TLDR: recommend the lengua and horchata. They take Zelle. Cash preferred. Details: Great value! Come early around 8pm. It says they open the 7pm but they're not ready till much later and we were told to show up around 8pm to be first in line. The lengua tacos are fantastic! The horchata is also good. I also had the pastor and carne asada. The pastor was better than the carne asada but even then neither stood out. It was nice to support their entrepreneurial spirit. I like that the early crowd is Latino locals, and that the later crowd (assumed) gets after bar crowd. It really services a wide San Francisco scene. Limited seats. Don't expect to sit down. read more

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Solid no frills taco spot that's open late night. We were in the Mission at Gray Area down the street and wanted to avoid long lines at shops like El Farolito since it was a Saturday night. They accept cash, Apple Pay or Zelle. For two carne asada tacos and an al pastor quesadilla, they charged us $25. No idea what the cost breakdown is since they don't have a menu lol Service was prompt and friendly. They have pickled onions with sliced habaneros and a few different salsas. I like the red salsa, creamy green one (kinda spicy), and the creamy habanero (very spicy). The tacos were good. Pretty decent amount of meat. The quesadilla was also good with a decent ratio of cheese and meat. I thought the al pastor was missing that typical strong savory-sweet flavor though. They also added pineapple in the quesadilla. There are a lot of options in the area but this place is worth a try. read more

Tacos el charro - Carne asada tacos - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing street tacos in the Mission. For $4, you get a two delicious corn tortillas topped with a shit ton of tender, juicy meat. There's also a pickled veggie, radish, and lime bar along with 4 different (spicy af) sauces. Not sure which one was sooo spicy, I think maybe the white-ish one which is misleading haha. We came for the Al Pastor but was wowed by the Lengua. Asada quesadilla was also good, especially when you bite into a fatty piece of Carne with cartilage :D read more

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Best tacos in SF, no doubt about it! We love a pop up tent on a random side of the road situation. It's giving authentic, classic, no frills, and that is exactly how I want my tacos. $4 for a street taco is wicked but San Francisco + inflation, that tracks. Al pastor is the way to go. The tender meat and sweetness of the pineapple pair perfectly with their spicy orange crema sauce. I am a spicy girl, but damn, this stuff is SPICY! Along with that spicy ass sauce, there's 3 other options. Spice levels for all, and none of them lack delicious flavor. They also have all the fixings. Cilantro, onions, limes, pickled onion and habanero (this is my absolute fav). Tortillas are also hand made, yum! The horchata is also fire, sweet , creamy, and delicious. Great way to wash away the spice lol The bag of chips with limon and chile are also so fire! Service is so nice and efficient! They take apple pay as well, thank god! Who carries cash these days? There are a few tables set up for you to enjoy your food there. If you take your food to go - they pack everything up nicely for you. A must try if you're out in the mission after 7 PM! read more

Tacos el charro - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

Visited on a Sunday night around 10pm, there was a line with 2-3 people but it moved fairly quickly. Food: Al Pastor Taco - good, small double corn tortillas topped with a generous amount of pork, onions and cilantro, meat was tender with a slight char, lightly seasoned so definitely garnish with a bit of salsa, pineapple added a nice contrast Lengua Taco - Excellent, super tender and juicy lengua, savory beefy flavor that seemed like it had been stewed for ages, perfectly seasoned, definitely order if they have it available Service was quick and efficient, only took a few minutes for my order. They have a few tables and chairs set up if you wanted to eat there. Lots of salsas limon, onions and pickles for topping which is a great touch. Overall would recommend stopping for a taco if you see them set up! Got 2 tacos for $9 no the most affordable but fair given the quality and quantity of meat in the tacos. read more

Tacos el charro - Trompo - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

probably go to street taco spot in mission! open late and also the tacos are decently priced. the carne asada is a classic and my favorite cause of how crispy they come out and smaller chunks! the side sauces are gooood read more

Tacos el charro - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I came back here last weekend, and I gotta say, yes it was still as good as the first time! I got there around 7ish but they weren't ready to go til 7:30. I ordered 5 al pastor tacos and crushed them all. Their spicy crema (orange sauce) is so damn spicy, probably one of the spicier ones I've gotten on tacos and I can't get enough of it. I even ordered more tacos and a quesadilla to take home. They package up all their sauces plus some onions in a ziploc for me. $4 tacos, and the quesadilla is like $15. I'd pass on the quesadilla and go straight for the tacos only. I did think the pastor tasted better later in the night, so when I go again, it'll be later in the night versus when they first open. read more

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It's quite the show to see the big skewer of meat stacked on a rotating burner (lmao sorry idk the proper name for these things) in the middle of a sidewalk against the backdrop of a graffiti filled wall in the Mission. They only operate certain days of the week as we walked by again on Monday afternoon and there was no trace of this place to be seen. Idk what the going rate of street tacos is, but this spot was charging 5 dollars flat which feels pricey esp given that we saw a lot of the ingredients was from Costco (they literally had Kirkland branded Mexican cheese) The al pastor tacos was yummy and the meat was super flavourful and quite soft. There's at least 3 different salsas and various toppings that are self serve. read more

Tacos el charro - Al pastor taco - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food: 5 Decor: 2 Service: 3 Came here for dinner with my brother. Overall probably the best taco I've had in SF. Would definitely come back. Tacos al pastor 5/5. Opted for 2 tacos since I wasn't super hungry, and they were absolutely delish. Hot sauces were great, although the orange one was incredibly hot (could barely take more than a few drops). Service was okay. They're street tacos being served under a tent. Wait was a bit long though - had to wait almost 15 minutes. read more

Was told by a friend that these may be the best Tacos in the city, and while they're certainly good, i left a bit underwhelmed. El Charro is your classic side-of-the-road taco tent situation. They have a better system for service than most though, with a named ticketing system that made ordering pretty straightforward. I also appreciated that they had seating (even if there wasn't much of it). As for the tacos themselves, i found them lacking. For starters, the al pastor was quite dry. They included pineapple to help with the situation, but dry al pastor is a sad thing to eat . The tripas taco I had fared a bit better, but it was far too fatty for my liking. I was a fan of the sauces and toppings though! read more

Tacos el charro - Tacos - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

Never had an actual street vendor taco in ages but saw this place trending online. Quite a bustling crowd of people and super friendly staff. Not all the meat options you usually get at a taco place but definitely had all my favorites. Tacos had a good amount of meat and tasted legit. Price was fairly decent too. Will definitely come back for the vibes and food. read more

Tacos el charro - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Really good street tacos. The Al pastor was my favorite meat for sure but all were good. A bit pricey for street tacos, we paid $43 for 8 tacos and a pineapple water. So around $4 something per taco -Al pastor (5/5) -Tripa (5/5) ask for it crispy, always -Asada (4/5) -lengua (4/5) There's a couple tables but both were occupied so we took the tacos to go. Appreciate the different salsas and pickled onions with habanero. I'd come back if I was in the area read more

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This place is DELICIOUS!! 5/5 is well deserved. Their al pastor is such a highlight, with the charred meats and the fried tacos, the combo hits hard. The al pastor is probably the best I've had in the Bay Area. They open late so we were able to grab food at midnight and beyond there. They do sell out at around 12/12:30am on weekends. read more

Tacos el charro - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best thing after a night of bar hopping or leaving a schweaty club in The Mission? OFC, besides leaving behind the BO.... Street food! Opening around Summer 2023, Tacos El Charro's specialty is Pastor Al Trompo. There was a line before opening which is always a good sign. H O U R S O F O P E R A T I O N Yelp and Google says, 5 pm - 2 am. We got there around 6:50 pm and they were still setting up and said, they open at 7 pm. M E N U There's no menu but I saw them making three things: Tacos, Quesadilla, and Tortas. They also have bags of homemade potato chips. Proteins: They were cooking the al pastor two ways: trompo (on the spit w/ a pineapple on top) and on la plancha (flattop grill). I also saw asada (beef). Drinks: Sodas and bottled water. CASH ONLY! T A C O S * Tacos Al Pastor ($4 each): http://tinyurl.com/ychjjv7k Shaved from the spit onto two chewy corn tortillas griddled in pork drippings - the small morsels of adobo-spiced al pastor are rich and juicy. The sweet pineapple (fresh) and sharpness of the onions are a nice contrast to the savory meatiness. Condiments/accompaniments: They have four salsas: two rojas, salsa verde (sooo creamy and delicious!), and habanero (muy caliente!). Also, you can help yourself to sliced radishes, escabeche (pickled veggies), and lime wedges. S E R V I C E All business and prompt. They have a team of 5-6 people working. A M B I A N C E There's one communal table that can seat up to 8. You may be rubbing elbows with strangers but who knows...maybe it will fare better than finding love at the club? P A R K I N G Street parking. There's a parking lot on the same block (flat fee) and the nearest garage is 2.5 blocks away on 21st/Bartlett. Overall, I prefer al pastor to have more char with crispy edges and more prominent adobo seasoning. Nonetheless, it was a delicious taco esp with their salsas. I don't go out late anymore but when Bruno's reopens...it's ON! read more

Tacos el charro - Tacos Al Pastor | $4 each (cash only!) - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best taco spot in SF. Honestly better than any I've had in Los Angeles. It's just a nondescript stand on the same block as Bissap Baobab. The thing to get is the al pastor taco. For $4 you get your crispy slices of pork with a pineapple slice. They got 4 hot sauces to try as well. I wish I had tried them one at a time because one of them was extremely spicy. The green sauce is great on the taco though, it really adds creaminess. Will always try to hit up this spot if I'm in the area. read more

Tacos el charro - Al pastor tacos - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

On a cold, rainy winter night (12/22) I walked down Mission street in my trendy gen z wide pants*, soaking up SF street rain water and god knows what else, for these tacos. Was it worth it? Abso-fucking-lutely. I'm still thinking about the Carne Asada taco. The Al pastor with fresh pineapple is a must. That salsa habanero tastes like it was made with the flames fresh from Hell--hot and spicy full of flavor. THE TORTILLAS THO. I'm definitely coming back, hopefully in less wet weather. *this is why skinny jeans are forever. read more

Tacos el charro - Carne Asada and that sexy al pastor in the background - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

Still amazing. I still think about these tacos on a near daily basis. It can be tough finding them, though. As of November 2024 they are operating under tents (sometimes white, sometimes blue) with tables that are covered in colorful tablecloths at 18th and Mission -- in front of the burned out / graffiti'd building. They seem to start a bit later as well, maybe 7-7:30pm, and they're only operating Wednesday to Sunday. Absolute favorite tacos in SF. read more

Tacos el charro - Al Pastor Tacos (no pineapple on top) - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

My faaaaaavourite tacos in San Francisco! I dream about them and their incredible sauces and spicy habanero onion. So good, so juicy, so tasty. read more

Tacos el charro - Tacos al pastor - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

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When we were waiting for our order we were given a plate of seafood pasta and horchata on the house to eat while we were waiting and I think that was great service and very thoughtful of the gentleman. Al pastor tacos were a bit overcooked and under seasoned for my personal liking but it was not bad 7/10. When we got our order they had forgotten some items so we had to go back and get them. Carne asada was also a bit bland. 4/5 stars for great service but minus a star for the lack of seasoning/flavor. Hopefully improvements can be made because we would love to support read more

I have visited this taco stand twice and every time I have left impressed. They are super warm, fresh, perfectly seasoned. I last visited a few weeks ago and had alpastor, asada, chorizo. They are not stingy with the toppings you can self serve radishes, pickled onions and habaneros, limes, and three different salsas. FYI they only take cash, zelle and Apple Pay. read more

Tacos el charro - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

So I finally found them again. Only open Friday Saturday maybe Sunday I would look for them after 730-8pm. Prices have gone up to $5 per taco which is a little pricey. They do pack the Al Pastor on, a little greasy this time, that's why one star off. Still nice people. read more

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Great street tacos, would stand up well in the South Bay where the street tacos are historically better than in SF. I got a pastor, asada, and cabeza one and each were great with the cabeza being the standout. This might be a standard post Dubs game stop for me. read more

Very well may be the best tacos in the city. Great staff, fast service, great prices. Highly recommend! read more

Tacos el charro - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've tried each of the nightly street stands for tacos in the northern half of the Mission, and this one is the best by far. Proper pastor takes a long time to cook, and these are the guys that actually keep their spit roasting at the high enough temperature to get the tender, juicy meat that you want for this kind of thing. The guys are super friendly too! If you're out at bars in the area, this is absolutely worth the detour. read more

Great service. Salsas and al pastor had no flavor and meat was chewy. Tortillas were also chewy. Surprised given how many people were eating there. I'm not a picky eater at all but I was a bit disappointed. read more

This is tacos, two nights in a row. I went to an imposter's place at 19th admission thinking this was El Charro. I travelled to 18th St at Mission and kept looking at the workers. I was trying to compare them to the screenshots I had of reviews of El Charro. It looked like the lady handing out the food. So I stood on the sidewalk for a minute and the lady kept looking at me side eyed. A worker approached me and sled if I wanted to order. I asked if the lady was the same as the screenshot on my phone and he said yes. Three Al Pastor tacos and a horchata was $17, almost like taqueria prices, but that's ok. Get it to go, walk two blocks back to the crib, sat down and chomped them down. That green sauce is spicy but good, good flavor to the Pastor. The horchata did not have the cinnamon at the bottom, so it was mixed well. Will return after heading the other way to 20th and 21st. read more

Tacos el charro - Three tacos Al Pastor, how they should look. - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

$Pricy and food is okay. Paid $40 for 1 quesadilla($15), 1 torta($15), and two tacos($10). My other friends, who were also a group of 3 ended up paying $80, they got more tacos but definitely not worth the price. Workers were not welcoming and cook stepped off to smoke a cig, came right back to the meat, no sanitizing or washing hands. If you're at the bars and have the money, this place is for you. If you're actually looking for somewhere to eat, look elsewhere. read more

Great tacos!! Especially al pastor and camera and not to mention the habanero salsa 10 out 10 read more

Tacos el charro - Tacos de cabeza and al pastor - Food Stands Near Me - San Francisco, California

Los tacos de pastor autentico de trompo, el sabor delicioso con su toque mexicano!! Recomendado 1000/10 read more

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I was looking for classic, affordable, high quality tacos in the area and they absolutely overdelivered. Will definitely be back.

Good but way too expensive, actually ridiculous for some street food and considering these people are not paying rent and supply only about 8 seats total. I paid $61 for 8 tacos, one torta and 3 canned cokes, and an horchata. Walking away i couldnt even add it up in my head, who knows what she charged me. But $61?! Come on.. asada was good. read more

Service and food were amazing and the people that work there are nice and cool and I will go back there soon and love their burrito and they got good drink so it a plus plus read more

Anyone who tries to tell you there's a better tacos anywhere in the fucking bay area that are better than these is either stupid or a liar.

Tastiest tacos in town in my opinion! These guys are a hidden gem. I recommend the Al Pastor.

Some of the best tacos I have had in San Francisco. The meat had amazing taste and the tortillas were perfect! I really only knocked a start because I got a bit of fat but honestly was so good. The staff is super nice. read more