Manito Taco Shop is an unexpected find in Lockport. We arrived shortly after opening and were lucky the timing worked out because this place was packed by noon. The man working at the register is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet and the service here is absolutely fantastic. We ordered a handful of tacos including vegetation, chorizo, carnitas, birria and two others I can't remember. Since it was our first time here I also wanted to try some of the sides to compare to my favorite Mexican spots and we ended up with chips, queso, beans, and chocolate tres leches cake. The toppings bar is absolutely the best in Western, NY with anything that you can imagine (except for radish slices). Our food was ready in just a few short minutes and all was to our liking. My husband felt that the birria was a little bland and I thought the beans were a little too soupy, but considering the spread we ordered and the excellent service that can be forgiven. Great spot if you're willing to make the drive. read more

Manito Taco Shop - Creative use of Jarritos - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

See all

Are Manito's tacos the best I've ever had? No. But they are a solid four stars. So why the five star review? Because 4.5 isn't an option, they get a lot right, and the guy at the counter earns a bonus star all by himself. The tacos and other items taste good and are consistent. Prices ride that line between fair and slightly high depending on what you order, but I've never left feeling ripped off. It'ss clean, the lines move fast even when it's busy. There's good energy here. It's also been cool to watch them grow from a food truck in a parking lot to a full restaurant. A big part of what makes this place work is Ivan( the guy at the counter). His charisma sets the tone, keeps the team buzzing, and gives the whole place its vibe. Even if the food were a star or two lower, I'd still stop in once in a while just to support him. read more

I gotta say they are even better now than before, their hot sauces have improved && r truly the taste of SoCal!!!! The carne asada is now authentic carne asada, they got the flavors down for sure this time!! I hope they don't change!! Everything was perfect, perfect, perfect!! A real taco shop!!!! FYI- What 'taco shop' means in California is a variety of Mexican food not just tacos so u will find burritos, quesadillas along with those tacos and carne asada fries plus more here. read more

Manito Taco Shop - Carne asada taco - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

See all

Super friendly and welcoming service. The music keeps you swaying while you eat! Lots of sitting room, order at counter on arrival. My taco bowl was absolutely delicious! A whole bar of hot sauce, jalapeños and other decorations for the top of your already fantastic meal! We will definitely be back! read more

We have been supporting this business since the beginning.. they have truly flourished over the last few years! There is no such thing as bad meal. Portions are great and the fresh (and free) toppings bar is a HUGE bonus. Even small cups to take it with you! Unlimited pico and salsa amongst other things- can't find that anywhere anymore. Their quesadillas are very large and they also offer a few desserts. Well worth a visit!! Fun fact: their location was originally a car wash!! read more

AMAZING & AUTHENTIC Manito Taco Shop, Started as a taco truck parked at an old car wash, and has quickly become a community favorite & local gem. I am lucky enough to live right around the corner but people drive from all over the Buffalo Niagara region for this place. The food is spectacular full of flavor & made with lots of love. His super authentic flavors make the it truly a one of a kind experience! The owner takes so much pride in his restaurant & it shows through the shop which is always super clean. Along with the amazing menu there's a great selection of Mexican sodas & a toppings bar they keep so clean & fresh It puts all Mexican fast food places to shame! With the warm energy & busy atmosphere this place just feels like it's going to be delicious. Definitely give Manito a try. You'll be glad you did! read more

Food is great, with large portions! People working there are friendly. Manito's is now in a restaurant! Food is even better-generous portions for great prices. I hope they can expand someday soon, so more people can taste their food! Great selection of food, even tripe. Taco bowls and burritos can't be beat! read more

Celiac - extreme sensitivity here. This place is SO GOOD with gluten free, though, they clean the grill for me to avoid cross contamination. I love their birria taco plate, and the al pastor tacos are delicious. The line can get long but it moves fast. Stepmom loves the quesadillas and my husband reports the fajitas are delicious. Good portion sizes, too - I normally end up finishing my meal for lunch the next day. I definitely recommend Manito so much to people who love tacos... with a special recommendation for those with gluten allergies. I've been there 8 or 9 times - never a reaction. read more

Best Mexican in the area. My wife is vegetarian and they make the best veggie burrito using potato, rice, veggies, so good you don't miss meat. Everything on the menus is delicious. read more

Legit the best Mexican place around. They were quick and super nice and welcoming. Definitely would recommend the birria tacos or the taco salad with the choriqueso. read more

First off the ambience is excellent! One feels like they have been personally invited to eat with this establishment even though you may not be familiar with the culturally diverse items on the menu. The owner is so very welcoming and you are made to feel welcomed from the onset from entering the restaurant. The service is top of the line and the food is delicious and has an incredible presentation. Well done and will be returning and recommending this taco shop to everyone read more

Again, the best food we have had from the kindest hosts you could imagine. We feel like family whenever we visit.

If you are in the mood for excellent taste by food at a very reasonable price, Manito Taco Shop is for you. I have tried several different items on the menu and have loved every one of them. Service is also 5 star and I've never been to a friendlier restaurant in my life. read more

One of the best tacos in the area! Don't make it out here much because it is a hike from where I'm from but they never miss. We'll always recommend them to anyone looking for authentic Mexican food. read more

Went around 12pm during the week and service was pretty fast considering it was busy in there! I don't eat dairy so I got a chicken burrito without cheese and sour cream. I loved the crispy outside and how it came with avocado on it. My partner got the birria tacos, he said they were tasty and good for the location but not the best he's ever had. We sat inside and ate. There is a nice toppings bar in there if you wanted to add anything extra to your food. The inside decor and ambience is nothing special in my opinion. Overall, was a tasty lunch spot but a little pricey for what it was in my opinion. My burrito was $13 and the tacos were $16. It was a good experience and I would probably come back. read more

Manito Taco Shop - Chicken burrito - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

See all

We've been meaning to try for a while and finally got around to it yesterday. It was quiet when we arrived just before 4 but quickly picked up. I tried the Carne asada fries. It's $13 but a huge portion. The queso is in a separate container, so you can pour on as much as you want. I did a little at a time. The fries are super crispy. It even kept well as a leftover for the next day. I still have half a container of queso. I just wish the dish had a little kick to it. My son loved his tacos. I like that they have a free topping station. Definitely trying tacos next time since I like that you can top the way you want. What I don't know is if you can request avocado for an upcharge. I don't eat guac. Plan on trying quesadillas, too. They have Mexican soda so it's all cane sugar. We tried the flan and tres leches. The flan was good but tree leches is not for me. I had a feeling it wouldn't be and it had nothing to do with the preparation but I wanted to check it out. Next time, churos. Service is friendly. It's spacious and cozy. read more

See all

Still one of my favorite spots to eat... As can be seen by my check-ins! It's pretty much a weekly meal at my house. Typically the taco bowl, but sometimes I switch it up to a burrito or quesadilla. I've tried every item on the menu with the exception of the choriqueso. The staff is always super friendly and welcoming. The free toppings bar is expensive with a little something for everyone! They always have music playing that makes me want to dance! read more

See all

go-to local taco shop. The food is delicious and the portions are fair. The staff is also friendly.

the salsa bar had grilled cactus! The tortillas are so fresh and tasty, and honestly I haven't had taco's this great in a very long time! They have birria tacos and quesabirria which is a birria quesadilla. Their tacos de lengua are divine! I am obsessed. The churros with chocolate dipping sauce are very tasty as well. I didn't have time for a picture because we scarfed our food down, I'll take a picture this Thursday because I will be back! read more

We've been coming here for a few months now I have to say, they are the most authentic Mexican restaurant in the area. The staff is amazing & are always super fast with our order. Never been here & waited longer than 10 mins for our food. Highly recommend. read more

Authentic flavors. This is not Taco Bell! These are real people who take pride in the food. Excellent and consistent with awesome menu, full of flavor tons of condiments etc. at their taco bar... Don't miss out on this one! read more

First time here. There were lots of options and a full toppings bar. The owner was so friendly and the birria tacos were incredible. read more

Manito Taco Shop - Birria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

From start to finish you will be treated great. Everyone is friendly. The food is fresh and delivered quickly. When you leave they say Thanks with a smile. If you haven't been there, what are you waiting for. read more

This place was a vibe. I saw a coworker grab lunch from the taco shop and decided to hit it up for dinner. I came by on a Friday to grab food to-go. The parking lot was packed. The line was long but it went by quick. We spoke to some patrons and they highly recommended what they ordered. The bar is awesome because you can stock up on sauces and toppings. I got the walking taco, my friends got the asada tacos, quesadillas, etc. The staff were friendly and answered all our questions. I'll definitely be coming here often! read more

Stopped in and got 2 chorizo and 2 Al pastor tacos - very good! I will definitely come back. read more

Manito Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

Best food in town and kindest owners/employees! If you want the best lunch of your life, go to Manitos.

Best street tacos and taco bowls, burritos....pretty much not one thing on their menu is bad. All magical....stupid not to come here and bring your appetite. read more

Delicious, authentic Mexican food! Ingredients were very fresh and I left feeling full but not weighed down by greasy food. It's a very unassuming spot, so I'm glad that friends (and Yelp!) steered me in its direction read more

This place is just amazing! My husband got a ribeye taco and we split the birria tacos, both were delicious. We also split the carne asada French fries, which I would highly recommend. The toppings bar was a great bonus. Everyone that worked there was helpful and friendly, not to mention that it was very clean. We will be back soon! read more

It's always a five star worthy trip to Manito's! Their tacos are always delicious and fresh, and the toppings bar is perfect for finishing touches. Their margaritas were generous, both in pour and tequila as well! read more

Manito Taco Shop - Dining area - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

See all

Very good. Reasonably priced. Everything we had was good. The staff is extremely helpful and nice.

I went to the Niagara County Fair and rode past this little spot on the way. I decided to check out this little taco spot on another day (they were closed) So we stopped in and were thoroughly impressed with the service, the establishment, and most importantly, the food. We enjoyed carnitas, Carne asada, shrimp, and AL Pastor tacos. They have a little condiment bar set up to dress your tacos, which had a large assortment of sauces and additional vegetables, including cactus. The shells were soft, and the meat was tender. These are the little street tacos. They have a large selection of tacos, salads, burritos, and more. The drinks are bottles, with the exception of a homemade drink. The place was buzzing with business! They have an order and pick up counter. People were in and out the entire time. There is plenty of seating to dine in, the atmosphere was very clean. read more

The personality at this place is off the charts. The counter guy is welcoming & friendly. It was pretty busy even for a weeknight. We got five tacos and the tamarind and horchata. The "mexican flavored waters" were perfectly crafted. Not too sweet and incredibly drinkable. The tacos were double shelled in corn and affordable at $3.50 each. The taco bar had a few highlights like the pickled habaneros and onions. Would return, wouldn't get sour cream & cheese next time. All the tacos were good. read more

See all

After one of my friends on Instagram put a story up about the food here, I knew I had to incorporate Manito into a trip up to Niagara County. My boyfriend and I had an adventure day in the area and I told him we were first stopping at a taco shop that was a stationary food truck. When we were approaching the location, he knew about this place, but never had the opportunity to stop. Needless to say, we were both pretty excited to try it out. I ordered an al pastor taco, which is pork with pineapple and a barbacoa, which is brisket. My boyfriend ordered a chicken and two barbacoa. I liked both tacos, however, I think I would really like the barbacoa with some pineapple on top. These tacos are the real deal and delightful. My boyfriend liked both and thought they had great flavor. When you grab your food, they ask you if you want the mild or hot sauce, pico de gallo and a lime. We opted for all. I liked the flavors of the mild and hot sauces. They had flavor and weren't that intense in heat. Try them both! We arrived at the perfect time, as there wasn't a line. As soon as we placed out order, there was a line forming. I enjoyed looking at the food people were taking away, or eating on premises and it all looked wonderful. My friend on Insta who alerted me in the first place raved about their quesadillas, which are fried in pork fat. Sounds pretty enticing. I would drive out of my way to get some tacos from this truck. The service is great, and the people are friendly, and the food is top notch. They also offer desserts, which look great and a cooler of Jarritos soda and Coke products. read more

See all

I've seen people on Facebook rave about this place, and was finally in the area to give it a try. FYI it is a food truck but they are actually opening as a restaurant next door very soon! The man working the window was extremely friendly and welcoming. He was very informative too! He gave me different containers of toppings and told me what they were and what order to put them on the tacos. The toppings were nice and fresh and tasty! The 2 tacos I had were the Molida and Barbacua. Both delicious but I had to pick a favorite it was the barbacua. That meat was tasty, tender, and juicy. It was extremely hard not walk back up and to order more tacos! read more

Manito Taco Shop - Molida (L) and barbacua (R, with added toppings) - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

See all

Great food, friendly staff! Super happy to have this family owned restaurant only a mile from our house!!! Watched them start with a food truck during Covid to now growing month after month! read more

Love this place definitely the best tacos I've ever had in western New York. The owner is one of the nicest people you could meet!!!

Friendly staff, quick service, clean dining area, and food was delicious! It was worth the drive.

Seriously amazing. Very authentic Mexican taco stand. Can't believe WNY has this level of authentic Mexican food. Very good service. Very friendly owner. Great unlimited toppings bar with the best salsas. Great selection of Mexican sodas. Can't wait to go back. read more

Manito Taco Shop - Left side from the top down: ribeye taco, al pastor taco, asada taco. Right side: birria tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Lockport, New York

First time dining at Manito. Ivan was very welcoming and explained the menu to us. The restaurant was very clean. My husband ordered tacos and I ordered a steak burrito. It's very difficult to find authentic, quality Mexican food in Buffalo, but this spot hits. My burrito was huge- you could definitely split it with someone. Will definitely be back! read more

See all