El Paisano | Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

Part of The Gary & Nate Taco Tour Pittsburgh. Spartan, seemingly authentic, Ma & Pa Mexican restaurant at the curve on Beechview. As two lily-white suburbanites, we lack the cred to proclaim this "Authentic Mexican", but ALL of the staff (you can clearly see into the kitchen when you order and pay), and most of the patrons, appeared to be Mexican. Further, the menu is written in Spanish (with some basic English interpretations), and the ordering process was rendered a bit awkward with the language barrier. We were after tacos, and El Paisano delivered. Their tacos were very basic - just meat filling cradled into soft, double corn tortillas that had a nice griddle top crispness, topped with a tablespoon of fresh cilantro and served w fresh lime wedges and semi-hard radish slices. No frills. There were eight meat choices, we tried 5. They were all SOLID. We agreed that the carnitas were the best. Apparently it is BYOB, all other drinks are bottled that you pull from a big cooler. We chose Mexican mango pop. Everything about the place was informal and lacking of many common Gringo conventions. If you like that vibe, then you'll probably like this joint. We sure did. I will go back and try some of the other dishes. They all looked...

My favorite "secret" joint for Mexican food in Pittsburgh. They need some better signage because every time I tell someone about it they respond with, "I didn't even know that was there!" Probably the best Mexican food I've had, everything is made fresh daily, the meat (7 or 8 different options) is prepared fresh right there in the kitchen, you can watch them blend the different types for different dishes like campechano. A huge array of options from your usual taco to sopes (so good and not many Pittsburgh places have them), soups, enchilladas, the biggest, most well priced quesadilla I've ever had (they must put at least a dollar or 2 worth of avocado on it alone) and a number of dishes and platters I've never heard of until I started eating there. They aren't pricey either. The most expensive thing on the menu is a huge platter of food, and it's maybe $14. Things start around $2. The hours are cool too. Since it's right on the RED line of the "T" many workers stop to get a bite on their way home because I believe they are open from 10AM to 10PM. It's catty-corner to the coffee shop BREW on Broadway (another fantastic spot in Beechview, this one for coffee...

This star is only so I can leave a review, this place deserve no stars! Did I just eat at the same place everyone ate that left 3+ stars??? This place was truly a disappointment!! First I had to wipe down a place to sit. My fiancé looks Mexican so the waitress assumed he spoke Spanish and clearly didn’t approve of me his “black” girlfriend. She brought me out two cold wet corn tacos with cold chicken and cilantro, nothing else on it, served on a paper plate no fork no knife. Yet she gives my fiancé silverware and a regular plate like everyone else had in the restaurant!! I asked for refried beans she brought me soupy black beans. I ask for sour cream guacamole and cheese she brings me runny sour cream, two pieces of block cheese and a slice of avocado. When I expressed my disappointment with the food and service she just replied ok like she could care less. I honestly felt discriminated against and big time. The service was awful and the food was discussing!!! My advice go to Taco Bell they have better “Mexican “...