This was the first time I had been back since Covid. They no longer have the salsa bar, but…read moreeverything else was perfect. I had asada and pastor tacos. They were perfectly seasoned, the tortillas were grilled and came with just cilantro and onions on top. I asked for both red and green salsa. The red packed a wallop and the green was tart and fresh. And now they have a grocery store next door! I'll be back.

I recently made my first visit to this little place in the Faribo West Mall based on the…read morerecommendation of a friend. It's such an easy place to get to, just off an exit on I-35. The menu is small but they have all the items you come to expect in a Mexican place, but with possibly a greater variety of meat options. As others have said, it's a no frills place. It feels more like a cafeteria than a restaurant. The menu is posted on the wall by the counter. You order and pay up-front and go to your seats, where your food is delivered to you. No alcohol. No fountain pop. A few feet behind the counter is a cooler of bottled soft drinks. There appeared to be a number of fruit flavored drinks, but they were too far away for me to read. I did see Coke so I went with that. I ordered a burrito al pastor with beans and rice and my friend had a barbacoa quesadilla with the same sides. I can't really judge the taste of the beans and rice, as they were inside the burrito, but the flavor of the whole thing was delicious. If anything I wish there was a little more beans and a little less rice, but I scooped some out with my finger and all was good. The flavor of the marinated pork still came through really well. Not hot, but with a flavorful warmth. This was a nice fat burrito. My friend's rice and beans were served on the side as usual, and he said the barbacoa was fantastic. It was the thickest quesadilla I've ever seen. The prices were fine. The service was friendly and the food came quickly. There's not a lot happening at this mall, so parking should never be a problem. This is not a date night place, but if you're just looking for good flavors, this is worth checking out.

We almost walked out because all the seats appeared to be taken, but there are additional tables…read moreand counter space toward the back. I'm so glad that we stayed. We came on a cool Saturday evening, and their menudo and pozole hit the spot. The first bite of the pozole won me over. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the broth was subtly spicy. The menudo was also good, oilier and spicier. Next to the cash register was a self-serve salsa bar that lent a warm, hospitable vibe to the place. In addition to salsa, it had fresh lettuce, onions, cilantro, and cucumbers. A real plus for those of us who want vegetables! The soups, available only on weekends, come with crisp tostadas heaped with fresh lettuce, tomato, and cheese (cotija, I think). The tostadas were quite filling, and we ended up taking some of the soup home. The staff were friendly and helpful. El Jefe opens up into a commercial space including a bathroom shared by other businesses. The bathrooms were well marked and very clean. El Jefe had everything I wanted for a warm and healthy evening meal. I'll definitely be back.

I've enjoyed food at this location since its days as The Cheese Cave (see my very first yelp…read morereview.) Well, now it is occupied by El Jefe, which began as a food truck and upgrade to restaurant a few years back. Where The Cheese Cave offered contemporary pizza and grilled cheese recipes (ingredients sourced from the titular local Faribault Cheese Caves), El Jefe connects Faribault diners to the traditional cuisine of a Mexican taqueria!!! I have been here an upwards of 10 times over the past two years and always leave satisfied and smiling. Ambiance is very basic, but the food and staff make up for it. My recommendation: stick with the tacos (traditional, classic) or indulge in their fabulous cheese nachos (probably not authentic, but what a treat). Taco ordering walkthrough: 1. How many tacos (3 is filling for me but can eat much more...) 2. Choose meat. I recommend the Al Pastor. All are good though (tripitas is cow stomach lining, but it's good if you're ok with it). 3. They'll ask if you want toppings (raw onion, cilantro and fresh lime). Say "yes." 4. Don't forget to ask for a Jarritos or a Mexican Coke! (I may get sparkling water, which is healthy and refreshing...) 5. Select sauces (multiple). Less spicy to the left. The green salsa is very accessible - not too spicy, quite tangy. 6. Seat yourself Eating at El Jefe is to enjoy very warming, comforting food. And experimenting with different salsas will be enough to please any foodie. This is top two restaurants in Faribault for sure. Taco aficionados ... will probably be relieved to find a good taco fix in the area! But nothing next-level e.g: no regional specialties, not much beyond the standard beef-pork-chicken meats, not a lot of topping variety (no radishes, pineapple); I don't think the tortillas are made fresh (but they are warm and fragrant of course). These are all the sorts of things that might make a 9/10 taco joint a 10/10. El Jefe isn't best tacos of your life or anything, but they are great tacos and one of the best Faribault restaurants.

We decided to visit this restaurant last week for the first time. Now we went back again. Both…read moremeals were wonderful. The menu seems sparse at first, but the choices of fillings expand it quite a bit. The pulled beef Quesabirria was fresh and hot off the grill. The accompanying beef soup, which they make themselves as well was fantastic. There is an article from the Faribault Daily News on the opening in Sept 2023: https://www.newsbreak.com/faribault-mn/3234262550790-100-authentic-mexican-restaurant-opens-in-downtown-faribault The second trip was pulled Fajitas, wonderful again. The corn and beens were hot and tasty. The seasoned rice was not clumpy or bland. The pulled beef was accompanied by just the right amount of melted cheese that itenhanced rather than overwhelmed the tortillas. The store seeting is basic, tables and chares. You can order and pay at the register and pick up your food at the counter if you can't wait for the wait staff to bring it to your table or have takeout. Photos are from article in link.

First time coming here and was disappointed. Not much flavor.. would have been better with more…read morecheese more cilantro and onion and more crispy.

Oh my gosh! So so good! Feels like I'm at a beach town in Mexico. They do every culinary miracle…read morehere. Panadería, cafè. The tacos al pastor super good. Fresh frijoles. Service so friendly . Waitress speaks little English but we managed, with my terrible Spanish, to still get myself stuffed to the gills. Oh fer yum, Faribault. You're so lucky

They have tasty, authentic Mexican food. The only downsides are ambiance and selection. It's a…read morebasic, no frills setup with table service. They are often out of some menu items. If you are craving a specific thing, you'd best call ahead and make sure they have it that day! What they do have is good. Try to catch them on a weekend day when they have pozole! It's also a great opportunity to practice Spanish. Check them out!

Girlfriend and I have been dating almost 14 years, and visiting her family in Faribault now and…read morethen for most of that time, but never had I tried any of the Mexican restaurants in town. I know there is some Hispanic presence in town, and this was recommended. We were seated immediately, and of course tortilla chips and salsa followed shortly thereafter. Chips were good; light and flavorful. Salsa was a bit thin, and perhaps could have used a bit more heat, but was a good starter. I opted for the Fajitas Guadalajara, for a couple reasons. I wanted a sampler of their various proteins, and fajitas, sans tortillas/rice/beans, are a favorite leftover of mine for a great morning scramble. All the meats were tender and full of flavor, though the shrimp may have been a touch over. I would have also preferred a bit more char on the peppers and onions, also, but everything else was spot on. Barb and I also split a pitcher of strawberry margaritas, which finished the meal off perfectly. We also had a nice view of a passing thunderstorm from our window booth.

Food was great! Friendly & quick service, huge portions! Everyone enjoyed their meals and drinks!read more

The Faribo West Mall was like ghost town when we dropped in on a Thursday evening. Add to that this…read moreplace has a tacos-by-Walmart vibe and I almost turned around. Glad we didn't because the staff was friendly and everything we ate was DELICIOUS. Apparently they have $1.50 tacos on Wednesday - i think the savings covers my gas from the Twin Cities so I may be back next week :)

Hands down, some of the best tacos I've ever had--seriously! Every bite is packed with authentic…read moreflavor, perfectly seasoned meat, and fresh toppings. I can't get enough of them, which is why I keep going back and haven't even tried the rest of their menu yet! They offer burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, nachos, tortas, and more, so I'm sure those are amazing too. I always order a side of rice, and it's just as delicious. The service here is always wonderful. Great taqueria atmosphere. If you're craving authentic Mexican food in Faribault, this spot is a must-try!

Always Great Staff. Love The Environment. Musics Great. Fast Servers. Christmas Music is The Bestread more

I got the burrito mojado, the Guacamole was brown should use more lime juice. The sauce was very…read morebland, although they charged me for a more spicy salsa the one they gave me with chips was watered down and had the flavor of tomato sauce. It's better than Taco Bell, however I'd gladly pay more for better ingredients.

The food is typical taco John's it's a good fast food meal. My wife and I find the service at this…read morestore is always consistent and great. The kids that work the window and people taking your order are top notch the whole staff there should be proud of themselves. They're always a welcome change from the ordinary. Great job guys and gals

HUGE TACO JOHNS FAN…read more The remodel that was done on this place a few years ago was nicely done. It used to look kind of crappy from the outside and quite frankly on the inside as well. This has never stopped me from going in and getting some soft shell taco's though! With the remodel, it seems more welcoming and overall it seems like there are more people there when I visit nowadays. I keep it simple with a #3 Two soft shell tacos, small ole (with extra seasoning), and a small soda. Instead of putting the ole inside the taco shell (it gets soggy) I like to dip my taco in the hot sauce and then put an ole on top of each bite individually. This keeps each bite nice and crunchy! I wish these were in more locations around the metro area! I guess it's just a treat when I visit Faribault!

We stopped in for lunch while traveling through MN. The restaurant was spacious and clean. It has…read moreseveral large TV's an outside patio and large bar area. We sat in the bar area and our server immediately greeted us and brought water. I didn't catch her name but she was excellent, continuously checking on us throughout our meal. Our server went over the menu and we went with her recommendation of Lucy Burgers and Tater Tots since this is their specialty. We didn't try the beer since we had a long haul ahead of us. I chose the Pickle Lucy and my husband chose the classic. He added lettuce and tomato and I added tomato. Both burgers were big, gooey, delicious and cooked perfectly. The tater tots were huge stuffed with cheese and bacon but not crispy like traditional Tator tots. This was a bit of a bummer but they were flavorful. I'm glad we stopped in and tried Crooked pint Ale House.

I love outdoor dining and this place had such a cute area. Josh and I had drinks and our waitress…read morewas friendly, i was also able to taste some beers before ordering. Their tap options were full of varieties! Our daughter had the salmon quinoa salad (don't quote me on the name) . But I tasted it and it was delicious! They definitely redeemed my faith in that dish after a horrible experience at a different restaurant. The pizza was crunchy and yummy

Great service, clean place, independent diner-a little bit more home cooking and a little bit less…read moreBig Chain standardization. We liked the breakfast food we ordered. The restaurant is in a "travel plaza" that has seen better days. There weren't many customers. It is a big, high ceilinged space that back in the day must have been filled with truckers, families and those endless cups a Joe counter guys. Despite the "really, you want to eat here?" Fell of the place, I would not hesitate to revisit if I find myself in that town in the morning again.

We had a lovely breakfast at Faribault Family Restaurant. It's always exciting to have a new…read morebreakfast option in Rice County! The service was fast and the staff was kind. It's like a little aesthetic oasis within the truck stop. Large portions and good coffee. Also, the coffee refills were FLOWING which is so important in a diner setting!