El Rayo Scarborough — Restaurant in Scarborough

Venturing through Maine on our way to Sebago Lake, we made a delicious stop at El Rayo in Scarborough, and it did not disappoint!

We started with the Loaded Tot Nachos—crispy tots topped with crema, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and plenty of jalapeños 🧀🌶️. I just love a good cheese pull and a great take on classic nachos. 7/10

For tacos, we tried a trio:

Sweet Potato Taco: Chipotle mayo, corn salsa, veggie slaw, and cotija cheese—sweet meets spicy. 7/10 🌱 BBQ Pulled Pork Taco: This was the standout of the night! 🌟 The pork was perfectly tender and flavorful, topped with veggie slaw, cotija, and red onion escabeche. 9/10 🥇 Pescado Taco: Grilled achiote fish, avocado, chipotle mayo, and veggie slaw—a fresh and tasty option!7/10 🐟 We also dug into the Steak California Burrito 🥩—loaded with papas fritas, Monterey Jack, crema fresca, guac, and house pickled jalapeños. A full, flavorful burrito, perfect if you like it a little saucy! 8/10 🥑🌯

We also tried the Surf & Turf Special (shrimp and steak) and they did not skimp out on the meat here 8/10. 👍

For dessert, we enjoyed:

Coconut Muffin Cake: Packed with coconut flakes—so good! 🥥 8/10 Housemade Flan: Rich and creamy. 8/10 Key Lime Pie: Tangy, refreshing, and just what we needed to finish. 🍋 8/10 I also appreciated the pineapple salsa (unique and I wish more mexican spots made salsa like this? maybe a salsa flight??), and guacamole paired with the chips for the table—so flavorful! 🥑 They have another location in Portland too, so definitely worth a visit wherever you are in Maine.

🌟 Overall: A solid 8/10—definitely worth the stop if you’re heading through the area! 🌟 Ambiance: 6/10—with some outdoor seating at the Scarborough location. 🌟 Affordability: 7/10—good prices ($4.95 per taco, $16 for burrito).

Perfect for a taco fix on your way to...

I’m leaving this criticism with five stars, and with love, because El Rayo is genuinely my favorite burrito place in Maine.

So here’s the deal: we LOVED the yucca burrito for years. It recently changed to the plantain burrito and I am NOT mad about it. It’s a great idea. The seasoning is superb. I think both burritos could coexist on the menu but fine, it’s a change. Change can be good.

The first plantain burrito I ordered a month ago was ok, but a bit heavy on the plantain. The last burritos that my wife and I ordered for takeout tonight were just over the top. The ratio of plantain to everything else is like 60/40. I like plantain, but not this much. It’s like whole big 2” chunks of plantain, so often I get a bite that’s literally just plantain and tortilla. It’s too much. Please chop it up smaller and homogenize it. It would be SO much better! Or maybe cut the plantain in half lengthwise and just lay it in the burrito as the yucca was?

Secondly, there’s pineapple in this thing, so now we are talking more than 60% fruit inside this burrito. Guys, that’s weird. It’s still delicious but it could be better.

Okay and last thing is we ordered guacamole and paid extra for it and there was none. (It should come standard, it makes it twice as good).

Love you, please consider this constructive criticism. We will be back many...

El Rayo features not just tacos but a wealth of imaginative and well priced Mexican and Tex-Mex foods. It is very family friendly, but with a lively bar scene, especially at happy hour (4:00PM to 6:00PM, weekdays). Alcoholic beverages include many Mexican and local beers, a wide assortment of tequilas, and many margarita options. Service is quick and friendly, and the atmosphere is comfortable and casual, with many small details to elevate it above your typical suburban Mexican joint.

We first tried El Rayo when looking for a quick bite for lunch. Moved to the area this fall and El Rayo has become one of our regular stops, especially Monday through Wednesday, when they have great specials. Monday: $5 Burritos Tuesday: $2 Tacos Wednesday: $5 Rice and Beans Bowls

These are great deals, especially considering the high quality of the food. The regular menu is really good too, with lots of imaginative and well priced.

For brunch or lunch try the chilaquiles, which are authentic and include Swiss chard and...