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    El Malo Tacos

    4.3 (118 reviews)
    ModerateTacos, Bars
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order El Malo Tacos Takeout or Delivery

    El Malo Tacos Photos

    EL MALO TACOS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - El Malo Tacos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Taco Al Pastor QuesaBirria Taco Carne Asada
    David D.

    Been wanted to try this spot out and was in the area. Glad we did because the tacos were so good. We ordered a couple different tacos. The best one of the batch had to be the al pastor. They had a ton of meat and the avocado salsa was a chef's kiss. Every taco we had was good. They also have a bar connect though it was closed at the time. The tacos are on the expensive side. About 4 ish to 5 dollar a taco but well worth it. If you in the central area and craving tacos hit this spot up!

    Taco Campechano Taco Cameron Taco Pollo Adobado
    Justin S.

    The food was so flavorful I was honestly surprised. With it being my first time, I wanted to try all of the options (cept pork because I don't eat pork) The Adobado (chicken), Campechano (steak) & Cameron (shrimp) were cooked perfectly & packed with fresh toppings. I got the combo so it came with refried beans & rice. I'm normally not a big fan of refried beans but these had a great texture & tasted really good too. The Campechano taco was so good, I had to go get another one LOL. A friend of mine got one of the homemade tres leeches cakes & let me try it...it was so good I went and got my own too. It had a slight hint of cinnamon & the despite being wet, the cake was still dense. Some of the best tres leeches I've had (No diss to Manolos bc his are amazing too, but this is on the same level imo). I'm highly satisfied, so this gets a rare 5 stars from me. I will be back. Also, side note, they have a speakeasy hidden away in there. I didn't end up going in there but it had a consistent flow of traffic going in so I'll check that out when I come back.

    Mexican Coke
    Ben W.

    Little taco spot with very tasty quesabirria. The quesabirria is served with hot sauce and consume. As a bonus, they have Mexican Coke!

    Barria tacos
    Emizz Z.

    Barria FTW Love the option to be el Malo or vibe at Hermanita. Easy, fast service, and a great place to hang with friends. Must get their birria options- delicious consume.

    Ashley F.

    I'm a fan of this spot! While here this past week for a work event, I also ordered additional food to enjoy a full meal. I got the steak taco and shrimp taco. They were so good, I devoured them in like 2 bites and later ordered the same thing again lol. I love the chill vibes on this side and then when you cross over to their speakeasy called Bar Hermanita its a whole other vibe! The food is top tier, staff is cool and funny! I loved my time here, meal and drinks. They have seating inside and outside. Highly recommend!!!

    None of the onions/radishes included this time.
    Elizabeth R.

    This is my third time here. I have tried the different proteins with chicken being the clear winner-enough to only order this. Disappointed this time because the usual onions and radishes were not included. One of my favorite parts of the food here. The energy was loud but quick inside.

    Saturday late dinner!
    Brian V.

    Pregame for CLTFC playoff game with Brody. We both order exactly what we got last visit a week and half ago. This is officially Brody fav spot in PMW and it's one of my favs also. Great food and service. 3 times in one month! Good times!

    April H.

    My hunt for So Cal style Mexican food has brought me to El Malo. It was good but still not exactly what I have been looking for. But.... it is way better than many other places my hunt has taken me to. You can either use the walk up counter and sit in the restaurant part or you can go to the bar area that is hidden behind a door. Service in both areas is good. Bar drinks were good and the bar is really cute. The tacos and burritos were good as well as the chips, salsa, and guac.

    Birria, camaron, and crane asada tacos
    Johnny Z.

    Purely by chance we happened to arrive right when they opened--what perfect timing! The menu is simple and easy to follow, which made ordering a breeze. We decided on the camaron, carne asada, and birria tacos, and they were all absolutely delicious with just the right amount of kick. The Al pastor burrito, on the other hand, was massive--definitely a meal in itself! The interior is simple and has a relaxed vibe, making it a great spot to enjoy a casual meal. The friendly customer service added to the experience, and I loved that you can watch them cook right in front of you since the kitchen is adjacent to the dining space. The only thing I'd change? I wish they'd fill my cup all the way to the top--I love horchata and wanted every last drop! Overall, El Mano Tacos is a great spot for delicious, no-fuss Mexican food. Highly recommend!

    Loaded  nachos. Looks good right?
    Maritza R.

    So the reviews had us, however the food did not. It's a cute little place. Plenty of seating inside or out. The service was quick. The food lacked seasoning. I ordered the nachos with carne asado. The cheese wasn't what I expected at all. All I could eat was the meat and the beans and pico. There was no way to eat it as a true nacho. I ordered a taco just so I wouldn't be hungry. The guacamole was the star of the show.

    Maddie K.

    I love mexican food, and can never get enough. So I'm glad this spot opened up in the neighborhood. You walk in and order at counter, and then they will call your number when the food is ready. I really liked their chips and hot sauce. I got the quesadilla and it was HUGE. They definitely fill it up. My boyfriend also liked his tacos. For a quick bite to eat, this is a good spot to check out!

    Kameetrice F.

    Without question- the BEST burrito I have ever had!! I was headed to the hospital and needed something to eat. As I was driving down central ave I spotted this restaurant. It is located in a plaza. As such, the parking lot is shared with the other businesses. The staff at the counter was friendly, I opted to order the Burrito Pollo adobado. It was made to order so it took about 15 min to be ready. I ordered this to go since I needed to get to the hospital. When I took the first bite I was hooked! I don't know what they put in this to make it so great, but It was everything! The food tasted fresh and it was well seasoned. If you are thinking of going- stop thinking and just go- you will be glad you did!

    California Fries

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    4 months ago

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    30 days ago

    10/10 experience! Food was super fresh and service was really fast. I got the California burrito and it did not disappoint

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    6 months ago

    Good service and food. Sort of a mix between authentic and modern tacos. Friendly staff and clean place

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    Ask the Community - El Malo Tacos

    Tacos El Nevado

    Tacos El Nevado

    4.0
    (215 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$

    Ordered tacos de asada con todo, On Wednesdays they do tortillas de maiz azul which gives it that…read moreextra authentic tacos. The Hostess was excellent on sitting us down quickly, waitress took our drink and order accordingly! Inside they have an open bar, snacks, candy, desserts for sale will definitely be coming back next time I'm in town for a good meal!

    As a Bay Area transplant and lifelong foodie, I'm always chasing recommendations for great local…read moreeats. Tacos El Nevado came highly recommended, so I headed over for lunch with high hopes. The restaurant was packed when I arrived around 1:30 p.m., which is usually a good sign. It appears to be a converted fast-food building with its own parking lot, outdoor patio, and a casual, family-friendly atmosphere. Despite the Charlotte heat pushing triple digits, the dining room was comfortable and bustling. Service was friendly from the start, and I was quickly seated with ice water, lemon, fresh chips, and three house-made salsas. The chips were excellent--fresh, crisp, and clearly made in-house. The standout salsa for me was the red salsa, which packed plenty of heat and flavor. There was also a tomatillo salsa and a creamy green avocado-style salsa. Both were good, although the tomatillo leaned a little too tart for my taste. The menu is extensive, with everything from seafood dishes and quesadillas to tacos and larger combination plates. As someone who loves sampling a little of everything, I was hoping for more traditional combo options, but this menu takes a different approach. I ordered the crispy taco plate with rice and beans. The presentation was attractive, with the tacos served upright in a metal rack alongside refried beans and Mexican rice. The rice and beans were both delicious and easily the highlight of the plate. Where things got mixed for me was the taco filling. I was expecting a straightforward seasoned ground beef taco, but the beef filling tasted more like a guisado-style preparation with a softer texture and a slightly tangy flavor profile. It may simply be a regional style or a misunderstanding when ordering, but it wasn't what I had anticipated. The chicken taco, however, was excellent. Tender, flavorful, and clearly made with higher-quality chicken than you typically find in a crispy taco. After trying it, I immediately wished I had ordered all chicken. While this visit didn't completely win me over, I don't think it's fair to judge a restaurant by one dish. The packed dining room, friendly service, fresh chips, excellent salsas, and strong chicken taco all suggest there's more to explore here. Next time, I'd skip the crispy beef tacos and dive into the street tacos or some of the house specialties that seem to be what many regulars were ordering. Tacos El Nevado didn't become my favorite Mexican restaurant in Charlotte on this visit, but it earned a second chance. Life is too short not to eat well, Charlotte. Keep exploring. Sometimes the next great meal is just one menu item away.

    Photos
    Tacos El Nevado
    Chips & queso
    Chips & queso
    Steak, chicken, & shrimp burrito

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    Steak, chicken, & shrimp burrito
    Que Fresa - Uptown

    Que Fresa - Uptown

    4.4
    (60 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Que Fresca is a fast and fun experience. They have 2 counters - one for food and one for drinks…read more You walk up to the counter and order. We got two Burrito Fresas (one grilled chicken and one chicken tinga). The burritos had the COOLEST crunchy cheese coating on the tortilla that the hugs all of the ingredients inside the burrito. Both the grilled chicken and the chicken tinga were phenomenal. We truly could not decide who the "winner" was because they were both so flavorful. Now, to talk about the other fun part!!! SORBET MARGARITAS! I'm obsessed. I had initially seen Que Fresca on social media, specifically for the soft serve margs. And let me tell you - they did nit disappoint. They have two flavors - strawberry and lemon (and then you can do a swirl). They were SO refreshing and delightful!! It was such a fun way to ~eat~ a margarita! All of the staff were friendly and very quick. The restaurant is well laid out and I love that it had TVs to watch all the games. The bathrooms are fun too - as the mirrors have color changing lights! I cannot wait to come back and try more!

    So as we elected for tacos.. close to our hotel, this was in walking distance…read more The ambiance and decor are vibrant and match the taqueria aesthetic. The idea is that place your order, pick a seat and your order is delivered to you. We picked our seats at the bar first because it was pretty packed for Friday night. We took our time to browse the menu but we knew we'd be getting the IG viral Sorbet flights we'd seen. Now on first attempt we got our food, it was completely cold. We informed one of the waiters and asked for our meals to be remade. So upon getting my food second time: 1 Birria Taco, 1 Chips and Queso and 1 Chicken Tinga, it was warm. The Birria taco was my favorite as the chicken didn't hold too much flavor for me. Now we ordered 2 Sorbet flights. We didn't get them as advertised.. no rim coating and the flavor offerings were duplicated. As we compared what we got from other patrons we saw what was missing and the flavor differences. Overall our meal and drinks were underwhelming and we let the staff and manager on hand know. She apologized for not making our Sorbets with rim coating and the food mishap. As guest of NC for the weekend, our host told us we'd gone to the wrong location.

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    Bar area
    Bar area
    Margaritas at the bar
    Margaritas at the bar
    Que Fresa - Uptown

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    Velvet Taco

    Velvet Taco

    3.9
    (160 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    Good food, good people. I came here only for the fried paneer tacos but left with a new favorite -…read morethe "Nashville Hot Tofu." These tacos used to be under $5, but now at $5.50 each, this is still a budget friendly meal. I ordered two tacos and was full, but maybe could have had a third since they were so good. Since I can't handle too much spice I got the spicy seasoning on the side to sprinkle on the 'Nashville Hot Tofu" as needed. The fried paneer is mild. Both tasty vegetarian taco options. There was a velvet cake that looked great but also 1025 calories for a slice! Decided not to get that this time. Staff is friendly and I like that they announce your name and say 'It's taco time" when the order is ready. Plenty of indoor/outdoor seating with high top tables too. Restrooms available and free parking.

    I was shopping and wanted to grab a bite for lunch. I debated trying this place because I wanted to…read moresit down and have a drink. They had tacos and margaritas, so I figured I'd give it a try. It's café-style, which isn't my favorite setup, but I must say the staff was wonderful--friendly and helpful with ordering. The kitchen was busy, but the food came out quickly. I went to grab a seat outside with my hands full--water and a margarita--and an employee asked if I'd like him to bring the food out to me. Well, yes if you don't mind! It was so nice to enjoy the fall weather, people-watch, and eat my tacos. I loved the shrimp taco, but the salmon one was a little spicy for me. The salmon itself was delicious though. The queso was yummy. I did stay away from the cake, but it was tempting to try. It was fun listening to them call customers' names to pick up their orders, but someone also came out to check on tables and make sure everyone was okay. He addressed me by name--the same guy who took my order and walked my food out--then later checked on me again. Great place!

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    Beer and menu
    Beer and menu
    Velvet Taco 8
    Velvet Taco 8
    Velvet Taco 1

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    Velvet Taco 1

    El Malo Tacos - tacos - Updated July 2026

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