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    Tacos Don Rafa

    4.3 (190 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican, Food Stands
    Closed 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Tacos Don Rafa Photos

    Business Info

    TACOS DON RAFA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Divey
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Tacos Don Rafa

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    Isaac R.

    This taco stand has great tacos. I do believe these are the best quick and reasonably priced tacos in downtown Salt Lake. Great customer service, and there's plenty of parking inside the lot. It works better if you bring cash.

    Location on the corner. It's small and easy to pass.
    Nick M.

    Be on the look out or you'll pass right by this amazing little taco cart. Tacos don Rafa delivers quick and delicious tacos burritos and quesadillas. The folks running this small cart at lightning fast so even if there's a line go ahead and wait a few minutes. Sauces are in a cooler next to the cart and range from a spicy red salsa, a medium verde, to a fantastic guacamole salsa. Only downside here is that there's no way to take the sauces to go so I had to smother my quesadilla in it. There is some picnic tables setup behind the cart in the old sears parking lot but if it's a cold day like it was today, this is a take it to go kind of place. Just be wary you're probably my gonna crush the tacos before you even pull out of your parking spot

    Carne asada and Al pastor tacos
    Lo M.

    TDR is life! I'm a frequent visitor here and am always met with quality, quick service. It's affordable and makes for a wonderful late night fixing. Every ingredient is fresh and they have an outdoor seating section if you want to take your time with your tacos on a warm day. I'd seriously rent this taco cart for a big occasion if given the chance - they're really that good!!

    Two plates of tacos and the quesadilla (folded in half)
    Winnie L.

    Pro-tip: There's actually two trucks on the same corner, so make sure you're going to the one you intended. Keep an eye out for homeless people nearby. Highlights: It's open late! It's pretty affordable at $1.50 per taco. We got almost all the meats and they were all flavorful, but I really think the most delicious item was the spicy pork quesadilla! The flour tortilla was soft and chewy, the pork had the right spices and was a little fat so it made it juicy and combined with the cheese and fixings, it was perfect. I would go again just for the quesadilla. Lowlights: They were running out of cabbage and I love my tacos to be basically more like a salad than a taco, so I wish there was more cabbage. They just squeeze the salsas right on top of the tacos and I wish they could give out containers of them instead so you can mix and match and the tacos wouldn't get soggy.

    Salsa/toppings
    Becca M.

    This is a little food truck in SLC with bangin' tacos. We tried the carne asada and al pastor. Both were great! I tried the mild green sauce and got all the toppings on my taco and it was excellent. 1.50 for a taco is a great price and they're the perfect size to be eating when your on the side of the road. Love that they're open late!! Loved the kind lady who helped us!! Will definitely be returning. Not sure if they park in the same place every time they open but the lot behind the truck was very convenient for parking.

    Al Pastor and Barbacoa Tacos Horchata
    Michael S.

    The best Mexican food in Salt Lake hands down. As a native Angeleno, my bar is set pretty high and this taco cart nails it every time. Amazing Al Pastor and their horchata is great too.

    Ryan R.

    Mistake on my previous review. Fat thumbs so I'm not sure how that happened but it's time for this lovely little spot to be appreciated. This place deserves its 5 stars.

    William M.

    Stopped by on my run while on a layover and got a Pollo Mole Burrito - Freshly made, quality toppings, lots of options to add. I wanted more than Street Tacos. There was a line, so I had to wait. It gave me a chance to see what the items looked like and what folks were ordering - most getting tacos. Get the Cilantro, Tomatoes, and Onions, Avocado Sauce, Sour Cream, and Hot Sauce. Other customers warned the Red Sauce was too hot...I don't think so. The Avocado Sauce was excellent. The Chicken didn't hold up well to everything I added and got lost in mix; I'll try the Pork next time...or maybe the Tacos.

    Pork, beef, and chicken street tacos
    Meagan L.

    I had the yummiest street tacos here today!! I had to try out one of the chicken, beef, and pork and honestly couldn't pick a favorite between them. They were all delicious and full of flavor! I love all the toppings you can put on them as well. I'll be back!

    Monica G.

    A must try! They are sooo goood and only a $1 for taco. Yes, only $1 a taco and $4 for a huge burrito. The employees are very nice with and fast. The line was huge at almost 11 pm but they were so fast than in less that 5 minutes I was in and out of the line. They have a lot of meat options as well as veggie options like rice and beans burrito. I tried 8 different kinds of tacos and they were all good. My favorite was the carne asada. The toppings and salsa, in the fridge next to the cart were awesome. Lost of fresh and crispy veggies, pico de gallo, crema, and at least 3 salsas. The red salsa was very spicy for me but one of the green salsa was perfect for me. Highly recommend!

    Fajita chicken, carne asada, & pastor tacos w/cilantro, onion, cabbage & lime

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    1 year ago

    Incredible! I'm from San Diego and these guys make me feel like im back. They also remember my order

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    1 year ago

    Super cheap and chill, fresh ingredients, including salsas. Great for a late night bite. This should be a Salt Lake City staple.

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    6 years ago

    Really good, really cheap tacos. Cash only, in the old Sears parking lot. (. ).

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    2 years ago

    Just got to SLC and I walked to Don Rafa's from my hotel. I got some carne asada, barbacoa, carnitas, and al pastor tacos. It was perfect!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Tacos Don Rafa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Tacos Don Rafa

    What are the hours?

    10 am until midnight everyday

    Accept credit cards?

    Cash only

    Do they offer lingua tacos?

    Yes

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    Muertos Cantina - Close up of the tacos

    Muertos Cantina

    4.3(317 reviews)
    2.6 miSugar House
    $$

    Like always, Yelp helped me find another great spot! We were traveling through Utah and this was…read moreour first food stop of the trip. It definitely did NOT disappoint! The staff was friendly and welcoming. The restaurant was very clean. First of all, Muertos Cantina is a total vibe! The inside is so cool with fluorescent lighting, colorful decor and bottles displayed beautifully behind the bar. Even the bathrooms are worth mentioning! Each one is decorated differently with tons of bright colors. Seriously, each bathroom is like its own little fiesta sanctuary. Now for the FOOD! They start you off with fresh tortilla chips and a trio of salsas, and the chips were AMAZING (especially the flour chips). Each salsa had its own completely different flavor. The Red Chile Arbol had some heat, the Chipitle Lime Crema was smooth & creamu, and then there was the milder Tomatillo Verde, which was my favorite. Soooo good! We also tried the Agua Frescas. They were refreshing, flavorful and really pretty to look at. The watermelon was probably our least favorite, but to me anything watermelon flavored can sometimes taste a little watered down. The pineapple was definitely the winner because it was way more flavorful and satisfying. Then came the Elote Corn Dip. YUMMY! It had fire roasted corn, cheese, spices, crema, pico de gallo, cilantro and Tajín. It had so much flavor and texture. Definitely one I would order again. My daughter chose the Birria Ramen, and I think this might have been her favorite part of the meal. It had slow cooked beef birria, consommé, melty cheese and ramen noodles with cilantro and red onions, plus lime and radishes on the side. It had a little spice to it and was absolutely packed with flavor. She loved it! My husband ordered one of their burritos with a side of tater tots. The kid in him was VERY happy that tater tots were an option. And FYI the burritos here are HUGE. I ordered the Smothered Spicy Chile Verde Burrito, and OMG. It had braised pork in chile verde sauce with rice and refried black beans, wrapped in a flour tortilla and then smothered with MORE chile verde, melted cheese and chipotle lime crema. It was MASSIVE and SO GOOD! I honestly have yet to find anything in Reno that compares to this one. I would order it again in a heartbeat. And whatever you do, SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT! We got the churro beignets, and they were fantastic. Covered in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with caramel and condensed milk... seriously, what more do you need? They were the perfect way to finish the meal. Muertos Cantina ended up being such a great first stop on our Utah trip. Fun atmosphere, really good food, huge portions and so many different flavors. Again the atmosphere set the entire vibe for our meal. Yelp came through for me again!

    My SO was craving a burrito from here so I grudgingly went along for moral support, if not to eat…read more Based on my snacking off of his plate and perusing the new menu, I am bumping them up to 4 stars. The food is still very good here and some of my previous gripes are no longer an issue. I can now order tacos and burritos à la carte again. While there is still no way to go pick whatever salsa I want and the options are still more limited than before, at least they bring out 3 of my favorites with the chips now. The drinks are still just okay , a shadow of their former selves and I will never be able to accept the loss of my beloved watermelon margarita, the way they used to make it, but I will concede the drinks are decent. Service was fine. Parking is a hassle but that's just Sugarhouse. ‍ So yeah, I guess I'm back to "willing to eat here once in a while", from "I'm never eating here again". They even have a nice taco Tuesday deal which I may hit up in the near future.

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    Muertos Cantina - Interior design

    Interior design

    Muertos Cantina - Birria Ramen

    Birria Ramen

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    Chile-Tepin - Carnitas chimichanga smothered

    Chile-Tepin

    4.4(1.3k reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown
    $$

    Family suggested Chile Tepin when we came in from out of town. We were a large group of 20 and they…read moreaccommodated us perfectly. The service was excellent and everything came out much more quickly than I would have expected for a large group. I had the chile relleno and it was the best I've ever had. Perfectly portioned and delicious. Family had everything from fajitas to quesadillas and everyone was quite happy with their meals. The salsa for the chips had a slight kick to it but not enough to stop you from digging in for more. Great experience and staff.

    This was one of the worst service experiences we've ever had, especially considering this was not…read moreour first time visiting. Unfortunately, our experience with our server, Letty, completely changed our opinion of this restaurant. There were two main issues that made our visit frustrating: 1. We did not receive our drinks until after our food arrived, and we actually had to remind our server that we were still waiting on them. When Letty brought out our food, we politely asked about our two cokes and were told, "Give her more time." We felt we had already been very patient and only asked after our food had arrived. Waiting for drinks while eating a meal was frustrating, especially since the restaurant was not busy and was actually starting to slow down during the last hour we were there (around 8-9 PM). 2. While we were eating, Letty refilled our water and the table next to us, then continued having a long conversation with the neighboring table while standing very close to us. It felt like we were being completely ignored, and the lack of awareness for our personal space made it difficult for my husband especially to comfortably enjoy his meal. We understand that everyone has busy shifts, but the level of attentiveness and service we experienced was disappointing. We left feeling frustrated and unlikely to return after this visit and would NOT recommend this place to anyone.

    Photos
    Chile-Tepin - Hostess area missing the hostess

    Hostess area missing the hostess

    Chile-Tepin - Guacamole and Paloma

    Guacamole and Paloma

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    El Barril Restaurante - Chocolate & Strawberry Crepe

    El Barril Restaurante

    4.1(323 reviews)
    3.7 miCity of South Salt Lake
    $$

    While we don not usually dine out in Salt Lake City, opportunity arose today so I searched for a…read moregood place. I was pleasantly surprised by the decor inside, they have spent a great deal for this location. I ordered chips and salsa to start. These were not complimentary but when they arrived the salsa was fresh and unique. I was glad I ordered them. My wife chose the carne asada burrito. She raved about the flavor and could only finish half. I ordered a unique taco which had an authentic name this gringo cannot remember but it was built on a house made corn tortilla about twenty inches long and ten inches wide. Steak, Mexican cream, tomatillo sauce, freshly shredded lettuce and cheese. I've never had anything like it but it is awesome. The service was quick and efficient. Very delightful people. The check had included a 15% Service Charge so I was glad to see the options on the screen to add a tip began at a level that matched up with the service charge at a reasonable level. I only had one complaint, The music was a little loud. The sound system is great and I loved the authentic music but the baseline was pumping loud enough to hurt my ears. I'd recommend adjusting the volume or the mix to make it a little more comfortable. Overall I loved this experience and will definitely want to come again. No pictures, sorry.

    W O W! The last update they did to the last building was…read morenice but this new location is definitely breathtaking. I tried their enchiladas today and I'm not surprised that they were delicious! When you enter you are welcomed with a big smile from the staff. Will definitely come back and bring my wife. El Barril you guys have blown me away with the ambience and delicious food!

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    El Barril Restaurante - Huevos Rancheros

    Huevos Rancheros

    El Barril Restaurante
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    Red Iguana 2 - Beef Taquitos

    Red Iguana 2

    4.3(1.5k reviews)
    1.9 miPoplar Grove
    $$

    this place was FANTASTIC…read more everything about this meal was absolutely perfect. the drinks, the enchiladas, the nachos, the desserts. all of it. each and every mole is impeccable, and one even goes into a signature cocktail flawlessly. the design and outlay are charming and cleverly handpicked, and the staff is attentive and very polite. worth whatever wait is necessary, and certainly the best mexican food in slc.

    After picking up my wife and two kids from the airport around 7:30 PM, I asked if they were hungry…read moreenough for some really good Mexican food. The answer was an enthusiastic yes, so we headed to Red Iguana. This visit was especially meaningful because my wife and I had one of our very first dates at Red Iguana more than 27 years ago. While some things about the restaurant have changed over the years, the food was every bit as amazing as I remembered. It turned into a wonderful trip down memory lane. My wife and I shared the Red Iguana combo plate, and our kids each had quesadillas. Everyone loved their meal. The flavors were outstanding, the portions were generous, and it reminded us why this restaurant has such a great reputation. The only downside was that we were so full we didn't have room for the fried ice cream! That just gives us a good excuse to come back another night. Red Iguana delivered great food, great memories, and a perfect welcome for my family after a long day of travel. Highly recommended!

    Photos
    Red Iguana 2
    Red Iguana 2 - Plate of Rice and Beans

    Plate of Rice and Beans

    Red Iguana 2 - Enchiladas

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    Tacos Don Rafa - mexican - Updated September 2026

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