Authentic Mexican Experience (might blow a hole in your butt)...... My wife and I went to El Tapatio for lunch in 2023, but hadn't returned until another couple said they'd like to try it. So we went back on a Thursday around noon. Ratings..... - Overall: 5 - Location: 4 - Exterior: 5 - Ambiance: 4 - Menu: 5 - Food Quality: 5 - Food Portion: 5 - Service: 5...unless you're stuck behind a large group - Price and Value: 5 - Parking: 4 - Bathroom: N/A Pros: - Location: Very good for people between Arroyo Grande and Santa Maria. On Highway 1...the main street in the small downtown of Guadalupe. Only 5 minutes from our house in Trilogy at the south end of Nipomo. - Menu: Large. Something for everyone with a bias toward authentic Mexican dishes. - Exterior: Colorful. The bright colors catch your eye from the street. - Ambiance: Casual and colorful. It's fairly small, but comfortable and homey. - Food: Everyone was happy. I and the husband in the other couple had a #44 - Spicy shrimp with rice and beans ($25.50). I like spicy, but it was a notch or 2 higher. My dish gave new meaning to the word "mouthwatering". Maybe I'm more of a "regular guy" these days. Our friend with the same entree literally cleaned his plate. Our server said "I've never seen anyone do that". He probably blew a hole in his butt. My wife had a Chile Relleno ($20) and really enjoyed it. I'm not sure about the order from the wife of the guy with a cast iron stomach. - Service: Great when it was our turn. We arrived a few minutes after a group of 15. Since the only person in the kitchen was the owner, he was naturally just able to make 1 or 2 dishes at a time. It took 45 minutes for the big table to be served...then we got our food during the next 10-15 minutes. The employees we met were friendly and helpful. While we waited, they did keep us well stocked with tortilla chips which were homemade and warm. - Price and Value: Good portions of tasty food at a fair price. - Parking: No problem. On the street either in front or around the corner. - Bathroom: We didn't try it. El Tapatio is a great choice for authentic Mexican food, but remember 2 things. It's only open 11 AM to 4 PM and they'll be a looooong wait for food if lots of people arrive just before you do. read more

Gave this place a try based on reviews of n different platforms and I feel misguided. Everything we ordered tasted deep fried and oily. Not much flavor, just oily. Service was friendly, but slow, and we were prepared, hoping the wait would be worth it, but we were disappointed. Not a place I would return to or recommend to others. A block or so away will lead you to a more pleasant experience. (LS) The bathroom is spacious and clean, so thanks for that. read more

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At El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant In Guadalupe, CA Gonna Get Our GRUB On..!!! So I Been CRAVING Their Bean And Green Salsa Dip But Thats Usually The Side Dip With Chips But I Asked Our Waiter If I Could Get That In A Burrito With Cheese..?? He Said YES..!!! So Excited..!! And My Fiancée Ordered The #1 Combo A Cheese Enchilada With A Hard. Shell Taco, With Beans And Rice..!! And To Wash It All Down I Ordered An Agua Fresca De Jamaica And My Fiancée Ordered A Michelada.So Excited To Eat..!!! read more

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This place is off the hook. By far the best Mexican restaurant in the area and the people who run it are just as good as the food they serve. Very flavorful and well seasoned cuisine. You will not be disappointed I can guarantee that. read more

El Tapatio - "Medium" asada wet burrito with 1/2 red, 1/2 green sauce. On point! - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

We were traveling through Guadalupe and wanted to find a Mexican restaurant. This restaurant did not disappoint. The atmosphere was great, the food was delicious and the service was perfect. Although we live Idaho we would definitely come back here again. read more

El Tapatio - El Tapatio - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

Delicious food. Great service. Impressed. I will be back and will recommend to others. I'd go everyday if I could.

El Tapatio is a very special place indeed, and just a hop, skip, and a jump from the bigger, Central California city of Santa Maria. The fun begins when you enter and see a colorful, festive, happy place with a giant, old juke box that sits quietly at the entry, and vibrant Mexican music oom pa pa' ing loudly from the open galley kitchen. But best of all, it's the delicious smells that greet your descriminating nose. Eddie and Mimi, the dedicated, friendly owners/husband and wife team, are very proud of their little diner, as well they should be. This little cafe has been in the family since 1988, handed down from father to son in 2018. They don't take shortcuts. Each morning starts with a trip to the local market for fresh produce. And living in Guadalupe puts you right at the center of some of the finest, vast agricultural heartland you could imagine in California. It doesn't get any better for quality. Our eyes got bigger and bigger as the food rolled out. The first thing on my agenda before ordering had been to sample the chile verde sauce. It was a bright, lightly herbal tomatillo sauce with chunks of the juiciest pork I could hope for. I knew immediately things were heading in the right direction, so I ordered a chile verde enchilada. But I wanted to make this a combo because I could not resist trying the chile relleno either. The Chile Relleno was magnificent. Eddie starts with a cheese-stuffed, monster-sized pasilla chile and a delicate batter. He lightly cooks it so that platter-sized pasilla is still slightly crunchy. His salsa for the chile is homemade, made of sauteed, fresh tomatoes and onion. Wonderful, not greasy. Mr. B had eyes only for the Camarones Mojo de Ajo. What arrived at our table was a huge platter, half of it filled with medium shrimp in a generous butter garlic sauce cooked to perfection. As if the entrees were not enough to bring tears of joy to our eyes, the sides of beans and rice were superb as well. And I have to mention that the complimentary corn chips and salsas brought to our table when we sat down were our first clue that we were in for something special. Two small bowls of dip arrived, one containing their rich, authentic refried beans topped with a drizzle of verde sauce and melted white cheese, the other was a vibrant cilantro avocado sauce with a slightly spicy tang. The tortilla chips were freshly fried...they make their own. Mimi assured us that nothing is pre-made nor popped in a microwave here. There is no microwave. Easily verified, tasting was the final proof. This will be a regular stop for us when we pass through. Just make sure they are open that day. Don't waste your time in Santa Maria. I challenge you to find better, home-style Mexican cuisine than here. read more

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I have meant for years to stop by this always praised Mexican restaurant in Guadalupe. My surprise was the poor quality of the overpriced food - everything way over salted, even the chips - lame service and a filthy bathroom. At best my food, a taco and enchilada special, tasted reheated and the texture was gloppy and difficult to eat. Yikes! read more

Best Machaca ever. Every thing is so good‼. Service and atmosphere is fun The Chile Relleno is not to be missed.

Well, after seeing all the 5 star ratings, I guess we hit them on a bad day. We watched the gloved cook fix a shrimp cocktail then make the bean and cheese burrito (he did not change gloves or even tried to wash hands) that tasted of seafood. We took most of it out and dumped it. My meal was just ok, not close to what I've had before. The bathroom was totally disgusting. After we finished eating, we waited at least 10 minutes, no one bussed anything and I had to get up and ask for the check. Oh, well, live and learn. read more

THIS - is STILL - "THE BEST" Mexican food we've had, as a whole, in 23 years of trying Mexican restaurants all over the Central Coast region! Eddie has equaled and surpasses his Mom and Dad as a Cook! His son Adrian is a great friendly, attentive server too. They had our favorite 70's music playing too. Our only regret - is we don't go often enough for this fantastic food! We HIGHLY recommend El Tapitio to EVERYONE ! read more

This is an amazing business owned and run by a husband and wife team. We discovered them just by luck one day while driving through Guadalupe. Now, when we need an authentic Mexican food fix, we head from SLO to Guadalupe. The owner and his wife run the business and do all the work. Mimi is helping customers and her husband is cooking. You can watch him prepare the food since the cooking area is right there and visible to patrons. I am amazed at how fast he can move from one order to another and doing them all at the same time and solo!! It's really art in action. Yes, you may have to wait for your food if they're super busy, but if you're there for the total authentic experience of Mexican food, you won't be displeased. The chips are always fresh, and they serve a tasty bean mixture with small cups of green and red salsa shortly after you sit down. We love this restaurant. They are a welcoming couple and serve absolutely delicious food. read more

Was working in Guadalupe so I stopped by for lunch. BEST TACOS I've ever had! Service 10/10 Food 10/10 read more

We were driving through town and looking for a place to eat lunch. Yelp reviews for El Tapatio were verging. The food was delicious! Even the chips and salsa were great! read more

First time in Guadalupe so we stopped at El Tapatio because of all the good reviews. Well....we weren't disappointed. We were greeted by a friendly young female hostess and a "hello" from a gentleman in the kitchen. Home made chips, tasty green salsa and a small bowl of beans were brought to our table. All very tasty. My wife and I shared the # 7 combo which was plenty of food for the both of us. The ambiance was pleasant with music playing in the back ground. Not sure when we'll be back in Guadalupe but El Tapatio will be a must stop when we return. All in all a great experience at this establishment. read more

El Tapatio - Combo #7-shredded beef taco, chili verde sope, pastor burrito with rice & beans. - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

The best Mexican food anywhere on the central coast! This family is amazing! The chili relleno cannot be beat, my husband loves the alpastor tacos and the green salsa with the other two condiments are excellent. We come to Guadalupe on the regular. read more

My wife and I had a meeting in Guadalupe, so decided to have lunch here. This place is fantastic. This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant. While the ambiance is not the best, it's fine. More importantly, the food is the absolute best Mexican food I have ever had, and I've had a lot of it. The service was great too. We'll be back, even though it's a little out of the way for us, but the food is well worth the extra distance. I highly recommend this place read more

Best Mexican restaurant in the area. Everything is good and the owners are very nice. Must try.

This is hands down one of the best places to get Mexican food, and I'm coming from Fresno where we have bomb Mexican food all over. I ordered the 3 enchiladas plate with chicken and green salsa and that was phenomenal! My boyfriend and I both wiped out plates clean. read more

Authentic and delicious! Great food, sweet and attentive service, good prices. We were so full, and we have been craving El Tapatio ever since. The man says to be sure to include that their food is absolutely worth the drive! read more

El Tapatio - the front of a restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

Absolute Gem in Guadalupe, CA!!! Killer food, excellent service. Great vibe!!! Do not miss this spot! read more

Food was amazing! Great friendly service too! Please keep doing what you're doing! We will be back!

Best Mexican around. My go-to place. Service, food, atmosphere, the trinity! My regular place and where I take guest. Never disappointing. read more

First time here and it won't be our last. It's a little place, old and just like a mom and pop shop. But it was the service and food that impressed us. Our server was so sweet. She was the only server and they were somewhat busy but her smile and tone was very refreshing. She brought us 3 little bowls with chips. I told honey bunny I could just order this I was full by the time our food arrived. Honey bunny ordered their 3 enchiladas, he got a beef, chicken, and chili verde with green sauce . I ordered their medium wet burrito with carne asada and red sauce. As we began to eat we started talking about what we each got. He loved the green sauce. He's not much of a rice person, he left none. If he could I think he would have licked the plate. Lol. As for mine I loved their red sauce. Some places use too much cinnamon but theirs just had a rich flavor. Not too spicy just the right heat. As for those little bowls you get some beans, pico de gallo, and amazing spicy green sauce. To top it off their bottled water was free. Most restaurants would charge an arm and leg for it. Guess what I'm having for dinner the rest of my burrito. It was a big one. Can't wait to dig in. This is one of the best places I have been to in a long time. I promise you it's really good. read more

We've eaten here 4 times in 2 months, their food was delicious and we are fans for sure, Chile rellano, crispy tacos beans and rice were super good The owners are very welcoming Too, it's a cute place read more

The best by far - consistent, food is amazing and owners are always happy to see you! Hands down our favorite! When you go you will not be disappointed! read more

Have been back several times now and every time we try a different dish. You can't go wrong with anything you order here. Eddie has the magic touch in the kitchen. His wife Mimi is so sweet. They are both amazing people. I do advise patience when dining at El Tapatio. Every thing is made from scratch and every thing on the menu is full of flavor. If you haven't visited this establishment you are missing out, your tastebuds are missing out. read more

El Tapatio - Chile Relleno and carnitas sope with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

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Best Mexican food around. Fresh, homemade & delicious. Always a friendly welcome where you feel like family.

First time visit to El Tapatio today with my favorite 11 year old! The service was wonderful and the food fabulous. the owners were so personable and made us feel right at home. We ordered a combination plate and fries smothered with carne asada. Everything was fresh and fabulous with my favorite being the chile relleno. A must do for lunch or dinner when passing through Guadalupe! read more

Amazing food, service, atmosphere! Mimi and Ed run the place and cook mexican food like it's meant to be. The green hot sauce, the green wet sauces, the carnitas, al pastor, their refried beans are to die for. Can't wait to return! read more

Had a fantastic lunch. The shredded beef sope, enchiladas and taco dorado were incredible. The service was so incredibly inviting and friendly, you felt as though you had been there several times before. This is a great destination lunch spot if you're seeking out incredible Mexican food. read more

May very well be the best huevos rancheros I've ever had! Wish I lived closer because I'd eat here every day. read more

El Tapatio - Huevos Rancheros - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

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The food at this place is amazing, I've eaten her for lunch the past couple weeks. The flavor and different seasoning on every dish so far is absolutely amazing. The husband and wife that own this restaurant cook this food with so much passion and love!!!! By far this has been the best food I've had, the town I live in has over 26 + hispanic restaurants and none of them are even comparable with them. I've enjoyed lunch here almost everyday I've work close by. Your restaurant is excellent, thanks for providing such a great lunch every time I stop by. read more

Be patient, it's 100% worth it! Husband a wife team cooking and waiting tables. You might have to wait a little, but it is the best shredded beef I've ever had! The bean dip served with the chips read more

Was hesitant to try but so glad I did. The food is authentic and amazing. Have been 3 times now and each time is superb!!

Love this place. So authentic and fthe food is the best around. Service can't be beat!

Best Mexican Restaurant, love their Chile Rellenos !!!! Pico de Gallo Salsa, tacos dorados!!!

Wow, just WOW. If you haven't been here, you're seriously missing out on possibly the BEST Mexican food you'll ever eat! The main reason I hadn't been here was because I'm usually off after they close so getting dinner here has been impossible since they close at 4pm. Now that I've had it, I've went 2 days in a row! Well they're closed Tuesday so it's not technically 2 days in a row if I go Monday and Wednesday, right?! So far I've had Asada fries, an Al Pastor wet burrito and a bite of some tacos. In general everything is very flavorful, hearty and amazing. So far I prefer the asada as the steak was super tender and hardly any fat. Al pastor inherently has fat because of it being pig but it was still super meaty and flavorful. I had a bite of my wifes chicken tacos and noticed the shredded chicken was seasoned very well & wasn't dry. I'm not normally a fan of beans but their beans are seasoned well. The rice is tasty and buttery. They add grilled onions and have other grilled veggies that pack a lot of flavor. So far we have only gotten food to go but we have experienced like 4 different salsas/sauces. All of them have different flavor and spice profiles. Their pico is very fresh & mild. Their fire roasted salsa looks like it's super hot but it's super rich in smokiness and heat, almost like a stew. We also had a pretty spicy avocado based green salsa and almost like a chimichurri salsa that was also medium spicy. When my family and I ate this food, we could feel the love and preparation put into it. Everything we ate had all of the feels: hearty & comforting while also being fresh & spicy. We also felt the food coma afterwards! After talking to the the main chef, him and his wife are the owners. They are working on opening up for dinner hours, which would be amazing! I can honestly say this is some of the best food I've ever ate and is worth the trip to Guadalupe. read more

El Tapatio - Al pastor wet burrito - Mexican Near Me - Guadalupe, California

I continue to make a trip here every year since first trying the food. If you are near the Pismo area you must stop you won't be disappointed. Heck, I've made the 2 hour trip just to eat here. Not only will you get excellent food, but the customer service is excellent! My only advice don't come here if you're on a diet because I don't care how much discipline you have you will eat every bit! Lol read more

Been a while but man it just gets better and better! Owners are the best people. Food is fantastic and well worth the brief wait for its fresh preparation. This isn't FAST food, people. Highly recommend bean dip w green salsa, pupusas, and carnitas. Shrimp con huevas came to the table steaming hot and perfectly prepared w generous portions. Prepare to bring home a to go box. THANKS for another wonderful meal! Also there is talk of a possible dinner schedule to added. Stay tuned to yelp. read more