I've tried to put together the words to express the blessing El Itacate has provided to this fine earth in the form of their queso dip. I'm really not sure I can do it justice. The picture I've attached... also doesn't do it justice. All I can say is that a bowl of melted cheese is covered in a layer of fried cheese and the explosion of cheesy flavor in your mouth is to.die.for. If for nothing else, if you are in Sayulita you must stop by here for queso dip! Their tacos are great too. Be patient, because they aren't exactly in a rush (or even slow jog) to serve you, but it's definitely worth the wait. read more

El Itacate - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Food is so good! Great service here too. We got the steak itacate and LOVED IT. It's pretty big though, as are their tacos. 2 tacos is def enough for one person. Their tuna taco is really good (and different too!) read more

We stopped in here to try the itacate taco which others have said were really good. Basically, it is more like a burrito than a taco and instead of the tortilla it's literally wrapped in fried cheese. Sounds yummy, but to me it was really 'fried cheese' overpowering. Almost to the point where I could not eat the 'wrapper' of cheese and ate the inside filling with some tortillas that we asked for! Other things here were ok, but a little bit on the salty side. Again, this place has a good reputation and the food was not bad, but I just think there are better choices around. However, it's interesting to try once! read more

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El Itacate in the center of Sayulita was recommended by a friend and it did not disappoint! We sat upstairs because the ground floor seating was full both inside and out. Our friendly waiter, Isaac, was great. The steak in my arranchera taco was grilled to perfection. And my chile pulpo was a creamy delight. We will return! read more

El Itacate - Love the salsas - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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You're blowing it if you don't get some tacos here while you're in town. Recommend you try the jamaica quesadilla and the vegetarian chicken tinga. read more

Large overstuffed incredible tacos! I ordered the arrachera steak taco and it was the best quality steak ive had on a taco in my entire travels through Mexico. The waiter sUggested a taco with cheese in between two tortillas wIth breaded chopped chicken and sautéed poblano peppers on top. We already plan to go back there again during our stay. read more

Head waitress is awful and all the locals agree. Next time just tell us you dont want us here before we sit down and suffer through your morose experience. And ine bowl if rice in a mex restaurant because you are out. Really. Just plain awful. If you hate your job go do something else. read more

Food was great. I recommend getting the signature dish it is truly something amazing. Staff was great!

Get the Itacate! It's like a burrito but with fried cheese as the tortilla. And the chicharron de queso - it's just straight up fried cheese. Both are mind blowing. Also the most flavorful shrimp tacos and taco add ons (delicious beans, grilled onions, all the sauces...). A must when in sayulita. read more

El Itacate - Chicharron de queso - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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Amazing tacos, a step above the basic street taco. I usually want to visit as many restaurants as possible when I don't have much time in a town, but these were so good I went back several times. The tacos are just the filling you order and the tortillas, and then they bring out the fixings for you to do what you want (great for this cilantro hater who always sees ordering tacos as a gamble). Good margaritas as well. read more

Get in line early for this hot spot! I loved that the food is all served on beautiful wood plates. They provide a yummy assortment of condiments as well. Super guacamole!! Huge portions so if you aren't up for a BIG dinner, just order one taco! read more

An excellent choice for an affordable, delicious meal in Mexico. For less than USD $11, I had rib eye tacos that were grilled-to-order, fresh guacamole with chips, and a margarita. Not to overlook all of the fixins it comes with - beans, trio of salsas (I wish they bottled and sold them to take home), onions, more onions, and grilled onions. Service is wonderful - really terrific - I ate here almost daily during my time in Sayulita and sent many of my traveler friends here as well. Never once was I sick, ignored, or left hungry. A hidden gem! read more

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Not real Mexican food. Got drawn in by the crowds and salsa selection, but meat was poorly cooked (dry,bland), octopus over cooked. Do yourself a favor and go to the smaller spots that don't have Yelp pages... read more

In our late June trip to Sayulita this spot had some phenomenal dishes that are rare anywhere. The namesake dish - El Itacate - is a burrito made not with a tortilla but with a fried cheese crust stuffed with roast pork and vegetables; totally keto for us Westerners who want our fat and keep skinny too. It was the single most extraordinary dish of our trip, which is saying alot because Western Jalisco and Southwest Nayarit is a land full of dueling chefs offering up authentic Mexican food with off-the-chart taste profiles. The salsas weren't as great as neighboring Mary's Tacos but the Crispy Cheese Stuffed Burrito - "El Itacate" - did not need them. While the salsero underwhelmed, El Itacate also provides a bowl of beans and cup of roasted onions in foil of which we asked for extras. read more

El Itacate - The beans and roasted onion accompaniment in addition to the salsero. - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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When we asked for more chips, the waitress hesitated and started to walk away, then stopped and said, "we're out of chips." We we're surprised, because it was only after 5 pm, so we asked her if she was sure. After she confirmed she was, within 5 minutes, we witnessed her and the manager delivering chips to 2 new tables. When we asked them both to explain the discrepancy, they said new chips had just been delivered. No apology and no offer of chips! Also, the tables are on the street with lots of cars, people, and stray dogs. Not sanitary at all. Sorry we ever went. read more

Excellent! Great little roadside place. Hit it at the end of a beach day. Mucho great!

On our quest to avoid eating at the same place while vacatIoning in Sayulita we decided to try El Itacate. There is seating along the street or upstairs (where we decided to sit). Upstairs seating you get a nice view of the colorful street decor and a birdseye view of people watching. My family and I shared tortilla chips and guacamole. My husband tried the chicken Itacate. If you love cheese this is for you. Basically a fried cheese burrito! Kids and I got grilled chicken and steak tacos. You get a selection of salsas, grilled onions, limes and beans to top your food with. Everything was delicious! They also have clean bathrooms upstairs. Service was fast and friendly. Highly recommend! read more

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Just go. Massive tacos. Fish and carnitas where outstanding. Highly highly recommend to everyone traveling through. Did not try the itacate but the couple next to us said it was amazing read more

El Itacate - Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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I went to Sayulita last month with a big group of friends for Melissa K.'s 30th birthday. We arrived early on a Thursday evening, sweaty and restless from a long, confusing cab ride from Puerto Vallarta. I'd eaten nothing but Cheetos all day, and was happy when we left to eat almost as soon as we arrived at our house. We had our first meal of the trip at El Itacate, and it was a great way to kick off a weekend of beautiful gluttony. We walked in around 7:30, and though the restaurant was clearly small, there was a decent amount of seating available outside, with tables running into the cobbled street. We were a large party, but we were seated right away. Service was great--our server was polite and attentive and bilingual. Dinner was fun. The space was cute and cheerful--pink painted exterior, orange wood tables--and there was an adorable dog who came and napped at my feet for the entire meal. I liked the relaxed, casual ambiance. I had a cold Pacifico with my dinner, and this seemed just right. There were some bees around, and one of them drowned in my friend's Diet Coke--but hey, bees live outside, and our waitress replaced the Diet Coke promptly. The food was decent for the most part. Great crunchy tortilla chips, a nice, smooth guacamole. Two trays of condiments accompanied our meal--one had diced red onion and cilantro, white onion and habanero, and wedges of lime; the other a stop sign formation of green, yellow, and red salsas. It was fun playing with all these condiments, though I'd advise sensitive eaters to tread lightly--a couple of them were scorching hot. We also got beans and soft, marinated onions cooked and wrapped in foil, both great complimentary sides. I ordered two tacos, rib eye and gobernador, and an itacate with shrimp. The tacos were the weak point of the meal, and probably the worst tacos I had on this trip. I think I just ordered the wrong meats. The rib eye was kind of grey and flavorless, and I guess I'm not really into mashed up marlin. The tortillas were nice, though, soft and fresh, and I loaded up on the good condiments. The gobernador taco also came with a layer of fried cheese, which was not a problem. That same fried cheese served as the outer shell of the itacate, which was essentially a burrito with cheese in lieu of tortilla (with little tortillas on the side). This was pretty great, the cheese salty and cheesy and crispy, wrapped around a mess of shrimp and cooked vegetables. The shrimp was delicious, plump and beautifully seasoned--I just wish there'd been much more of it. El Itacate was less consistent than it could've been, but I liked the place, and suspect if you figure out the best meats, you can do well every time. Shrimp on everything seems to be a good bet. Get it with lots of fried cheese and cold beer and enjoy. read more

Stellar tacos and accompaniments. It may not look like much, but they're definitely putting out big, big flavors from this tiny kitchen. The adjoining bar also has some of the best cocktails in town. You should definitely pop by for a visit -- well worth the wait. read more

Variety of salsas is amazing. The drink sizes are really big and shareable. Service and food was amazing. Place is easy to find.

It's just a hype. Not good flavor and overly priced. Food made me sick! Save yourself and not go here. No itemized bill and way overpriced. They cater to whites. If your white do not get over charged. Paid $100 dollars for 2 burritos, 2 tacos, appetizer and a soft drink read more

There are good restaurants that are merely good, and then there are good restaurants that are revelations -- the kind of place that make you understand, for the first time, why a particular food even exists. El Itacate is a revelation. I now understand why chiles rellenos exist, and apparently they exist in order to be put in tacos. I know that may sound weird, but you'll just have to trust me on this until you come and try it for yourself. The chile provides a sour/sweet vegetable base against the intense salty richness of the cheese, and the taco is piled with other vegetables as well. The best vegetarian taco I have ever had is a chile relleno, and the best chile relleno I have ever had was in this taco. And the wonders of El Itacate don't end there. Inspired by the chile relleno I tried the garlic mushroom taco ("hongos al ajillo"), a treat of garlicky earthy intensity. These vegetable tacos are just fabulous, (There are meat-based tacos too, and the quality of the meat is quite high, but they don't seem to get the flame hot enough to really brown or blacken the meat, and ordering another steak taco would mean one fewer vegetable taco...). This spread also comes with three different salsas, including an excellent rendition of the elusive salsa macha (a good match for the chile relleno), chopped onions and cilantro, and a delicious combination of lightly cooked onions and habanero peppers. We came here for lunch and liked it so much that we stuffed ourselves and then came back the same day for dinner. read more

I had a taco de pulpo and another de rajas con queso with queso fundido and guacamole with chips for the table. I'm so full and satisfied (so good) and service was great! I wish this could be a common occurrence. I'll be back the next time I'm in town. read more

El Itacate - Queso fundido y guacamole with chips. - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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We were in Sayulita for 5 nights and this was the only restaurant we went to twice! Loved it! Food, drinks, service & vibe. Fried cheese was the best! Make sure you sign on the wait list when you get there and read the menu. They don't hand out menus, you gotta be ready to order when them come. Super popular place! read more

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Worse customer service, would not recommend. Our female server was extremely unwelcoming. Otherwise food was not bad.

The prime rib tacos and queso fundido cheese fondue is the best in town. We ate here many times in our 2 weeks in Sayulita. It is worth the wait for a table! read more

Definitely check this place out if you're visiting Sayulita. They load you up with tons of salsa options and the queso fundido is AMAZING. We ordered carnitas, mahi mahi, and steak tacos - all exceptional. Heads up - this place is cash only which we weren't aware of going in. Also there's a bit of a precarious stair case to the upper level but it's worth the climb for the good food! read more

El Itacate - Funny doodles throughout the restaurant! - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Great spot amazing tacos with some very out of the ordinary ingredients. Over all highly recommend this place read more

El Itacate - Great place and great staff food was amazing def recommend it - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Holy moly! Goooooooooood food here! Tacos come loaded with meaty portions and there's multiple different sauces and salsa's to add to your liking. Highly recommend the fried cheese taco! Yeah.. the taco is made of fried cheese instead of a tortilla. So, dang, good!! Great margaritas and service was always on point! read more

El Itacate - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Oh man, this place is as good as the reviews suggest. We had a mouth orgasim and both agreed it was our best meal in Mexico in 2 weeks! The Itacate is a travelers dream....something new that you may have not heard of before, a fried cheese wrapped burrito without the tortilla. We also enjoyed 3 tacos that were so full of meat we turned them into 6 and shared both meals. We were stuffed with huge smiles! They also had a really good margarita!!! Go here!!! read more

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I made the mistake of eating next door first... but after some walking around, I came back and am SO GLAD I DID. Get any of the itecates and an aqua fresca, and be prepared to have your mind blown. I so regret wasting stomach space at my "mistake stop" next door... don't make the same mistake as I did. Look for the grill in the window, and you'll know you're in the right place. read more

I went for the fish tacos, but I don't think that's their specialty (steak is probably their specialty). The mahi mahi taco was ok, but the tuna taco was really good! They bring all the fixings to your table for you and let you dress the taco as you'd like. It just starts with tortilla and the fish. I would go back to try the steak. read more

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Holy moley .... Best carnitas I've ever had!!! Excellent food quality... great service and all round good vibe:)

Worst service of my life, this business thrives off of white tourism only . I had a bill of 200 dlls which I was more than happy to pay but when I asked for the bill with the prices that weren't included in each item the Latino server(i am also Latina) scoffed at me and threw the bill back in my face. If you're white expect good service, if you are not then take what you get. Point. Blank. Period. read more

My first visit to Sayulita was made memorable by the first meal I got in town, an Itacate from El Itacate. The cheese! So lovely. I recommend it, along with the other restaurants on this little strip of restaurants and bars. Sayulita doesn't have much, but what El Itacate offered was a great way to start my stay in the town. read more

Great place to go at night for some good tacos. The mushrooms with cheese and the rajas with cheese tacos are excellent . Also the ribeye Itacate which is steak wrapped in fried cheese doesn't get any better. If you come to late you might not get in because they will shut down the line. read more

El Itacate - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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Jorge is so kind and has done an amazing job creating this restaurant and is doing some creative original things with his food! The itacate (fried cheese) with chicken is AMAZING!! We had never had fried cheese like this before! Definitely a must try! The Papas with cheese and ribeye oh my word is incredible. Definitely a must try when in sayulita! read more

El Itacate - Itacate, ribeye tacos, chips and guacamole and papas - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

In my opinion the top 10 taco joint in all off Mexico! Loaded with your choice of fresh meats & all the side condiments is off the charts delicious . You must try this place if you are a taco connoisseur. Wish we can open one is LA. read more

El Itacate - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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BEST TACOS IN SAYULITA !! They do have seating upstairs. So it's not nessary to sit in the street. Amazing flavors all cooked immeaditly upon ordering. read more

El Itacate - Tacos Near Me - Sayulita, NAY