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.

I finally stopped in to try this staple I've heard about for a while now and while going into…read morerestaurants with high expectations can be intimidating, Valencia's did not disappoint. You're greeted with a welcoming environment featuring pan dulce, a little grocery store next door, and an extensive menu. The bar area was pretty busy too with many customers watching a game, fun! The cashier was friendly and had some candies for customers by the register--really tasty watermelon chili candy! We ordered the super burrito with chorizo and the pozole and while we waited we enjoyed the chips and salsa bar. I like that they have avocado salsa available, it's the best. Everything came out in a timely manner and was accompanied by real cane sugar mexican sodas in glass bottles. The pozole was quite yummy! This isn't a dish that is typically made well in restaurants but theirs was fairly good with the exception of a lot of bones but that is also typically expected with pozole. If left without the option to make it at home, Valencia's pozole may just be the next best option. The super burrito was just perfect. Absolutely satisfying and tasty. It's huge too so you can very easily get two meals out of it. I look forward to trying more of their menu, I'd definitely come back!

For breakfast, I had the aporreadillo with green sauce, and it was delicious! Aporreadillo is a…read moretraditional Mexican dish made with dried meat that's fried to perfection, then mixed with eggs and sauce. Savory and packed with flavor, the kind of breakfast that definitely wakes up this Rex! And I couldn't leave without taking uchepos to go. These are one of my absolute favorites! Soft, slightly sweet fresh-corn tamales served with crema, queso fresco, and salsa. That sweet-and-savory combination is perfection. If you know, you know. And if you don't, this is your sign to try them! Rex Tip: They recently expanded the whole place, and it's much bigger than it used to be! You've got the restaurant, grocery store, bakery, and carnicería all under one roof. Come for breakfast and leave with sweet bread, groceries, and probably a few extra goodies. 5 ROARS from Focusaurus Rex!

Honestly-just had the one of the Best moles - I've had in years! And it just came off the stove!…read more Lordly tomorrow and the next day this is going to so much better. All the seasonings blended so well. Getting some to go

My husband and I recently stopped by for dinner and unfortunately left disappointed. The first…read morething we noticed was how hot it was inside the restaurant, which made it uncomfortable to dine in, so we ended up taking our food to go. The prices felt high for the quality and portions received. I ordered a carne asada burrito (rice, beans, meat, Pico, cheese) for $14.50. While the burrito was large, it was mostly rice and beans, and the carne asada itself was disappointing. The texture was closer to ground beef than the grilled steak flavor and consistency I was expecting. My husband ordered the three street taco plate with rice and beans for $16.50, choosing carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas. He had similar thoughts about the carne asada, and felt that both the al pastor and carnitas lacked seasoning and overall flavor. He also purchased a canned soda for $2.50, which added to what already felt like a pricey meal. I understand that restaurant costs have increased over the years, and I don't mind paying more when the food quality matches the price. However, between the lack of air conditioning, the mid food, and the overall value, we didn't feel the experience justified the cost. The service was friendly, which we appreciated, but with so many other local Mexican restaurants offering more flavorful food at similar price points, we don't see ourselves returning.

We tried the Super Breakfast Burritos with carne asada and they were huge and so flavorful! We…read moreordered ours without beans and got two burritos for $30, which ended up being more than enough food for our family of four. They also make their tortilla chips fresh and have a great variety of salsas, including pico and a creamy jalapeño-style sauce. The seasoned pickled onions were especially delicious and such a good addition to the burrito. Everything tasted fresh and the burritos were absolutely packed with filling. The restaurant itself is spacious with plenty of room to sit down and eat, although we got ours to go. Great food, generous portions, and great value. We'll definitely be back!

Great food and quick service!…read more The food came out quickly and was absolutely delicious! Everything tasted fresh, and I loved the salsa bar with so many options to choose from. The staff was super friendly, and the service was fast and welcoming. The only downside was the lemonade, which tasted more like tap water than lemonade. Other than that, everything was great! Definitely a good spot for tacos in Sacramento.

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.

Great food and service. Authentic Mexican menu. The owners…read moreare a great family. We have dined there often and look forward to the net time.

Giving 2 stars considering I became sick after eating here…read more I came here to celebrate a birthday party. It does not seem this place gets lots of traction since we came on a Saturday afternoon and the place was empty. The table ordered chips & queso and a taco sampler. Both were good, no complaints. I ordered the arroz con pollo with the rice on the side. When the plate was placed in front of me, I could smell a stench. The color of my food was brown. I started to compare this plate to El Tapatio as this is the same thing I order from them except theirs is red. I stopped myself because everyone cooks differently. The party started at 12:30pm and so I came with an empty stomach. By the time I got home at 2pm, I began feeling ill. I became very sick with nausea, etc. I was sick the remaining weekend and into Monday. The location is in a pretty nice area. Inside is really clean and pretty. The wait staff were really attentive and friendly. Helpful with suggesting drinks. Overall, with my experience, I wouldn't chance coming back here again to try their food.

We ordered the chili rellano with rice and beans. It was delivered hot and it was fantastic. I love…read morethis place. Not disappointed at all.

I recently decided to pull the trigger on a random lunch spot in the city to see if it could pass…read moremuster. Walking in, the initial impressions were a bit of a mixed bag. While the restaurant overall appeared generally clean, the immediate physical environment unfortunately stumbled. Both the menu handed to me and the edge of the table had noticeable dried food stains from previous diners. This is a detail that always makes you hesitate before diving into a meal, and it signals a clear need for a tighter focus on basic front-of-house cleanliness. Hoping the kitchen would outshine the table settings, I ordered the Combo 4, a hefty platter loaded with a shredded beef taco, a chile relleno, a cheese enchilada, Spanish rice, and refried beans. When the plate arrived, it became immediately clear that this kitchen possesses plenty of raw potential but suffers from a lack of consistent execution. The standout elements were undoubtedly the hot mains and the rice. The Spanish rice was prepared beautifully, proving light, fluffy, and genuinely tasty on its own. The cheese enchilada delivered that classic, comforting richness you look for in a combo plate. The chile relleno also passed the flavor test with flying colors, uniquely elevated by an extra layer of peppers scattered across the top that added a welcome bite. Unfortunately, the rest of the plate struggled with under-seasoning and lackluster components. The shredded beef in the taco was quite good, but it was dragged down by a handful of white iceberg lettuce that lacked any real flavor or freshness. Meanwhile, the refried beans were entirely bland right out of the gate. Ultimately, the saving grace of the entire lunch turned out to be the house salsa left over from the complimentary chips and salsa basket. Drenching the taco in it brought the meat back to life, and stirring it directly into the beans was the only thing that rescued them from mediocrity. The bottom line is that this place has the bones of an exceptional neighborhood staple. If the management can inject a bit more discipline into their food quality control and enforce stricter cleanliness habits, it could easily become a local favorite. For now, it remains a decent but flawed spot saved entirely by its table salsa.

I've been here a few times when I'm in the area and the food is pretty good. I wouldn't say it's…read morethe best Mexican food spa that I have personally been to in my opinion, but I think it's a great place to eat at and to try if you're craving Mexican food and are in the area. The service is always fast and great, and the ambience is always busy. There's never a moment where this restaurant is calm. I feel like it's mostly just very fast paced, like you're in there for about 20 minutes and then you're immediately out. It's not really a place to sit, dine, and enjoy your meal. It's kind of quick place to eat and then leave.

La Fiesta Taqueria is a great spot to dig into authentic Mexican food bursting with flavor! I…read moreordered the torta ahogada, and it was absolutely dino-mite! The bread was perfectly toasted, with a delicious filling and a spicy sauce that brought everything together. The heat had just the right kick without overpowering the flavors, making every bite worth sinking your teeth into! This Rex definitely found something worth roaring about! I also tried the ceviche tostada, and it was another delicious find! They spread mayo on the bottom, pile the fresh ceviche on top, and serve ketchup-style sauce on the side. The combination of fresh, tangy flavors and crunchy tostada made every bite refreshing and satisfying. A tasty contrast to the bold, spicy torta! Rex Tip: Don't forget to explore their drinks! The aguas frescas are delicious, and their freshly made fruit juices, including orange and mixed fruit combinations, are just as refreshing. If you want an authentic Mexican beverage to complement your meal, these are worth trying. The perfect way to cool down after a little spicy adventure! 5 ROARS from Focusaurus Rex