Amapola Rico Taco — Restaurant in San Bernardino

On a noteworthy stretch of what was once "Route 66" in San Bernadino, Amapola Rico Taco inhabits the same site as Glen Bell's first taco restaurant, a taco shop that was nonsensically-named "Taco Tia."

Yes, the origins of Taco Bell can be traced to this tiny building situated directly across the street from Mitla Café, the eatery whose owners Bell befriended before stealing their taco recipe and audaciously setting up shop across the street to compete against them.

The current ownership of this small taco shop is a family descended from founder Rosina Gallardo who came to the U.S. from Zacatecas, Mexico, and opened the first Amapola Rico Taco in March 1975. Her family currently operates four other locations of the same name in the Inland Empire. They have no connection to Glen Bell and thus serve far less offensive fare. As part of my pilgrimage to Mitla Café last year, I stopped here and ordered a "Taco de Chicharrón." My curiosity was rewarded with a dirt-cheap taco made with a bagged corn tortilla wrapped around springy pork skin with crispy edges and a zippy salsa roja with a nice burn despite being a tad on the watery side of saucy.

This taco alone is not worth a special trip, but it checks all boxes of good, cheap, and fast. If you're in the neighborhood and want to eat at a property that (for all the wrong reasons) was important to popularizing Mexican cuisine in the United States, this is an...

596 N Mt Vernon Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92411 location on 07/14/2020 at 11 am I ordered my food which was prepared wrong. I had asked for no cilantro on a burrito and it was put on anyway when I pointed it out the cashier was rude and said I didn't ask for it like that, even though she was the one to repeat my order. When she told the cook she decided to yell in Spanish which she thought I din't know since I look white but im actually mexican. " Porque no dijo que lo queria asi? And whispered pendejo". They also messed up my other 2 items.

Overpriced. Use to come as a kid all the time the employees were always kind and helpful. Went fornthe first time in years got a burrito for me and 3 more friends. Beans and rice are extra on burritos?!?! They try to fill it up with some nasty cabbage if you dont buy the extras. I paid almost 40 dollars for 4 burritos and they were tiny and the meat was bland. I can see why my parents stoped coming...

Amapola restaurant on mcvernom. I had visited this place more times that I can remember because food has the good mexican flavor & spice salsa .They make a decent burrito chicken with rice and beans on the side under 15dlls.I remember when I Tought 9dlls was a lot for a simple burrito ?. I love the pictures painted on the wall of the great pedro infante y ,Vicente Fernandez , Lola la grande famous mexican singers ,Inside is clean and tables are clean ♡.Down to critics. Idid not like the strawberry water it has way to much sugar and too much salt on beans and meat ,but Staff will try to make every effort to make sure coustumers are happy with there food...Sourranding area is usually okay but you may see homeless waiting at the driving tru asking for...