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    King Taco

    3.3 (1.8k reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    King Taco Photos

    Business Info

    KING TACO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - King Taco

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    Combination burrito
    J C.

    King taco has been my to go place since childhood days. Their selections are always consistent and filling from burritos to tacos. Good thing they have one on Pasadena, lunch was a perfect choice when burrito or taco craves are rumbling down my belly!!! Their service is always quick and friendly. Expect crowds during lunch as always....parking on the streets.

    DY R.

    I've been coming to this place for around 5 years, but every visit lately has been more disappointing than the last. The food quality, restaurant atmosphere, and overall service mindset have all gone downhill over time. The biggest issue for me is the attitude from the staff. Right from the moment I walk up to order, it often feels like they don't want to help customers. Whenever I ask for something extra, even basic items like utensils or napkins, it feels like I'm bothering them. Everything now has to be requested separately, and the responses are usually cold and expressionless. The food also doesn't taste as good as it used to. At this point, there are plenty of taco trucks and smaller taco spots nearby that are cheaper, taste better, and provide a much better overall experience. Even the restroom, which I remember being fairly clean before, has become noticeably dirty lately. Overall, this place just doesn't feel like the same King Taco I used to enjoy years ago.

    2 Carne Asada and 2 Al Pastor
    Stephen C.

    The tacos are always bomb. Affordable lunch option. I get the asada and pastor. So good with some onions. Service is good. You gotta really listen for your number that they announce. The vibe is super casual. Parking: you have to find a lot. Overall: Will return for lunch

    Tooth pick inside the chimichanga.
    Frank L.

    Usually love this place. Fast, easy and pretty consistent but man where'd this tooth pick come from? Nothing in your food ever has toothpicks. It makes me wonder, did a tooth pick fall out of one of your workers dirty mouths and end up inside my chimichanga? Pretty nasty and feels gross thinking about it.

    Kevin J.

    I live in the Bay Area, but anytime I'm in Los Angeles, King Taco is one of the first places I hit. It's one of those spots I actively look forward to, and it never disappoints. This time I kept it classic: one carne asada taco, one al pastor taco, and a carne asada burrito. Everything was solid. The carne asada had great flavor and was cooked just right--juicy, not dry. The al pastor had that slight sweetness and depth that keeps you coming back for another bite. The burrito was simple, packed, and exactly what a carne asada burrito should be. The chili (salsa) really ties it all together--flavorful with a real kick. Spicy enough to let you know it's there, but not overpowering. It's the kind of salsa that makes you slow down and enjoy the food. King Taco doesn't try to be fancy, the restaurant is clean and simple with plastic seats, and that's the point. It's consistent, straightforward, and always hits. When I'm in LA, this stop is non-negotiable.

    Menu 1/2026
    Conor B.

    King Taco just hits the spot. It's a great place to get street style tacos & other Mexican dishes quickly. I also appreciate that they have cuts like Lingua & Cabeza which you can't always find a chain taco joints. The meats here are all tender and packed with flavor. The meats are all so tender and juicy that it feels like they could just melt in your mouth. I've truly never had a bad dish here. From the tacos to the quesadillas to the horchata, you're guaranteed to have a great meal here. The staff here is extremely efficient while also being very friendly. You know they are doing their best to move the line along, but they do what it takes to give each customer a personalized experience from ordering to picking up your meal. I truly appreciate it. This location is slightly small, but it is kept clean and inviting. It can, however, get full during peak meal times. Even with the second room all for eating, it might be a better idea to get your meal to go and eat elsewhere. I often come here before shows at the Civic Auditorium and just walk my meal back to the venue and eat out there. Even with a 10ish minute walk, my order still tastes as if I'm eating it right off the line thanks to how they individually wrap all of their food. In all, King Taco is an LA institution and rightfully so. Do yourself a favor and stop by. Even if you just ate and just have enough room for a single taco. Your tastebuds will thank you.

    Nancy E.

    The place is clean and plenty of seating. Parking next door is $5 per hour. The 3 stars is for not having limes, radish, pickled jalapeños and carrots! For the price is the food, those items should be offered like all other taco places!!

    Richard F.

    I went here recently on a weekend trip, and ended going twice because of how good the food was. The salsa verde is one of the best I've ever had. They have limitations on their salsa for a reason! I got asada and pastor tacos, pork tamales, and rolled tacos and they were all delicious. The tamales are fresh and have a good ratio of meat to masa. The rolled tacos came out super crispy while the meat still being juicy. The set up is ordering at the counter, and then waiting to call your number. Very fast and efficient. Prices are pretty good for a brick and mortar shop. I'm already longing for my next trip back to Pasadena just to return to King Taco!

    Suadero and Al Pastor tacos
    Francisco M.

    There's street or structure parking to get here. There's lots of seating inside. It's very casual place for a quick meal. It's mostly clean. The staff are good and nice. I got three tacos. Suadero, al pastor, and carnitas. They were all fairly okay. The suadero was the highlight. It was the most juicy and flavorful. I probably could've had a forth taco, but three were decent enough to get full.

    asada taco
    Emily S.

    no limes at a taco joint is so criminal. came here with a group of friends for a snack and the staff was skimpy with the salsas & napkins, and they didn't carry any limes. the taco itself was also so mid. boooo

    Carnitas taco

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    13 days ago

    Really like their food. The meat and their sauce always tastes very good. I really like their burritos.

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    14 days ago

    Love the food and great service, the ambiance, you will definitely get the street taco vibes. Stingy on the salsa!

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    King Taco Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - King Taco

    Does this location sell rotisserie chicken?

    Nope

    Can I order from this restaurant and have delivery to Verdugo Hills Hospital?

    Hello Diane. Please check Uber eats delivery. We sometimes get orders from your area. But It depends on the day and time.

    Where can you park?

    There is a pay parking lot near by. Otherwise street parking.

    Have they started serving nachos again? They reduced their menu during the pandemic.

    Yes! Nachos and taquitos are back!

    Heard that breakfast burritos was a thing at this location but I called and they said they don't have. Which is true?

    They used to. I think they stopped within the last couple of years.

    Have they started selling the chicken flautas again? That is literally the only reason we went there pre-COVID.

    They were back when we went last week!

    Do they accept phone orders for pickup?

    It's a hit or miss. I work nearby and my coworkers order often. Some days they do and others they don't. Try calling

    View All 8 Questions

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    Madre Maiz Taqueria

    4.3
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    3.7 mi
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    Minority-owned & operated
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    Low-key on a mission to try everything here. So let's see if they're pretty good eh or ew. Everyone…read morehere is always super nice and food is always fresh and quality. This time I got their mango aguafresca, flan, esquite, and chicken torta to try. The mango agua Fresca was sweet mangoy and refershing. The flan was firmer than what I'm used to but was still super creamy, not too sweet and had plenty of this caramely toasty flaves. It's corn season and the corn in the esquite MNM. Amazingly buttery juicy sweet and generously topped with rich mayo, Cotija cheese and tajin. The torta was also REALLY YUMMY and was filled with crunchy fresh onions, lettuce, tomato, and radish, soft beans, savory cheese, and tender limey flavorful perfectly grilled chicken. I even added some of their super fresh yummy guac and omg pure deliciousity right there. Overall this place is still pretty good. Mango agua Fresca $5 Flan $5 Esquite $7 Chicken torta $12 +$4 guac

    I don't usually write bad reviews, but I have to say that my lunch yesterday was really…read moredisappointing. I was about to go to Chipotle and then decided to support a local business. Here are the problems: 1. $7 for Chips and Guacamole - a giant basket of mediocre chips - basically a tablespoon of guacamole. Sorry, that's a terrible value. 2. The tacos were good, but again, kind of a crap value at $3 a taco. 3. I also ordered a medium Diet Pepsi. I don't know the exact price, but I had just spent $27 with a tip for 4 tacos/chips and guacamole/and a drink, but they wouldn't give me a refill unless I spent another $1.11. It's not a lot of money, but come on! Food is decent/not amazing/service is fine/prices are high and not a good value. I don't think I will be dining here ever again.

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    Tacos make me happy!
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    Arrachera taco
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    Mijares Mexican Restaurant

    Mijares Mexican Restaurant

    3.5
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Happy Hour margs, need I say more?! Hard to believe that this restaurant is over 100 years old, not…read moremany establishments can say that. It is a real cornerstone of Pasadena dining, there is a love or hate feeling when you bring up this restaurant among locals. Chips and salsa is provided with orders so it is the perfect after work stop. They do have better the ability to make quality margaritas for full price which is almost 2-3 times happy hour but if you like mezcal it might be worth it for a more refined taste. Conveniently located by the 210/134 freeway entrances, it has it's own lot that says a lot for Pasadena establishments.

    Came here to have a nice lunch with the family. I was excited because I had seen the pictures of…read morethe food and everything looked good. This was not the case when we had our dining experience. We got the plate of chile relleno with a beef enchilada, the mole plate and a kids quesadilla with rice and beans. 1. The chile in the chile relleno was soooo tiny, the battered egg was big and fluffy which is why it looks big. The rice was crunchy and had pieces of overcooked rice. The beef on the enchilada was on top of the enchilada NOT inside and it tasted like boiled beef with no flavor! I put it to the side. The inside just had a bit of shredded marble cheese. So disappointed. The beans were ok, restaurant quality, canned flavored. 2. The mole was very sweet and although that's not a bad thing, it still didn't have any kind of authenticity in the flavor it was as though it was just packaged sauce dumped on the chicken. 3. The kids quesadilla has bellpeppers and onions inside! Which was not disclosed on the menu. My kid likes bellpeppers but not the green ones and not in her quesadillas... come on. I had to pick them off. Over all I'm glad I live far away from here because it was really bad quality food. The service was nice and attentive. The ambiance was empty and almost abandoned... and I even went on a weekend.

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    Chandelier
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    Bar seating
    Cerveceria Del Pueblo

    Cerveceria Del Pueblo

    4.7
    (205 reviews)
    0.7 mi
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    Great little beer spot in old town Pasadena…read more We arrived around 6pm on a Saturday and the place was packed, but we were able to find 2 seats at a communal picnic table inside. Small joint but they have a few bar seats and picnic tables inside and a nice outdoor patio with more seating. They don't offer food but usually have a food truck outside. We ordered a flight of beer to try a few different styles. The guy behind the bar was great and the beers were tasty.

    Small local brewery in Pasadena that's beneficial to the community, have seen people reserve a few…read moretables for parties and they have meet-ups. For example, they have a Spanish Language Brewery Meet-up every 3rd Thursday from 7:30-9:30pm monthly. Parking is street only so be mindful of the neighbors. There is no food service at this location but they seem to partner with a couple food trucks serving tacos. Some inside open air seating but the main draw is the relaxing patio. I liked their hard seltzers with fun flavors as jicama, tamarindo and passionfruit. I didn't like so much their signature Yerba Mate Pale Ale, but thought it was an interesting concept. The happy hour special is Monday all day and Tuesday-Friday open until 6pm $2 off full pours. Very family friendly, I always see a couple tables with children and dogs at them. Maybe I'm getting to be an old fuddy duddy but I hate when parents let their kids go free range. Screaming and running around like the establishment is a park these kids becoming trip hazards. There needs to be a revamp of their board game collection. There three boxes of games that looked incomplete or used up, not good with such games as Scrabble and Pictionary. Free Wifi with log-in is a bonus!

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    "Serrania" Sour beer
    "Serrania" Sour beer
    Housemade Michelada
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    El Portal

    El Portal

    3.7
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    I love El Portal. The food is delicious, the portions are generous, and the prices feel fair for…read morewhat you get. It really hits the spot when you're craving comforting, flavorful Mexican food. The chips are fresh, the salsa is good, and the menu has offerings that feel more authentic and varied than a lot of other places. I especially appreciate that they have Yucatán cuisine options, which you do not always see at every Mexican restaurant. I am also very fussy with mole and typically do not like it at all, but I actually really enjoy the mole from El Portal. It has been a real eye-opener for me and honestly inspired me to give mole another shot elsewhere. One thing to keep in mind: a lot of the combo plates are smothered in delicious red sauce and plenty of cheese, so if you are not a big cheese person, just be aware before ordering. The enchiladas are good, though sometimes they could use a little more sauce, as the tortillas can come out a bit dry. The margaritas are tasty, but they do feel a little small for the price (Roughly $16 for a 8oz glass?!) The staff are friendly, the vibe is nice, and overall the food is consistently good. The only other heads-up is that some of the tables and booths are pretty small, so it can feel a little cramped in the main dining room. Also, **make sure you get your parking validated**. This is important because if you do not, the parking lot can be extremely expensive. You can also look for street parking on Green Street. Still, El Portal is a spot I really enjoy and it is on our regular rotation of places to dine.

    The average score is a bit harsh. This place is a solid 4 stars but I rounded up to 5 for the good…read moreservice. After visiting the Huntington Library in the grueling heat and hordes of people, looked for somewhere closeby to eat on co-pilot, and was suggested this place with a patio which was one of my requirements. Arrived and parked on the street on a Sunday which is free, and could not find the place it's kind of tucked away. After walking up a block found the charming little passage way with some patio seating. It seems like it's a family-owned and operated restaurant as always a great indicator of things to come is the complimentary chips and salsa. They were perfectly thin crispy non-salty and warm, paired with a nice salsa that seems house made but was a little too tomato/ketchupy but by no means bad. I had crispy taco with shredded beef and chili relleno combo. It was pretty good. ($21 )I enjoyed the rice and beans and it was a filling portion. Wife and mother-in-law split a carne asada plate the meat was flavorful and tender ($30) came with the cheese enchilada was also very enjoyable. They have a really large patio so it's hard to fill but people kept coming in and out so the locals know something. It won't blow you away but it is a very solid Mexican spot and I'm glad we stopped by. Dos Equis bottles were really cold, gracias para mi bungholio.

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    Bodegon No 69

    Bodegon No 69

    4.4
    (659 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    A beautiful restaurant with lively vibe!…read more Great wine selection for wine lovers, and a simple cocktail menu for the liquor fan. They gave me a mega pint for my gin tonic, which I am far from complaining. The staff is super kind, super attentive to make sure our beverages and table was clear. We ordered: Anticuchos - Heart Skewers with a side of roasted potatoes, peruvian corn and rocoto sauce. I am an organ meat fan so this hit the spot. Add a dash of the rocoto sauce as it brings the flavor to a new level Bistec Con Tllarin Verde: The rib eye steak was perfectly cooked medium rare, seasoned simply. They do provide sauces on the side to enjoy of course. It comes with a savory Creamy pesto Linguine to pair with the protein. To share with a group of 5, additionally a dish called Chancho Al Palo : Rotisserie Style Pork, with their crispy skin, sweet plantains and white rice. Comes with a lovely Salsa Criolla. Another well perfected pork, keeping its savory juice within. The Salsa Criolla tops it up to the finest pairing

    I had a wonderful experience at this restaurant over the weekend with my mother and sister. From…read morethe moment we walked in, everything was exceptional. The customer service was warm and welcoming, the restaurant was clean and well maintained, and the ambiance created the perfect dining experience. What made this visit especially memorable was how authentic the food tasted. I recently spent two amazing weeks in Peru, and this meal instantly took me back. I was able to enjoy two of my favorite Peruvian dishes, and they were absolutely delicious and full of authentic flavor. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food and a wonderful atmosphere. It was truly an amazing experience, and I look forward to coming back. The only thing that could have made it even better would have been if they offered traditional picarones for dessert!

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    Alpaka greeters!
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    CHOCLO SERRANO

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    CHOCLO SERRANO

    King Taco - mexican - Updated July 2026

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