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    Nelly's Tacos

    4.6 (25 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Nelly's Tacos Photos

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    Warm dishes
    Stacy S.

    It's Taco Tuesday, and my newest finding takes place at this little taco shop located inside a Mexican grocery store called, "Mercado El Rey". They're located inside a medium-sized shopping plaza off of El Toro Rd. in Lake Forest. Perhaps the most well-known business in that plaza is El Toro Meat Co., or the ladies may recognize Jeffrey Michaels Salon as a landmark. Plenty of parking is available in the shared lot. Step inside Mercado El Rey, head straight to the back in the right corner, and you'll find a petite woman smiling behind the counter. My guess is that she is "Nelly". The Taco Tuesday special is 3 tacos for $5, which is quite a deal! They don't have a large variety of meats - your choices are carnitas, al pastor, chicken and carne asada. I ordered 1 carnitas, 1 al pastor and 1 chicken. My husband got 2 al pastor and 1 carnitas. It comes with onions, cilantro & lime on top, with 2 small tortillas underneath. You also get your choice of red or green sauce. After you order and pay for your tacos with Nelly, stand back and watch the magic happen. A lady and man come out of nowhere and start grilling the meats. About 10 minutes later, they'll wrap up your tacos in foil, label them and send you on your way. There are no seats inside to eat, so plan to get them to go. Shockingly, my favorite taco was the chicken. I don't typically order chicken tacos at an authentic Mexican place, but boy was it delicious! My 2nd favorite would be the al pastor. It was very flavorful. The carnitas, on the other hand, was rather dry. I would skip that next time. In addition to their tacos, they also have burritos, nachos, tortas, chile rellenos, menudo, quesadillas, tamales, chilaquiles and other authentic items. They also do catering! Pro Tip: If you go there on Taco Tuesday, get there early! There was already a small line forming before I left, and I was there well before the dinner hour. I'd give the tacos 4.5 stars overall. Check them out if you're in the area. You can't go wrong with 3 tacos for $5!

    Michael B.

    I stopped by for the first time late last week and found a well stocked market with quality produce at great prices. But the best part was discovering Nelly and the hot food section that serves a variety of incredibly tasty dishes that are hot and ready to take home along with tacos, torta's and tamales. Nelly is super friendly and a extremely talented cook that gave me a taste of at least 6 different items she had made fresh that day which included soups, stews, 2 different kinds of mole. Her food is very unique and absolutely delicious. I really enjoyed her carne asada tacos and a carne asada burrito, but her chicken tamale (wrapped in a banana leaf) and her chili rellano were clearly way above average. Of the thousands of tamales I've had all over the southland over the last 50 years, Nelly's is clearly a standout and very unique. It was HUGE and only $3.50! You wouldn't want to eat more than one of them. I'm going to be a regular at this place forever more. I tried some of the salsas and guacamole that are in the refrigerator near the checkout. All were excellent. I recently enjoyed 3 tacos on a taco Tuesday ($5.00 for 3 tacos) and all of then were epic.

    torta comes with milenesa de res hotdog avacado eggs mayo salsa jalapenos queso fresca ham and BACON.YUM

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    2 years ago

    Carnitas Taco is good and tasty. You could order all meats by the weight. Salsa sauces are spicy. Good customer services

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    Full bar, authentic food, real hot sauce .... This place is rad. Like a Mexican regal beagle

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    8 years ago

    Had some gorditas, good stuff. Good menudo too!!! I recommend this little gem for some good food and great service.

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Nellie and her family provide the best home made original mexican food. The tamales are AMAZING. THEY R AUTHENTIC.

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    8 years ago

    Can't go wrong with anything on the menu! Tasty authentic Mexican food! Barbacoa tacos and tamales hands down can't go wrong!!

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    Ask the Community - Nelly's Tacos

    If still in business, what suite #? Tried finding but maps took us to? La Cocina De Ricardo and we're in a hurry so we end d ordering there. It was terrible!

    We’re inside Mercado el Rey, next to Jeffrey Michaels Salon

    Do they serve barbacoa?

    Yes on Saturdays and Sundays

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.0(549 reviews)
    4.3 mi
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    honestly i usually hate parking around here because it feels like fighting Thanos just for a spot,…read morebut parking was super easy and we parked right out front with no problem at all and was free. total Tony Stark VIP treatment lol The service was excellent and very attentive as they checked in on us to refill drinks and checked how the food was. Very friendly and the staff were basically moving like Spider-Man around the tables. The food was excellent and very fresh and tasty. It was so good that we came back the next day for the Sunday brunch! We really loved the fish tacos, which were out of this world. Neck and neck with that are the Chihuahua tacos where the meat was tender, and the cheese was charred into the tortilla to give it a very wonderful flavor,, kinda like Iron Man blasted it himself to get that crust. We also tried the Carnitas tacos and a couple of others, which are also very tasty. This Sunday brunch was lovely and our favorite was the steak ranchero and the ceviche, as well as the corn cake. But basically the whole buffet was excellent,, felt like an actual feast in Asgard. We had a Diablo margarita and that was excellent! definitely hit with a kick like the Hulk tbh. One of the two days we sat outdoors, and it was lovely with plenty of space. The second day we had a nice booth and there was plenty of space and seating was very comfortable. basically as chill as hanging at the Avengers compound. Definitely five stars!

    Happy Cinco de Mayo! This is the place where our family…read morereally wanted to be to get our delicious tacos, at an excellent price, plus it's taco Tuesday ! I still love the fish tacos here, everything is delicious especially the salsa bar when we get to do all the toppings ourselves! They mariachi singers today, Spanish songs are playing by different Mexican folk music-often rancheras (performers), setting a wonderful Cinco de Mayo vibe. They have a full service bar, or you could get a delicious Mexican coffee with a huge slice of flan like I do! - My dessert. :) Yumm

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    La Casita Olvera - $1 taco Tuesday  11am-9pm w/drink purchase  9 different meats to choose from

    $1 taco Tuesday 11am-9pm w/drink purchase 9 different meats to choose from

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    La Cocina de Ricardo - side salad

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    4.0(611 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    We really enjoyed our food, it was delicious! The Caldo was one of the best I have had, my husband…read morealso enjoyed his omelette. You know a Mexican restaurant is good when just by trying the red rice you can taste a delicious flavor. The chips were fresh and that red salsa they serve with the chips was really gooood as well! Most places for this kind of red salsa it tastes too much like onion or just too much tomato , but at this restaurant it has a perfect flavor with a spicy kick. Restaurant and restrooms were clean, the service was prompt and friendly. I totally recommend it, and I hope to visit again someday!

    FOOD: I still continue to come here, and the service and food is still great to me!! The menu is…read morebig so there are a lot of choices and it's hard to choose what to get sometimes. I usually tend to get the 2 item Combination plates, but I have ventured and got other things as well. I still like the food here! There is also a lot of vegetarian options as well as my family is vegetarian and they do enjoy coming here and having a variety of choices. SERVICE: We still see the owner when we come in and he is still so warm and friendly, always smiling and treating his guests well! Always great to see a small business that knows service! AMBIANCE: When you walk in, you can definitely tell you are in a Mexican Restaurant. I really like the traditional decor and the pictures around the restaurant. There are two rooms in the restaurant with seating on both sides. One side has the bar and some seating there as well. As my last review said, I will continue to come back here for great Mexican food, great service and good prices!

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    Interior 2

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    La Cocina de Ricardo - Skinny spicy margarita and breakfast burrito were so delicious. Ask for Mario to make you this same margarita!

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    Tacos De Birria Estilo Guadalajara - The  best tacos

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    4.6(656 reviews)
    0.8 mi
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    Outdoor seating
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    Hidden spot located in a church! Parking can suck - I would get here a little earlier for lunch to…read moreavoid the mess that is parking. There's limited spots and some spots are reserved for clergy, daycare, etc. Tacos are a bit on the pricey side, but they're honestly some of the best tacos in the OC. There's a punch card available where you get $10 off after 8 visits. Best Tacos: - Questaco w/ Birria - birria is super flavorful (beef) and perfect with that green salsa and the consume. The cheese is melty and the tacos perfectly crispy. - Fish Taco - Classic fish taco that's perfectly battered and fried with great flavor. Overall, since our first visit, it's become our go to taco spot and we can never go wrong with it. Covered seating + outdoor seating available. Bathroom available via the room onto your left if you're sitting in the covered seating area. On our first trip we walked alllllll the way down the church just to wash our hands since we sat outside, lol. So don't be foolish like us!

    We felt like having tacos on a Tuesday evening and found this place on Yelp. It's the type of…read morerestaurant where you would not notice it when driving by. But good thing for the Yelp platform and the Internet. It had just sprinkled recently and so all the outdoor tables were wet. We were so glad that they also have covered semi indoor seating. Parking was plentiful since we came in the evening and it looks like this is the parking lot for a school also during the day. We ordered at the register and were helped by a couple different staff members. One gentleman took over since it seemed like he was able to explain things better about the menu. I ended up getting a fish taco and a shrimp taco. I should've asked, but didn't realize that the tacos were fried. I was a little surprised because most fish tacos I've eaten are usually served on a tortilla that is not fried. It was a little too greasy for my liking but still tasty! We also ordered birria taquitos to share, which were fried obviously. My family also ordered Carne Asada tacos and birria quesotacos. It didn't seem like there were any taco Tuesday specials for the dishes we ordered. The total amount seemed pretty expensive. Maybe I'll come back to try the ceviche. There are accessible restrooms, which was great since our hands were very greasy afterwards and the small thin napkins weren't sufficient. From the inside dining area, we saw a dance class taking place in the main church assembly room (I think that's what it was). it appeared to be a hula or Polynesian dance class.

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    Lupe's Mexican Eatery - Two Taco Combo

    Lupe's Mexican Eatery

    4.0(516 reviews)
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    Alitzel was very helpful Food is delicious…read more Thanks for the service Great customer service

    Lupe's Mexican Eatery has a surprisingly fulfilling array of appetizers, plates, and drinks, though…read morethe main draw for me are their stuffed and voluminous burritos. I've tried several of the burritos here for their size, flavour, and variety of ingredients, most memorably the Lupe's, Hot Cheetos, California and birria burritos. The Lupe's is stacked with steak and bacon, grilled onion and cilantro, jack cheddar cheese and Chipotle sauce AND guac, so you'll love it as the mash of distinct savoury flavours it is if you love each of those ingredients. It's filling and fills you with both strength and fatigue to prep for or recover from a day of hard work. 5.7/10. Hot Cheetos burritos are something you occasionally see around for some reason, and the one's here are solid, though I prefer the version available at Primo's by a solid margin. Lupe's Cheeto's burritos do have an interesting compressive texture that I strangely somewhat enjoy. 4.4/10. The California burrito is a standard and very solid rendition of a classic. I would put the Lupe's version at above average in quality as they're definitely not mediocre or disappointing. 5.3/10. The birria burrito is just as packed and filling as the other burritos, but tastes and feels significantly more fresh as it consists of a juicy but light birria steak, red beans, and LOTS of chopped cilantro and diced onions. In fact, it primarily tastes of the leafy green, so definitely avoid it if you're not a fan. I enjoy it, though it definitely feels lighter and less satisfying to eat than its less healthy, heavier siblings, and suffers from its birria juices settling at the bottom of the burrito to be largely untasted throughout the eating experience, possibly as there isn't enough of it provided. 4/10. This spot also has a good salsa bar with particularly tasty sauces. My favorites are the classic verde and another, pale green sauce with a creamy flavour, both of which go well with all meals to varying effect. I like how the tortilla chips feel a bit cakey- it's slightly hard to describe, but they're not excessively salty either and fun to eat as a receptacle for the delicious sauces here. A solid spot with a nice, comfortable and fun, kitsch decorated interior, solid burritos and a solid selection of menu items at fairly standard prices.

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    Xclusive Mexican Kitchen - Taco Sampler

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    4.6(582 reviews)
    0.9 mi
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    I come here every month or so with my wife and kids. The food and margaritas are delicious. The…read moreservice is great, they are very friendly and there's no hesitation to fix any mistakes. My favorite Mexican food in Orange County. I love this place!

    My sister and our pups went to eat at this wonderful little restaurant after a great hike with our…read morepups Kobie-Star and Willow . We sat outside in their outdoor patio where they had a couple of TV's -one with the basketball playoffs going on ( my favorite)! The staff was just amazing and welcomed us and our pups and brought out water for both pups without us even having to ask for it , love that . They have lots of food to choose from but we stuck with the traditional combo plate : Cheese enchilada and carnitas taco - mine was a crunchy and hers was soft taco ( both were delicious). I also ordered a delicious blended strawberry margarita and it didn't disappoint. Our servers were : Enrique and Alfonso both were great . They brought us extra bean mixture dip for the chips as their dips and chips are AMAZING as is their food . If you haven't tried this place, you must try this place as not only is the food great , the people that work here are really amazing and that made our time here even better . We checked their hours and found they are open ALL DAY something like 8AM for breakfast -10 PM like what ??? Not everyday but most days , this isn't fast food either ... You have to try this place and for those who want to eat inside it's nice inside or sit at their bar or sit outside at the really big outdoor eating area , you can't go wrong ... Stop by after a Target run it's near by !! Thank you to you all for helping us and our pups - Enrique and Alfonso we will be back for sure !! Thank you again ! Prices very reasonable! Location corner in center - plenty of parking Margarita $$

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    Avila's El Ranchito

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    3.6(898 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    This is my favorite location because of the ambience and the decor! It's super cool and so much fun…read moreinside! The staff is very friendly and our hostess and waiter are very helpful and quick to get a seated and our food came quickly. It's just a fun environment to be at and great for a date night! We went for a Valentines dinner but the night before Valentine's Day. The chips and salsa are really good and those are complementary. Normally, I would get the tableside guacamole, which is really good, but I didn't want to fill up too much so I could eat dinner. They also had a special valentines drink. I got it as a mocktail style and it was so delicious that I want to make it at home because this was just a specialty drink that they had. So me and my husband both ordered fajitas he ordered the steak and I ordered the chicken. The rice and beans were incredible! But I have to say unfortunately my chicken was did not taste very good. It was just kind of dry and not juicy and flavorful. And way too many bell peppers. I love bell peppers, but it was overloaded. But the portions are big and the price is competitive for the area and for this type of food and the amount. Will I come back here again absolutely but maybe I'll try something else like the soup! The soup looked really yummy

    Year 3 of coming to Avila's for a work Christmas party and they are still treating us like royalty!…read moreYou're always welcomed with a smile here and the food is still so delicious. Our entire party of 25 was going ham on the guacamole because it's just so good (and so is the salsa)! Several people in the group enjoyed margaritas - this time I went with a hibiscus tea and it was so refreshing! I really enjoyed it! As always, I got my favorite, a shredded beef hard taco and a cheese enchilada and it was a comfort meal for me. We hosted our annual white elephant gift exchange and had a great time here. Appreciate Avila's for always doing a wonderful job!

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    Nelly's Tacos - mexican - Updated May 2026

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