I've been here a few times now, and it's become a pretty reliable spot when I'm craving a solid burrito fix. Most recently, I got their super al pastor burrito, and it definitely hit the spot. The al pastor was flavorful with a nice balance of savory and slightly sweet, and they didn't skimp on the portions. Everything was well-packed, and the ingredients came together nicely without getting soggy halfway through. I've also tried their carne asada in the past, which was good as well. Tender and well seasoned, though not the most standout I've had in the area. Still, definitely satisfying and consistent. Service is quick and straightforward, and the vibe is your typical no frills taqueria. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. Overall, a dependable go-to for burritos in San Mateo. Not mind blowing, but solid enough that I keep coming back. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Super burrito al pastor - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

One of my favorite Mexican food restaurants in the Bay Area! Food is reasonably priced and it full of flavor. I always get their carne asada super burrito and tacos. Staff are friendly and there is a good amount of street parking. It is across from a school so you could also park there if school is not in session. They take card and cash! read more

Today must have been an off day. Seems like everyone loves this place. I came in today for the first time and the food was not good. No seasoning on the meat. Shrimp was dry and also flavorless. The salad would have been decent but I wasn't even given a dressing for it. The chips and salsa were a miss, chips tasted burnt. I had high hopes for this place. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Food was great and prepared very quickly. Carnitas was yummy. Service was excellent. The place was very limited with seating so that is the only bummer. read more

See all

Breakfast and delicious lunch and dinner items. I've been to the location in South City and this was is just as good. I have tried their breakfast platters which are super reasonably priced ($13) and the camarones con asada. This came with some juicy steak and perfectly seared shrimp. The options come with tortillas, rice and beans and salad. I think they're quick and do a great job. I've also eaten at the restaurant and it's clean. The salsas are all delicious. Yum! read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Camarones con asada - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

I think we've found our spot for when our mood calls for Mexican breakfast. They make the best egg-based Mexican breakfast item in the area so far. I had huevos con chorizo. It comes with a generous amount of scrambled egg with chorizo, refried beans, rice, tortillas and chips. Everything was flavorful. It was enough portion for 2 meals. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Huevo con chorizo - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Got two tacos, carne asada and lengua. The tacos were delicious, and the salsa they add isn't too spicy. There's a small parking lot close by. Something else to note is that the horchata is pretty thick. I'd definitely come back again to try their cabeza. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

I have been living in the Bay Area for just a month over 21 years and I've never found a place I can call my go-to taqueria up in the North Bay until now. In my search, I've been looking for the place that uses authentic home-made flour tortillas and captures that unique carnitas flavor through the right type of cooking. I can safely say that after taking one bite out of my burrito I instantly fell in love. The carnitas is flavorful, not salty and the refried beans not mushy but has texture. The salsa is spot on and what I really like to do is drape that delicious tomatillo sauce right over the brim where I took that first bite. Absolutely tasty. My flour tortilla test has to pass the following criteria- pinch test and chewiness test. If both those standards pass then it's a go! The I don't like dry flour tortillas ever! I usually wash my burritos down with a Sangria but opted for the classic mandarina Jarritos although they had other flavors available. The lady was really nice to us and smiled when I went back for another order of menudo to go. I haven't dived into the menudo yet but if the burrito was that good, why stop there? The menudo comes with a tray filled with onions, cilantro, dried and regular chili and don't forget additional corn tortillas. I also had the pleasure of taking a bite out of my son's Al pastor taco. The corn taco was spot on and Al pastor well-seasoned with that grilled barbecue essence. Another must-try. We ate by the window and enjoyed a father-and-son moment. What really brought us here were our empty stomachs after pounding through 280 golf balls for almost 2 hrs at nearby Mariners Golf Range. Finding this place was the greatest reward. The location is within a small neighborhood and parking is off to the end of the building or if you're lucky, the street in front or across. read more

See all

Tried the super burrito with al pastor and with carne. Really good super burritos, not dry at all, flavorful meat. The burritos are a decent size as well, would definitely recommend to try the burritos. Will try the tacos next time if I come back. Friendly service and plenty of seating as well. Clean environment,. read more

Lengua super burrito. Plenty of meat. Grilled. Not enough sour cream. Loved the green sauce. Still comes with chips. Super fast because no one was there. There's a small parking lot. They have "combo" so you can choose two meats. Very intriguing and tempting but I stuck with one meat. Super cheap, well cheaper than in SF. read more

I was in San Mateo and hungered for a great breakfast burrito with chorizo. El Palenque did not disappoint! It was a perfect combination of chorizo, egg and some veggies inside a toasted tortilla. Loved it! The service was friendly. It is a non-descript restaurant inside a non-descript small strip mall close to a laundry. The prices are very modest. I will be back to try their lunch plates. This time, the Yelp reviews were correct! read more

El Palenque Taqueria - A very very good breakfast burrito! - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

My go to neighborhood taqueria! Their pastor is pretty good, so we tend to order that in the form of tacos or burritos. We tried their asada once or twice and it fell short compared to their pastor. You get free chips and salsa once you spend a specific dollar amount. I'm not sure what that dollar amount is but we usually get it when we order 2 burritos, if that helps! I tried their horchata twice and did not like it very much (only tried it a second time to give it another chance). The service is quick and friendly, and you're able to call ahead for pickup. read more

Still da best burrito in the Bag Area! People are friendly, food is delicious! Love the window seating to people watch while enjoying my delicious lunch! read more

Small little hole in the wall taqueria was recommended by a friend. Not a whole lot of seating inside. I got 1 super prawn burrito and 2 super steak burritos for take out. As far as taste the prawn burrito was aright. Smaller than other taquerias. The service was interesting. When food was ready the girl yells out READY! I was only person waiting for food so knew it was my order but still kinda random. Like others said, they should use paper bags instead of plastic for the chips. The chips they give are not much either. They gave 3 different types of salsa but only 2 for each one. The pico de gallo didn't have a lid either. Prices are about average. No salsa bar Street parking only read more

See all

Authentic Mexican food. Good price and the staff always friendly. Small place, not a lot is sitting but Recommended 100%

Went there lunchtime today (Saturday) for take out, went there because we read in reviews that they have good Mexican food and also, we were around the area. We parked almost right in front of the restaurant, street parking, I don't know if parking is hard if the place is busy. Not a lot of people when we came in. They have a couple of tables. Place is clean. The lady at the counter was polite. They have different kinds of Mexican food in the menu but we ordered 2 super beef burritos for only $12 each plus tax. They gave me the burritos in 5 minutes. The burrito came with chips and salsas, they were generous in giving salsas. The chips were newly cooked, fresh and crispy. The burrito was really big and had a lot of beef. The rice, beans and beef were very flavorful. There was guacamole in the burrito. Me and my husband were only able to finish half of our burritos because it was big. This place is a hole in the wall. Highly recommended and will come back to try their other dishes. read more

See all

I have not come here in so long and decided to try them out again because I enjoyed the last time I tried it. I ordered their Garlic Shrimp plate and oh ' it hit the spot. The place is clean and very organized. The host and cooks are always very accommodating. And they have made my food fresh, so when served it's hot, smelled good and tasted delicious! Enjoyed my meal and will definitely return another time! read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

Took my dad here for lunch and he really enjoyed the food. There's a huge selection to chose from but I already knew what I wanted. I normally go for lengua tacos and I gotta say, El Palenque did not fail. The meat was juicy, tender, and very flavorful. Service was very quick and it's a small little shop right across from what I believe to be an elementary school. There's ample parking in the back but also a lot of street parking as well. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Was recommended by a friend to come here. I thought it was suppose to be cheaper than it was but the burrito was worth it! I really enjoyed the Al Pastor in the burrito, it was so flavorful. Also the chips were really good here too! However I wish they put the tortilla chips in a paper bag or a different bag and not in a plastic bag. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Fajita - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

We were craving Mexican food on a Saturday afternoon after returning to the Peninsula from the City. We found this place and stopped by. It's very tiny and no restroom. This seems to be a mom and pop shop, and the staff spoke very limited English. We both got burritos. Mine was a prawn burrito, while they got a wet burrito, and we shared tortilla chips that were loaded with avocado. It was all really delicious and indulgent Mexican food that hit the spot for us! read more

See all

Missed them the other day but was able to get 4 carne asada tacos tonight and it was definitely worth it, portions are nice, taste was great and service amazing. No complaints, I will be back! read more

4.5. Had the carne asada super burrito. It was one of the best burritos I've ever had. The burrito was ginormous, the tortilla nicely grilled and shaped around the ingredients, flavors were popping like the guac, the salsas were tasty esp the pico de gallo, and the price was a reasonable $12 (regular burrito $10). I didn't take a pic bc I was so hungry and I had to dive right in. read more

It's a local taqueria up in North Shoreview. There's limited seating depending when you go visit. Some days it's empty and you can beat the line, other days we came when there wasn't really any seating available. Inside is pretty small, but the food is good nonetheless and I always order their tacos el pastor whenever I stop by. I love local spots and give all my love to them, including this place. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Taco Plate - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

These are easily the best al pastor nachos I've had in the Bay Area. Everything just hits -- the portion, the flavor, how it's all put together. I've tried a lot of spots and nothing comes close. Even my kids, who are super picky eaters, absolutely decimate these nachos. That says it all. If you're anywhere nearby, do yourself a favor and grab a plate. read more

Make sure when you order to confirm the order because they blast the music at 80 decibels so they can easily get your order wrong. I ordered a quesadilla, but they made a super burrito. They tried to fix it by turning the super burrito into a chimichanga ‍. Food is good I guess. read more

After nearly 2 weeks in Canada we were craving some good mexican food that we were missing. Looked up places near us on the way home and came across El Palenque and the others in the little strip next to them. What a nice find, three unique Mexican restaurants side by side. They were friendly when we walked in and took our order. She brought out chips and salsa for us since we ate in. It was nice to see how busy the cooks were as people were coming and going with several orders for take out, made us feel good about coming here. I got a super burrito and my wife a regular burrito. Both were really good, she had the pastor and really enjoyed it. I was glad to get the super with the avocado, but I probably could have cut some of the dairy out. Either way, it was really good and filling. I was glad that these weren't as salty as the Mexican markets near our house but still packed with delicious spices. Nice little seating area inside, it was comfortable for the three of us. Next time we're going to/from SFO we'll be likely to stop by again. read more

We came late (7 pm) on a friday and it was pretty empty. there was lots of street parking, i would be wary of parking in the parking lot since it closes at 8 pm (supposedly). We ordered and got our food within 5 minutes and brought it home to eat. super burrito with carne asada: 4/5 decent burrito, good filling and came together pretty well. the meat was decent but the inside was kind of dry. i wish they seasoned the rice a bit more and added some kind of sauce inside the actual burrito. this was good with the red salsa. lengua/cabeza taco: 4/5 pretty solid taco as well. definitely better with limes and the salsa as well. meat portion was prettt average on the tacos but the corn tortillas felt a bit soggy. All in all a decent spot to get some mexican food. nothing mind blowing but it satisfied our craving read more

See all

Excellent customer service . Food delicious and price appropriate. Place is clean . Ambience is good for the environment. Service fast and food is hot . Menudo is legit with tapa and lots of meat. Burrito huge and lots of meat . Angelica so sweet and kind . Friendly and polite to all the customers. read more

Their burritos were pretty good. I got the combo super burrito which you can pick 2 kinds of meats. There's a surcharge if you use credit card. read more

All of the food were prepared really good. We ordered the el palenque espesyal, the beef & Camaron wet burrito, beef suiza, and the Camarones y carne asada plate. Everything was really good and tasty. read more

See all

Super Neighborhood Taqueria for locals. It's the one of two taquerias on this side of San Mateo. A better taqueria than our SF staples when it comes to portion and prices. Super friendly staff and location I came here because of the 5 star reviews on Yelp. Let's start off with the food. The burrito carne asada i received was made with love as it definitely shows and the price was under $9 after tax. Definitely a place for great food and great prices. The carne asada dinner plates are $12 and are a def must . The guacamole is always creamy and fresh. The rice beans and the protein are the highlights of my meals. The is tons of parking nearby across the street from the school and a free outdoor parking lot outside. Diamond in the rough type of taqueria. read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Menu 05/2023 - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

El Palenque has definitely become a fast family favorite. Their Chile Relleno plate is so good but that amazing sauce that they slather over it is everything. I also order some to take home to pour on everything else. Their burritos are solid and very tasty. I ordered the steak and shrimp combo today and not disappointed. The order was huge and I definitely have leftovers to take home. read more

This a small lil joint in San Mateo Located accross from a school and next to a mercado and laundromat Went with a super burrito, street taco and tried their diablo shrimp platter So my take on this place... Their food is actually really good. The burrito was huge with plenty of the fillins..steak was tender, lotsa flavor Their street tacos ...ordered beef tacos and my son said he only like the beef but didn't really like em as a whole. The diablo shrimp....this platter was packed full of shrimp and beans and rice. So, i tried to find something wrong with this while i was enjoyin bit and well, i could not. The reason is because i felt the diablo shrimp was missing the diablo, not spicy the way i know it should be...BUT this entree was tasty. It also came with side of corn tortillas and these were very good, esp when you stuff em with the shrimp, rice and beans. Overall...this spot is not bad. Will definitely go here for mexican food again if we are in the area. read more

See all

I ordered the enchilada suiza the only reasonable prices good quality food I would recommend. I'm excited to try other food items.

A small hole in the wall with great tacos! The taqueria has a few seats in the restaurant with street parking in the front and a small lot on the side. I got the lengua taco and super taco and it was filling! I liked that the tortilla was a bit crispy on the bottom; I haven't seen any other places do this and I felt that it helps hold the filling better. Lengua was tender and they give you a good amount! You have to ask for salsa if you want any, and they'll give you red and green ones. Prices are reasonable as well. The place seems to be more of a to go place, perhaps because there isn't too much seating read more

El Palenque Taqueria - Lengua super taco and regular taco - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

So good, inexpensive, and probably the most authentic taqueria in the area. The menu is extensive - from burritos, tortas and quesadillas to full on dinner plates with veggie and fish options too. My carne asada taco was unbelievable. Simple and so good with all the fixings. The chicken taco was tasty too...better than the carnitas taco, which was dry and crispy. We sat at one of the few tables inside and received a fresh basket of chips and salsa. Get a bottle of the grapefruit Jarritos and you're set! Feels like a local hangout. Definitely coming back to this hidden gem! read more

See all

==Overall for taste: 4/5 Lengua: 5/5 Asada: 3-4/5 (very solid taste) ==Packaging: Poor, we had a lot of mishaps. Like other reviewers, we wish they put the tortilla chips in a paper bag instead of a plastic bag. Also, we had multiple issues with the sauces. The lids came off the takeout sauce containers for each of us. The staff was kind enough to replace the sauces and clean up our takeout bags (that was nice - it literally happened as they were handing the to-go bags to us) but for two of us it happened again right when we were heading out of the store. They could just get better containers with lids that actually stay on. :D ==More detail on the food: My personal barometer for any taqueria is how well they cook lengua (beef tongue). This is a very specific measuring stick, so if you don't like lengua, then maybe this isn't the review for you. I think that any authentic taqueria has lengua on their menu. I have been here a couple of times and each time I have had the most delicious lengua. Most recently I bought the fajitas with two portions of lengua. The lengua is soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside. I would say this is the top two lengua place in the Bay Area that I've tried. I also enjoy their nachos - just the right amount of salt for me. My friends who came with me tried the asada burritos and rated it as solid. They would return. read more

The best place for some good Mexican food EVER in San Mateo. Mom found this place while we drove back from her dr appointment and could not believe how much favor was in their lengua. Been so disappointed with all my old favorite spots to have some good food due to their skimping down on ingredients and portions. But EL PALENQUE TAQUERIA does not skimp on either of those. Great heaping portions of food, and at a great price!! I will make sure that I visit this spot once more before my flight back home. Please stop on by to this great little spot. read more

I loved the vibe here. Great, honest taqueria next door to a classic latino mercado. Lots of selection on the menu, over ten types of burritos and seven meat options. Lots of seafood as well. Veggie options available but no tofu or such. Prices are reasonable and the burrito I got (combo, with carnitas and al pastor) came out hot and full of meat. Friendly service, too. Lots of napkins included, and three salsas thrown in: a pico de gallo, aguacate, and a spicy fruity habanero maybe. I'd give 4.5 stars, only note is the al pastor didn't pop with achiote or other seasonings. I didn't see a tromp but they probably don't have enough business to support one. I'll be back though. read more

Best taqueria experience I've had in a long time. Super friendly staff . Great vegetarian burrito with real handmade tortilla whole beans guacamole sour cream. Great value also at $10 vegetarian burrito generous with the chips and salsa. Definitely be coming back here. Really happy.! read more