SCW and I stopped into El Cantato while staying in Monterey Bay. This place was a priority for me…read moreas it's all plant based and Mexican. Parking is sparse in front of the restaurant but paid parking is nearby. We entered and wow, the place was busy. Not overwhelming but lots of people in the indoor dining area enjoying their food. The menu is overheard and we decided what we wanted and ordered. The employees were kind and helpful, we probably were the only people that didn't speak Spanish well in the restaurant but that wasn't an issue, SCW got the number 2 combo, I got the mole. Also ordered an appetizer. Seated and waited about 10 minutes and our order came out. Everything was freaking amazing. Such great flavors and so fresh. Even SCW who doesn't necessarily gravitate towards Mexican food made nom nom nom sounds the whole time. The mole was incredible, the best I've ever had. The whole time we were here it was an endless stream of customers, even late lunch hour. SCW was impressed by the contrast stream of people coming in. We even walked around the wharf nearby for a while and drove past again and it was still packed with people. Do yourself a favor and visit El Cantato. I know I will.

This is an amazing Vegan restaurant. I was in the area for the day and found this place. I haven't…read morebeen to many Mexican restaurants with any vegan options let alone a full Vegan menus. It took our party (8 people) a while to decide as we were spoiled with choices. But we had time as it was pretty busy for a Friday around 1. I ended up getting the carne asada nachos and the aqua Fresca that they had that day (mango and watermelon I think). Both were absolutely spectacular. The picture included might not show the best scale but I had 2 others helping me to eat this plate and otherwise I would not have been able to finish it (even as a larger man). The crunchy jalapeños with the chips, beans and guacamole were the perfect balance. As a meat eater, the texture of the faux meat was a touch odd, but the flavor more than made up for it. The staff was helpful and attentive even as they were balancing supporting customers, answer phone orders, and taking regular orders. My wife and will definitely be stopping by here more often!!

Quick and convenient amazing food truck tacos. I usually opt in for the fish tacos, more…read morespecifically the fried fish tacos, and they are very large so an average customer would probably only need two if you don't get the fries or something on the side.

The fish taco was delicious. Best fish taco I had while in California. The guy running the food…read moretruck was a little grumpy, however great taco. Everything complimented every well, typical baja style. The rockfish was fried well. They had other non seafood options but the fish taco is where it's at. A little expensive but everywhere in California is.

Visiting from LA, I honestly didn't expect to find great birria tacos, but Mission 19 Taqueria…read moreproved me wrong. The birria tacos looked amazing in the photos, so I decided to give them a try. My kids loved them and immediately asked for more. What really stood out to me was the tortilla, it had a nice crunch that made the tacos even better. The Salsa Roja was absolutely fire and paired perfectly with the tacos. I would definitely eat here again. My only suggestion would be to have lemons, onions, and cilantro available near the sauce station. That said, if you ask, they'll gladly give you more. The prices are a little on the high side, but I'm assuming that's because of the location. Personally, I don't mind paying extra for quality birria tacos. If you're looking for good birria tacos, I highly recommend giving this place a try.

The inside of the building is not very clean. Where they have a stand of salsas and pico, is very…read moredirty as well. I was not greeted when walking in, and had to take my own order on a self check kiosk. The food came out hot, and the chips were seasoned with a good flavor. The prices are high for the items. $30+ dollars without a drink for one person.

We were in the area to check out the aquarium and had a craving for fish tacos…read more We parked a block or two away. Staff was very friendly, we sat in the window and I had the al pastor taco and fish taco. Soooo good, I need to come back. Salsas were tasty too.

Traveling and saw this spot as a recommended Mexican food location. We ordered chips and guac,…read moreenchiladas, and a burrito. For drinks, we ordered the strawberry lemonade and pineapple. Chips and guac were good but tiny portion for what you pay. The enchiladas and burrito were way too salty. And a Mexican place that only does one type of aguas frescas per day? And no horchata? That was a bit disappointing. The pineapple drink tasted like canned pineapple juice. The strawberry lemonade was decent. All in all, would be a good spot with some minor improvements.

They absolutely live up to their name! This is definitely the house of season. We ordered a wet…read morechimichanga with red and green sauce, and an agua de horchata. The food was seasoned to perfection, shout out to the chefs cause WOW! Absolutely incredible. 15/10, the horchata is also 15/10.. Good music, friendly service, clean environment, and delicious food. We came from Sacramento and will definitely be back next time we're in Monterey.

The service was slow and our drinks were left unfilled. The food was ok, it was not hot and it…read morelacked a lot of seasoning. The pricing was not accurate on the menu. We had to show the menu to the server after we received the bill due to getting additional charges that were not published on their menu. I definitely think they're over priced for what they offer, and the quality of the food is not worth spending the money again.

Me and my girlfriend love this place! We had one of our first dates here and come back at least…read moreonce a month. All of the employees are super nice and chill; great hospitality. Whatever we need, the employees have taken care of. The owner came to our table recently and said hello; we told him how much we love this place and how much it means to us and he gave me and my gf both complimentary t-shirts. NACHO BIZNESS FOR LIFE We have tried all of the main nachos selections, they're all great! Pro tip: open the flaps on the cardboard trays to lay the nachos out like a big platter

Solidly good. I got the loaded nachos with carne asada. They did not wow me, but they were the…read moreitem I wanted. The carne could have been more seasoned. I found it to be boring for carne asada. All the cheese sauce and extra toppings made up for the lack of beef taste. I felt like I should have ordered the nacho dog combo with some fries. For a buck less I would have been happier, I believe. But my family looked dejected when they walked out of Papa Chano's next door. That place was boring but for the excellent torta preparation. But back to Nacho Bizness. Try it once. Maybe I had a mid experience. But there are a lotta places to eat around there, so, next time I go to Monterey, I will try something else.

Impromptu trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium this week with the family, summer vacation and all…read more While the kids were clamoring for hotels with free waffles for breakfast, I stumbled upon El Charrito and their breakfast burritos made with fresh homemade tortillas purely by accident. I mentioned breakfast burritos and as quick as that, the kids forgot all about those crappy waffles. We stopped in and ordered a variety of burritos and bowls. Everyone, including my pickiest 11 yr old, were satisfied with their meals. We had ordered extra burritos to enjoy later in the day as well, but some brazen seagulls nipped our afternoon snacks while we were combing the beach for sea glass! Ar least we got some good seaglass, right? Deliciously fresh, modestly priced, dare I say best kept secret? Reminds me of this wonderful multi-generational place I used to visit when I was a grad student in Santa Barbara. It's gone now, and I never expected to come across another establishment like that, so I was surprised that El Charrito awoke that part of me after so many years. Love this place and I can't wait to enjoy their food again!

I should've known something was wrong when I walked in and no customers were inside (compared to…read morethe Salinas location that was jammed packed). Ordered the carnitas and an egg, chorizo, and potato breakfast burrito. After having the Salinas location (Which was amazing), I was utterly disappointed in the quality of this location. The famous tortilla did not taste as fresh and texture as off. I do like how at this location that they pack the meat and the portion sizes are a bit bigger, but the flavor of the carnitas was not as good, but still tasty. The breakfast burrito was very bland and a huge disappointment. It just seemed that there was no seasoning and no flavor. I cannot see myself coming back to this location.

This was our first stop for food for our golf trip to Monterey. What a great find. This little…read moreplace packs some big flavors in their offerings. A must try!!!

Dropped a star :-(…read more We had our usual trio of tacos, out for the 6 there were 5 that hit the spot and one (my wife's) deep fired fish taco was comfortably on the overcooked side and the fish didn't taste fresh apparently ... To be clear, this is the first thing we have had at BA that hasn't been at least 10 stars so am really hoping its a glitch not a trend... We'll be back to make sure we were correct, its our goto Mexican in the area and that's against stiff competition so fingers crossed

This place was one of the highlights of our Monterey trip…read more Conveniently located near Del Monte Beach, Lopez Taqueria & Liquor Store offers great food, reasonable prices, and outstanding customer service. Whether you're looking to grab a quick bite, pick up drinks for the beach, or enjoy authentic Mexican food, this spot delivers. What stood out most was the staff. Everyone we encountered was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely kind. It's refreshing to find a business where the employees make customers feel appreciated. The food was delicious, the prices were fair, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. If you're visiting Monterey and spending time near Del Monte Beach, I highly recommend stopping by Lopez Taqueria. We'll definitely be back.

Carnitas super burrito was edible but not enjoyable. The cheap cut of meat is expected but the…read moreseasoning didn't properly cover the gamey taste. Very oily. At $14, it wasn't even the cheapest around.

Came here for a post-run lunch on a Saturday. Staff was friendly, service was fast and the food was…read moreexcellent. Would definitely come back!

simply the most insane burrito sizes I have ever seen in my entire life. we have no choice but to…read morestan