El Taco Real — Restaurant in Richfield

Saw the newspaper announcement for the opening of this new restaurant and made a mental note to stop there after their May 10th start date. I made my stop on May 14th after running some local errands. I placed a takeout order for three Baha Fish tacos which cost $14 plus tax. Other types of tacos were also available at roughly the same price with some being a dollar or two more or less.

The service was fast and friendly. There was no line at the order counter when I arrived around 2:00, but there were a few other patrons in the restaurant. The dining area was clean and inviting with a number of different size tables to accommodate various size parties. An outdoor patio area was still being set up in front of the restaurant. Outdoor tables had been set up and a worker was in the process of assembling chairs for those tables.

I was given a stand with a playing card marker to mark my order and proceeded to sit at one of the indoor tables while my food was being prepared. My order was brought to my table in about 5-10 minutes.

I live not far away, so I took my food home to eat it. The tacos had been wrapped in tin foil to keep them warm and placed in a cardboard recyclable box and plastic bag to carry home. The tacos had a soft shell that contained the fish with a flavorful sauce and a mixture of corn, Jalapeno slices and other greens. I found them to be very tasty with an acceptable amount of spicy heat.

I look forward to trying other items from their menu in the...

Stopped in to try out this new restaurant, have been watching it get set up for a few months, and saw how busy it was. Ordered the Beef Birria and Chicken Asado tacos, and a Horchata. Horchata came in a glass that felt like a child size cup, half full of ice to start. Tasted great, but it needs to be in something larger than a sippy cup for $5. Was in a party of two, the four tacos we ordered (2 each separately) came out on one plate….and I couldn’t tell what was pork and what was chicken. All were lukewarm, and two were not done to my partners’ request of “no onions, salsa on the side”. I easily finished my horchata due to the spice of the beef taco….it was actually too spicy and the meat near cold. Went back up and ordered a bottle of Jarritos to have something more to drink, and decided to split a dessert to not completely strike out on my first visit. The Tres Leches Cake was a winner! The place is new and sure to have hiccups, so willing to try it again after things settle down….maybe. They’re dine in only right now, no take out…that is coming soon. I hope they work things out, as there are at least three other great taco options in Richfield and Bloomington within a quick drive. Ending with a positive, whoever decorated and built out the inside and outside did a great job, it looks fresh and updated inside….and the open bay windows to see the back by the grill is a nice touch, looks like a family run restaurant and I hope they last a long time...

Unfortunately, El Taco Real was review bombed by what was admittedly a rough opening. A solid local restaurant that I personally enjoyed more than (gasp) I enjoy Andale. We went on a Sunday evening after giving them a chance to let their menu stabilize. The staff was friendly and as a bonus gesture, we watched them do a deep clean between services and the work they did was pristine.

The Good: The el pastor tacos were on point, as was the street corn. Both came with a ton of flavor and (contrary to other reviews) ample toppings. I will be back for the el pastor alone. I also really enjoyed their chicken tacos, which were uniquely smokey (and we were told were local to Cancun). The salsas were also well done and had both heat and taste. The agua frescas curiously stole the show. Both the Jamaica and the Cucumber were absolutely top-notch.

The Neutral: The churros were good, but we were divided on too much cinnamon or just enough. The price was high, but it's not fair to take this one out on the restaurant. This is the nature of food these days and yes $5 a taco seems pricey to some, but honestly, welcome to 2025 and restaurant costs. I challenge anyone to go to Taco bell and get as good a meal for $15.

The Bad (though it's not really): Their chips were very good (you could tell they were fresh tortillas) but were under seasoned. I hope they improve this or I'll be unlikely to...