this place. I've been eating here for 25 years. The barbacoa beef is awesome! Cold beer, good service great food!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    18 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    I had my birthday lunch there last week and the food was great. I always love going there.

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    4 years ago

    I love this family business. Staff is always nice and food is always good. I visit this restaurant every time I'm in town.

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Love. Great service, great food. There other location on teapot dome is just as amazing.

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    15 years ago

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    15 years ago

    Love their flavorful salsa, especially when it's a hot batch. Best barbacoa tacos around!

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

    This place has the best mexican food and margaritas in the valley. The owners and staff really make you feel at home.

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Great little hole in the wall. Great service and good food! I love the chili relleno and the tacos are awesome!

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    14 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

    If there is such a thing as Mexican comfort food, this is it. Everything is fresh tasting.

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    Ask the Community - El Tapatio

    Review Highlights - El Tapatio

    The El Tap in town is okay, but the atmosphere here is much better (if you like the "greasy spoon" vibe).

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    La Cocina De Doña Maggie

    La Cocina De Doña Maggie

    4.3
    (81 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    I LOVE La Cocina de Doña Maggie! My friend and I were heading south back down from a trip to the…read moreSequoias and were hungry for breakfast. We're SO glad we came across Doña Maggie's! There is ample parking in their lot once you arrive. The entrance and decor is BEAUTIFUL--so many lovely cultural pieces. The place is filled with the sounds of wonderful Mexican music playing in the background. The service is FANTASTIC. Our waitress was kind, quick, and very friendly. You get chips and salsa as soon as you're seated. My friend and I ordered breakfast burritos, which came with bacon, ham, cheese, egg, and potatoes. FIRE burrito! Also, they come with two salsas--one is delicious and one is SPICYYYY. Beware! Their agua fresca de pepino y limón was refreshing, their restrooms are clean, and you can even purchase other wares from their store. Overall, a GREAT choice to stop at if you're in Porterville or passing through. :)

    Stopped by La Cocina de Doña Maggie and decided to go with 3 tacos gobernador. The tacos were…read morejuicy, not dry like you sometimes get elsewhere. You could tell they were made fresh, and whomever is the cook, knows how to season well. Service was on point and super attentive. They checked on me at least 4 times to make sure everything was good, which honestly made the whole experience even better. It's rare to see that kind of consistency in small local spots. The only thing I felt was missing was a more savory salsa to match those tacos. The one they gave me seemed like a salsa de chile de árbol -- spicy with good flavor, but I wished I had an extra salsa option that leaned more on the smoky or tangy side to balance out the richness of the gobernador. The place was quiet, comfortable, and relaxed -- no loud music or chaos, just a good spot to sit back and enjoy your food. Definitely worth a visit again. Next time, I might ask if they have any different salsas to try with those tacos.

    Photos
    Decor
    Decor
    Albondigas
    Albondigas
    Tacos gobernador

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    Tacos gobernador
    El Maguey

    El Maguey

    4.2
    (69 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $

    First time dining at El Maguey and will definitely be back. Small and quaint space with very…read morefriendly staff. Had heard great things about this restaurant and finally decided to give it a try. The menu was composed of fairly common dishes found at most Mexican restaurants. I'll review the dishes we tried. First, we had some carne asada tacos. The meat was seasoned and cooked well, topped on fresh made corn tortillas. Garnished with onion, cilantro and fresh salsas. Would have again. Their fish was freshly fried and seasoned well. Nice crisp skin and super moist flesh. The garlic butter I requested added an additional layer of flavor. The refried beans were delicious and well as the rice. The side salad was complimentary to the fish as it was refreshing and citrusy. I enjoyed my meal to say the least. I definitely will visit again.

    Named after the mezcal agave this little Mexican restaurant is small but mighty! Off a main road,…read moreOlive Ave. you may drive right by it. The customer service is on point as soon as you enter you are greeted like you're the only customer! The decor is authentic as well as the food. It's a small space with a shared parking lot but come before or after lunch and you'll have no trouble. Plenty of food items to please your palate. The food and aguas are flavorful. Cold beer as well Mexican beer on tap. There is also a beautiful dessert case with flans. Like their sign says they are a small business but their seasoning is big. Pop in, say hi and enjoy some delicious food as well as a lovely atmosphere with great customer service!

    Photos
    El Maguey
    Molcajete Mariscos!
    Molcajete Mariscos!
    El Maguey

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    Mariscos El 30

    Mariscos El 30

    4.2
    (77 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    The service was friendly but that was the only redeemable aspect…read more Note there was a surcharge for using credit card. I placed a take out order and it took 10 minutes to prep my food. Considering I saw the tostadas being removed from a grocery bag, I'm assuming they weren't made in house. My order came with forks, tostadas, hot sauce, ketchup, and saltine crackers. *Aguachile: the portion was very small and there was barely any flavor. The shrimp had the slightest bit of acidity but I'm shocked by the lack of lemon juice and green Enchilosa sauce. There was a singular slice of avocado on top. Most of the container was composed of red onions and cucumbers. The red onions were dry, hence I refuse to believe that this dish had any proper preparation. *Ceviche Especial: wow was this so dry. The octopus and shrimp were way overcooked. Instead of shrimp ceviche, I received a strange clump of shredded imitation crab. This was similarly topped with a single slice of avocado. There was no aspect of seasoning or citrus in this entire meal. The lack of freshness and flavor was astounding. A positive was that I didn't get food poisoning from this meal. However, I wasn't able to finish either dish because they were both poor examples of Mexican seafood.

    I always tend to get a 1st impression on a new place by the chips/salsa, appetizers or drinks and…read morethis was just dissatisfying to start. Complimentary ceviche was just utterly dry/bland. The Modelo Negra michelada I ordered was just a total fail. Tasted more Clamato than anything.. I didn't even bother to finish it. The Paloma my gf ordered was a 3/10 as she stated. There was another couple sitting next to us seemingly left after their drinks as well. It was enough for me to just decide to skip this spot.

    Photos
    Unassuming outside but welcoming inside.
    Unassuming outside but welcoming inside.
    Check please.
    Check please.
    Shrimp Michelada!

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    Shrimp Michelada!
    Porterville Quesabirrias

    Porterville Quesabirrias

    4.1
    (56 reviews)
    5.3 mi

    I tried the quesadilla tacos, torta, and bacon-wrapped hot dogs, and everything was incredibly…read moredelicious. The consommé was rich and flavorful, and the lime cucumber water was refreshing and very tasty. The restaurant was clean and welcoming, and the customer service was exceptional. I will definitely be back!

    My boyfriend and I stopped here for something to eat on our way to Sequoia. It's a really tiny…read moreunsuspecting restaurant. We also decided to stop by again after our trip to Sequoia the day after lol. Both times, we ordered the same thing. I ordered the shrimp taco combo with an horchata and he ordered the quesabirria combo. The horchata was honestly really bland the first time around. Almost like cinnamon water. The tacos were very okay too. The shrimps were deep fried in a batter. Somehow though a couple of the shrimps were raw on the inside. The rice and beans were really good though. The quesabirria was good both times. The meat was really tender and juicy! The consume was my boyfriend's favorite part. It was ultimately the reason why we came back the second time lol. He said it was very flavorful while not being too heavy or greasy. The second time we came I was a little, disappointed in the service, which is the reason why I'm giving it 3 stars. While the tacos and the horchata came out phenomenal this time, I was kind of shocked to see that there was barely any shrimp in my tacos. I overheard the cook shout to the cashier that there was only enough shrimp for one taco. She went over to him and I honestly waited until she was going to come to me and ask if I maybe wanted something else for my second taco. I would have very easily said yes just give me a fish taco, but she never asked. I honestly thought maybe they figured it out... To my surprise the tacos had barely any shrimp. So they had decided to skimp out on my food... It's fine! We were only just stopping by. Just kind of sucks that happened lol.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    Porterville Quesabirrias
    Quesabirria with Asada

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    Quesabirria with Asada

    El Tapatio - mexican - Updated July 2026

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