El Guerrero Azteca — Restaurant in Elkton

Update: The owner was kind enough to respond to my original review. Please know that even though it says salsa on the menu, 4 out of 4 people that went that evening, were surprised to get a wet burrito. Burritos drenched in salsa are called wet burritos, or in Spanish, burritos ahogados. The way it is worded on the menu can be confusing. I’m sure we weren’t the only 4 people to be caught by surprise from this.

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Original Review

HEADS UP: Burritos are “wet burritos”. This means they come drenched in a red sauce with melted cheese on top. It’s good, but be advised!

I just HAD to start my review with that, because I feel like it’s an important thing to know. Their menu doesn’t indicate whether they’re regular burritos or “wet”. This can be frustrating if you weren’t expecting that. In our case, we were hoping to be able to have “handheld” food on our way to the coast, and that wasn’t possible. I recommend that the owners make a note on their menu so others aren’t caught off guard when they get their order.

Now that I put that out there, I have to admit, the food was pretty good. I didn’t know what to expect from a small Mexican food truck in Elkton, but it didn’t disappoint. I very much enjoyed my carne asada tacos and my wife still enjoyed her wet burrito. If you can handle spice, try their habanero salsa, it’s really good! Also, the meat was seasoned and cooked well, which is what made the tacos so yummy.

I definitely think it’s worth stopping by if you’re driving through town and are in the mood for Mexican. I think your craving will be satisfied. Now, I wouldn’t recommend stopping if you’re short on time, because from our experience, it took a bit long to get our food out. There wasn’t anyone ahead of us and it still took about 20 minutes to get our plates out. There could’ve been phone orders, not sure, but it’s ok. More than anything, I just want people to know in case they’re on a rush.

Either way, we enjoyed our food and would definitely make another stop if we’re passing through. They were out of most of their meat options when we visited, so hopefully I can try them next time! It’s also good to note that they accept Apple Pay. Came in handy since I didn’t have my...

I once read “Taquerías are shrines to the simple authenticity of Mexican cuisine.”

If that’s the case, I recommend El Guerrero Azteca, a simple, blue trailer taquería with a metal outbuilding add-on that covers three picnic tables on Highway 38 in Elkton.

This little stand reminds me of rockhounding on the Oregon coast, where trained eyes can find red-orange carnelian, Moonstone agates and red, green and yellow jasper. Should you make the mistake of driving past El Guerrero Azteca without stopping you will never know what you're missing.

While many are inclined to judge a taquería on its tacos al pastor, my wife and I veer toward tacos de lengua. In fact, author Maria Herrera-Sobek once wrote “It is said that unless a taquería offers tacos de lengua, it is not a real taquería.” in her book, “Celebrating Latino Folklore.”

I didn’t ask owner Geraldo Aguirre how he prepares tongue, whether slow braising or a pressure cooker, but it tastes slow roasted, tender, flavorful and not overcooked. My soft tacos (lengua, carne asada and pork carnitas) were served con todo with onions and cilantro. The hard taco (shredded chicken) came with an ample pile of chopped tomatoes, iceberg lettuce and shredded cheese. I posted photos of both plates.

After finishing our tacos, we ordered two carne asada burritos ($10.95 each) to go. We brought back home to Roseburg for our sons, who had just returned from track and swim practice, respectively. The burritos were plated on large, oval Chinet serving platters, wrapped in aluminum foil, and covered with another serving platter that was stapled at each end. The packaging was noteworthy because the burritos stayed warm and there was no leaking, a typical hazard of take out.

Unlike most taquerías I’ve tried, where they prepare either tacos or burritos or tacos satisfyingly well but rarely both, El Guerrero Azteca delivers on...

My wife and I have been passing by this place for the last year or so. We finally decided to give it a go February 15, 2019. It was definitely a decision well made, and money well spent! For the portions, the prices are awesome!

I had a large Burrito, about Chipotle sized, was packed full of rice and shredded beef, and smothered in a delicious sauce! I don't know how he prepares his beef, but it was seasoned perfectly. My wife had the Super Nachos with shredded chicken. I took a bite and they were fantastic!

They don't have the metal outbuilding there at the moment, I'm wondering if that's a summer time thing, since I saw other people mention it has A/C.

This place absolutely deserves 5 stars, and it has now become the place we will stop on our trips north! If you like authentic Mexican, hit this place up. With a huge menu, I don't think you...