First time to El Balcon, and it was fantastic. I ordered the chilaquiles w/green sauce + added to…read moreover medium eggs. Best I've ever had.

I'm writing this on my husband's behalf since he didn't want to make a fuss - but his issue was…read morelegitimately dangerous and worth mentioning. The other day he went to El Balcon to grab a shredded chicken burrito for lunch. After a number of bites he bit into a spot that he said tasted like tuna and immediately made him feel sick, and as he was noticing that he realized there was a curved shard of metal in his mouth. We were thinking because of the sudden tuna taste maybe it was part of a tuna can lid that somehow wound up in the shredded chicken container? How? How does that go unnoticed during the making of the burrito? If someone swallowed that it would cause pretty significant internal damage. He brought it to their attention and apparently they just offered him another burrito...um, no thanks. I would've at least asked for my money back but he's a better man than I and just let it go. I get that it's just a fluke and not all the food is gonna have metal in it, but it's more what it says about their quality control, and if it happened once I'm not willing to go back to see if it happens again.

Already 5 stars just based on the salsa bar- by far the most expansive and impressive array of…read moresalsas and mixed pickled veggies I've seen offered, all complementary! I had 3 street tacos, and I'd recommend the lengua and the shrimp. The lengua was succulent and plentiful. The shrimp had great flavor and some yummy char. Overall, I'll definitely be back to get Mexican food and use the amazing salsa bar!

I just ordered a carnitas burrito from Taqueria La Perla Tapatia, and it was honestly one of the…read moreworst burritos I've had in a long time. The burrito was below average in size, had meat covering less than half of it, and contained no sour cream. The portion and overall preparation were nowhere near what I would expect when paying for a carnitas burrito. But the most concerning part was the salsa. It had an extremely strong chemical taste and smell that reminded me of Fabuloso or mop/cleaning solution. It was so unpleasant that I genuinely questioned whether something had gone wrong with the preparation or whether the salsa had somehow come into contact with cleaning chemicals. I cannot say what caused it, but the taste was absolutely disgusting and raised a serious food-safety concern for me. This is why consistency and proper food-handling procedures matter. A restaurant can have a great meal one day and a terrible one the next, but customers shouldn't have to wonder whether something that tastes like cleaning chemicals is safe to eat. I hope management takes this seriously and looks into the preparation, storage, and handling of the salsa and other ingredients. If a product tastes or smells strongly enough like cleaning chemicals that a customer is questioning whether it may be contaminated, that is something that should be investigated--not dismissed. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I cannot recommend this burrito. Poor portion, poor execution, and a salsa that raised legitimate food-safety concerns. Consistency and cleanliness should be non-negotiable in a restaurant.

Quesabirria tacos were really good. They come with the side of consume but I actually liked them…read morebetter without it! They put a lot of meat in the tacos, the perfect amount of melted cheese, and crispy tortilla. Not too greasy either which is really nice because these kind of tacos tend to be on the greasy side a lot of the time. Top 5 I've ever had. The chip bar is also really good. Best chips at a chip bar that I've ever had and that's saying a lot. Good variety on salsa/dip options as well. Really clean and updated interior. Friendly staff. Pretty quick service.

That chicken soup! Absolutely recommended. It was all broth, delicious and a great chill evening go…read moreto! Additional we got loaded nachos, very tasty as well, maybe wasn't the best choice for delivery since chips got soft very quickly. No regrets on taste and amount of kod on the nachos though!

El Tapatío in Citrus Heights is a little hidden gem serving up some seriously delicious, authentic…read moreMexican food! I usually get the albóndigas soup, and it never disappoints! Hearty, flavorful, and comforting, just like a good homemade Mexican soup should be. I've also enjoyed their wet burrito smothered in green sauce, a tamale without the red sauce on top, and a side of tamalito, a delicious sweet tamale! The perfect little treat to round out the meal. Everything is packed with flavor and keeps this hungry dino coming back for more! Now, this dino has traveled and experienced Casa Bonita in Colorado, and I'd call El Tapatío Citrus Heights' own little version! It's nowhere near as big or elaborate, but it has that same fun, immersive atmosphere. The colorful Mexican decor gives the place so much character, making you feel like you've been transported straight to Mexico. Pair that with authentic food, and you've got a dining experience that's more than just a meal! Rex Tip: Come hungry on weekend mornings because they offer a Mexican breakfast buffet! There are so many delicious, authentic dishes to choose from, including freshly handmade tortillas! Just be prepared for a line because this place is popular, and for good reason. We've happily waited our turn because the food is absolutely worth it! A little taste of Mexico right here in Citrus Heights that's definitely worth digging into! 5 ROARS from Focusaurus Rex!

Met some friends for lunch and this was our first time here. We were surprised how large the place…read morewas inside. We were seated back towards the bar area. There are TVs there to watch sports. There are big booths in the back and we were given menus right away. Our server came by shortly after to take our orders. Baskets of tortilla chips and salsas were brought to the table. Always love chips and salsa. We ordered margaritas to start. I had the enchilada plate and my friend had a salad. The food was good and there was plenty of it so was very full. When another group came in and were seated next to us the people kept moving around which made the seats our friends were sitting in move also.

Both customer service and food was fire, shout out Javier fr!!! Food tasted just like it was…read morehomemade from my mamas kitchen ‍

Hi! Darren here! I end every sentence with an exclamation…read moremark! People ask, "Darren, do you really end EVERY sentence with an exclamation mark! Even questions!" Uhhh, ya! I tried this restaurant and it is good! Like, really good! Opted for a carne asada burrito and was asked if I wanted to add sour cream, guacamole, or cheese! I decided to go for it! I mean why not! Right! Anyway, the burrito was awesome! Great flavors that remind me of the old country! And the service was great! Restaurant was clean! Open late! What's not to like! Honestly, the burrito was really, really good! Would I recommend this place! A thousand times yes!

I purchased Tri-Tip tacos & mozzarella sticks - 3 tacos, 6 sticks per order; very much like street…read moretacos, they had plenty of chopped Tri-Tip in each, topped with the proper amount of cheese. The problem was...about 1/3 of the meat was inedible, bits of hard fat & gristle - every bite I had to remove yukky; real bummer! The cheese sticks were very tasty, especially when dipped in the pinkish, sweet sauce. Over all, I won't go back unless they LOSE the gristle. I'm being generous on the stars.

10/10 Will always try again!…read more Top hidden Bbq spot in the area! Got the Tri-Tip Sandwich with fries , to play it safe and it does not go wrong! Service was spectacular! It's just one guy when i came in with the wife. an Welcomed us with arms Ambiance Something you'd want to take out Forsure! small space in the inside

Overall service is quick but very friendly staff! Prices very competitive to other Mexican places…read more and great quality food! Second time I've been there and it's very consistent! Would recommend!

We went to Los Gordos again and had another great experience. Food was excellent. I had the steak…read morefajitas and they were flavorful and very reasonably priced. Service was quick and Thelma is just the best. Greeted my 97 year old mom with a hug and remembered her order. Great place.

Best authentic Mexican food in town. I come here like 3 times a week and every time it's so good!!…read moreBest friendly customer service too. I love the guac and sauce bar

Went at noon on a Wednesday. Looking for low glycemic and shrimp and found the Cocktel. So…read morerefreshing and full of shrimp. The pickled jalapeños were a great addition for some heat with the Cocktel. I watched as the produce became a healthy and delicious beverage. Only downside was the music was constant and a bit loud. If you were there just to chow down, like the CalFire folks, no worries, but conversation was a challenge. Will definitely return.

Honestly, my BF found this place and I was skeptical but it was SOOO worth it. I got the Al Pastor…read moreburrito and he got tacos with all they're different meats to choose from! They don't have tapatio or different hot sauces to choose from but they have fresh salsa, toppings that you can take with you and I LOVE spice so when I tried their pickled onion with chopped up habanero I loved it! Can't wait to try a different meat next time. (BF demolished his tacos lol) Grab some, so WORTH it!

Overall rating 8.5/10 so delicious! Only reason it's not a 10/10 is because the tacos are only one…read moretortilla, a delicious tortilla! But I like my 2 haha. Also they don't put the cilantro and onion in the burritos. I'm just a brat and don't like to unroll and re roll. Lol. It's honestly super good and the service was quick! They have salsa and other fixings on the table in front. The truck is really nice and looks super clean too! Will deff come back here. They hooked it uppp with meat too! It's super flavorful and the salsa are 10/10!! The meat is super flavorful, don't skip out on the pastor it's bomb.com. Comin back to try that papa rellena!!

Wife and I randomly decided to try this place after our go to Mexican style restaurant declined in…read morequality. Our first impression was a cool, small, and family owned business, plus the owner was very nice and helpful. We got a few things to try, and we were not disappointed with any of it. We got a torta, burrito, papusa, tamale, and a churro to try. The torta was super good, the al pastor was seasoned well and super juicy, definitely recommend them if you like tortas. The burrito was good, and it was super filled and super large. Definitely recommend getting a burrito if you're a hungry lad. The papusa was one of the best papusas I've had around this area, super flavorful with a slightly crispy outside. It also had an insane cheese pull, definitely recommend trying one of these. Lastly the tamale was amazing, it was packed with flavor and one of the better tamales I've had in a long time because it was actually moist and not dry and overcooked. Another big recommendation from me. Overall if you're in the mood for some Mexican food please go here and support an amazing local business. Tamales and Papusas are a super recommended!

Restaurant was very clean, large selection of food and drinks. Salsa bar was delicious and fresh…read morechips in a warmer. Food was fast and flavorful, forgot to take a picture before we started eating! Will be a new regular spot for us The woman working was very kind and helpful when we asked questions about the menu too