Kind of need to agree with the only other review thus far from this year. I feel misled by the previous reviews, seeing that's how we chose this place to try. We made sure that the hours were correct, made sure they had food, and made sure that it would be appetizing for us. On our way here, I felt like I had taken a wrong turn on multiple occasions. Just turns out that it feels like you are going the wrong way until you come upon the plaza. Had to double check we were in the right place. Pulled up, parked, and walked in. What we were met with was not restaurant in nature. It was more of a store in transition with seating. As soon as we walked in we noticed the table in the one corner being used as a trash heap. Cardboard boxes broken down and stacked upon one another. So many, you couldn't go in that area. We also thought we entered here during their closed hours as there was no one in here, or so we thought. No customers and it looked like no employees. That was until someone came from behind the counter with a mouth full of food. We did a quick look around and pretended to be interested in the coolers before we left out. It did not smell as if food was being prepared in here. It almost came off as a convenience store than a place to grab what sounded like some pretty good food. read more

**BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT.** Man, what an awesome little Mexican spot. Cafe Aroma is nestled on the strip of brownsboro right across the street from Taco Bell. look for the sign that says "real Mexican food" and they aren't fibbing on this. The fish tacos here might be my favorite in town done street style with onions and cilantro and does a great job of highlighting the fish; (tilapia if I'm not mistaken) so if you're looking for delicious, simple clean fish tacos this is the place. Leave your exceptions low, and not in a negative way at all as the atmosphere here could be off putting if you're expecting a glamorous sit down restaurant. There is a bit of langue barrier as Spanish is mostly everyone's first langue there but they do a great job of helping you through the process. Lastly, there's a lot going on here at this little spot (small convince store, money orders, calling cards) so don't be skittish and yes, I promise you're in the right place. Only down side is I can't have a beer with my fish tacos but grab yourself a glass bottle coke and you won't even miss it. read more

I went by the high ratings for authentic food upon choosing this establishment. The only positive I can offer is the lady that waited on us was very nice and friendly. The restaurant/grocery store smelled of a strange aroma or spice that was not pleasant. We chose to ask for takeout and wait. Our chicken nachos had no flavor at all and had cold cheese dip on top of them. The chips were thick and store bought. The salsa that we took home tasted like the marinara you put on ravioli. We were hugely disappointed in the food but the location was nearby so we at least tried it. read more

Absolutely fantastic. Food was delicious, employees were awesome. Cute little grocery with a few items in there too. I will be back very soon and probably again after that. read more

Had this place on my list for a while! We ordered for lunch then came to pick up. It looks like they also sell snacks, drinks, a few other groceries, and hats. It's a small space but it wasn't busy when we came. There were booths open inside and a picnic table with two guys sitting outside. My friends got tacos. Carne asada, pollo, and chorizo. They thought they were decent. The pollo and carne asada were a bit dry. My sister thought the chorizo was the best out of the others. The salsa and sour cream helped though. The salsa was very spicy! But super good and flavorful. Loved it! I got a carne asada burrito. It was large! I only ate half. It had rice, cheese, beans, lettuce. It wasn't bad. But the carne asada was a bit dry for me too though the filling helped to combat that. Prices werent bad though. $11 for the burrito and $4 per taco isn't terrible for inflation. Parking was a little odd. They share the parking lot with other businesses. There were lots of spots open but it's not a large lot. It could get filled pretty fast. read more

Ordered tacos here and it's pretty good! Fast, affordable, and easy. I'd order here again!

this restaurant is epic. super homie vibes and amazing service. i ordered al pastor, asada, and chicken tacos, and the al pastor was freaking delicious and definitely my fav. overall though, all the tacos where consistently gas and i would recommend this as one of the best mexican spots i've had in louisville. read more

Cafe Aroma - 2 al pastor, chicken, asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Food is excellent, portions are big, prices are not high at all. I love their tacos, tortas , I consider myself a good connoisseur of Mexican food since I am. Mexican born and raised in Mexico City. That is why also only mentioned tacos and tortas. Burritos were introduced into my diet until later in life. I would say that their flavor still awesome. Their service is the best I have experienced in the US after 30 years. They are always smiling and welcoming. I love that place. It's a diamond in the rough!!! read more

Delicious, fast, authentic, and affordable. Love this awesome family owned cafe. Very friendly service as well.

Great authentic Mexican. Simple and done right. I had 2 chicken tacos with onion & cilantro on corn tortillas; squeeze bottles of hot sauce and a cilantro crema were brought to the table. Service was very friendly, the place is very casual and small. Looking forward to going back soon (and perusing the small selection of Mexican condiments/groceries they have)! (Tab for 2 tacos + soda was just over $7 - can't beat that.) read more

Called in a pick up order on my way to work-quesadillas and tostadas. There was a little bit of a wait and it was a little awkward (as is everything right now) but it was worth it. The crowd started gathering to pick up their food when I was waiting so I figured I was at the right place to get good food. One of the gentlemen waiting asked me if I had eaten there before and I told him it was my first time and he said it was really good. And he was not lying. We also ordered cheese dip, which I requested because it is not on the menu online. So good. Large chunks of beef and fresh toppings. The cheese dip has the right amount of spice and they give you a huge container of it. One serving would have been good enough for sharing but I am not sharing anything! The online menu states an order of tostados is two and I received four. There were a little messy but only because they were packed full of toppings. I am glad this is close to my home. read more

Cafe Aroma - Beef Tostadas - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Cafe Aroma is a little eatery located in a small building which is also a small grocery. And its all just...OK. Everything is geared to a very bland, white person palate. The beef nachos were just ground beef with some standard queso, tomato and lettuce. No peppers? no salsa? No cotija? Nope, nothing to give it a little oomph My chorizo quesadilla was OK but the chorizo was dry and not spiced in any way, so it was basically ground beef. I did borrow some hot sauce from the next table and that helped it immensely, but nothing had been given or offered when I was served. Its just OK and fine and perfectly acceptable for 90% of the Louisville population, but I will continue to seek out more authentic Mexican cuisine read more

I doubt you'd be able to find less expensive tacos ($2.50-ish) anywhere within the 264 perimeter, and I'm also certain you'd have to head a few miles out on Preston Hwy to find a taqueria/bodega with this sort of authentic look-and-feel (which, admittedly, isn't for everyone). Also, going a step beyond being a mom-and-pop, this is a full family affair: I was waited on by the ten(ish)-year-old son, and the mom brought out my food with one hand while carry her toddler in the other. All of the above is sufficiently charming, and my chicken tacos (street-style and minimally adorned) and rice/beans were tasty enough, but weren't quite as hot and fresh as I'm used to at my favorite spots (Panchito's and Taco City Louisville). Regardless, I'm a fan, and it's possible the small gaps in quality would be remedied on a second visit. read more

I would call this a Mom and Pop restaurant. It is very small and not fancy. There are a total of 8 booths and tables to seat four people each. The service was very good. And I believe that the food was very authentic. I also know it was delicious. We ordered guacamole. It had more tomatoes in it than avocado, but it still tasted pretty good. Three of us ordered tostadas; two of which were chicken and the other was vegetarian. They were three tostadas on each plate, which was more than enough. The bottom was very crispy and the toppings black beans, lettuce, cream, & cheese were good. My sister ordered chicken tacos, and she said those were very good also. Something that was unique, each of us had a different kind of plate. If you want to grab a quick delicious bite to eat, then give this place a try. But remember I told you it's not fancy. If you are eating with a picky person, don't eat here with that person. read more

They close way earlier then yelp says. But they said they would stay open for our big family. We had 9 people. They just asked us to only get tacos. Which was so nice. They close at 5:00 on Sundays and we came just before 8:00. Well let me just say....BEST MOST AUTHENTIC TACOS EVER!!! Delicious. Yummy. Just wonderful. Satisfying and tasty. This is a family place. Her 4 kids are there. Some crying some playing. Toys everywhere. I loved it. We do our business with family also. It can be so hard but so worth it. The 2 month old was a bundle of precious. If your stuck up too good. Don't go here. It's not the cleanest. But I'll tell you it stole our hearts. We also bought a bunch of Mexican snacks to go. Our bill was $55.00. Very reasonable for our big bunch. My husband said... give her $80.00 and call it good. What was funny is all the Mexican workers who saw us in there so they came to eat or buy snacks. And they served them also. At least 8 came. Listen try this food. I felt like I was in Mexico. Food was great. Home cook feel and taste. I almost forgot to say why we went here. First they had Orchada. The best we ever tasted. And she kept filling our cups. For only $2.00 a glass. Yummy. Second there were no weird Mexican sculls. read more

What to get: chorizo tacos Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: very casual, fast take out Wait: 0 mins (Friday 5PM for 1) Parking: small parking lot The Experience: When I thinking about Mexican food, it's usually the homemade meals that I'm craving. Don't get me wrong, I love all the new and exciting flavors these new places have to offer...but sometimes I just want a straightforward and damn delicious taco. No gimmicks. Cafe Aroma is my new guilty pleasure for Mexican food. Located on the way to Kroger, you have to keep your eyes open for the small driveway up to the small parking lot. Traffic only goes in one direction so watch out for the entrance! The place is located in what looks like a reconfigured portable or office space. The register is on your right as you enter, but you can also ask to sit at one of the probably 5 tables inside. You've got the Spanish news going on with a few of the family kids running around, so you know this is a family spot. Nothing fancy, but you're here to get some good food. Their menu doesn't have a lot of items, but everything is very cheap. $2 per taco. I ended up getting 2 beef tacos and 1 chorizo taco. It's topped with onion, lettuce, cilantro, then you can add the hot sauce (I definitely recommend doing this). The chorizo was by far my favorite, but they were all very good. So authentic, it makes me miss home back in California when I go over and eat at some of my friends' houses. I'm tempted to ask if they could make soups or tamales...but that might be stretching it haha. So now I finally have a place in Louisville, which serves authentic Mexican home-cooking. Good place for reference for anyone on the hunt for this exact thing ;) read more

Cafe Aroma - 2 beef and 1 chorizo taco - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Five Word Summary: Your Mexican Friend's Mom's Kitchen So picture this. you meet someone from Mexico and they invite you to their house for food. Then you show up at their house and the mom is juggling 3 things at once, children are at play and there are amazing smells emanating. Add to that a small grocery section, hispanic construction workers ordering that days special and the best traditional tacos and guacamole and you have this place. This is an amazing find! Who says food places need to have the traditional customer- owner transactional dynamic. Go, be family, watch children's shows as you eat tacos al pastor and Tamarindo juice. Afterward have a latin bakery item from a local Guatemalan baker and leave satisfied. Also if you need hair gel or cell phone accessories, they have that too. Grading Scale: out of 5, 1 is not very much, 5 is to a great extent Foodie Adventure rating: 5 Picky Eater rating: 3 Americanized: 1 Food Authenticity: 5 Food Quality: 4 Service Quality: 3 Value per bite: 5 Healthy Choices: yea Would I bring my mom?: Yes, to make up for not giving her grandchildren Would I bring my Drunk Friends?: Yes, but take it to go. Would I bring a Tinder Date?: Yes, if she or he is cool. Spicy Food Hub?: Yes, That red sauce THO! read more

Cafe Aroma - As close to the meat as you can get without getting your eye wet. - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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I am obsessed with Mexican food! I'm not talking about Tex-Mex, swimming in red sauce and cheddar, nor am I talking about the ubiquitous bland, Americanized Mexican food. I like the real deal, and that's what Café Aroma offers. I'm a little embarrassed that this was my first visit: I have literally driven by Café Aroma 100 times. In my defense, you are not likely to happen upon Café Aroma. It is in one of a row of cute little matching gray cottages, set back from Brownsboro Road. By the time you notice the sign on the cottage, you have passed it, and "Café Aroma" doesn't exactly scream "Mexican Food!" Do yourself a favor and turn around: you won't be sorry. The owner is very welcoming and friendly. She speaks perfect English, hardly accented. The Café offers a very small menu, limited tacos, tostadas, burritos and quesadillas at very low prices. I ordered four tacos: one each of chicken, ground beef, pastor and chorizo at $2.00 each. I also ordered a glass of unsweetened iced tea at $1.00. The iced tea was good. Food is cooked to order, so the tacos took a little while to arrive. Each one was delicious, served authentically with two corn tortillas, chopped onions, a little finely chopped lettuce, and lime slices for squeezing on top. There also was a bottle of a delicious house made salsa. It was spicy and flavorful. Unlike the picture on the menu, my tacos had only a trace of cilantro. I didn't mind, and it's probably good news for you cilantro haters. Or, I bet you could also ask the nice lady to just leave it off. In the back there is a small store, with a few shelves of Mexican dry goods for sale. Café Aroma is less than a half mile from my place of business, so the nice lady is likely to see a lot of me! read more

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authentic, relaxed, cooked to order, and friendly beyond expectations... what more could you ask? I have had take-out and eat-in enough to recommend this place. It may not look as inviting as some chain but delivers all it promises. What's more, the wifi is strong, tables are clean, open hours are accommodating. Recently was hungry for breakfast and they accommodated with an egg chorizo omelet. My thanks to Cafe Aroma for hanging in there during covid times, it's a local business I intend to support! read more

I probably wouldn't eat in this restaurant again. It smelled horribly in here, and it is not particularly clean. Surprisingly, though, there are a few positive things about this place: The server was friendly, and the food was served quickly. I will say it was fresh food! The chips and guacamole were amazing. The guacamole is chunks of avocado mixed with pico de Gallo. I ordered ground beef tacos, and they were incredibly bland. No seasoning on the beef. It is cheaply priced food, but even the price point didn't make up for it. But I'd order the chips and guacamole to go again. ‍ read more

Cures my taco crave BIG time! Went with 2 of my com-padres and we started with pico and chips. Chips were lightly salted and the pico was very fresh. She gave us some of their hot sauce to go with...which I thought had just the right amount of heat...although one of the guys it was too hot for. We all had tacos, I the pastor, delish! They each had a combination of chicken, ground beef and pastor. Both thought the chicken was good but a little dry, but the other two made up for it! They especially loved the seasoning on the ground beef. Very basic menu...tacos, burritos and quesadillas but I love the place for a quick fix to my taco craving!!! read more

Delicious Mexican food! Owner was very friendly and welcoming. Small space, nothing fancy, which I personally love because it gives you an even more authentic feel. I ordered 3 tacos - chicken, beef, and chorizo. The chicken was my favorite but they were all very good! Fresh, perfectly balanced, and generously stuffed. I left feeling happy and pleasantly full. Not bad for just $2 a taco! Definitely coming back! read more

Cafe Aroma - Delicious tacos for $2 a piece! So worth it. - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

The food: I ordered the el pastor and the guacamole. The guacamole was brown signifying they used way too ripe avocados or they let the guac sit out. Both I wasn't cool with. The tacos were good but very basic. They had no kick. The place: This place wasn't very clean. I was disappointed and afraid I was going to get sick. I checked the health dept rating and it said 96 but this place had empty cans on the shelves and the bottles they keep the sauce in were dirty. The bathroom was clean which is good. The Service: Not good. They forgot my water even though we were the only customer at the time and the tacos weren't anything out of this world. Also it took a while just to get gauc and chips and a cheese quesadilla with a spoon of sour cream. It was a tortilla warmed up with cheese and a bowl of guac and a bowl of chips. Nothing that should have taken as long as it did. The Gist: very affordable mexican food but I won't be going out of my way to eat here anytime soon. I wouldn't recommend. Sorry. I don't know how this place has gotten such good ratings. read more

very good food in the señoritas are very pretty, there's nothing like authentic Mexican food I could eat it every day don't change anything

We have gotten take out from Cafe Aroma more times than I can count and I have had most things on their menu. I have never been disappointed in the flavor, portion sizes or value. I have eaten here once and while they were very accommodating and offered great service, I would just come here for take out. This is our go-to place for all Mexican food. read more

I've lived next to this place for years and never went, until recently. Wasn't disappointed as their tacos are cheap and good! $2 tacos and I got carne asada. Also got guacamole and chips for 3.99. I'll def go back. I'd give a 5 star if they put Elote on the menu!! read more

You've gotta be fair sometimes and try a place twice, right? Well, I did. Walking in, this place gave me a feeling that I was going to get some authentic goodness. Let's just say that the atmosphere is deceiving. Both times, my tacos were just off. Like halfway Mexican style and halfway American style. The meats were soggy and tasteless. ( must not have hit it with the flattop ) Tortillas just fell apart due to that as well. The most sad taco was the chorizo. I mean borderline watery with no crisp action. The store has a few common goods like Jarritos and other super basics, but there were things I was surprised I could not find. I reallllllly wanted to like this place due to it being so close to my house, but I probably won't be back. read more

We ordered chips and guacamole, ground beef tacos and a chicken burrito. Everything was delicious!! Great prices too!! We were impressed with the flavor of all the food and will definitely return! read more

Usually I only post after multiple visits and I've just been the once, so I'll try to update later. If you want to spend a little more on your Mexican food, I think Louisville has plenty of "tastier" options, but it is worth stating that the price is pretty right here, though not the sort of bang4buck to flip out about. Still, at $2 a taco you're getting pretty fresh and tasty food for pretty cheap, and the guacamole was a cut above the rest of what we ordered quality-wise. This place is definitely authentically Mexican: You'll note the spanish TV, and the little Mexican grocery section which adds charm to the barely-styled interior (bonus tip: if you're a gringo like me who was only ever exposed to Tapatio and Cholula for the longest time, come down here and get yourself a bottle of Valentina to try! It's in the same vein as those two but I personally prefer it despite loving all three). read more

Love this place! Very casual, low key place with great food. Fresh and fast. Can feast for 2 for $15. Tacos are full of flavor. Burrito was HUGE and only $6. The cheese on it was super good and fresh. You leave without the gross feeling that you get at lost Mexican places. read more

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Food is amazing at the right price. Nice family running it. I get the best tacos in town and get to support their business.

Best Tacos in Louisville....hands down!!! The pastor was bangin!!! The Salsa Verde they give you was also so delicious with the right amount of heat! Don't sleep on this little gem!!!!! read more

Delicious family run restaurant, no frills, however everything is authentic and fresh. The service was as amazing as the food! This place is a must try if you are looking for no frills authentic Mexican food at a REASONABLE price, like 2$ a taco reasonable! Enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to try their guac! read more

Cafe Aroma - Tastes as good as it looks! - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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My favorite taco place that's not in Okalona. It's a family-operated restaurant with friendly service and reasonably priced food. The al pastor tacos are amazing. I've also heard the burritos are incredible though I have not tried them. read more

Best tacos downtown and on the Eastern side of Louisville. The restaurant itself is difficult to see from the road but is well worth the search. Purchased 4 generous tacos for $10. Al pastor was fantastic. Will definitely return (frequently). read more

This is not the place to come if you're looking for ambiance and fancy decor. But if you don't care about those things and want delicious tacos check this place out! We ordered the guacamole and it was made fresh and was a huge portion. Any other restaurant would be charging $9+ for that much and it was only $4.50. I also had one of each taco, they offer four varieties. All were delicious but I'd highly recommend the chorizo and pastor. In addition to the menu they have some grocery items. We purchased a package of fresh corn tortillas for only $1. Definitely recommend giving this place a try. Some of the most authentic tacos we've had in this area of town. read more

Great tacos! Not a handsome place but the food is solid. I got four tacos for $10 and it was more than I could eat. They were all excellent. They come on two soft corn tortillas with lots of meat and lots of flavor. The salsa that comes with it is excellent, and I suggest you get an extra. I think my favorite was the chorizo but the chicken was a close second. I'll go back! read more

Went here a few weeks ago and it was pretty dope. Got the chicken burrito and it changed my whole view on what burritos should be. Completely authentic. Everything made from scratch. Very affordable. Give this place some love. read more

Arguably the worst attempt at Mexican food that I've had since I lived in Boston. Unflavored, bland, overloaded crap. We ordered the tacos and the quesadilla togo and both disappointed and ended up in the trash. We live ten minutes tops from this place. I won't drop a dime here again. read more

What great food. Discovered while on business via Yelp and checked it out. Did not disappoint. Terrific family run restaurant. Food and quality are spot on! Will be back. read more