Nelson's Taqueria + Nelson’s in the Whit — Restaurant in Eugene

So, we broke down and were stuck in Eugene for the night and the hotel we were at gave us a pamphlet they put together with restaurant recommendations. We were feeling for Mexican food and Nelson's was one of the 3 listed so we decided to give it a try and it was AMAZING! The atmosphere was great and the staff were all super friendly. Our server, TJ, was a 5 star server for sure! He was prompt, helpful in recommending menu items and making sure we knew all of the faves. I was looking for a good cocktail and his recommendation for the peach paradise was exactly what I was looking for. Peach infused vodka, fresh strawberries and mint. It was unique and refreshing. One had a sampler platter with taquitos, tacos and enchiladas, and 2 of us had the chile relleno plate. Chile rellenos are one of my favorite things and I have had them at dozens of restaurants so it is a big deal for me to say these were FIRE! I know, such a simple thing, right? But that is exactly why it is so hard to make a child relleno that stands out and is perfection! The uniqueness of the addition of potatoes in the filling.... And the sauce! So so good. The chef really brings the flavors of the Oaxaca region to your table and gives you something different than the typical Mexican food you get most places. We also shared an order of birria tamales and these were the highlight of the meal. We ordered them as an afterthought and were already full, but everyone enjoyed them so much they wished they had ordered them as their meal. I literally drank the rest of the broth like a cup of soup after the tamales were gone. There was this flavor, none of us could place it, but it pushed the flavor of the broth over the top. Everything down to the chips, salsa and guac was perfect, and there was so much food we had to get our flan to go. I live out of state, but every time I travel through Eugene I will go out of my way to stop in for a bite and a drink at Nelson's . 5 stars all...

Excellent meal. I had the Taquitos & made it a full meal by adding Rice & Beans. I ordered Horchata to drink. The price was low, the food was incredible & the staff was even more incredible. There were 14 of us & every dish looked amazing. I took photos of 2 other folks dishes as well. A Nelson's Burrito without Tortilla & Hard Tacos. My 4 Taquitos were not dry like at other places. Crunchy on the outside & melt in your mouth delectable inside. I had the Chicken, not the Beef. There was a good amount of Cotija Cheese & Guacamole on them with lettuce, Tomato & regular shredded Cheese as well. Most places skimp on the Cotija which irks me, but not here! The Refried Beans I could have just ordered a bowl full of & been happy. These were the best Refried Beans I have had yet in Lane County. The Rice was good. My Horchata was refreshing, just too sweet for me, (I am weird & don't care for really sweet beverages.) so I shall not order it as my beverage again & stick to water. (I added water to it & it was fine.) The Chips & Salsa, I also could have made a meal of! Tri colored Chips & Salsa that was fresh & had just enough kick to it. I can't eat spicy stuff & Salsa at so many other places is too spicy. These Chips did not taste store bought either, so these are officially my new FAVORITE Chips & Salsa! The staff there, as I had mentioned earlier were all so incredible. On point & so kind & frolicky! Is that a word? ♡ I regret not ever having come here sooner & I will be back for more happy...

10/20/24: Update to add that the previous review was written when they were in a different location. I haven't reviewed their current location. Also want to add that the owner reached out to me after my initial review kindly sharing what they've done to change and improve things, and also checked in on us attentively for our next few visits.

While we have generally enjoyed our food from Nelson's, the quality/ flavors vary. The last meal I had here was on the bland side, and as I had already turned down a salsa option our server did not return to the table for over 10 minutes despite my attempts to get their attention. The first time we dined in we had a very attentive server, despite how busy it was, but the last time we felt ignored. I ended up packing my food to go so I could heat it and add seasoning at home. It is pretty noisy in Nelsons, they haven't done much as far as I can tell to dampen the noise to create a more comfortable atmosphere. It is also dark and cold inside, not something I find inviting. While I was struggling to get my server's attention, another server came to talk to the table next to us, making conversation with her butt in my personal space, shouting so her friends could hear her. Overall, our experiences...