Taqueria El Patron — Restaurant in Palisades Park

As any taco enthusiast knows, exceptional tortillas are the foundation of a great taco experience – they should be fresh, pliable, and flavorful enough to complement the fillings without falling apart. Unfortunately, Taqueria El Patron falls short in this crucial area.

During my recent visit, I was disappointed to find that the tortillas lacked the freshness and texture I'd expect from an authentic taqueria. They seemed pre-made and had a somewhat stale quality that detracted from an otherwise decent filling selection. The tortillas were also prone to breaking, making the tacos difficult to eat and less enjoyable overall.

I genuinely wanted to love this place – supporting local, family-owned businesses is important to me, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. The meat fillings showed promise with good seasoning. However, when the foundation of your signature dish isn't up to par, it significantly impacts the entire dining experience.

Investing in fresh, high-quality tortillas (ideally made in-house) would make a world of difference. With that improvement, this local gem could easily earn the higher rating I was hoping to give. Until then, I'd rate this as an average experience that has potential but needs refinement...

Few months back i called around 6:30pm for 2 empanadas, was told it would take 15 minutes. Went to pick it up at 7pm. Still wasnt ready until ~7:30pm.

Today, i put in a grubhub order also around the same time. I go to pick it up 30 minutes later and i come to find out the staff had forgotten to plug in the tablet that takes grubhub orders... So the entire order didnt go through and i had no choice but to leave with nothing because i didnt have time to wait another 20-30 minutes (hence why i put in a grubhub order...)

This is the third (3) time i ordered from here and they managed to mess it up two (2) times; granted the first time they only were late ~45 minutes which i expected since they recently opened but i underestimated by 15 minutes.

Foods good but if you want reliable service without your food getting messed up i would recommend...

Wow, what a legit Mexican and family atmosphere, under new ownership I was eating alone and they made guacamole on the table. Im usually not a big fan of tacos lately because all the other places the taste is kind of boring. This place the al pastor is deliciously seasoned along with the perfect amount of vegetables. Very...