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    El Lado Taco

    4.4 (51 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Order El Lado Taco Takeout or Delivery

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    EL LADO TACO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - El Lado Taco

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    Reviews With Photos

    Steak - Gaonera Taco
    Taylor R.

    Coming from AZ I miss my Nana's tacos and she's from Sonora Mexico and these tacos are closest thing to her cooking. (Possibly better but we can't tell her!) highly recommend trying these

    campechano, shrimp, pescado, la bestia tacos
    Brian S.

    amazing happy hour deal and though drinks were good, i wasnt super impressed by the tacos. got the campechano, shrimp, pescado, and la bestia and my favorite was probably the pescado. it is a huge plus you can get corn tortillas instead of flour. tacos were pretty basic but cant complain for $3. service is nice, space is nice especially when the weather is nice.

    Gab G.

    No wait at 1 PM on a Sunday. Best breakfast tacos in NYC!! I tried: + El buen dia + Clasico + al pastor + Papas locas El buen dia and al pastor were my favorites. You also get a free hot coffee if you buy 3 breakfast tacos! P.S. The orange salsa rules.

    Shrimp / Camarones Tacoand El Buen Da Taco - Longaniza, Eggs
    Mike Z.

    Some great tacos and a few items which were inconsistent, but still a good experience overall. We came as a party of four and shared 10 tacos across everyone. Surprisingly, my personal favorites were the various breakfast tacos, with Buen Dia being my favorite. The grilled fish taco was also very juicy and tender. Howvee, they might have had an off day, as our chicken and al pastor tacos were a bit dry. The seasoning was still decent on them. The server was very kind and provided us with very extensive descriptions as we chose the tacos. Would love to come back and try again.

    El Clasico - Beans Egg Cheese
    Mary D.

    **Based on a food delivery** Was craving breakfast tacos and heard great things about this spot. It maybe because this was a delivery or because I'm used to California tacos but these were just okay to me. Hopefully I can try these again in person and give it another try. The highlight was the chips and guacamole which were fresh.

    Look at this gorgeous menu that's also a work of art.
    Alexandra S.

    Astoria, meet your new taco crush. This chic little cantina manages the impossible balancing act of feeling authentically Mexican while also serving minimalist cool-girl energy (like Frida Kahlo wandered into a design magazine and opened a taqueria.) Great service. Great location. Great prices. The vibe is brightly-lit and buzily intimate, the kind of place where you sip something citrusy and feel very *worldly* about it. The food portions are just the right size--indulgent without tipping into regret, and the perfect for a "let's just grab a bite" that accidentally turns into two rounds and a celebratory mezcal. Oh. And did I mention it is Happy Hour Tacos every day from 3-5 except Saturdays? But the real showstopper: the tortillas. Handmade. On-site. By actual humans. You can watch the magic happen in the behind-the-glass kitchen and taste the difference immediately (pillowy, warm, alive.) Add perfectly seasoned fillings, bright salsas, and prices that don't make you clutch your pearls, and suddenly you're planning both your next casual snack stop. This is Astoria doing tacos right.

    tacos
    Emily G.

    Enjoyed dinner with a friend at El Lado Taco! Right by the 30th Ave stop (N,R lines) which was convenient. The food was all delish. I really enjoyed the sides of esquites and guac which were both shareable potions. I got full on 3 tacos. I prefer seafood to red meat and I loved the fish taco. The shrimp taco was great to and was chock-full of ingredients! I was intrigued by "The Beast" taco (aka La Bestia). It had a generous helping of meat so I think meat-lovers would enjoy this, but personally wasnt one I'd order again! There's ample seating of dinner tables and high chairs that also have outlets. It was not busy at all, so it wwas really nice to have the restaurant to myself to dine-in. I imagine it's nice to have a breakfast there and can even get some work done in the mornings!

    Breakfast tacos
    Allison L.

    Absolutely thrilled this place opened in Astoria! As someone who loves Mexico City, I can vouch that these tacos are as close as you get to the same quality and flavor. They are a new restaurant on the busy block, but I've loved all of their offerings and there is always something new to look forward to on the menu! Their breakfast tacos are superb, I wish they served them all day! There are tons of vegetarian options that are fantastic using mushrooms, cactus, eggs, beans, and vegetables. The fresh tortillas and salsas really perfect the flavor profile and I've loved the shrimp and fish options they recently added! Their corn tortilla is vegetarian and I think flour tortillas have lard. Highly recommend this little joint for some of the best tacos you'll find in NYC! Will be coming here for years to come!

    Bethany W.

    Great new spot to have near us! El Lado does CDMX-style tacos and they do them better than a certain buzzy celebrity chef spot in Williamsburg. I love that they do both flour and corn tortillas, both made in-house. I've long lamented the lack of quality flour tortillas in New York but El Lado is fighting the good fight. My fiancé and I hit this place up for dinner and ordered a slew of tacos: the al pastor, the gaonera, the campechano, and the costillas. Each one was great and we're definitely coming back asap to try the breakfast selection too. The sauces are also amazing and a bit more unique than typical taqueria offerings. The chipotle in particular is packed with smoky flavor. Best of all, the prices are reasonable - $4.25 per lunch/dinner taco and $3.25 for breakfast ones - and each taco is sizeable too. We each had three and were comfortably full. The employee was also eager to help and hear any feedback. This shot up to our top 5 spots in the city and we'll be back many more times, I'm sure.

    Elsa C.

    Great spot for delicious and affordable taco. And the decor is really cute and staff was very friendly

    Soggy tostadas
    Arturo M.

    17 dollars ($28 with charges and tip) for the smallest container of pozole and soggy tostadas. Food was sub par. Do not recommend. Plenty of other Mexican spots in the neighborhood that are actually worth it. I recommend Riviera Maya.

    Menu
    Sandra R.

    I did not have food on this visit. I did partake in the cocktails. My margarita was very tasty not over the top, just right. The server greats you as soon as you enter the restaurant. That was a plus for me!! I enjoyed the decor for the small friendly inviting restaurant. They have cellphone charging stations if needed. Just glancing over the menu I was getting a little hungry.

    April 2025 - cocktail menu
    Stephanie C.

    Been here a few times now and the quality and the cost continues to exceed all expectations.. they are not skimping on the quantity of eggs in their breakfast tacos despite egg prices increasing - their prices are still low. There's plenty of new things on the menu including fish, shrimp, chicken and mixed meat tacos and they are all fantastic - especially the grilled fish taco. They offer bottomless coffee, free with 3 breakfast tacos - it's such a great deal for the neighborhood. This will definitely be in my regular rotation of local eats.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Love this place! The tacos were so delicious and such friendly service. The guac was awesome as well. Highly recommended!

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    2 years ago

    Really delicious tacos and Mexican soft drinks, with a relaxing environment in LIC! Strongly suggested and will go again!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Loved this new spot. Beautiful decor and hand made tortillas. Delicious sauces. This will be my new go to taco spot.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - El Lado Taco

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    El Rey Del Taco To Go

    El Rey Del Taco To Go

    4.2
    (18 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    We were loyal customers for over three years, frequenting the establishment almost every week,…read moreespecially during happy hours. However, our experience took a turn when the new management took over. Initially, the new owner and management were great, and we continued to return, even recommending friends to join us. However, things changed when they updated the menu and handed out an outdated version upon placing an order. To our surprise, we were shocked by the noticeable price increases upon checking out. We questioned the correction, but instead of addressing our concerns, we were simply given the new menu with the updated prices. I'm certain that we had received the old menu before the price changes. By the way, happy hour is until 5 p.m. compare to other restaurants it's until 7 p.m.

    Great prices and food and location! Happy hour drinks are…read morestrong yet cheap ($6). Tacos are SO GOOD and cheap, especially on Tuesdays. (Only certain tacos are available at the Tuesday special price, and none are vegetarian so I don't bring any of my vegetarian friends here on Tuesdays). The guacamole and hot sauces are delicious too. Gluten- sensitive- friendly: corn tacos and chips Tuesdays do get busy so you may want to go early. There's may be a long wait for food, or it will come out super quick. There aren't many staff there at once even on Tuesdays. Occasional language barrier, sometimes the staff doesn't understand English so may need to have Google translate app ready!

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    Mi Espiguita Taqueria

    Mi Espiguita Taqueria

    4.3
    (158 reviews)
    0.5 mi
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    I had high hopes for this place because every time I pass by it's busy inside. Went there after an…read moreappointment around 2:30 PM on a weekday and they had a study stream of takeout & delivery workers going in and out. I actually wanted their combo ($12) taco platter (3 tacos, Rice, Refried beans), but the choices for the tacos were chicken, pork, beef. The other combo that looked interesting was a beef taco, chicken fajita, and something called a sincronizada (ham & cheese pressed between 2 taco shells), & rice & beans. But their iPad system didn't have that (even though the paper menus did). I probably could've just ordered it with the cashier. I got ($13 Total) two tacos, beef tongue & al pastor ($4.50 each) & a side of rice ($3). The portions were very generous, and the first few bites things tasted good but a few more and I noticed that everything lacked flavor. The beef tongue was the best item, there was a salty sear on one side, but the pieces weren't as tender as other restaurants'. Maybe it was frozen and he didn't have time to defrost it? The al Pastor was chopped up meat bits with NO flavor. The pineapple and onions were nicely, finely chopped, but I didn't even finish half of these tacos. The rice had peas, corn, carrots, and string beans & big fluffy grains. At first it was tasty, with maybe hints of bullion and tomatoes; but after a few bites, it started reminding me of cafeteria rice & had a bit too much oil. It seems like a popular place, a mom and her kid came in for tacos after school, local workers and contractors who seem to know the staff and delivery guys, came in for their lunch. Maybe I didn't order the right items, or these type of tacos are more popular on the weekend. I also wonder that since I'm not a local or of the background, there isn't as much care put into my food. One contractor yelled "China! [cheena!]" to the staff as he walked in. Was I supposed to respond "Mexicanos!" LOLZ. I hope they do well though they seem like a neighborhood staple.

    Been going for a few years now pre covid…read more Tostada - 2020 $2.75 vs 2026 $5 Torta - 2020 $7 vs 2026 $11 Cemita - 2020 $8 vs 2026 $13 Tacos - 2020 $2.75 vs 2026 $4.50 Super torta - $13.50 (didnt see this on menu previously) Quantity and food consistency has stayed the same. Great place to eat 1 block walking distance from broadway train station. There are about 4 tables inside this "deli" like restaurant. Taste is great as well. The only qualm I have about this is the disproportionate pricing with inflation (ie: tacos are cheaper than tostadas). Also, when i paid using the machine, I paid taxes as well. Not sure If there is cash discount. I would come again if I'm in the area! It is authentic mexican food

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    Cafe De Olla  Antojitos y Chucherias

    Cafe De Olla Antojitos y Chucherias

    4.4
    (52 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    The restaurant (& small grocery area) it's a lot deeper on the inside that how it looks in the…read morefront. It's easy to miss & for me the name ("cafe") doesn't seem like large platters homestyle food, tacos, tamales, giant bowls of soup, many types of champurrado / atole de maiz. But EVERYTHING I've had so far here has been delicious & I want to go here with someone familiar with the cuisine because I'm sure that I'm missing out. The staff is very friendly. I think there's a few sons/cousins that are sometimes there & bring some of that young energy too. The wall menus are a bit hard to figure out & I think there's more options than they list. I saw a lot of people eating mole with rice & beans, and enchilada-type of hot plates, sizzling pieces of beef too, large bowls of soup. The steam tables are probably the best options for specials of the day - stewed chicken, different kinds of beans, etc. I should point & order next time. Have had: Suadero Tacos - melt-in-your-mouth tender beef (longer wait than other meats) Al Pastor Taco Pozole (soup): Red (slightly spicy) & White Versions. Comes with diced radish, lettuce, lime wedge, & tostada (I asked for 2). Red was better. White had a lot of pork belly fat-only chunks on the day that I went. (MUST like Mexican oregano with this soup recipe!) Champurrado: a hot corn flour drink with panela, cinnamon; other stuff. Could be a breakfast replacement. Horchata: just okay, realized that I like the Salvadorian version better. Might have had chicken tacos for a late first meal of the day & think was really delicious; but now a low-sugar memory Want to try: -Strawberry Atole (another hot corn flour drink recommended by the girl at a taqueria closer to me - where they don't make it) Overheard someone mentioning a Goat dish (maybe weekend only). Barbacoa Tacos anyone?! Chorizo Dorados sound awesome. Not sure what region/city honors are from, I wonder if they would ever make shrimp Baja-style Dorados (ie. LA Food Truck). Oh & def should try the Cafe de Olla (coffee with panela/cinnamon/spices) ... but bring my conchas from M-sa Madre Bakery. There's about 15 tables inside, family-friendly, solo workers eating lunch; Weekend couples, Grandpa bringing grandson for some soup. Cases filled with pan dulce up front also. The action figure collection on the front right wall is a super nice touch! To Yelp Reviewer who wrote that this place doesn't include avocado or guacamole with tacos: I don't think tacos normally come with avocado OR guacamole (depending on region & some places here probably add to appease Americans). $19 for FRESH 3-4 items (TONGUE!) is excellent.

    Some of the best tamales i've had! Have to go back to try the guajillo tamales, they were sold out…read more Which brings me to my next point, arrive early! This spot is so good it gets packed on weekends, but you can secure a table while waiting on line. The atole de fresa was not too thick and hit the spot on a warm sunday morning. The concha wasn't dry and went down well with their cafe de olla - definitely a unique taste to coffee that i'd love to have daily.

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    $10 Red Pozole, weekends only!
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    Ruta Oaxaca Mexican Cuisine

    Ruta Oaxaca Mexican Cuisine

    4.5
    (353 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    After having dinner, my friend and I were walking around when we came across "Ruta Oaxaca Mexican…read moreCuisine." Ironically, earlier while trying to decide where to go for dinner, I had sent this restaurant to my friend but we ended up going somewhere else and came here for drinks afterward. The drinks were really good! We tried the "Sexy Oaxaca," which consists of 7 Misterios Doba-Yej Mezcal, Cointreau, grilled pineapple, mint agave, fresh lemon, and warm salt. This drink takes your taste buds on a ride. It starts off light and refreshing with the mezcal throughout, then finishes with a smoky effect from the pineapple since it's lit. It was really good!! I also tried the "VIP Old Fashion," made with Patrón Extra Añejo, Nixta corn liqueur, Angostura, and orange bitters. This was also good and was smoked prior to being served, giving it a smoky aftertaste. It's definitely a drink you sip slowly. Although we arrived about an hour and a half before closing, the waiter was very polite and professional. They also didn't rush us out once it was closing time, which I appreciated. There were other customers still there enjoying themselves as well. I will definitely be back for dinner. I'm very curious to see what the food is like. I really enjoyed the drinks.

    I've had Ruta Oaxaca bookmarked for awhile and finally got around to trying it out. The atmosphere…read morewas great and the music was popping. Service wise it was alright. Nothing bad, but I felt like it could've been a bit better overall. The food was good though, I ordered the mixtos tacos, which let's you pick three different tacos from the menu. It was around $23, which is a little pricey. But the tacos were a decent size and definitely filling. My favorite thing I tried was the chori queso. I never had it before and it was honestly the standout dish for me. I would order that again. I also tried the enquites which is street corn. It had a bit of a burnt taste. I know some people enjoy that smokey flavor, but it really wasn't for me. Overall, it was a nice time and for some of the dishes too.

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    Taco Veloz Astoria

    Taco Veloz Astoria

    4.5
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    0.8 mi

    After making a name for themselves in Corona / Jackson Heights, Taco Veloz finally settled into a…read moreproper brick and mortar here in Astoria, taking over for the defunct Taco Brasserie (#1). Unlike their sister taco stands out where things were cheap and open late, this location featured an expanded menu, colorful decor, and even accepted credit cards. Unfortunately the experiment doesn't appear to have lasted long, as they closed up late last year / earlier this year. Like many stores along 36th Ave, the space was small but quaint. They were big on togo orders, but the handful of tables was just enough for a group lunch or intimate dinner. The vibe is a complete departure from their other locations, and one that this part of the neighborhood could have benefited from. While the location and storefront made them different from their stands, so too was the food. It wasn't bad but also was very on par with the sub-NY standard of Mexican fare. The breakfast plates felt average, enchiladas were very bland, and the tacos were not at all similar to their other spots. Seafood was also not their best showing, and their tortas and burritos were less than memorable. I did like their aguas frescas and sincronizadas, as those were the safe bets. __________ (#1) Taco Brasserie: https://www.yelp.com/biz/taco-brasserie-astoria

    Taco Veloz does not waste your time…read more You order, you blink, and the food is there The tortillas are handled like royalty It's casual, sure, but in a confident way Like "yes I'm wearing flip-flops, but I still run the place" The quesadilla was so good I briefly considered learning how to make one Then I remembered I'm lazy and they deliver It's clean, it's bright, and nobody judged me

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    El Lado Taco - tacos - Updated July 2026

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