If you look at my fish taco you will know why I gave this place a low rating. It is also a restaurant where you pay at the counter, pick up your food and put away your own dishes. Which means you get zero service. In general, I did not like my food. The filling in my taco was cheap and flavorless. My husband had their stew special and thought it was ok but nothing to be blown away about especially with the price they charged. There are better Mexican restaurants in the city. I would head there instead. read more

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This was my first time here, and if you have ever been to Mexico, you know this place tastes authentic and full of flavour! We had the Carne Asada burrito, husband had the Birria pizza which you must have with the Consommé sauce....MUST!! Delicious and we will be back! read more

Tried the beef enchilada and it tasted good authentic Mexican food. Simply satisfying...thanks Jose...

came to the restaurant for lunch had an encounter with the manager. We spent 60 CAD on food and drinks. The fish tacos were good the chicken tacos were decent. The quesadilla was trash. See photo for how the quesadilla was prepared. The tortilla was not cooked there was no cheese the water substance was sauce. And the chickens was canned. The inexperience chef/manager stated that Iceberg lettuce is industry standard for Hispanic food. I never had iceberg lettuce on a quesadilla and I have travelled throughout Mexico and California this is far from Authentic... the chicken is canned chicken The manager reported that he was a chef for 10 years and felt insulted for us complaining about the food. I wouldn't recommend paying for your food before eating because not only is the manager not willing to correct the issues by providing a refund or an alternative food choice. He will tell you that he feels insulted because you tell him that his food is not good.... Calgary has to offer better AUTHENTIC tacos !!! read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

In town for work and found this place on yelp. The service was quick and friendly. Not busy at all for dinner time. I found the enchiladas to be "ok" , nothing great. I thought the enchilada dinner was a bit pricey for offering. (Included beans & rice. The nice thing about the enchilada dinner was that I was able to select three different meats versus having to be the same selection. FYI - Had to pay to park ($1.00) around the corner from building. read more

This is usually a good place with delicious food but tonight was the worst service I have received. We ordered 6 tacos and enchiladas for take out and we're asked to sit and wait for our order. It was busy and many people came in after us but each customer that came received their food and left before we did. When we asked what the status of our order was, they said they were busy and lost the ticket. They have a half-hearted apology and asked us to reorder. We did. We also asked if they were going to do anything to rectify their mistake. We were only offered a complimentary beverage but no form of other compensation. By this time we had been waiting for an HOUR. We decided to take our money back and leave. In addition, for a food service industry in the middle of the pandemic 4th wave (September 10, 2021) only mom and pop were wearing masks while preparing food while the other two employees were not. I'd like to support this mom and pop shop, but with the way they treat their customers this way, how should I respect them. Really this review is a 0/5 stars read more

We recently ate at the much-vaunted Native Tongues, and with all due respect, we were not particularly impressed. The service by our waiter was the best thing about it. It was overpriced, and it just didn't satisfy our craving for authentic Mexican like we get down in Puerto Vallarta. Today, that craving was satisfied when we went to Taqueria El Charrito. This place just felt authentic - like many of the little mom and pop restaurants that you find in real Mexico. We had tacos el pastor, and we each had a chicken tamale. The tacos had lots of meat, onions, and cilantro, topped with a nice salsa verde. We asked for medium spicy, and could have gone spicier. The meat could have been warmer, but it was tender and tasty. Best of all, they doubled up on the tortillas, just like they do in Mexico. The tamale was very tasty - nice and large, lots of chicken, and topped off with red and green sauce. Muy delicioso! Everything was washed down with a cold Jarritos - perfecto! The menu had lots of really nice looking choices, so we're definitely going back. Oh, yeah - the people there were very pleasant ant friendly. read more

This is a Taqueria. Don't expect the ambiance of a 5* restaurant. It's a hole in the wall. no lie, but the prices are good, service prompt. What you WILL find is friendly folks, and fantastic tacos. We loooooove the Tacos de Lengua. After eating those, the rest are bland. Try it. C'mon, it's not what you think it'll taste like. Just have ONE. They use corn tortillas, and I haven't had any cross-contamination issues so far. Posole soup - only on Saturdays you say? Well, I think that's the day. They make it once a week. Maybe call ahead if that's what you want. There's also torta - sandwiches, but not gluten-free. The other half had one, and said it was good. Parking... a little tight. Street in the neighbourhood, but, if you're on a scooter, that won't matter. read more

Honestly, I could write a big to-do about why I love this place but in the end, it's the straight up simple things. Amazing, authentic Mexican food from a family owned business. This is what it's all about! read more

I Love this place! It's consistently great food :) You've gotta eat here! The tacos are amazing and the real deal. We've been here many times; today we tried the enchiladas which were SO flavorful and the Pozole which I've been wanting to try for a while and was meaty, light, flavorful and super filling. The owner is super friendly and the atmosphere is simple and quiet with great old photos and the T.V plays a Spanish channel so you get a really awesome chance to just sit & chill and pretend you're in Mexico :) read more

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This used to be the go to spot, ordering literally once a week sometimes from it. But over the course of the last couple years it has gone downhill to the point where we don't order even once a quarter. Service is crummy, wait times are horrendous (literally sat in the restaurant for an hour waiting for our food), the manager/owner is super defensive about any sort of questions about service or wait times and the kids that were hired are terrible. I have called 6 times over the course of 45 mins just now and no answer. This has happened so many times, but we always want to try again, but then remember why we never order from here anymore. They will confirm orders on Door Dash, but not answer the phone. I get it's the 21st century and all, but then don't have a phone? Literally just don't waste your time here. read more

Visited this place hoping to get decent mexican food. Ordered the enchiladas, recommended by the cashier, because it had 3 different kind of meats you could choose. I chose chicken, tongue and pork. Food came really fast, and the presentation was really good. However, when i tried it, i was dissapointed: the tortillas where cold, the meats did not have much flavor, the rice looked overcooked and again, no flavor, and the sauces on top( it was red and green) no flavor. Came dissapointed, but i may be back to try the tamales. read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Can I just say how grateful I am that these good folks are open until 1am???!! Just about to head out on the road after working 6 hours at a market and I am STARVING! This is an absolute haven for the gluten-averse and intolerant. Tacos galore and so reasonable. This is the real deal. Lengua, asada, al pastor...have one of each...or two...They also have barbacoa tacos that are grilled until crispy on the outside. Love! I have been here several times and they definitely have a loyal customer in me. I will be back! read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Lengua, asada, and al pastor. Beauty! - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I'll take a combo #5... wait, this isn't TB. It sure isn't! It's quick and dirty... it's not really dirty. Let's go with quick and tasty instead. Tacos sold by the taco, not by the combo. The real deal, corn tortillas, plenty of filling. $2.25 each and made to order. Guess what? No tube meat either! And not covered in sour cream, refried beans and cheap tomatoes? OMG! What is this world coming to? If you're like me, 2 tacos and a side of guacamole and chips should do you just fine. If you've got a hungry friend in tow, double the amount of tacos. Mine were chicken. They were the best late Friday lunch a girl could hope for on the go. Seriously. Fast. Cheap. Delicious. Go directly to El Charrito. Do not pass TB. Do not think about fries supreme. This is better. Promise! read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Side of chips and guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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I ate here a long time ago and got the last order of chicken tamales that they had. I hardly remember the visit, but when I went there today, I called ahead to see if they had any chicken tamales left. Again, they had one order left. I went there and ordered and before he entered the order in, he made sure that I was the one who phoned; he was saving them for me! Too cool. My friend had the shredded beef quesadilla and loved it. The dishes were flavourful. The portions were very good relative to the price. I will definitely go back and try something new next time. They said goodbye as we were leaving and waved to us as we walked out the door. Very friendly staff, the experience and atmosphere were so enjoyable that I'd come back even if the food wasn't as good. read more

I never really understood what was mexican until recent years. In Montreal, there really wasn't any authentic places at all, or even a Taco Bell for that matter, so all I was exposed to was the Taco kits you could find at a supermarket. Heck, even after moving to Calgary, I can arguably say I still wasn't particularly mexican food stimulated whatsoever as all there was was the Salt and Peppers, Taco Time, Taco Bell and Julio Barrio's in Kensington for the longest time. Needless to say, while they taste fine, I knew there had to be more to the complexity of flavours than tacos and enchiladas (especially since one of the winners of Top Chef Masters,Rick Bayless, won the whole darn thing with a mole that's supposed to be out of this world). So when John Gilchrist reviewed this little unknown place on Edmonton Trail, I was curious. Add that a friend of mine wanted to try some mexican places as well, and it seemed to be a match made in guacamole. First things first, don't expect anything fancy about the decor. No sombreros decorating the ceiling or mexican flags waving all over the place. It's functionaly, kinda empty almost with some minimalist pics here and there. Next, it's basically run more like an order desk with no table service. You order at the cash, and wait for your number to be called when your food is ready. The menu is pretty straight-forward, but several items are not available except only on weekends like pozole. It's also pretty darn cheap, with a soft taco around $2.50 each, so you can have a few for quite an inexpensive meal. The meats (beef and chicken) were tender, well seasoned, and complemented the simple veggie toppings with a simple sauce. They were excellently done. Now as for why my review is not 4 or 5 stars, well... the rice and beans. Everything else was actually quite good, especially the freshly made nachos and salsa (it makes a hell of a difference), but the rice and beans were just ... well... horrible. Both overcooked to the nth degree, they were both lifeless, tasteless and devoid of salt, pepper or any perceivable spice. Honestly, it was like it was a porridge than a tangible food item. It was a sour enough note to kinda ruin the whole experience. Still, it's a good enough place to try and try again. Avoid the rice and beans (which sadly is such a staple of mexican cuisine so to have it done so poorly was a shock), and try the rest of the food. #39 of Yelp's 30-Day Review Challenge read more

Taqueria El Charrito - The menu at El Charrito - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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If you are Mexican/Mexican foodie - 2/5 Everyone else - 4/5 -------------- Ambience: 5/5 - Feels like you walked into a taco joint in Mexico. Price: 5/5 - Think fast food Mexican prices. This is value for your money! Service: 5/5 - Every time I have been here they have been amazing! Doesn't matter if its evening rush or Saturday midnight. Food: This is where things get .... difficult. IF you are NOT a Mexican foodie then you may very well enjoy this restaurant. If you want to enjoy food without too much spice and/or more mild flavors then this is a great pick - 4/5 BUT IF you are a Mexican foodie, you will lament the lack of spices and flavor, because there is close to none. The salsa is spicy and you can add some flavor that way but in the end... it is simply not up to standard. - 2/5 Hope this helps! Enjoy. ================ What did I eat? Chips with salsa and guacamole. Chile Releno Tacos Barbacoa tacos Disclaimer: Why do I get to judge? My Mexican friends dislike the food here and some of my non-Mexican friends come here to get their taco fix because pepper is too spicy... 0.0 read more

Authentic Mexican food at its finest! I was totally craving tacos and since I was heading to Thrifty Princess and the MEOW garage sale next door, I planned ahead and went on my errands with an empty stomach. The funny owner was helpful with ordering and I selected the quesadilla cuz I was feelin cheesy. This is the strangest quesadilla I've ever had, but boy was it gooooood! The soft white Mexican melts cheese acted as a cozy bed for the flavourful shredded chicken, and the strange addition of lettuce and sweet raw onions coupled with the thin salsa inside turned out to be the cherry on top! The lettuce added a crunch, the onions added a sweetness, and the medium salsa added a bit of kick and a ton of flavour. I ate the whole thing, and I don't feel bad about it in the slightest. My lime Jarrito soda topped it all off. I already want to go back and I only finished eating a few hours ago. read more

I did not enjoy the food here at all. I got chicken tacos and it was so bland. The chicken looked white/pink, didn't even have salt or pepper! There was zero spices. It was the most boring dish I've ever eaten, don't recommend this place at all! read more

Simple décor.. But a very strong Mexican fair. I visited the place for lunch. Restaurant is on a busy street so parking has to be on the side streets. The menu is good and varied. I went for a bistec enchilada. I thought it was good and flavourful the service is ok as I had to come and pick the fish from the counter. He should improve providing sauces as I had to ask for it after I stated eating. Also I was not offered water or beverages. I asked for them. The restaurant is not very expensive ànd it is worth the visit but you should not expect a full service. Restaurant is very clean including bathrooms.. You should give it a try and come by. read more

Taqueria El Charrito - First Mexican food in Calgary - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Ordered takeout. I was so excited after reading the reviews, which were enthusiastic about this replicating authentic Mexican street food, but everything was so. bland. Nothing offensive, but the meat is cooked in absolutely 0 spice as well. I think the chicken in my quesadilla was straight out of a can. Disappointing!! read more

This is some delicious authentic mexican food! The tacos are small and served on 2 corn tortillias. I recommend the birria (shredded beef) as the meat is sweet and tender. Just thinking about it is making me drool. haha The ambience reminds me of places I've been to in Miami with spanish music playing and it seeming like a hidden hole in the wall. In Miami, it's either hole in the wall or fancy. Definitely going back to try some different things on the menu. read more

The best Mexican food in Calgary, and it's not even close. If you don't agree, let's meet at the bike racks and settle this. I lived in California for 3 years, and used to frequent a little Mexican grocery store with a taqueria booth at the front. The kind of place where the real Mexicans go and you order in Spanish. I've never felt as white as when I ordered there, but dios mío, were those tacos ever good. I still have dreams about them. Succulent, mouth watering, juicy, wet.... dreams. I tried for years to find authentic Mexican in Calgary. It was all terrible. Especially the one named after table condiments. It was all so bland and awful, no spice, no flavour. Reading some of these others reviews made actually made me angry. People complaining about the tacos being runny and small? That's how tacos are supposed to be! Fresh lime squeezed on top, juices running down your chin. These are the best you'll find in Calgary. They take me back to California. El Charrito is run by a super friendly brother and sister combo who moved here from Mexico. I always wondered why it was so quiet at lunch, but the owners told me that Mexican people eat later in the afternoon. I tried coming for a late lunch to verify this for myself, and sure enough, the restaurant was filled with people speaking Spanish. This is how you know it's good. I always order the tacos, and I usually get 5 of them, but I have a huge appetite. The best ones are the al pastor (pork) and the chorizo (spicy pork sausage) in my opinion. The carne asada (steak) and pollo (chicken) don't quite live up, though my wife disagrees and swears by the carne asada. I also like the deep fried barbacoa taco. I always get them hot, which is spicy enough to leave your mouth on fire. I've also had the little pieces of habenero chile cut up on top when they offer it, which really takes the spiciness up to the feel-it-the-next-day level. This isn't a fancy place, it's made to order quickly and efficiently. But it's authentic. A great place for a lunch or quick dinner. The food is amazing. Try it. read more

I want to love this place. It's close to my house, the staff are quite nice, and it's casual street-style Mexican food. Unfortunately, it's all just a bit dull. I had tacos al pastor (which does not appear to be cut from a trompo, which is that shwarma-like skewer), carne en su jugo, a chicken burrito, and a kid's quesadilla. Overall, there wasn't a lot of flavor. Nothing seemed particularly "fresh" tasting (not that it tasted old or bad, just with mediocre ingredients). The salsas were dull and there was no escabeche (pickled side veggies). Will I be back? Probably, the bar for authentic-style Mexican food is pretty low in Calgary (unless I'm unaware of a few locations). But God, I really wish this place were better. read more

It's not very often I get a few minutes to grab a lunch that I want where I don't have to worry about little people not liking what we are eating. Finding myself kid free I made today all about me and stopped into El Charrito Taqueria to grab a bite to eat on the way home. I don't have a large appetite but did order 3 tacos (2 chicken, 1 pork) and a delicious grape Sangria Senorial beverage. They asked if I wanted my tacos medium or hot and for the first time I thought I would stick with medium since I didn't know what their heat scale was like. Next time I will order hot :). They were delicious, fresh, authentic and very well priced (under $10 lunch). A great find hidden away on Edmonton Trail...I can see why John Gilchrist gave it an 8.5/10. read more

A couple of takeout visits and another eat-in supper later and El Charitto is landing squarely in the 'meh' column for me. Cheese filled tamale was great and a solid deal when bought as a single ($3.75) rather than the 2pc meal ($13.50). Chile relleno was tasty, though the single, soggy, medium-sized chile on the $13.50 platter left me wanting more. $2.25 tacos continue to be priced great, but are sadly, mostly bland. Earlier criticisms still stand: Watery steam tray al pastor featured some nice sweet chunks of pineapple but no discernible acid or achiote kick; chorizo is decent, but not outstanding; and strangely the overall mildness of the shredded chicken isn't necessarily a bad thing, becoming a decent backdrop for cilantro, onion and green salsa. Guacamole is soupy and tasted mostly of underripe avocados. I've ordered it a few times now with the same results. I wouldn't order it again. So, where do we stand with El Charrito? You could do much worse if you're in the neighborhood, but I absolutely wouldn't make a special trip to come here. read more

Ok this is a review only of their tacos. If you want really great, authentic Mexican tacos (which are only two corn tortillas, delicious meat, cilantro, and onions) then you will LOVE this place. The other items on the menu looked ok, but we were specifically looking for authentic Mexican street-style tacos. This is a good size space (with about 10 tables) but it's not really a sit-down restaurant. It's a very casual little place with yummy, yummy tacos. I don't think I would recommend this for a 'dinner' but rather a great place to stop to buy tacos, some corn tortillas, and assorted sauces. The tongue, sausage, beef, and chicken tacos are about $3 while the barbacoa is about $4. This is a little steep for tacos, but that seems to be par for the course around here. The barbacoa is a little more expensive due to the fact that the tortillas fried and the meat is a little more involved. However, the cheaper tacos are delicious as well. To me, this really seems like the sort of place that you stick to the menu items that are the most recommended. Like I said, I cannot vouch for the rice/beans/tamales/quesadillas, but they didn't seem that appetizing to me. Honestly, the next time we go we will probably still only get the tacos, but we would definitely drive across town just for the tacos. read more

Excellent authentic Mexican food, what a find. Landed into town, and had to have lunch before starting. Found this place. The owners are from Jalisco,Mexico and they serve some very authentic Mexican fare. I had the Chorizo Burritto and it was very fat and tasty. I added 2 Beef Tacos and I was set for the afternoon. read more

I stopped here for lunch today and it was GREAT. Before you go here, understand, this isn't high dining. It's a quick and easy semi fast food joint. If you're expecting Julio's Barios, you won't like this place. Julio's is tex-mex which is fine, but this place is authentic Mexican. The food is the best Mexican food I've had since I was in Merida eating el pastor at a neighbourhood restaurant. The family that runs the place are super nice too. I can eat A LOT. I ordered 4 tacos al pastor and I was satisfied. I wasn't stuffed so full I couldn't move, but I was content. I will totally be returning and trying out their other stuff. I would definitely recommend the place to friends. read more

Can a taco be sexy? These were, yum! We had heard about this place and went out of our way to try it. Not a date night place, just a hole in the wall really, but we found it to be quite authentic. We love Mexican food! Seats around 30 people MAX! The man behind the counter, Jose couldn't have been nicer or more humble. His sister, the owner, preps all the food and then Jesus happened to be behind Jose putting the plates and take out orders together. And there were a lot of take out orders! The place is open at least on weekends until 1am. Lots of time for you to get your taco on after a night out! We ordered 6 tacos - 4 different types to try. OK, I did not try the beef tongue one but someone else I know did! :) The chicken taco was good, the steak was good as was the pulled beef. Next time I am going to order a burrito and a pork taco (cubed pork, not pulled). It does not take long for the food to be made and the value was great. ($2.25 a taco) The tacos come with a nice sauce to moisten the meat which is needed IMO and so very tasty. They were out of the habanero salsa I wanted to try tonight, the hottest one. I think the tacos should have some pico de gallo that comes with them. And maybe a wee bit sour cream. MMM Overall, I really loved these little corn tortilla doubled tacos and we will be back! This place is right beside Tandoori hut north of Diner Deluxe. We would never have found it if we were not looking for it! Street parking out front. I hope they do very well here! read more

This one of the best places to eat real Mexican food for a fair price and good taste. I randomly came here when I went with my family to do some legal stuff. The guys are very friendly and kind. We had a nice chat with them and tried different kind of tacos. My recommendation is try the chorizo and tongue tacos... They are amazing!! read more

Found this place through Yelp and chose it because of the 4 star rating....I have no idea why it has such a high rating. The only thing I can figure is that it must have been from a while ago. Needless to say my experience wasn't so great. I ordered the tacos and chips. Tacos were just soggy, doughy taco shells with a tiny bit of steak and lots of onion as filler. It had next to no flavour and I ordered them medium hot. The chips tasted greasy and really old. Yuck! I won't go back. read more

Ordered a quesadilla without looking at the picture. Trying something new. I got a lettuce and chicken salad that just tasted like wet plain chicken in a quesadilla shell. Nothing else in it. Had 2 bites. Did not eat it. Couldn't even see/taste if it had any cheese. Disappointing surprise. More like a chicken salad than a quesadilla. read more

This is real Mexican food served just the way this hombre likes it. I started with three tacos which are each served on two soft corn tortillas. Two were pork and one chicken. You're asked if you want them mild, medium or hot. Medium seemed a logical starting point. The simplicity of these beauties is what is so appealing. Shredded meat, some white onion and a little cilantro. Too good. I highly recommend this place. the decor is minimal and the food is maximal! read more

The mole sauce is NOT GLUTEN FREE! We were driving home after Russel Peters looking for a Vietnamese place as I was craving noodles. Anyway we spotted this place headed north on Edmonton Trail. It was 1130 pm and was super surprised to find they are open until 1 am Friday and Saturday. They had a very authentic menu. They serve Menudo beef tripe stew and a protein you have the option of chicken, steak, pork chorizo & Lengua (google it). we decided to have the enchiladas and got one pork, chicken and steak. The chicken was the best out of the 3. The beans were very tastey but the rice was a lil dry and sticky. I have had better Mexican food but this would be great if I'm craving Mexican late night. would try it again. read more

This is our go to spot for our craving tacos. They are tasty and authentic. They are extremely cheap as well. This spot opens late. We usually get the chicken tacos or the barbecoa. Try it extra spicy if you like spice. read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Barbecoa Taco - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Everything from my previous review stands, but they get bumped up to 4 stars for the substantial, tasty and reasonably priced pozole available weekends only. Soup as a meal! A good amount of salt, rustic large-yet-fall-apart pieces of meat that are balanced off nicely with the crunch of the greens and the toothsome gargantuan grits. It's served with lime and a side dish of chili sauce, so you can make it as sour and spicy as you like. read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Pozole (only available on weekends). Pork & hominy (nixtamal) soup with chili pepper sauce on the side. - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

El Charrito is the real deal for Mexican food. Had Enchiladas and tacos, and some nachos with the best salsa I have had in a long time! Very friendly staff. Eat in at the bar or take home. So happy they moved into the neighbourhood!! read more

Taqueria El Charrito - Mexican Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Truly a hole in the wall. But sometimes those are the best places! I don't understand how I've missed this place and what's with the deal with all the good eats on Edmonton trail? Seriously with in 2 blocks of each other there's at least 5 yummy spots to hit up. This place is a walk up and order type place. The decor is nothing to write home about, very stark but clean and has adequate seating. So look up at the menu board, give your order to the nice gentlemen at the front, you in turn get a number and grab a seat. You wait and salivate while watching other orders go by. I tried the tacos, 2 chicken, 1 pork, and 1 shredded beef. All were good but if I had to rate it from most favourite to least, it would be pork, chicken, then beef. I liked the pork because it had a hint of sweetness to it and the flavours blended very well. Overall a really good experience, I did leave with tears in my eyes though. Not because I was so overwhelmed with joy that I found a good authentic Mexican place, but because I ordered all my tacos spicy, next time will go with mild ;) read more

El Charrito Taqueria is a pretty good value. That being said, their food is fresh, service great and location is very central. They are open late so if you're fishing for a late night snack or missed dinner then it is a viable option. It is certainly not a place to bring someone on your first date or someone you need to impress. The food is simple and straightforward, fresh ingredients, but nothing spectacular here. If only they served fish tacos (I know they aren't traditional)... but they would do so well selling them. I'll definitely return... read more