"We charge for salsa" Um, excuse you? Came in for some tacos to go and noticed their salsa bar was gone, wasn't asked if I wanted salsa when I ordered so figured it was a health code issue and asked for some when my order was ready. The response? "We charge for salsa". IT'S A MEXICAN RESTAURANT. I mean I get it that costs are up, but seriously, WTF. 100% won't be going back read more

Decent Food, But Overhyped and Overpriced. Let's roll. Efren's came highly recommended after I asked locals where to find a good taco truck--because somehow there appear to be no taco trucks in San Luis Obispo... which honestly is wild to me. How does a place in California not have taco trucks everywhere? Since Efren's was the recommendation, I decided to give it a shot. First impression: the place is huge with a lot of menu options. Unfortunately, the service didn't match the hype. The young woman taking my order had absolutely zero personality and I mean zero. Not rude, just completely uninterested. I ordered a burrito and a soda, and the total came out to just under $20. Newsflash: if I'm paying $20 for a burrito and drink, chips and salsa should not be an extra charge. That felt ridiculous. Yes they charge for chips and salsa so I passed on it. To make matters worse, the same employee who took my order brought the food out but set my burrito down while serving other customers who ordered after me--letting my food sit and get cold before I even got it properly. As for the burrito itself? It was fine. Not bad, not amazing just a burrito. Nothing about it justified the price or the hype. If you're looking for a 'mid' burrito, this is your place read more

Efren’s - Asada burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Taqueria that serves authentic Mexican- Free Chips and assorted salsas Assortment of drinks alcohol n non alcohol Spacious indoor and outdoor seating Diverse me u with specials, vegan, seafood Refried beans just like Abuelitas Cute mural decor inside- clean and you can bring your dog cause there is also outdoor seating- read more

Efren’s - AYCE salsa - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

well, this place went to the bottom of my list. You take away the chips and salsa and start charging it for in a Mexican restaurant. You've got greedy. I'll go somewhere else that's like going to Italian food and not getting bread. read more

Got a meat burrito with carnitas. The meat was dry and the whole burrito was salty. There was lots of rice and not enough of everything else to balance out the burrito. The woman taking the order was not very friendly. They charge extra for chips and salsa, which is criminal in my opinion. read more

I forgot what I ordered, so I don't know what's in the picture. ): Food was great, nothing much to comment on, and I appreciated that there was an open salsa bar so that we could pick out our toppings and sauces. The whole restaurant is really spacious and open. read more

Efren’s - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

I ordered a veggie tostada. It was okay. But my review is more about the salsa. I'm including a picture because it was super watered down and looks like swamp water. There's no way I can eat that. The people at work all thought it was gross. read more

Efren’s - Supposed to be salsa, more like swamp water - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Food was amazing this place should be so much busier! Service was good and food was even better! Inside has great vibes and artwork. read more

Efren’s - Chilaquiles with meat and eggs - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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This used to be one of my favorite and most-visited restaurants until they started charging for salsa. Charging extra for salsa at a Mexican restaurant is absolutely ridiculous. Salsa is a basic part of the experience, not some luxury add-on, and nickel-and-diming customers over something so standard is a great way to ruin loyal business. read more

Honestly, Efren's doesn't look too promising. My first impression was that it would be just another 'fast casual' burrito place. I could not have been more wrong. The first clue was that there is more on the menu than just tacos and burritos, and our attention was drawn to Siete Mares (seafood soup) and caldo de res (beef soup). Both were outstanding, aside from having to deal with the crab legs (real crab, not that fake krab stuff), and the bones in the beef soup. The stock in the caldo de res was rich and beefy, and tasted as if it had been simmering for hours on a back burner. It had a fullness of flavor that made you think of some abuelita's kitchen table. The service was also very efficient and friendly, which is always a plus. Go for the soup. read more

I wish I would've taken a photo of my food. This is probably the best AUTHENTIC Mexican food Ive had in SLO. Reasonable prices, friendly staff, versatile menu. I was beyond impressed. Coming from Salinas where Mexican food is king this is a great spot to enjoy your lunch or late dinner. The horchata is 10/10. SO to the cashier for her friendly service! read more

Efren’s - Best AUTHENTIC Mexican food in SLO - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

The food is top notch. The new girl behind the register is ruining the experience. The past three times I have been there she had been consistently and unnecessarily rude. She may be the reason my family never eats there again. read more

FOOD: I got the tacos dorados combo without beans. Delicious as always in every branch lol. Tasty and not greasy. The meat is perfectly seasoned; not salty or bland. Food coma hit right after this meal. My go to at Efren's. SERVICE: Quick and easy ordering. Staff is nice and attentive. Welcoming staff as well. AMBIANCE: Plenty of tables for small groups and bigger groups. High ceilings and well vented. Bright lights and tables are well spaced out. Plenty of parking. Not that noisy when I went around 3 in the afternoon. Highly recommend visiting and trying their food. They have a salsa bar for your chips only for dine-in! Will definitely come back and try other things from their menu. read more

Always good food, good flavor and lots of it haha. Very clean, tables are bussed fairly quick and have seen a dirty bathroom read more

Efren’s - Birria - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Tried Efren's Mexican Food on Laurel Lane and had a great experience overall. I ordered the carne asada taco ($8) and it was absolutely delicious--tender, flavorful, and satisfying. My companion went with one of the burritos and was a bit let down by how rice-heavy it was with not much meat. The restaurant itself is clean and inviting, and our food came out super fast. One big plus: they still have a self-serve chips and salsa bar! That said, the chips were a little stale. Also worth noting--while chips and salsa are free when you dine in, they'll charge you $2.10 for them on to-go orders, which feels a bit odd. Despite a couple small quirks, I'd definitely go back. Solid spot for a quick bite. read more

The food here is great. My boyfriend loves the fried fish, and I'm obsessed with their chips and guac. The portions are generous for the price, and they have a big variety of burritos and tacos -- I love trying something new every time. The only downside is ordering through delivery apps. I don't do it anymore because my orders were often wrong or missing items. In person, mistakes happen too, but they're easy to fix since the staff is always super nice and helpful. read more

Love this spot for two reasons, its next to where i work, and its open early. I love that i can order lunch early in the morning and its ready to eat later in the day! read more

They make a great Pozole! Family owned and operated, they have a couple of locations, but I live the Oceano location. The atmosphere, decor and service is what I love. The carne Asada plate is awesome. read more

Not sure what's going on with Efrens used to be my favorite place actually used to give them five stars but the last two times I've been here their tacos. The quality of the meat just does not taste right it always seems to be the Lengua and tripas I didn't even finish eating them. They just didn't taste right and what's up with when you order a beer you'll sit down here almost done with your food by the time you get your beer. read more

Best Mexican food in SLO hands down. Great burritos, street tacos, live music. Whenever I'm in town and have a hankering for some good food that's where I'm most likely to go. read more

Yummy very good food and nice atmosphere! I felt welcomed in there. Good music taste too. read more

Efren’s - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

I regret choosing to eat here. It is overpriced and poor quality. Either the cashier didn't hear me say Asada or didn't care to tell me it would be ground beef. The California Fries were chili fries with shredded lettuce. We love Asad fries my husband Hates chilli fries. I never would have paid 20$ for Chilli fries! We threw the food away. So disappointed. read more

Dependable quality and value, and I like that the kitchen is open so you can watch the food being prepared. Nothing fancy but tasty. Don't miss the Agua Fresca and the desserts. read more

Grubbin' Mexican food. Huge portions, totally gut-buster and delicious. Add a huge mug of beer and you've got... 5 stars! read more

The food was extra spicy and we could not eat it. We ordered the Baja shrimp tostada, and the chili on it was incredibly spicy. I think they should've asked us whether we would eat something that spicy. The sides of rice are all so very pricey. We came at the end of the day while they were cleaning and they were nice enough to serve us. But if you plan to eat here, I would ask about the spice level!! read more

Efren's Mexican Restaurant is a casual breakfast/lunch/dinner spot. You order at the register, receive your number, choose a seat, and get served your food. The inside is a lot bigger than it looks on the outside and can easily sit large groups. Their breakfast burrito was great and would highly recommend their salsas. CHIPS ARE EXTRA read more

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Oy tuvimos mal servicio. Muchachos de las micheladas se equivocan de mesa y nos hizo esperar mucho. La comida se nos enfrió por ese inconveniente. read more

So here's a funny story. I was driving to SLO for an appointment. It was a bit after lunch and I hadn't eaten anything yet. I still had time before my appointment to grab some lunch. Since I was using navigation, I pulled up the app and looked up restaurants just to see what was close by. Well Efren's, Mexican restaurant didn't happen to be the actual restaurant I picked. What I picked turned out to be just a coffee shop even though it said it was a restaurant. I looked over towards Efran's and saw that it was pretty busy and thought I'd give it a chance. What a good chance it was. The menu is huge! You can choose from breakfast to classic Mexican lunch or dinner fare. It's all cooked right after you order. Your order is placed, you're given a number and you sit down at a table. The food shows up quickly at your table. The chips are fresh and warm, a must in my book. The pico de gallo was fresh and not spicy just flavorful. The other sauces offered plenty spicy. When my chimichanga came, it didn't look like anything I've seen before. It was quite delicious. Although the seating feels rather like a cafeteria, the murals on the wall are quite fun to look at. This would be a great Saturday lunch place to take a date. Give it a try. Let me know what you think! read more

Efren’s - Chicken Chimichanga.... - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

This place has become garbage no one was at the register and there chip bar is dirty looks like they don't clean it. There servers look super unhappy with a face expression that they don't care. read more

Super good Mexican restaurant to stop at in SLO. Standard taquiria procedure, you order, they give you a number and you have a seat where you like. They did add a limit to how many baskets you can get for the complementary chips, you have to go to the register and ask for the basket and cup for sauce now which they didn't do the first time I went. I did get their carne asada crispy tacos the first time I went which I really liked. The shell was a bit thinner but still flaky, and the meat was really good. The tacos were just all around perfect in my eyes. The second time I went I got the chicken flautas which were not my favorite, they were not as crunchy as I had hoped they would be but tasty nonetheless. My boyfriend ordered the carne asada plate and he had no issues with it. The rice and beans were also pretty standard I liked the flavor the rice had. Some of their salsas are also hit or miss but most were good. As avid Mexican restaurant enjoyers I'd say this one is good to check out if you're in town. Mexican music and chefs singing in the kitchen is always a great vibe! read more

Efren’s - Chicken floutas (back) and carne asada plate (front) - Mexican Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Good taco salad & asada tacos, warm chips & salsa bar was great. Appreciate the varied menu.

Wow!! Great customer service unfortunately they are pretty far from us. We were driving home from our spring break week and were hungry on the road. We searched and decided to try them. It was great! Cashier was super patient (we had a party of 9) we ordered and received all our food pretty fast. Super clean establishment. Friendly the only thing i wasn't happy with was the horchata it was super grainy but might of just been super missed from the bottom? Definitely delicious! read more

This is a great restaurant, these people are nice and attentive, the vibe was good we enjoyed the food and beverage. and we had a great experience. Thank you for the service! read more

Good news (I think) Efren's is opening a new downtown near the cineplex opening on Marsh St. If the menu is the same as the original restaurant you will be in for a treat. read more

They make delicious food consistently. This location is just as good as the original with more menu options and a great salsa bar. They even make buche and milanesa tacos. They are not always the fastest in the kitchen but the quality is always the best in town. read more

You have to catch this place on a good day. Sometimes you can get ho hum quality of food. The first time I tried Efren's last year it was great but recently tried it again with my boyfriend and it was a miss. read more

I came here on a Wednesday for lunch when the World Cup was playing. It was full of spectators watching the game so it was a tad loud. We ordered our food pretty quickly and got our food quickly also. I got a caldo de res and my friend got a torta cubana. The caldo de res had fresh veggies that were not soggy. My friend's torta cubana was also delicious and it was pretty big, he ate half of it. read more

What are nachos? Now, before I get started, I would like to assure you I am no strict constructionist, food wise, or any-wise for that matter. (Come at me Griswold v. Connecticut) I firmly believe food can be whatever creative people dream up. Which brings me back to my original question, what are nachos? At what temperature should they be served? Should the cheese be unmelted? Are nachos just a mound of cold ingredients placed unceremoniously atop a pile of chips? I'm not saying I need each chip lavished with perfect combination of toppings to be happy. But bare minimum, the definition of nachos has to include melted cheese. read more

Decent, basic Mexican food. Combination plates are a good deal. I only do take out. Now in SLO and Santa Maria. If you want really good Mexican food go to Mexico. I spent a year there stuffing my face. read more

Hungry college girl approves Tasty tacos and happy tummy!! Very good service thank u read more