Tacos El Monkey

Family-owned & operated

12 years in business

Food is always fresh and delicious. Service is prompt and…read moreattentive. Excellent value and always a great time.

Food was great!…read more Staff was very friendly! Soccer on TV was nice while eating and the aesthetic of the whole place was beautiful.

Miklo Blood in Blood out Damian chapa

Hollywood celebrity at Nuestro Mexico Vince Vaughn

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Ramon Ayala

La Costa Mariscos

4.0(958 reviews)

17.8 mi

Pleasant surprise on my travels to Bakersfield…read more Chicken Burrito was customized perfectly and was delicious. My friends went with the chicken enchiladas with green sauce, as well as the fajita salad. Loved the ambiance, staff was great, and loved the energy. Will definitely be returning on my future travels.

We came in to celebrate my 38th birthday today. I was on the mood for some shrimp fajitas…read more We'd been to the other location and didn't have as good experience as this. First off it was a steady flow of customers for a Wednesday evening. Many birthdays! We were sat immediately and waiter came to take our drink order. I had a mango chamoy margarita, while my husband got a roasted chili cucumber margarita on the rocks. His drink was SPICY! I ordered the shrimp fajitas and my husband ordered the chicken and steak molcajete. Our food was brought out super fast! The portions - humongous! But the food is so good! My husband is super picky when it comes to Mexican food, and he said this molcajete is his favorite so far compared to other Mexican restaurants we've been to. The bright colorful colors and great music selection really make it joyous and fun dining experiences. Highly recommend.

Inside

Los Arcos Nachos (fish and shrimp) on the appetizer menu

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Michelada con Pacifico

Grandma's Tamales

4.3(183 reviews)

18.7 mi

These tamales are always so good. Taste just like made from home not like frozen.stuffed with meat…read more stuffed with cheese fruit tamales are so bomb this place reminds me eing at home

Amazing!!!! As soon as you walk in here you're greeted with the smell of handmade tortillas and…read morelively Mexican music! I had ordered grandmas special #2 which comes with a tamal, a taco, and an enchilada paired with rice and beans with cheese and chips. The plate is customizable to your liking with what type of meat you'd like for your enchiladas, tamal and taco. The waitress hands you 2 sauces, one green and one red which were both delicious. I had also ordered the horchata but that wasn't the star of the show, it's your average horchata. Overall, if you love homemade Mexican meals this is the place for you.

Menudo

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Mas Bella Restaurant & Lounge

4.3(183 reviews)

11.8 mi

Top quality authentic Mexican food with great service and atmosphere! Please give it a try if…read moreyou're in town

A Delicious Stop After the Farmer's Market!…read more Stopped by Mas Bella after the farmer's market and had such a great meal! We started with three drinks: the Tullum Bloom, Strawberry Margarita, and Strawberry Lemon Drop. All three were delightfully fruity and refreshing, making it hard to pick a favorite! For food, we ordered the birria bao buns, shrimp bao bun, chile relleno, crispy beef taco with refried beans and rice, and camarones with refried beans and soft tortillas. The birria bao bun was my absolute favorite! The mini bao is packed with flavorful birria, and I absolutely loved the consommé they serve alongside it for dipping. It's such a fun combination, and that consommé takes the bao to another level. I also really enjoyed that they make their salsas in-house. They served both a verde and a roasted red salsa with the buns, and both were delicious. The chile relleno was another standout. That melted, cheesy goodness inside was everything you want from a chile relleno! The crispy beef taco was an unexpected winner. It was served with what seemed to be the same delicious birria-style beef, so it was instantly a favorite. The crispy shell paired perfectly with the tender, flavorful meat. The camarones with soft tortillas were also really good. The shrimp were well seasoned, and the soft tortillas made them perfect for building little tacos.

Interior decor

Bao bun tacos

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Interior

Ay Mi Pa

3.3(156 reviews)

16.9 mi

From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with a smile and welcomed right away. The menu was…read morebrought to us very quickly, and the staff was incredibly attentive throughout our entire visit. Since we arrived later in the evening, the lights were dimmed and our table was lit with a small table light, which created such a perfect, mellow, and intimate atmosphere. They also have a beautiful open bar, and there was a gentleman taking photos throughout the evening. We were even given the option to purchase the photo, which was such a fun touch! Now for the food... WOW! Everything was absolutely delicious. I ordered the **Asada Tacos**, and they were HUGE and packed with flavorful, tender meat. They came with rice and beans, and every bite was so satisfying. My date ordered the **Tri-Tip aguachile dish**, and I honestly don't know how to describe the amount of flavor in every bite! The steak was incredibly tender and flavorful--it practically melted in my mouth. Our server was attentive, friendly, and made sure our dining experience was enjoyable from beginning to end. I truly have nothing but good things to say about **Ay Mi Pa!** I would definitely recommend it for a family dinner, a date night, a couples' night out, or even just hanging out with friends. Great food, great atmosphere, and wonderful service!

Foods good. Prices…read moreare way too high. Service is insultingly bad. Like they are doing you a favor and are too cool to help you. Waste of space.

Full Beautiful Bar

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Bad girl

Sancho's Tacos

4.2(367 reviews)

18.2 mi

What a day I was invited to go grab a bite and after changing out of work clothes and into some…read moresneakers I headed out. This was my first time here, this place is small but don't let it fool you they have mad traffic. The service was excellent and the food was 10/10. Chill vibe, they offer beer, Jaritos and fountain drinks. My burrito was so massive that I could eat half lol. Walked it off at the bluffs and seen some shooting stars.

Absolutely floored by this place--it's a hidden gem!…read more Seating inside is pretty limited, but they do have outdoor tables and chairs, which honestly adds to the vibe. Parking is street only, but trust me... it's 100% worth the hassle. From the moment we walked in, the experience was great. We were warmly greeted and given the option to get recommendations or browse the menu ourselves, which I appreciated. After taking our time, we ordered the chicken quesadilla, nacho fries, and a California burrito, along with salsa verde, chubbie salsa, and chipotle salsa. The food? Incredible. A solid 10/10. Everything was packed with flavor, the meat was juicy (not dry at all), and the salsas absolutely stole the show. On top of that, the staff really made the experience stand out. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and kept checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. Great food, great music (nothing but bangers the whole time), and amazing service. I'll definitely be back!

Comfortable seating.

Burrito bowl (i think this was a burrito with tri tip, but he was able to make it without the tortilla)

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Tri Tip Burrito

El Puesto Cocina y Cantina

3.5(342 reviews)

16.2 mi

Food Drinks…read more Atmosphere Bartenders Overall experience at El Puesto was great. Manuel (Bartender) took care of us while we sat at the bar. The music was at the perfect volume level and the crowd size was small to medium. Perfect place to dine after being at work all day. We'll definitely be back.

I came in expecting a relaxed dinner where I could actually sit and catch up, but the experience…read morefelt rushed and poorly handled from the start. Before my guest even arrived, I was told the kitchen was closing in 10 minutes, which made it impossible to plan or order properly for both of us. About 30 minutes after being seated, the waitress asked to close out my tab and mentioned they were closing an hour and a half early, something that should have been communicated when I walked in so I could have chosen to go elsewhere. To make things worse, about 10 minutes before closing, they turned the lights all the way up and shut the music off, which made it very clear we were being pushed out. No one came by to offer boxes for our food (I had more than half my meal left), and my guest didn't even get to finish her drink. We were essentially rushed out before the already early closing time, with no proper send-off. Overall, the experience felt very unprofessional and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I won't be returning.

Eating area

Not your regular Chips and Salsa. YUM

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Lunch hour margarita

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge

4.1(205 reviews)

15.6 mi

Food was plated so beautifully and the flavors were so authentic !…read more we had dinner at the bar area the bartenders we're awesome making us fill welcome and comfortable watching them make they're signature drinks from scratch and maid with love it's all in the little details the entire restaurant is definitely a vibe! From the music to the decorations everyone in there was in their own energy I'd say it's a must try!

We came here for breakfast with my parents and my husband, and every single dish was amazing!…read more I ordered the Flauta manana, and they were hands down my favorite. They were stuffed with chorizo, potatoes, and eggs, then fried to perfection so they were crispy without being greasy. The salsa on the side paired perfectly with them, and I even dipped them in the consommé from my mom's meal, which took them to another level! My husband ordered the A Huevo Que Sí and it was packed with flavor. The birria was incredibly tender, and the combination with the eggs and sauce was absolutely delicious. My mom isn't usually a breakfast person, so she ordered the quesabirria tacos, and they did not disappoint! The tacos were cheesy, flavorful, and the consommé was rich and perfectly seasoned. I definitely stole a few dips for my flautas! My dad had the Huevos Rancheros, and they were also excellent. Everything tasted fresh, the portions were generous, and every plate looked just as good as it tasted. The service was friendly, the food came out hot, and you can tell they put a lot of care into every dish. The photos speak for themselves, everything was fresh, colorful, and absolutely delicious. Highly recommend!

Bar area

Taquitos Dorados

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Margarita flight!

Original Hacienda Grill

4.2(366 reviews)

16.4 mi

Great service. And maybe the best mexican food I've ever had homemade sauce. Chips. Salsa i…read morewill be back

We stopped here on our way home from Southern California, we choose this Mexican restaurant…read morestrictly based on the reviews, and it did NOT disappoint! I ordered the mushroom jack chicken fajitas, my husband got the chimichanga, chile relleno, and beef enchilada, and my daughter had street tacos. Everything was delicious, and the portions were generous! There was plenty of food, so you definitely get a lot for your money. The salsa had a nice kick to it, and the tortillas were tasty. The margaritas were a standout for me. Honestly, some of the best I've ever had! The area is a little sketchy, which might make you hesitate at first, but don't let that stop you. The food and margaritas are well worth it! Definitely worth a stop if you're passing through and craving great Mexican food!

Cozy little bar

Wet Burrito.

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Large bowl of menudo

Sebastian's Taqueria

4.3(66 reviews)

14.3 mi

The service was excellent. The person working the register and taking the order was super nice…read more The decor of the place is quite simple, but nice. The Breakfast Burrito was perfect. I had one Burrito and tortilla chips. There is a salsa bar that is excellent. I highly recommend the salsa to the far right and the onions with habanero peppers. Both are superb. The Burrito was well cooked and it had multiple layers of food and flavors. I recommend Sebastian's Taqueria. It is open from 6 am to 2 pm.

First time and quite surprised. Only ordered a sausage breakfast burrito. Charged extra for beans,…read morebut I did get a small bag of chips. Selected my own salsas from their salsa bar. The burrito was great! Enough for 2 people. The green salsa was very hot and the chunky red was flavorful, a perfect combo to add to my food. The dining area was very quaint and somewhere I would go with my family. The menu, however, has hand drawn prices, missing prices and just poorly put together. I have added pics. Finally, they charge $1 for any credit purchases and $1 on refills. Overall, great food, clean and cute interior, just need to get their menu cleaned up to be more clear.

Cool seating

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Viviana M.

7 years ago

100% authentic Mexican food you gotta come try it, located just next to the i5 exit stockdale hwy in between shell and chevron station , we will not disappoint you ! read more

Michelle M.

4 years ago

I got severely ill after eating at their food truck. Like hospitalized for 3 days. I can't be the only one?

Nadia D.

5 months ago

Best TACO EVER! Don't take my word for it TRY IT! OMG I LOVED IT. Definitely coming back. Thank you!

Tacos El Monkey - mexican - Updated October 2026

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Pupusas were so good. We were the only customers at the time so food came out pretty quickly, very…read morehot and fresh. There's something special about the coleslaw that came it, so good! It was spiced and vinegar-y, cutting through any heaviness from the pupusas. There's plenty of seating by the food truck under a tent, making it feel like a very simple meal. This was a great pit stop off the 5!

Tacos J Torres

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This is my second time here. I ordered the horchata which is one the best horchatas I've had…read moreanywhere. In fact, I liked it so much the first time I had it here, I ordered it again. I simply devoured the tacos hondurenos. They remind me a bit of Mexican flautas , fried so they're crispy and there is chicken inside. Great sauce. Delicious! I'm so glad I returned here. The other dishes look equally intriguing. There are 4 different kinds of soups, including posole. The prices are very reasonable and people are always super nice! There are also picnic benches with a big canopy so it's comfortable to eat here.

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Taqueria Los Charros Del Neri

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The food here is so good we might make this our regular stop on our trips up north!!! Loved it!…read more First, it's a road side taco truck so let's talk about the truck. The truck was very clean, and the person working (owner maybe?) was very professional! All five stars. You never know what to expect when you hit a new truck, and we knew we were in good hands from the start!!! What did we get? I wanted a quesadilla and asked for recommendation for what meat. The gentleman recommended carne asada and chorizo, and holy crud was that good!!! Amazing! He's totally right, this was a really good quesadilla! I'm not big on spice and asked if it was spicy. He said no, and he was right: there was just the mildest hint of spice after and it just enhanced the full flavor. We also got a chicken burrito. No joke, the burrito was almost as big as my forearm! The contents of the burrito were really good as well. Bonus, he was such good service he confirmed all the stuff on the inside to make sure it was what we wanted. Really appreciate that since I LOVE cilantro but my gf doesn't like it. That made it all the better . He also put the classic sauces in our to go bag, along with some silverware and plenty of napkins!!! These are small things but make a HUGE DIFFERENCE when you're on a road trip. Legit love this place. Will be back even if I need to go out of my way to do so!!!

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El Dollar Taqueria

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So came here after work and I gotta be honest, it was not like my two previous visits. The beans…read morewere different than the regular two visits. The beans were beige not brown. No jalapeños and the guacamole on the tacos were watery?? The coke was 5 bucks so yea not the great experience I had the other times.

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