Toledo's Carniceria y Taqueria — Restaurant in Durham

First of all, the name is 'Carniceria Toledo'. Hoping Google changes that soon. This place is a mix of top-quality butcher shop, small market of Mexican foods/brands, and the hidden gem is the 'restaurant' / food counter they run out of the back. The first key is that the clientele is all Latino and most of the staff speaks broken English == authentic! And I'm usually the only white guy in the place when I go. The menu is in Spanish AND English, with full color pictures. They do tortas, tacos, enchiladas, sopes, gorditas, burritos and 'platters' of whatever meat you choose. You can fill any of those with carne asada, pollo, chorizo, choriqueso, carnitas (delicious), al pastor (my favorite) barbacoa, lengua, tripa, and chuleta ahumada (unique!). On the weekends, they also have ceviche (served with a crispy tostada for dipping), and three stews - Menudo, Posole, Caldo de Res. The tacos are only $1.90 per, so you get better, fresher, authentic food at basically the same price as the Taco Bell a block away! Have to look for it because the strip mall is 'downhill' off Hwy 54 so visibility is not great. Look for the...

This store went from my favorite place to eat to a place I will never visit again. I went to this place on my usual lunch break today and ended up ordering 4 tacos. Tacos are probably the easiest thing on their menu for them make but I had to wait at least 30 minutes to receive my food to go. This isn't why I will never go back because I have waited that long before. Right after I ordered my food a big group of people came in to eat. I had to stand and wait for my food whereas the Hispanics who sat down recieved their food first even though they ordered minutes after me? I'm sure every person at that table recieved their food before me. I truly believe I was given less quality service because I'm not Hispanic and they thought I could wait. The food here isn't bad but service means even more to me because I always treat their employees with respect and I really expected to receive that...

I'm always back and forth with this place. Just as I think I want to write them off, I cave and order something and it's fantastic. Based on my last experience yesterday I would rate them a 1 star. I ordered three tacos and got two. Not too depressed since the ones I did get were filled with sand. I guess they don't wash their cilantro. The torta was pathetic looking, old bread. Burrito was cold. I've given them several chances. The first bad experience I was served a cold burrito that had obviously been left by someone else and had a huge bone in it that took up half the burrito. The next bad experience they just sent us home with the wrong order and we had to drive 15 min back. And now this. Based on the track record, the next time might be amazing again but I'm not going to give them...