Taqueria El Paso — Restaurant in Palestine

I don’t usually do this, but I had to share my experience. My fiancé is visiting Texas for the first time, so I have been trying different local spots in the area for the best authentic Tex-Mex. If I were still living in San Antonio, this wouldn’t be a difficult challenge. However, ever since I moved back to East Texas finding anything that tastes similar to real Mexican food has been a struggle.

I’ve driven by this place a few times before but I wasn’t sure if it was open. I came by and saw it was open today.

The building is older and looks run down. Cash only. It’s peak breakfast time but there’s only one other customer who I later learn is a family friend. The nicest lady named Lucy who was extremely patient and friendly with my broken Spanish took my order: Un taco de chicharron con papas, y un taco de carnitas con tortillas de maiz (pork skins with potato and pork carnitas tacos on corn tortillas). Coffee was $1 which she brought to me in a real mug along with my tacos which were ready insanely fast.

Y’all. When I tell you these tacos made me laugh like a little kid. Like, when you take a bite of something and it tastes so good you start giggling to yourself because you’re just so happy. I lived in San Antonio for several years and have tried several local places here, but this meal felt like home. The chicharron was full of flavor and not chewy. Instead of using soft diced papas there were crispy and salty hash browns which complimented the soft and fatty pork. Then the carnitas…my god. So tender, so fatty, so full of flavor followed by the freshness of the onion and cilantro all wrapped up in the softest corn tortillas. The salsa verde served with it was a perfect heat and added great brightness to the meat that was just incredible. Even the coffee was good.

I talked a little with Lucy who said that business has been slow and they struggle with the amount of competition that is in the area, especially the larger chain restaurants.

I have never been here before, never talked to them before, never would have guessed that some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life was here, but it is. I’m hoping more people will support their business and try their amazing food. This is absolutely the most underrated restaurant in town and best kept secret, a foodie’s dream. Anthony Bourdain himself would come back from the dead just to eat here....

Where to start with this place...One previous person described it as inconsistent. True, but I will take it this review to another level. The pics attached shows what $13.00 gets you. A ripoff. I asked the lady what specials there were (inconsistent pricing due to daily specials), she said no specials available. So I wanted to see what was easy to prepare, as to make it convenient for her. She said "Costillitas de Puerco en Salsa Roja" - Pork Ribs in Red Sauce. I said hmmm that sounds delicious, she said that is ready for takeout. I chose that. She said $13.00, I thought a little too high, while everything else on the walled pictures shows $10.00 or $11.00 max. Paid, went back to work to munch, opened container and said WTH is that. The beans were not beans, just bean water, rice was a joke, the little green stuff supposed to be salad, was sad. The pork was...well i have never seen such a sad display of "Costillitas de Puerco en Salsa Roja". Nothing had flavor. Everything was Bland and two little sad ribs, the only thing that was edible were the tortillas. Please Mr/Mrs Owner, don't get me wrong, I don't want your free food, I visited your shack to support local, but this was the last time. I don't even know how or why you stay open. Do not treat your customers like that. I could go on and on, but I don't want to take up your time reading this review, so you can try to fix your problems at this food shack. Your comment about people wanting free food might be accurate about some, but most other people just want a good Mexican Food dish at reasonable prices, if you can't provide that, maybe it's time to hang it up, and try something else. That's all i have to say about that.

In response to your response...I stand by my original review. I figured your response was going to be insulting. "Tragar" really lady? Just work on making your food palatable and I wish you an other 15 years of doing exactly what you are doing. I will go "tragar" somewhere else....I hear San Luis is the...

I have so much to say about this business, good and bad. Let’s start with

good: they have good food, you can eat a lot for cheap which is why I come here.

Bad: I don’t know where to start. The owner which is the lady is unpredictable. I grew up in a Mexican neighborhood so I know the food from bottom to top. She changes her price everyday, for the same food I got charged $15,$16,$17 three days in a row. When I asked her why her prices change everyday she replied:” haha it’s like that always”. Their hours is never accurate, I drive 20 mins to go eat there and most of the time they’re closed even though it’s supposed to be open, so imagine the gas I’m wasting. I literally drove 4 times this week and 3 times she was closed. if she senses that you might not now what you’re ordering she gives you anything. I ordered an extra hot salsa and she gave me tomato sauce from a can thinking she’ll fool me. Overall good food but very bad service and unpredictable hours, I don’t know how she affords to close most of the time. You need to do...