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    The Original El Taco

    2.3 (167 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 9:00 am - 11:00 pm

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    The restaurant sign
    Cher A.

    This restaurant has both pros and cons. The Pros: The food was really good and the employees tried to make things right by fixing their mistakes. This is also the only restaurant in the Atlanta airport that has gluten and dairy free options. The Cons: The service is slow and we waited over an hour to place our order; then we waited over 30 minutes to receive our food. If you have a flight leaving shortly after and you are looking for a quick meal, this is not your place. Our order was made wrong three times. The first time they gave tacos with cheese. The second time they gave me one taco with the right order and one that was wrong. The wrong taco had a glutinous taco shell. The third time they gave me a gluten free taco with cheese. The fourth time, they got it right. If you have food allergies, I recommend you only order if you have lots of time to wait before your flight. I might recommend the higher end and more expensive restaurant, since the service might be faster and they might get your order right the first time. The only thing is it is 3 times the price. Would I Return? Only if I have a lot of time before my flight. Otherwise you won't receive your order.

    Yum
    Courtney B.

    I came in a few days ago and had a breakfast taco. The taco itself was okay. Being an Austinite, tacos are kinda my thang! The 3 stars given here is more for the attitude I received when I ordered the taco. Immediately upon approaching the counter when attempting to order, the cashier said "Nothing is ready" and rolled her eyes. While I was more than willing to wait for the food, the attitude given was not welcomed. Taco rating 4 Attitude rating 0

    Buttermilk Fried Chicken Taco $4.69 (Sep19)
    Bobby M.

    Okay, I gotta say that I don't get out East that much, but when I do, I really strive to sample some good old fashioned Southern Cooking. So, not much to choose from when at the Atlanta airport for just under and hour. Off the plane and looking around, there was not much by the C-gates and the airport was very busy. All the establishments had lines except for this one right across from the gate, The Original El Taco. No line, whatsoever. Usually not a good clue to getting some good grinds, but I had to ask. Lynnette was working the counter and she was anxious to greet me. I asked her flat out why there was no line, if the food was any good, and what she recommended. She was wonderfully pleasant and ready to help me out. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken taco was her highly recommended choice so I went with that. And, in the South, Buttermilk Fried Chicken is just what I could go for and it should be great. Honestly, It was very tasty and came at a great price. It filled my needs, desire for Southern cooking and filled the empty, awaiting hole in my tummy. Crunchy, tasteful chicken with a great, slightly spicy sauce (more available in packets at the counter) and a tasty tortilla. Yes, I will be back and, hopefully, Lynnette will be there to help me out again. Great service and great food.

    two tacos wrapped in aluminum foil
    Spencer B.

    I can't believe the people you have working here. We walk up to the register at 9:20pm and order tacos. Their response is "we have ground beef". So we said great, we'll take 2 of those and 2 grilled chicken tacos. Again they say, "we have ground beef, we finna close at 10" (40 minutes away). So finally they communicate entirely that they don't have anything other than ground beef. They were so incredibly rude and the only tacos they had ( ground beef) was disgusting. They didn't put half of the ingredients on. Don't go to this place.

    A "taco"
    Isis H.

    I'm giving it 1 star because I cant go any lower. How dare this place charge $4.99 for something THEY call a TACO. This shit isnt a taco. That my friends is a warmed up flour tortilla with some meat and red onion in the middle. This is an insult to tacos EVERYWHERE. If you want tacos, DO NOT even come near this place. It's over priced, under seasoned, and a disgrace to tacos everywhere.

    Lisa G.

    Well, this place was open at 9:00 p.m. while waiting on flight ... so, I stepped up and ordered. I ended up going with the "Taco Combo" which included my choice of two tacos and beans/rice or chips/salsa. I went with a beef taco and a shrimp taco accompanied with the beans and rice. About five minutes later, my order was ready! The beef taco was bland and didn't have a flavor, however, I hadn't eaten since breakfast so anything that filled my stomach would do. The shrimp taco was a bit tastier so I was happy to have that. The item that topped them all was the beans and rice. Actually, I think my eyes were hungrier than my stomach as just an order of beans and rice would have done the trick. However, I paid about $17.00 for the combo plus a water, so I ate it all. Basically, for airport food, especially being open a little later in a quiet terminal, it wasn't that bad. There were other options open but they had run out of certain foods. So, although I only gave this three stars, it was a pretty good choice given the circumstances.

    Fried chicken burrito.
    Michelle P.

    When I have a long day of traveling, the only things I have to look forward to are meals and snacks. The options didn't seem that great according to yelp if I wanted a quick meal. Then I saw the fried chicken burrito on the menu and I thought since I was in Atlanta, the fried chicken would be better than where I'm from. Also, I could just pick the fried chicken out of the burrito and eat it if the burrito didn't taste good. Surprisingly, the fried chicken burrito was good. It was super filling. I don't know if I would go out of my way for it, but it was good for airport food.

    Vegan Mercado

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    2 years ago

    There was almost no line at the register. It took the kitchen 27 minutes to put out a chicken quesadilla

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    7 years ago

    Convenient, my shrimp taco was cold and the carnitas taco was salty. Go to Popeyes

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    Casi Cielo

    Casi Cielo

    4.6
    (684 reviews)
    19.8 mi

    Fives across the board…read more Casi Cielo is incredible. The space is warm and beautiful without trying too hard, and the crowd was hip and well dressed. Definitely a place to be seen and eat well. There's a parking garage but it was full when we got there, so we did valet, which was surprisingly affordable. Service was wonderful. Our server was attentive, helpful, and super knowledgeable about the menu. As for the food, we got: Aguachile de Pescado, which was insane. Super fresh, bright, citrusy, ceviche-like with perfect texture. I would go back just for that. The Hamachi was clean and bright. That avocado sauce tied everything together and gave it some depth without overpowering the fish. The Pork Belly Tostadas were crispy and rich with that smooth avocado mousse and sweet mango salsa balancing it out perfectly. Finally, the bone marrow with steak... so good. I had seen pictures of it before I came and it did not disappoint. The steak was incredibly tender. They bring blue corn tortillas and suggest making a taco with the marrow, steak, and avocado. It's great that way. But honestly, the marrow and steak stand perfectly on their own. Whole experience was excellent. Easily one of my favorite spots in the city now.

    We came here last night to celebrate my sister's birthday with a large group. Unfortunately, the…read moreservice kicked off on a really sour note. Right when we walked in, the staff complained to us that we hadn't called ahead to have a "smaller, special menu" crafted for a large party. To make matters worse, they loudly announced to the whole table right off rip that they wouldn't split checks separately--only an even split. It felt incredibly rude, lazy, and unwelcoming. The irony is that the large group size wasn't even an issue; we staggered our arrivals and the patio was completely empty. The kicker- my brother in law ended up paying the whole tab at the end anyways! so all of that initial laziness & nastiness for NOTHING! Throughout the night, the service felt incredibly rushed and stressed. While we were still eating our appetizers, the busser was aggressively trying to clear our plates because the mains were coming. Our server was very short with us the entire time, which was confusing because the restaurant didn't even have a stressful vibe. She recommended a main dish to me that I really didn't care for, though I will say the salsa was unique and probably the best part of the meal. Shoutout to the one staff member who was actually friendly, but overall, this is not the kind of place where you leave feeling like you had a nice restaurant experience- at least I personally didn't.. Too bad we didn't just go to C&S next door which we always love. Regardless tho, my sister had a blast, but that's entirely because she has a wonderful crew of great friends, not because of Casi Cielo.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Croquetas De Platanos
    Croquetas De Platanos
    Horchata  Josefina Margarita

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    Horchata Josefina Margarita
    El Rey del Taco

    El Rey del Taco

    4.0
    (1.2k reviews)
    19.8 mi
    $$

    Very good food . Nice ambiance. A real cut above chain restaurants…read moreFriendly staff. Its a fun lively place. Food came out in a reasonable time.

    The first time I tried to come to El Rey Del Taco, I couldn't find a parking spot. I've been back…read morethree times since then, and I understand the hype. They have quickly become my favorite place to get Mexican food. Let's get into it! Location and Parking They are located on Buford Highway in a small shopping plaza. The lot is medium sized, but they are sharing it with a few other businesses, and depending on the night it could definitely be hard to find a spot so keep that in mind. Venue and Atmosphere The venue is decently sized with both booths and regular tables. There are beautiful paintings hung all over, and the decorations that make you feel like you've stepped into a little part of Mexico. Atmosphere is super casual and comfortable. Food and drinks Now the menu here is massive. Take your time and prepare to be overwhelmed, because everything sounds amazing. Here's a breakdown of what we got each time. 1st visit - El Rey Del Taco Parrillada It's meant to be shared with two people, and comes with a pound of beef ribs, your choice of chicken or al pastor meat, six shrimp wrapped in bacon, with melted cheese and chorizo, plus tortillas and charro beans. It was just as delicious as it sounds. 2nd visit - Tacos The pastor con queso and the shrimp al pastor with cheese, onions, and al pastor sauce. You're welcome. 3rd visit - Fajitas Fajitas Texanas, with steak chicken and shrimp. There are 7 different combinations of sides that you can get. We got white rice, salad, and charro beans. This can also be shared, which my wife and I did. Speaking of the charro beans, they have the best beans I have ever had. For drinks I got the supreme regular mango margarita. My wife got strawberry. Both great. Service Food came out fast, but other than that the service was a little slow. Our waitress was nice, but it did seem that she forgot about us for a little while. The food was so good that I forgave it, plus at the end of the day I got everything I needed. Verdict If you're looking for amazing food and drinks, this is absolutely the place to get it. It just might end up being your favorite too! Until next time!

    Photos
    El Rey del Taco
    Tacos (top) Mini Quesadillas
    Tacos (top) Mini Quesadillas
    Awesome mural and art throughout

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    Awesome mural and art throughout

    The Original El Taco - mexican - Updated June 2026

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