Happy we found authentic Mexican food. You order at the front counter. The person that greeted us was so nice and helpful. Hot sauce is spicy and good with everything. There's self serve veggies. Everything we got was delicious! We would definitely return. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

Excellent authentic Mexican food. We've had the tacos, the tortas, and the birria. All were great. We also had a lime drink that was amazing, perfect summertime drink. read more

The service is great there. The waitress was polite and well-mannered. The food ... was amazing. It was so authentic. I give this restaurant a thumbs up in every way possible I have recommended it to several people and they thanked me for my recommendation. The torta, don't get me started on that. The bread, who I learned came from the bread company up the street was delicious. The asada or steak was out of this world. The asada soft tacos came on corn tortillas, and I am not too keen on corn tortillas, was good. Next time I am in there I will specify. read more

Love the tacos but they need to open the store more often, love their burrito too. Love the pickle jalapeños.

Stopped in based on the reviews - they were very accurate. The menu is simple and straightforward with fair pricing. The salsa bar had good options and a clean atmosphere The tamale it was excellent - tender fresh tasty. The chorizo taco however was dry and unspectacular. I did not get it but the rice look to very good. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

This place just to be really good but not anymore. Service was good, tacos were the worse tacos I had in a long time, we had tacos de buche, carnitas and al pastor with agua de yerbabuena con limón y was bad to, non of the meats had a good flavor and the drink it was bad, you can barely teste the flavor. I don't think we are coming back. read more

Cali style food in Ga for ex-Cali folks. Best tacos around that we have found in Ga.!!

No impressed. It wasn't too busy. The people behind the counter were super friendly (otherwise I would've rated them lower). The meat in my Asada tacos was a little dry without much flavor and this was with the cilantro and onion. My daughter likes Al Pastor tacos and she said the same about the chicken. We like to try taco shops wherever we go. There are better ones... read more

We wanted Mexican for dinner and this place was listed #1 out of many places in Gainesville. This is real Mexican food, not Tex-mex or Amercanized food. The menu is comprised of tacos (10 different ), burritos, tortas, and other items. We ordered chorizo, carnitas, and al pastor tacos. They're $2 each and quite large. They're excellent. The person taking orders was super nice and if you're uneasy about not being able to speak or understand Spanish (menu is completely in Spanish), they speak English as well and are helpful. There's a salsa bar with several excellent choices and fresh onions and cilantro. It's ridiculously cheap and a lot of food for the price. We will definately return. read more

When I first walked into the restaurant, I didn't see many people and was a little bit skeptical. And I was also iffy about the $2/taco price tag. However, I was not disappointed in its portion or taco quality. They make their tacos fresh and their carnitas and barbacoa are to die for. I only ordered two tacos and I was full. I will definitely come here again when I want authentic and reasonably priced tacos! Yum! read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Two tacos for under $5! - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

Look, I'm Mexican-American (first generation), so I know when Mexican food is legit! First off, when the menu is in Spanish only, it's legit! When they serve tacos on double of corn tortillas, it's legit! If they serve "agua de Jamaica" and "agua de horchata", it's legit. When there's a bar of chopped cilantro, onions, and a variety of salsas, it's legit. Lastly, when there's Mexicans in the kitchen, it's legit. Even if you can't read Spanish, you'll manage to order...read my lips, dos tacos del pastor... you won't regret it!!! Yum!!! read more

I had 3 tacos cost a bit over$8 with a drink. They filled me up. Well worth it. I tried steak chicken and pork. The chicken was a bit dry but the other two were great. The menu is limited. Seems like this is more of a lunch place than dinner. Seems pretty authentic as all the customers were speaking Spanish and all the folks in the kitchen looked to be Mexican. I deducted a star because the place was hot inside. They apologized about the temperature said their ac was out. They could have set up some fans or rented a portable unit. I was sweating by the time I finished. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

Amazing. Impressed the hall outta us Texans from the Rio Grande Valley. Inexpensive and plenty of room, a hidden gem that's close to the mall and trampoline park. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Tacos are only $2! Soooo delicioso! - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

I'm always on the hunt for amazing Tacos. Tacos are good for the soul and fill you up in the best way possible. This place didn't disappoint. the tacos were on point and easily are among the best, if not the best in Gainesville. we grabbed 5 tacos, a tamale and a Quesadilla plus 2 drinks for under $25. That's incredible for value. The sauce bar had a great selection of flavorful and hot sauces. I came in hungry with my girlfriend, and we both left beyond satisfied. I've now been back and I can safely say, these are easily the best tacos in Gainesville, the service is amazing and the food quality is the best bang for your buck. In a town with tons of competition, these guys are easily my #1 choice for Tacos. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - The Carne Asada Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

See all

Good price. The carne asada was overcooked in some bites to the point where I had to get rid of small chunks. It's a great sized burrito with great hot sauces for the side, just a little disappointing on the cooking of the meat and the amount in the burrito. read more

My favorite tacos in town. Definitely authentic, just a heads up everything's on a soft corn tortillas. Not Tex-mex or Americanized crap this is real Mexico style food. The menu is completely in Spanish; if you're uncomfortable with that the woman working the counter is extremely friendly and speaks English so don't worry! She'll help you through it and you won't regret coming here. read more

Came back while we had to make a work trip up to Hall County , with this covid 19 stuff going on I wanted to get some to go food and support their business. My torta asada was as amazing as before. It seriously brings me back to my favorite torta place in Hollywood CA that I use to eat weekly during my teens and twentys. It taste exactly the same. I live in East Atlanta. About 1 hr 15 mins to this spot and it's worth it. I saw a review on here with only a star or two and they were complaining that this isn't a "legit" Mexican spot. They ordered a chicken burrito. You can't order a chicken burrito and say then complain a place isn't legit, YOU ORDERED a chicken burrito !!! I will tell you, as a Mexican American born in El Paso and raised in San Antonio, East LA, and Hollywood that this place is legit as the come. Not only legit but amazing. If I lived by this spot it LA I would be there all the time. The only people that give this place bad reviews are usually not Hispanic or they lived in Georgia their whole life and never had real Mexican food. And not just visiting a city and eating Mexican food I mean growing up with it, made in the home, our culture. This place is great and the family that owns it has great customer service other than amazing food. Thanks for being here. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Half eaten torta asada. So so good. Brought me back to LA - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

This is my favorite taco spot in Hall County. The tacos are loaded with the most delicious meat, and the roja salsa is spicy and delicious.

THE GRINGOS HAVE HI-JACKED THE KITCHEN! Let me just get right into this review because this experience just defies logic. When we walk in on a Saturday afternoon, we both notice that it is freezing inside Even after my husband retrieves our sweaters from the car, I decided that I just need to go outside and wait in the car. This is after I realize that I will not be ordering because I can see into the kitchen and there is no open flame, no uniquely Mexican smell and most importantly, there are no vegetables on the menu which is the ultimate deal breaker. My husband decides to take a chance and he orders four of their chicken burritos to go. When we get home, I decide to examine and sample one of the burritos. As soon as I open it up to check out the ingredients, I realize that this is the "other" burrito, (the working man's burrito). These burritos are very basic, filled with cheap ingredients and designed to satiate or just give you a full belly. This is just not my kind of burrito and this particular burrito was very bland with too many beans, too much rice, very little chicken and absolutely NO CHEESE! Que? The side of pinto beans was also very bland and seems to have just been prepared in a pot of water without seasoning. I believe that beans should be cooked down until they are very soft creating a rich sauce that melts in your mouth. Good beans take time and these were just not up to par. When it comes to burritos, I prefer "El Primo', (filled with a variety of beautifully seasoned char-grilled veggies and chicken with light cheese inside and a nice cheese sauce over the top). I surmise that the elevated ratings are reflective of being able to get a lot of food for a very reasonable price. However, I prefer quality over price or I simply keep moving as I did in this case. This restaurant is located directly across the street from the local mall in a little strip mall. It is actually a cute little place that has a nice décor with four-tops and pub seating. It is the perfect place for dining in but bring your parka because it was freezing inside although it was a beautifully warm afternoon. Although my husband ate the burritos, he did agree that they were bland and stated that he would not return to this restaurant. If this was an American restaurant, it would get two stars because of lower expectations. However for a Mexican restaurant, with Mexican employees and an authentic menu written in Spanish, I expect a whole lot more! If you are going to keep it that basic and simple, you must deliver on quality and taste and this place just did not measure up. Not recommended! 10/5/17 Just to clarify: The items that the owner describes are what I consider toppings. When I speak of veggies I mean grilled zucchini, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower etc. My husband likes big fat burritos so he ordered exactly what he wanted except he wanted a quality item that was well seasoned and well prepared. read more

See all

Let's be honest in Gainesville, Ga there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants. If you want some REAL MEXICAN FOOD this is the spot. Come in to a friendly staff that speaks both Spanish and English. If you can't read in Spanish no worry's they have a translation menu available. What to order if it's your first time. 2 chicken tacos Rice Aqua fresco lime spearmint "will give you a samples to figure out what you like" One of the best meals in Gainesville, Hands down! read more

Excellent authentic Mexican food! Great prices and the owner was very informative & kind. We went on a busy day when they were sold out of chicken but the Al Pastor burrito was very good! Will definitely make this a regular stop to eat! read more

Tacos (Chorizo and Asada) were amazing (not dry, authentic and tasty). We had a Quesadilla (Asada) and it was top notch. Will definitely return whenever in the area. read more

Been here three more times. Each time the people were super friendly. And the food awesome. Great tacos and burritos! read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - A little hard to find in the strip mall - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

See all

Had three tacos. Salsa bar does not have guaca-salsa, or pico. The tortillas were ok, but not the best. The meat portion was large. Sadly, the meats come from a steam table. No slicing the al pastor off a spit here. The carnitas was bland, and tasted as if it had been made in a crock pot. The cashier was clenching his teeth, very jittery, and had a very glazed reddened eyes. Maybe it was too much coffee? Not worth another visit. read more

Best tacos I've had in the area, bar none. The service is fast and friendly. The corn tortillas are homemade and ridiculously good. Best tortillas I've ever had in a taco and I've been to a lot of taquerias. Don't miss the homemade flan and horchata. Outstanding, an easy 5 stars. Will be returning often. read more

In town mainly for the wineries in the area, but was in the mood for tacos and cervezas tonight. This place is awesome! Restaurant is super clean and the guy at the counter was very nice. Lots of Spanish speakers both in the kitchen and eating. My Spanish isn't good enough to keep up so was thankful the guy taking my order spoke very good English. We ordered asada, al pastor, carnitas and barbacoa tacos. The carnitas and al pastor were our faves. They had fresh salsas, limes, pickled veggies and cilantro to go with the tacos. We got our order to go so we could grab a couple of Corona Familiars around the corner to go with our tacos. Highly recommend! read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

Excellent tacos, great service and a filling experience. Staff let us taste some of the meat we weren't familiar with and took great pride in making us feel welcome and enjoy our food. Restaurant is very casual- prob not a date night experience but perfect for a great meal. read more

Definitely authentic but unfortunately the two Asada tacos I ordered were bone-dry and like leather. The Chorizo quesadilla was good though and their salsas are top notch. Was just ok overall read more

If you are looking for authentic Mexican food this is a good place to go. I went here for the first time not long ago because my husband said him and his friends used to go so I checked it out. The food was good. There is a salsa bar that also has limes and cilantro so you can add to your tacos. The menu is in Spanish(obviously) but on my visit, everyone working there also spoke English and there were some translations, so it made ordering fairly easy. The only reason for 4 stars is that it was a little messy. They were not terribly busy but no one had made it out to wipe down the tables. read more

Found this venue via Yelp app while nearby. So glad we did! Very good food and value for money, friendly staff and for us gringos a menu in English. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Authentic flan casero - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia

I'm from California & it was my first time visiting Gainesville!! I stopped here bc of the good reviews. Ok sooo, I'll make this quick! I ordered a carne asada burrito with no rice, usually when I order no rice I get skimped on meat but not here, my burrito was perfect size! Anywhoo! It was good! The meat was dry but I just added salsa to help w that! I'd go again :) read more

I come here every single weekend for tacos. I look forward to it all week! I always switch it up because there are so many options and they're all delicious! I get the barbacoa, asada, carnitas, chorizo, and al pastor. The green salsa is my favorite and I always grab one of the lime spearmint drinks! read more

My family and I ate here while driving through Gainesville. This is the real Mexican style that I grew up on oppose to the other Mexican restaurants I have tried in Georgia. I wish it was local to me. Besides the delicious food and horchata, the service was friendly and swift. So worth a future drive to eat at. read more

This is one of the best authentic Mexican food in Gainesville. When I come here I usually grab either asada,carnitas or barbacoa tacos and to top it off the cashiers are very friendly if you have any questions .Definitely recommend! 10 out of 10 read more

Excellent tacos with generous portions at reasonable prices. This place is authentic as can get.

First time here. I visited on a weekday with three other friends and the service was okay. The food was not so good and took long (longer than needed). Will I give this place a second try? Probably not. read more

I just wish someone would make homemade tortillas. Same old store bought re-heated tortillas like everywhere. Wish another El Rey Del Taco would Open near Gainsville. Only place I know that is a "real" quality Taqueria. read more

If you like authentic tacos, menudo (Mexican tripe soup) and tamales like the ones from East Los Angeles CA, THIS IS THE PLACE! This is the same business that use to be a little meat market (El Mercadito) with hot and fresh soft tacos and tamales that was located on Atlanta Hwy. It was always packed with a line for soft tacos (tamales and menudo on the weekends). They've relocated and it's now a taqueria, at this location. Their soft tacos are as authentic as one can find like in East Los Angeles, CA (the "real deal" uses soft corn tortillas with meat in it [They do not use flour tortillas, sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes]). They do have the fresh salsas, lime, cilantro, onions, etc....at the self service area. At this time, I give their tamales a 3 stars. They are good, authentic, but this time their tamales are lacking the sauce typically mixed into the tamales (just shredded pork meat, little sauce and masa). In the past it was really good with flavorful sauced up meat mixed well into the tamales (different cook now?)...I hope they can go back to how they use to make it. It WAS really good in the past. However I give their tacos and weekend Menudo Soup at least a 4-5 Stars. It's a very casual place, and this new location is now at a better location too (across from Lakeshore Mall). Great mix of local Latinos and non-Latino diners and customers. Tamales and menudo are sold on weekends only. Since they've moved to this location, their menu has expanded. The owners were originally from Southern CA. We like supporting our local small businesses. read more

This is a good, cheap, no frills taco joint. I ordered three tacos for $2 each : asada, pastor, and carnita. All of them were good and served on 2 thick homemade-style corn tortillas. Salsa bar had good mild, medium and hot salsas with pickled jalapeños and cilantro and onions. Horchata was nice and sweet to take away the heat. Would definitely eat here again. read more

Great tacos, great prices. We will be returning and look forward to trying the tamales in the fall! Glad we know about this place. I was looking for something that reminded me of Texas tacos and this is the closest I have found in the area. read more

Taqueria El Mercadito - Front of the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Gainesville, Georgia