I lived in Texas for 6 years and I have hated *every taco place* I've been to in Minnesota, EXCEPT for El Taco Loco. My husband dragged me around to all the "it" places and I always walked out pissed off and disappointed. But, then we happened to drive by this place, and I had a feeling it might hit the spot. I was lucky that I was correct! -Best spicy green salsa in the Twin Cities -Best mild green salsa for chips and guac -Never burnt but just right carna asada tacos -CONSISTENTLY amazing -- never had a bad plate there. I normally don't write reviews, but I wanted to make sure I give credit where it is due. read more

Great family business. That makes excellent food that the whole town seems to enjoy and respect. Service from the staff is always polite and friendly. Place is always clean and well ran. read more

El Taco Loco - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

Amazing homemade-style pozole! The pork was tender, the broth was rich and flavorful, and the tostadas were the perfect addition. Great food, great service, and a welcoming atmosphere. read more

El Taco Loco - Delicious pork pozole and fresh tostadas! The broth was flavorful, the pork was tender - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

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This is my absolute go to !!! My boyfriend & I are constantly returning for their delicious steak nachos and tacos! They are very friendly and provide fast service. These are some hard workers.!!! Even when busy they keep pushing them orders through!! Also busy because their food is delicious!! 10/10 Mi gente que quiera comerse unos ricos tacos, burritos tortas o nachos con unos jalapeños que sepan que estaban en chile en vinagre!! Este es el lugar para ir a comerse unos ricos platillos!!! read more

El Taco Loco - Steak nachos with jalapeños, sour cream & melted cheese (ask for no pico) - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

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Staff were extremely nice, restaurant was clean, food was fast, fresh, and delicious. I would strongly recommend.

Tried for the first time tonite. Nachos are fantastic! Really big and they don't hold back on the toppings. Tried the tacos as well. They were good too. I will be back! read more

El Taco Loco - Nachos below tacos - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

This is my review on the Tres leches, i've had before nothing is wrong with it but the milk mixture tastes slightly differently than what i've previously had but I like the whipped frosting. The Elote is good, also tastes different from my previous experience but still good. And the chicken tacos were slightly bland to me but the steak tacos are better to me. I ordered through uber eats read more

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This is the best authentic taqueria on Central North of 27th, hands down. This includes St. Anthony, the rest of Columbia Heights, and Fridley. Brothers taqueria in St. Anthony? Forget it. Catrina's? If you want gringo tacos. What about Cetnro/Vivir? I try my best not to overpay for ethnic food. Period. Yes that goes for my own ethnic food, Cantonese. When we go to El Tacos Locos we usually get either tacos or burritos, and a quesdilla for the child. If you like Lengua you need to get that. If you dont mnow what that is skip it. They also have Mexican cake for dessert! Yes the Tres Leches is calling your name. Prices have gone up over the years, but it's still the most reasonable taqueria. For the record we stay with the working man's taqueria. When I want tacos, I don't need to pay for your fancy build outs or craft NE microbrews. That's what the brew pubs are for. No I don't want to pay $4-5 for a taco, ever. Sorry rant over. Skip the "trendy" nordeast wannabe taquerias. Come here or El Taco Riendo instead. Them them your ethnic foodie friend "El Chino" sent you. read more

I've had tacos on my mind for weeks!!! Finally, I decided to indulge my craving! Unfortunately, my nearest taco place is closed on Sunday's, so I ventured out to try something new and as close to North Minneapolis as I could find. Settled on this place with solid reviews and takeout during covid. They have a building as well as a food truck! I ordered two of each of the following: steak, chicken, pork, and Mexican sausage tacos (asada, pollo, al pastor, chorizo). I added onions and cilantro with a variety of sauces on the side. Salsa Roja Andentro (hot), Salsa Verde Andentro (mild). I also ordered an extra hot green salsa, but I think I got two of the milds. However, my partner can't handle the heat, so he appreciated the mild salsa and I took the Salsa Roja. It had the perfect heat and flavor, the taco shells were soft and delicious, and the variety of meats were good. My only comment is the steak was extra chewy. Order online through Yelp or through their website! Park and walk into the building for pickup or call and they can bring it out to you! read more

El Taco Loco - All of the tacos with cilantro and onion - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

The food was amazing! I've been going here 1 to 2 times a week every since I found about it. The chicken Nachos are Amazing so much flavor and not dry by any means wow. My co-worker and I had the chicken Burrito on Friday and wow was that full of flavor and all the right spices. The service was amazing. We always get it to go so as soon as we got there. It was waiting for us . Grab and go no issues ever. The atmosphere is great. It's a small family owned spot but TOP 3 in my Books. read more

This place is consistently delicious!! I love their street tacos, burritos (which are so big, they make two meals for me) and their meal platter (again, two meals) while being affordable. All their desserts are also yummy. Love this place! read more

This place is easy to drive past, but once you explore this unassuming dining spot, you'll quickly realize that you've stumbled upon a culinary treasure. I recommend getting the steak nachos - the chips have a satisfying CRUNCH, are loaded with fresh ingredients, and topped with well-seasoned steak asada cooked to perfection. Wash it down with a cold sidral apple soda and your day has been made with a delicious and filling meal! read more

El Taco Loco - Steak Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

Well, I did a to go order. I found the place randomly and decided to try it out. The service was good, atmosphere was nice but the food was terrible. I order pastor tacos and the meat was bland, tortillas were cold, it has a weird sweet flavor, also the salsa wasn't seasoned either. I hope I just had a bad experience but honestly I won't be going b read more

This place is by far my favorite Mexican food in Minneapolis. It's delicious, authentic and casual. Every time I go there I get my food within 10 minutes and whether I am eating in or taking it to-go it holds up. I've even got it delivered and it's still delicious. Love this place. The veggie burrito, and elite are personal favorites. read more

Great salsa, love the chips. Tacos were all great, especially the chorizo but al pastor was so-so.

The best taco place in Minnesota. I love the food here nice price and portions .I think I eat here a least once a week.

Chorizo burrito for me. Pollo for my daughter. We each really enjoyed them! The parking lot is small, but they don't really have much control over that aspect. I was pleasantly surprised with the quickness of our to go order. We'll be back to try more of the menu! read more

Great food and great employees. Always a pleasant experience! I have ordered both in-store and via Uber Eats and the food has been excellent either way. read more

Since i just got duked for the fine taco food truck, i thought it needs a review. El Taco Loco reminds me of the roadside roach coaches that i would eat at when i lived in Los Angeles. For all you foodies that's what we called the food trucks before it became a hipster in vogue thing Their taco's are simple and delicious and remind me of them tasty roach coaches of Los Angeles.With a varaiety of meats to choose from,my favorite is the campechano and lengua. they have a couple of other options but mainly it's all about the taco's. If your in the neighborhood stop in and get something to eat, you can go wrong. read more

El Taco Loco - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

I come for the lengua. The chorizo burrito is great too. A bit tricky parking lot. Be careful. Its 1 way. read more

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I was looking forward to trying a new taco/Mexican food place, but to my disappointment, El Taco Loco did not live up to expectations. Anyone who knows me knows I am OBSESSED with tacos...literally could live off of them...but El Taco Loco lacked flavor, and in addition to this, their location was anything but comfortable. Located in a teeny tiny lot, it stressed me out before I could even taste the food. I came in on a Saturday around the 2:00 hour for a late lunch. I got there easily enough but when I arrived, I had hoped I was in the wrong place. The parking lot fit less than 10 cars, and was very narrow, so pulling into a parking spot, was not easy. I decided to go in and order, and then attempt to move my car. The ordering process was quick and easy being that the staff here use ipads. I ordered three tacos: the asada, al pastor, and campechano (a mixture of chorizo and asada). The total came out to be around $6.00, so each taco was very affordable. Right after I ordered, I busted my butt out to the parking lot only to find people sitting outside yelling. There was a lady that had to get her car towed/moved and it created quite the commotion outside. As I tried to get to my car to move it, this lady proceeded to yell at me because I hadn't moved my car yet. I felt disrespected and uncomfortable after this. Not only was it unpleasant, it made for a scene right outside El Taco Loco. The man who took my order came out to watch what was going on, so it clearly made a commotion. It took about 15 minutes for me to move my car given the small lot, but I figured hey, my food is my reward for being treated so poorly by someone I did not know. I came back inside, and my food was brought up to me right as I walked in, so at least that was nice. Here's an important tip: DO NOT GET THE HOT SAUCE IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE EXTREME HEAT. I was asked when ordering if I wanted or mild sauce and I should've gone with mild because for me personally, this baby had a major kick...and it didn't hit me until my third and final taco. I felt that all of the tacos lacked flavor and substance. There was barely any meat, and the seasoning on each were basic. There was nothing about the tacos that made me feel I would come back. The hot sauce was the hottest I've had in the Minneapolis area when it comes to authentic Mexican food, and some may enjoy this, but it caused my entire mouth to feel the burn and before I knew it, tears started to swell up in my eyes. The first taco was probably the best tasting taco (which isn't saying much) but that's primarily because I could not feel my face by the time I got to the third taco due to the scorching heat. All I could think about was my water bottle sitting in my car. I stuffed the last taco down my throat and sprinted for the door. All in all, I came to the conclusion that El Taco Loco is not all that it's worked up to be. There are much better taco places in the Twin Cities area. The ambiance and location here need to make some type of change or else customers will be left feeling uncomfortable before they even step foot in the door. Looks like I don't like crazy tacos, so I'll opt for tacos elsewhere. read more

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Perfectly priced, always friendly staff, delicious food... Their taco's are simple and delicious and remind me of them tasty roach coaches of Los Angeles. Good portions and prices and the food always exceeds my expectations. Also the staff are friendly and the food comes out so quick . Definitely worth a try. read more

Friendly service and prices are reasonable. Went on a Thursday for lunch and very fast lines. Love the tacos esp asada (ie. steak) with all the toppings. $2 gets you two soft shells with your choice of protein and other toppings. Ask for the hot sauce to go with the taco. The torta is ok ... ordered pastor (pork) but they put in chicken. Once again, get the hot sauce with it and you're set. read more

El Taco Loco - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

El Taco Loco you are really outstanding, I had a wonderful experience here today. Clean and cute mood. I am really happy that I wound up ordering Lengua, it was incredible, just an amazing taste. Service was fantastic and every one working here was incredibly nice and helpful. El Taco Loco - I'll be back, hopefully sooner than later. read more

Decided to go there since its close to our house. It was not as good as I expected, that's probably why theres no cars or customers. Small portion and food is not authentic read more

I was expecting more when coming here for my first time. I ordered 2 chicken tacos and 2 carne asada tacos. The steak was very dry and both meats were flavorless. Maybe a bad day but I'm willing to give it another shot. read more

Omg so good and so affordable. I got three amazing tacos for 6 dollars! I will be coming back!!

I ordered a steak burrito, and overall it was pretty average, but forgettable. The steak was decent but nothing amazing, and the rest of the burrito was filled with a pretty tasteless rice. The restaurant is pretty small and the tables are pretty close by each other so you don't get much privacy. The aestethic and location isn't the greatest either, and there is limited parking in front. read more

Best place in Columbia heights for sure, I love their tacos and burritos. The manager is always so friendly! I hope one day he plans to open a Bar or another restaurant. The food is great there! read more

I enjoyed the frijoles, arose and tortillas. There is nothing more important than a meal that makes you feel at home and that is what El Taco Loco provides you with! The salsa verde is so good my boyfriend wishes they sold it in bottles so he could take it home! This business is family run and it is very nice inside. I'm going to be buying tacos here as long as they are around. read more

This is THE best taco stand around! Now I know what you're thinking, when was a taco stand ever a good place to go to eat?!? Well the answer to that question is when El Taco Loco came to town! For only two dollars, you get the real deal, authentic Mexican style tacos. Choose from the variety of steak, chicken, pork, beef tongue (you read that right) Mexican sausage and then my personal favorite, steak and Mexican sausage). This isn't a place to go on a date, but if you're looking to make your day a little better, definitely come here to top it off with some quality, and affordable tacos! The last thing I'm gonna say is this, I'm a strong believer that whenever the person who is serving you at the counter looks over their shoulder to the cooks and yells, "mom, dad..."that food has gotta be good!!! read more

This place is legit good. My boyfriend is a regular and now I won't eat at Adelita's anymore. I would rather come here for their fresh tacos and quesadillas. I love their green salsa. I usually just do the carne asada (beef) tacos with just cilantro and a chicken quesadillas. The place is just casual, clean. The staff is friendly and helpful. It doesn't take long to get your food either and it is so delicious! They could give more salsa, but overall this is my favorite taco place in the Nordeast. read more

Great tacos! Got the al pastor and asada with mild sauce and they were both fantastic.

Tacos de asada were really good , al pastor not so great , I ordered for pick up and when I arrived , they weren't ready . Not enough sauces for the taco to sauce ratio , I probably should've asked for more, but overall solid asada tacos & holy shit the red sauce is spicy read more

I have been here several times. The staff is always very friendly. This place serves really good tacos with onions, cilantro, limes, and hot sauce. I prefer the steak and chorizo tacos. The hot sauce is awesome. The food is prepared quickly and tastes good. read more

El Taco Loco - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

Pretty good food, great value, friendly staff. Some times my order is prepared wrong, or just doesn't taste as good as normal, but for the most part, a solid authentic Mexican food stop. read more

One of those places you've probably driven by will become a new favorite spot. My family and I live in Spring Lake Park and we always look forward to this stand opening up. The folks there are very friendly, prices at $2 a taco are awesome and allow you to be adventurous (If you haven't tried tongue yet, now is the time) They have great steak, chorizo and pork options as well. The salsas are excellent, the meats have always been cooked perfectly and the portions are solid (3 has me very happy). These are authentic Mexican tacos so expect simple flavors at their very best. Meat is the star, onions, cilantro, lime and salsas add freshness, heat and the magic of citrus and cumin. Go now. read more

If you're craving authentic, fast and delicious Mexican food, this is the place to be!! The menu is perfect, making it super fast service. read more

El Taco Loco - Mexican Near Me - Columbia Heights, Minnesota

This is currently my favorite restaurant in Minneapolis. They have a fairly new digital menu that displays tacos, burritos, tortas, etc. with the choice of steak, chicken, al pastor, chorizo, campechano, and beef tongue. I usually order either a burrito or nachos and then get some tacos, too. The nachos are piled high with just the right mix of chips and toppings. You usually have just a little bit of toppings left when you're done. They are generous with the liquid cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, and jalapenos. Get the red sauce for a good kick that you may regret the next day. The burritos are also great. They are about the same size as a Chipotle burrito. The tacos are corn tortilla tacos with the meat, cilantro, and onions and are served with lime and sauce on the side. The green sauce is milder and the red sauce is quite spicy. The service is friendly and quick and the prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended! read more

Food and service were excellent! Recommend the Chorizo quesadilla and the pick was superb!