Taqueria El Chino
1803 W Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ, 85007
Taqueria El Chino Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1803 W Van Buren St
Phoenix, AZ, 85007 - Phone (602) 254-6808
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :9:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Chuck S.
The BEST!! All ala carte and delicioso!! Have a great salsa bar. Great place. Casual, warm, very nice people. Can't wait to come again!
(5)Michael M.
Great, authentic tacos. I've tried almost every variety of tacos on the menu amd they were all superb. My favs were asada, cachete, and salsa verde. Great prices and friendly owner
(5)Andrea V.
Not good and not sure how they got a strong 5 star rating.. Not sure how 40 ppl so far that have taken the time to write a review have loved this place.. Did not taste good. Not impressed with their "fresh salsa bar" either... I waited to write this review just incase I was just feeling grumpy last night ... Woke up this morning ... Nope still disappointed.... Maybe my review will help someone like me using yelp as a guide to help find yummy places to eat when you don't know where to go and are not from the area.... Which is why I chose this place. Can't win them all lol !
(1)Rita V.
The meat is so tender with mouth watering flavor:) along with the freshest salsa bar! A MUST TRY!
(5)Nicole R.
Just in town for the weekend and my boyfriend was craving a good taco shop - WE FOUND IT! the simplicity of the restaurant and ingredients used - proves it truly does not take much to please customers. The gentleman who took our order (possibly the owner?) was very friendly and personable to every one who came in the door. If I lived in Phoenix this would be a go-to spot - can't wait to come back again!
(5)Autumn C.
This place has the best carne asada. The meat is seasoned perfectly and tender and juicy. The corn tortilla I chose to have it on was delicious. They have a salsa bar that you take your food over to and choose toppings. I chose cilantro, pickled spicy onion and green salsa on my first one and pico on my second one (yes, I went and ordered seconds). I HIGHLY recommend making a stop to try a few tacos here. I also had the barbacoa pork taco. O.M.G. it was ah-ma-zing! Its juices were so flavorful and the meat was perfectly cooked and soft. I wanted to drink the drippings from my plate. But, that wouldn't have been lady like. The service was very pleasant. Everyone was kind and wished us a good night. Even the cook said good bye as we left. I will be going back at every possible chance I get!!
(5)Dawn H.
I am totally thinking this place must write its own 5 star review. This place was horrible!!!!!!! Microwaved my nasty beans. Carne asada torta was a big joke. The micro-thin fat riddled "ribeye" steak was 1/8 maybe thick and about 30% smaller than torta bun. The Barbacoa could have been good if it did not have so much salt. What's really bad is I am a salt hound and it was too salty for me. Lord help some that doe not do salt. I cannot understand how this place could get such a high rating..NO WAY!!! Won't be back ever again!
(1)L C.
3.5 Stars Taqueria El Chino(TEC) has a 5 star rating with just four reviews. For me it is tough to take fellow Yelper's reviews who's review count are not in double digits and dolling out 5 stars seriously. A Yelp friend Adrixx C. recommend this place on YT so I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did. This place is not perfect by no means. TEC appears to be a new start-up. If not, they are not a well oiled machine with many opportunities to improve. TEC has a fighting chance to become a legit goto spot, but not yet. As we walk in we are greeted by a plume of smoke, no not what you're thinking. They smoke some of their meats but they were not using their exhaust hood above the grills nor had any doors open. As I'm writing this review six plus hours later our clothing, car and accessories still have a strong smoke scent. They open both the front and rear doors as we were looking at the menu. You walk up to the counter, place your order and wait for your number to be called with your beverage in hand. You pay after you are done which allows you to add additional items if you choose, thumbs up! I was really impressed with TEC's menu which is easy to navigate. It consist of two columns of vertically listed meats. Each available meat then lists horizontally it's price for taco(corn/flour tortilla), burrito, torta or quesadilla. My family and I only got the following tacos. Carne de Rez con Chile Verde(cubed beef in a green chili sauce), the meat was well seasoned but a bit on the tough side. Taco de Rib Eye(carne asada), meat was very tender but only luke warm and to much fat on it for my liking. Barbacoa de Rez(beef seasoned barbacoa style), this was the rock star of my order! The barbacoa was executed perfectly, very flavorful and tender! When we ordered our drinks we were told that they only had enough horchata for one order and were out of their other aquas frescas. There were also down to one bottled orange Fanta Mexican soda(sugar cane soda taste so much better) with no Coke left, another example of inexperience. I have a finicky eater in my group so TEC gives you your taco plain and allows you to dress it with what you want off their salsa bar. I hope TEC much luck and sincerely hope they hammer out the little things that may scare some return business away. I will be back for some Barbacoa de Rez tacos and try more off the menu! My mouth is salavating as I write this.
(3)Rene F.
Tacos were ok. I think they are a little pricey. After reading the other reviews, I thought I would find the best tacos ever......but no. I will still keep searching for the best tacos in PHX. I still prefer these tacos over most taco places in this city. The owners and service was awesome.
(3)Adam M.
I work at the Arizona State Capitol and we are wanting for good non-cafeteria food. El Chino fits the bill and then some. The people and the food are fantastic. El Chino has become a mainstay as it's modestly priced and consistently good Mexican food. This is the perfect Capitol lunch spot.
(5)Meghan B.
Visited with our 10 month old daughter when on vacation based on yelp reviews. Wasn't sure what to expect and we were PLEASANTLY surprised! service was fast and friendly and the food was delicious! My husband got three different tacos and I got the Barbados burrito. Both were wonderful. We also got a cheese quesadilla for our daughter who powered through the whole thing. Clearly homemade tortillas. So yum! Only wish they had margaritas to wash it all down with!
(5)Steffi V.
Omgoshhhh this is like real food. The carne Asada is to die for. It's a little pricey but totally worth it. I got a burrito w rice meat beans and cheese. It didn't take long for a pick up order. I hope this place is here to stay! I plan on becoming a frequent customer!
(5)Art C.
Well as i search for great tasting tacos, I found a great place in downtown Phoenix that is Awesome!!! El Chino makes excelent tacos n not to mention burritos, quesadillas and tortas....tasty meat especially the asada!! Great service, great people.....will be going back to taste everything in there menu lol when I get a chance......by the way the Refrito beans are the BOMB!!! GREAT JOB N FOOD CHINO!!!
(5)Shawn M.
Carne Asad burrito was simply awesome. Love being able to load the way I want from salsa bar.
(5)Tom H.
This was the best burrito I have ever eaten! They use rib eye for the carne asada. The meat was very tender and very flavorful. The red chili beef burrito was also very good. The best thing is that they give you the burrito opened on a plate with the meat on it. You get to put in what you want from the salsa and vegetable bar. When I eat a burrito I don't normally eat the tortilla but I ate the whole tortilla. They bring the tortillas in from Mexico . Yum!! And the homemade salsa was awesome. I will try to get back there the next time I am in Phoenix.
(5)Karen B.
Authentic, tasty and wonderful!! Fresh ingredients, simplicity in the decor. The proprietors were so gracious and kind. I would eat here often if I were a local.
(5)Mario C.
The food was pretty good. Tried three different tacos: barbacoa, cabeza, and carne azada. Not the best I've had but pretty good. Would have liked double corn tortillas and a little more meat. Friendly staff.
(4)Gage W.
Ok. So you know what I'm gonna say. The Carne Asadas were so good. I got the burrito with everything on it. So much flavor and the beef was so tender. I'm from out of town and needed a place to stop and eat before we went to Sedona and this was the closest and highest rated restaurant. I'm so lucky I found this place! If I'm ever in town I will def be back!
(5)Britt P.
Cheap Delicious Excellent Customer Service Fresh Did I mention Delicious? I go to el Chino about twice a week. I acknowledge this with no shame. Since they have opened the service is much more streamlined and fast. The ingredients are fresh and with variety for those that really like to pile their tacos with a multitude of toppings. Tacos are street-style size. Burritos are large in size. You will leave satisfied without feeling miserable. Suggestion: Get the Turkey taco. . . it will not disappoint. Make sure to put cheese on it.
(5)Steve G.
1st time there was small nothing fancy but good atmosphere and great food . Very helpful and friendly staff . Were very quick to get food to us at the time we went . Would recommend this place to anyone looking for some good tacos or burritos.
(5)Jade M.
Food is tasty. Heaven to the taste buds! They also have friendly and customer driven service!!!
(5)Hawk M.
Everything was delicious!! Barbacoa was a little salty but still good, nice and tender! Red chile burrito was the the hit! Love this place recommend to all!
(5)Sabrina M.
I am completely in love with this place! They not only make the best tacos and burritos but el chino beans are to die for! I now have a true food addiction to this place and go a few times a week. They also offer turkey and chicken options if you don't eat red meat, which is a plus!! You leave craving more and without the feeling your pores are oozing grease. This is quality food and cooked/seasoned to perfection. I look forward to each visit and their staff is always so welcoming and accommodating. This place is a MUST stop and so reasonably priced as well
(5)Kelli D.
best carne asada burrito I've ever eaten. Great food. Clean restaurant. Kind staff. A gem!
(5)Alonzo L.
Hey Yelpers... Im a die hard Mexican Food critic and mainly pesimistic on new spots. Many times, even before our almighty Yelp, i have been victim to restaurants that claim grandeour when there is none. So I seek out The authentic... The revolutionary, the spot that sets the bar. So... I have to admit before my affinity was shattered... El chino had me sold. I raved to my masses of there quality and taste. I was of the first to walk in to this hole in the wall. Then, was El Chino, in the back killing it... Like magic churning out delight, savory stews, grilled heavenly morsels... And I its cheerleader as I licked my fingers clean. But loyalty draws me to my fan fare regularly... And on this dismal day my accolades shattered and I witnessed as others a very different El Chino. The fault, I believe was the absence of their namesake. El chino was nolonger there. And I in horror saw Microwaved left overs from fridge to nuke... coagulated disgust shoveled to my wifes tortilla... How as her man, allow it to transpire... No not me so i called them out... And struck them down. Read my others and 1 is a response to a message sent denying what we witnessed.
(1)Chris T.
Fantastic taco spot! Food is delicious, place is very clean and well kept! Will definitely return! Cheap too.
(5)Justin B.
This business is a co workers friend.. great guy with great food and prices ! Try everything the beans are to die for , and chicken is moist .. Support small business and try this out !!
(5)Sergio B.
Best authentic Mexican style tacos and burritos around! Mexican restaurants come a dime a dozen, with few who spare no expense for quality, fresh ingredients, Taquerias El Chino is no exception. From the moment you take a first bite, you can be sure you're getting the best cuts of meat and the freshest cuts of vegetables. Try this place once, and you'll be sure to make Taquerias El Chino, a regular stop!
(5)Wi H.
Visited today with my wife after a long hike in South Mountain Park. Wonderful greeting from the owner sincere and friendly. We had amazing barbacoa puerco (Pork), barbacoa res (Beef), Cabeza (braised meat from the head), carne asada (Ribeye) and then finally 2 bean burritos to go. Wow absolutely the best mexican food I have found in entire city. I do reviews maybe once or twice a year. We will be back as everything was fresh and flavorful and overall very clean. Give this place a try there is a reason they have 5 stars and 30 plus reviews. Side note we visit Mexican restaurants about 2 times a week and very rarely go to the same place twice. This place is going to be on my travel routes weekly. I did learn a little bit about where they source their tortillas and I also get mine from there and know how hard they can be to get ahold of.
(5)Zhong Y.
Si, me gusta. In a strangely meta experience, your reviewer went to the aforementioned taqueria as part of my colleagues' emerging lunchtime tradition, informally known as Taco Tuesdays. First of all, there's parking adjacent to the building, which is awesome; second, it is easy to get in and order. You can smell the smoky grilling beef of the carne asada. All you need to determine is which of the tasty meats you want and in what form of tortilla, corn or wheat flour, do you want it served on. It doesn't really matter, everything we tried was good: we tried a few of the head meats -- cabeza, cachete -- very delicious and tender, the cheek meat was possessed of a big beefy flavor; the carne asada was generous and very delicious. My colleague enjoyed the frijoles, which she claimed were the best frijoles she'd ever eaten. The salsa bar was well stocked with fresh produce, and had, in particular, a salsa roja, made with arbol chiles, clearly labeled as hot. Readers should be forewarned this is a bit of a misnomer: it's very hot. It's called memory sauce for a reason: you'll remember it later on. Service was personable and helpful; the tacos come out not all at once, but piece-wise, but, it means you'll get up a few times to get the rest of your order as it's filled.
(5)Matt M.
There are few places that miss you when you are gone, and this place did. I came in after a long hiatus from tortillas as I was dieting and when the lady at the counter took my credit card, she realized it was me. She called to the back and couldn't believe I was there. The kitchen staff said that we missed having you here during lunch and wanted to make sure I was satisfied with everything. Well I am. Its just food this good needs to be taken in moderation, because it is easy to get carried away here. Everything is good. I have crossed up and down the menu several times and when it come to cabeza and cachete(cheek) tacos and burritos, this is the PHX spot hands down. Plus they let you load up your burritos with plenty of fixings before they fold it up perfectly for you. Its proximity to the State Capitol makes it my favorite quick taco between committee meetings or a great place to sit and debate policy over some tacos and horchata. So thank you to a place that makes you feel like you been away from home too long.
(5)Chris O.
Some of the best barbacoa "de cabeza" I have ever had. Since moving in to Phoenix, coming from a city that is close to the border, I have always been searching for this kind of meat. I was able to find some Mexican places here and there but their meat was always dry and nowhere near as flavorful as this place. I even told the owner "there are some places but" and the owner finished with "but no one does it good." We both laughed. I ordered 3 tacos and a torta totally underestimating the amount of meat that I was getting and took it home. The amount of meat which I stuffed into the bread, to make the torta, was a ton and I still had enough to make another 6-7 tacos! Satisfaction guaranteed. No wonder this place has a solid rating.
(5)Quincy T.
Friendly, pleasant and very welcoming staff. I needed that, being a truck driver who was 1,600 miles from home. And the food was really good! Excellent service! :) Thanks to the staff. Quincy
(5)Norm R.
The street tacos here cost a bit more than at other street taco places, but they make up for it by giving you more meat or other filling, and the tacos are definitely the most moist you'll find anywhere. Tastewise they're OK, although I find that adding a bit of salt wakes up the flavors significantly. And there's a good salsa bar offering lots of stuff to dress the taco with; definitely don't forget to add the pickled onions on your tacos or burrito. You may find a line leading to the counter if you come around lunch hour, but the line moves reasonably fast.
(3)Jesse M.
Stopped here to eat on a business trip prior to a meeting. Fantastic food, great selection of meats and the best "burn" I've had from a salsa in a long time. I will definitely come back! Had a carne en salsa verde burrito and a lengua taco. Definitely filled me up and tasted great!
(5)Josh G.
Great food big portions. Owner came out and ate with us and chatted. Super friendly staff. This taqueria is as good as many I've been to in old Mexico.
(5)Elizabeth A.
Me and my boyfriend had come to AZ for a week and we're staying on downtown phoenix. We were hungry and love good food so we found el chino on yelp with rave reviews. Hopped in the challenger and headed down. At first we each ordered a taco. We didn't think it was a big deal. But wow! That flavor! It was so fresh and so delicious! We moved onto burritos and then more stuff on the menu. The owner, El Chino was an awesome guy. So laid back and helped us venture through the menu. He was a great host. We promised to come back with friends and in that 6 day period of staying in Phoenix we visited el chino 3 times with different groups of friends. No other place stands the competition. Trust a foodie!
(5)Jennifer I.
AMAZING AUTHENTIC FLAVOR!! We pretty much had a taco of each and on some we had double.... The head and tongue have outstanding flavor and there barbacoas are the bomb!! Carne asada is very delicious and kept me wanting more.... The owner "el chino" is very welcoming and more then great customer service skills! We will definitely be back!!!
(5)Joe E.
I stopped in for the first time a couple weeks ago, and was extremely impressed with the place. The carne asada tacos were amazing - perfect flour tortillas, and a nice topping bar, including some delicious hot salsa which might catch you off guard if you're not used to "hot" actually being "hot". The other meats are delicious - the pork, beef, turkey, cabeza, and cachete are all fantastic. This was the first place I've tried cabeza and cachete, and those are now my two favorites. The people are friendly, service is fast, and prices are very reasonable. Definitely my new lunch spot.
(5)Dr. K.
The Carme Asada burrito is amazing! About twice the price of everything else on the menu, but definitely worth it. High quality meat, and great toppings. You order from the burrito bar where they cook the meat to order and They add beans rice and/or cheese if you want. You then take it to the salsa bar to add your salsa and a few other things, and they wrap it for you. Food was excellent. Service was great. People were extremely friendly. Great menu (see attached photo of menu). Downsides: neighborhood is a bit sketchy. Only beans they have are refried.
(5)Troye J.
El chino taqueria is so hospitable! From the moment you walk in you feel like you are in a family home. The tacos were so good. It honestly doesn't matter what kind, just get some! The owner, Raphael aka, the chino, was very helpful with recommendations and so friendly. The salsa bar was so fresh and had lots of options for toppings. Best taco experience yet!
(5)Leah R.
Great food and great service! The quesadillas are AMAZING!! From the outside it doesn't look like much but the inside is pretty nice and clean. A ratings from food dept. highly recommend for a casual lunch or dinner.
(5)Moira T.
Arrived to Phoenix, AZ and my first stop... Taqueria el Chino!! I had one of the most amazing burritos de carne azada and tacos the barbacoa de puerco. The owner señor Rafael and his entire team super friendly and the service exceptional. I was curious why he called his place El Chino. He said his great grandpa is from China and family comes from Sonora, Mexico. A great to start my vacation.
(5)David K.
Oh yeah - we are talking seriously good food here - order the rib eye steak torta dressed to the hilt at the salsa bar and iced cold machata and tell me an equal level of paradise - p.s. wear shorts and a tank top as air conditioning has been replaced with fans -
(4)Valerie H.
First time ever going here. I came because of the reviews on Yelp. The customer service is great. It is a small restaurant on the corner and it's a little warm if you stay indoors to eat but overall I had a good experience. Since it was my first time, I didn't know that you had to pay for the rice & beans separately. It can get a bit costly. However, the lady at the registered didn't charge me for that and just charged me for the street tacos I ordered. I could have passed on the rice & beans as they were just ok, but the TACOS WERE AMAZING! Carne asada street tacos. I would come back for the tacos for sure and friend service.
(4)Alex Andrew M.
Best tacos in AZ!!! You won't find better carne asada. Don't forget the chino bean quesadilla!
(5)Jeanell A.
Awesome, fresh, homesyle Mexican food. Barbacoa was wonderfully spiced and very tender. Lengua taco was super tender and great beefy flavor. Pork burrito, homemade huge tortilla stuffed with shredded pork. The beans are seasoned well and very tasty. Overall a wonderful place for super fresh Mexican. Salsa bar is also amazing, very fresh and great flavors.
(5)Patrice B.
Excellent carne asada burrito. Tortilla was what you find in Mexico, not at the chains. Very warm and friendly owners/staff. Highly recommend.
(5)Leo A.
Very tasty, lots of variety. Many of the safe/traditional (carne asada, pork, chicken) options with plenty of choices for the more adventurous eaters (lengua, cabeza, cachete). The build method is great: choose your base (torta, corn/flour tortilla, burrito) and meat, then grab some veggies and bring them back to the counter and they whip it up for you perfectly. Speaking of grabbing the veggies...the topping bar is very ingenious. It has a great variety of salsas and much more. You add exactly what you want. The only reason you'd not like something you get here would be because of something you added that you didn't like. Oh, and horchata. What is there not to like? Another thing for the grab and go crowd: the ingredients are handed to you separate. No soggy tortas or tortillas falling apart at your table.
(4)Tyler M.
JUST DO IT! Everything was delicious! I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you order! Service is amazing as well!
(5)Tina H.
Outstanding! Without a doubt the best tacos I have had outside of my grandma's kitchen. Service was awesome, restaurant was super clean. I highly recommend this place, I will definitely be back!!
(5)Fernando O.
Amazing food! Great friendly people. Try there Carne Asada and the Chino Quesadilla.
(5)Marissa B.
I first discovered Taqueria El Chino while at its original location in Hermosillo, Mexico and was ecstatic to see that they had expanded into the US. Its the only place I have found to get famous "head" taco, tacos made from head meat and the prices can't be beat. The cachete (cheek) is my absolute favorite. A little off of the beaten path though, and not in the best neighborhood, but worth the drive.
(5)Ben L.
As soon as I arrived the staff welcomed me and I felt as if I just walked into my Nana's house. There is literally a traditional residential front door that when closes makes you feel like you are in someone's awesome smelling home. Granted the area is right in the middle of Phoenix and there are people around that someone might consider this restaurant "dirty" or "unsafe" but that is not the case. This place not only raises the value of the community it is in, I believe they are making a difference by providing an excellence service. This is coming from a guy that is born and raised in East Mesa that hates the Phoenix and downtown area. This place is great! Now with the food. 10 stars. Get everything on the menu because it's so dang cheap! A taco for 2 bucks?! What?! The meat is something of a miracle, it is so tender and tasteful. My wife and I got the beef Barbacoa, and carne Asada tacos. They are BOMB. All you business professionals need to come to this place for lunch and make it your place for lunch.
(5)Damion W.
Let me start off by saying... I don't give five star reviews often, but when I do, it's with a purpose! When you come to El Chino's, it's not in the vest of neighborhoods or a mega shopping center, who cares about that??!! When I am hungry, the only thing that I care about is GOOD food and a clean restaurant, and quality service is always a plus. I will tell you this place has ALL THREE! The owner was super appreciative that we went off the beaten path to come to his restaurant. I would tell you to close your eyes and read this review as if you were me, but that would make much sense! I had the carne asada burrito and I have to say... hands down, second to none, and without a doubt, this is THE BEST carne asada burrito I have ever had in my life! They make the steak for you and put the rice and beans on your burrito and then you add all your toppings (kinda like a self-serve Chipotle) then you give it back to them and they wrap it for you. My burrito ended up being about the size of my forearm! I literally thought about this place all day... the best meal that I have had in a long time, and if I was anywhere close to this place when I return to AZ I will go out of my way to come back here. Without question. Without hesitation. Awesome job El Chino's... you gave me a complete different appreciation for authentic mexican food. I. Cant. Wait. To. Go. Back. Now....... I am drooling
(5)Ian T.
Delicious, simple and a great value. They have delicious meats and spicy means spicy. You can't go wrong.
(5)Collette D.
Really good Mexican not the commercial chain food. Fresh & made to order. The service is wonderful .
(5)Lucy D.
I really like this place. The ambiance is a little noisy for my taste and the service is a little disorganized (when your food is ready you take it to a condiments station to load it up and then, if you have a burrito, you take it back to the counter so they can wrap it for you) however the food was really good. We had Carne asada and pork barbacoa, cabeza and lengua, and all of it was really good. My husband went back for seconds. When a slight mix up occurred (we got a barbacoa taco when we ordered the carne asada) , the manager asked if we would like to keep it while he got us the right order a classy move. Also, the red salsa... Super delicious and super spicy. My husband loves spicy salsa and is often underwhelmed with claims of spicy salsa. This one however, fried his palate. We will definitely be coming back for more. 5 people eating (2 kids) and the total came out to $45ish.
(4)Lance S.
It's just plain good! The staff was ultra friendly, the restaurant was clean and the food was fresh. If the service was any faster, I swear someone read my mind when I walked through the door. I enjoyed my carne asada burrito so much, I went back and ordered two carne asada tacos. Everything was delicious. I'm not setting foot in Phoenix and missing an opportunity to grub here again.
(5)Erlie P.
Amazing Food, Great People. You will definitely enjoy your meal & your time here. You must try the carne asada, you'll enjoy every bite except the last (because that means it's all gone).
(5)Ariana G.
Fresh, welcoming and authentic. My new favorite! I appreciate a salsa bar and theirs is complete with fresh veggies- tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and pico de gallo. The owner is really nice and I will definitely be back to support this small business! You are in for a treat.
(5)Tammie P.
We stopped by this place on our way back to Cali. We ordered two carne asada burritos and they were delicious. The ingredients were super fresh. If you are ever in the Phoenix area....
(5)David V.
Don't think twice if your looking for Mexican Food, El Chino has the best Carne Asada Tacos in the city w/ fresh salsa bar! Tell them David sent you! Enjoy!
(5)Angelica R.
1st time here. My husband and I stopped for lunch today and this place is really kept up. I ordered the carne asada torta and man was it very filing, I had a hard time finishing it. My husband ordered the same with 2 carne asada tacos on the side. They have a salsa bar with fresh pico, cilantro, limes, salsa, and onions you can top your plate with. The carne asada was so delicious! I work near the capitol and already can't wait to come back and try the other items on the menu. Prices are really reasonable and the customer service is awesome. They walked up to our table and offered us refills, boxes to go, and even take our empty plates. If you are in the area this is a must stop.
(5)Scott J.
Stumbled upon this place and enjoyed some of the best tacos we've ever had. Super friendly couple, Barbacoa Res tacos our favorite.
(5)Heather G.
Absolutely delicious. Tried both the tacos and the burrito. Both were great but the barbacoa de Res burrito was amazing. Nice, clean, and friendly. So glad we stopped!
(5)Gabby G.
If you want amazing authentic Mexican food, this is the place to go. The carne asada is one of the best in the valley, and there are no words for how delicious the green chile beef is. To top it all off, their salsas are delicious!
(5)Sal M.
Okay my wife wanted to try this spot a friend recommended. We ventured out to Phoenix to give it a shot. We parked in the back to walk around to the front entrance. Once we entered we were greeted by the friendly staff. The family ordered multiple tacos & a quesadilla. I was busy on the phone with a friend while taking a bite of my Carne Asada taco...I had to immediately hang up & take another bite then made my way to the salsa bar. Lots of variety of toppings to your liking. I kid you not. The food was so good that we placed a second order. The staff asked if it were our first time & they graciously gave us a bean & cheese quesadilla which was good as well. Overall great ppl & awesome food. We will be back for sure.
(5)Brian L.
Great food and even better people! Carne Asada and Turkey Barbacola tacos were terrific!
(5)Autumn C.
This place has the best carne asada. The meat is seasoned perfectly and tender and juicy. The corn tortilla I chose to have it on was delicious. They have a salsa bar that you take your food over to and choose toppings. I chose cilantro, pickled spicy onion and green salsa on my first one and pico on my second one (yes, I went and ordered seconds). I HIGHLY recommend making a stop to try a few tacos here. I also had the barbacoa pork taco. O.M.G. it was ah-ma-zing! Its juices were so flavorful and the meat was perfectly cooked and soft. I wanted to drink the drippings from my plate. But, that wouldn't have been lady like. The service was very pleasant. Everyone was kind and wished us a good night. Even the cook said good bye as we left. I will be going back at every possible chance I get!!
(5)Dawn H.
I am totally thinking this place must write its own 5 star review. This place was horrible!!!!!!! Microwaved my nasty beans. Carne asada torta was a big joke. The micro-thin fat riddled "ribeye" steak was 1/8 maybe thick and about 30% smaller than torta bun. The Barbacoa could have been good if it did not have so much salt. What's really bad is I am a salt hound and it was too salty for me. Lord help some that doe not do salt. I cannot understand how this place could get such a high rating..NO WAY!!! Won't be back ever again!
(1)Ariana G.
Fresh, welcoming and authentic. My new favorite! I appreciate a salsa bar and theirs is complete with fresh veggies- tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and pico de gallo. The owner is really nice and I will definitely be back to support this small business! You are in for a treat.
(5)Tammie P.
We stopped by this place on our way back to Cali. We ordered two carne asada burritos and they were delicious. The ingredients were super fresh. If you are ever in the Phoenix area....
(5)David V.
Don't think twice if your looking for Mexican Food, El Chino has the best Carne Asada Tacos in the city w/ fresh salsa bar! Tell them David sent you! Enjoy!
(5)Angelica R.
1st time here. My husband and I stopped for lunch today and this place is really kept up. I ordered the carne asada torta and man was it very filing, I had a hard time finishing it. My husband ordered the same with 2 carne asada tacos on the side. They have a salsa bar with fresh pico, cilantro, limes, salsa, and onions you can top your plate with. The carne asada was so delicious! I work near the capitol and already can't wait to come back and try the other items on the menu. Prices are really reasonable and the customer service is awesome. They walked up to our table and offered us refills, boxes to go, and even take our empty plates. If you are in the area this is a must stop.
(5)Scott J.
Stumbled upon this place and enjoyed some of the best tacos we've ever had. Super friendly couple, Barbacoa Res tacos our favorite.
(5)Heather G.
Absolutely delicious. Tried both the tacos and the burrito. Both were great but the barbacoa de Res burrito was amazing. Nice, clean, and friendly. So glad we stopped!
(5)Leah R.
Great food and great service! The quesadillas are AMAZING!! From the outside it doesn't look like much but the inside is pretty nice and clean. A ratings from food dept. highly recommend for a casual lunch or dinner.
(5)Moira T.
Arrived to Phoenix, AZ and my first stop... Taqueria el Chino!! I had one of the most amazing burritos de carne azada and tacos the barbacoa de puerco. The owner señor Rafael and his entire team super friendly and the service exceptional. I was curious why he called his place El Chino. He said his great grandpa is from China and family comes from Sonora, Mexico. A great to start my vacation.
(5)Valerie H.
First time ever going here. I came because of the reviews on Yelp. The customer service is great. It is a small restaurant on the corner and it's a little warm if you stay indoors to eat but overall I had a good experience. Since it was my first time, I didn't know that you had to pay for the rice & beans separately. It can get a bit costly. However, the lady at the registered didn't charge me for that and just charged me for the street tacos I ordered. I could have passed on the rice & beans as they were just ok, but the TACOS WERE AMAZING! Carne asada street tacos. I would come back for the tacos for sure and friend service.
(4)Alex Andrew M.
Best tacos in AZ!!! You won't find better carne asada. Don't forget the chino bean quesadilla!
(5)Jeanell A.
Awesome, fresh, homesyle Mexican food. Barbacoa was wonderfully spiced and very tender. Lengua taco was super tender and great beefy flavor. Pork burrito, homemade huge tortilla stuffed with shredded pork. The beans are seasoned well and very tasty. Overall a wonderful place for super fresh Mexican. Salsa bar is also amazing, very fresh and great flavors.
(5)Patrice B.
Excellent carne asada burrito. Tortilla was what you find in Mexico, not at the chains. Very warm and friendly owners/staff. Highly recommend.
(5)Leo A.
Very tasty, lots of variety. Many of the safe/traditional (carne asada, pork, chicken) options with plenty of choices for the more adventurous eaters (lengua, cabeza, cachete). The build method is great: choose your base (torta, corn/flour tortilla, burrito) and meat, then grab some veggies and bring them back to the counter and they whip it up for you perfectly. Speaking of grabbing the veggies...the topping bar is very ingenious. It has a great variety of salsas and much more. You add exactly what you want. The only reason you'd not like something you get here would be because of something you added that you didn't like. Oh, and horchata. What is there not to like? Another thing for the grab and go crowd: the ingredients are handed to you separate. No soggy tortas or tortillas falling apart at your table.
(4)Tyler M.
JUST DO IT! Everything was delicious! I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you order! Service is amazing as well!
(5)Tina H.
Outstanding! Without a doubt the best tacos I have had outside of my grandma's kitchen. Service was awesome, restaurant was super clean. I highly recommend this place, I will definitely be back!!
(5)Fernando O.
Amazing food! Great friendly people. Try there Carne Asada and the Chino Quesadilla.
(5)Marissa B.
I first discovered Taqueria El Chino while at its original location in Hermosillo, Mexico and was ecstatic to see that they had expanded into the US. Its the only place I have found to get famous "head" taco, tacos made from head meat and the prices can't be beat. The cachete (cheek) is my absolute favorite. A little off of the beaten path though, and not in the best neighborhood, but worth the drive.
(5)Ben L.
As soon as I arrived the staff welcomed me and I felt as if I just walked into my Nana's house. There is literally a traditional residential front door that when closes makes you feel like you are in someone's awesome smelling home. Granted the area is right in the middle of Phoenix and there are people around that someone might consider this restaurant "dirty" or "unsafe" but that is not the case. This place not only raises the value of the community it is in, I believe they are making a difference by providing an excellence service. This is coming from a guy that is born and raised in East Mesa that hates the Phoenix and downtown area. This place is great! Now with the food. 10 stars. Get everything on the menu because it's so dang cheap! A taco for 2 bucks?! What?! The meat is something of a miracle, it is so tender and tasteful. My wife and I got the beef Barbacoa, and carne Asada tacos. They are BOMB. All you business professionals need to come to this place for lunch and make it your place for lunch.
(5)Damion W.
Let me start off by saying... I don't give five star reviews often, but when I do, it's with a purpose! When you come to El Chino's, it's not in the vest of neighborhoods or a mega shopping center, who cares about that??!! When I am hungry, the only thing that I care about is GOOD food and a clean restaurant, and quality service is always a plus. I will tell you this place has ALL THREE! The owner was super appreciative that we went off the beaten path to come to his restaurant. I would tell you to close your eyes and read this review as if you were me, but that would make much sense! I had the carne asada burrito and I have to say... hands down, second to none, and without a doubt, this is THE BEST carne asada burrito I have ever had in my life! They make the steak for you and put the rice and beans on your burrito and then you add all your toppings (kinda like a self-serve Chipotle) then you give it back to them and they wrap it for you. My burrito ended up being about the size of my forearm! I literally thought about this place all day... the best meal that I have had in a long time, and if I was anywhere close to this place when I return to AZ I will go out of my way to come back here. Without question. Without hesitation. Awesome job El Chino's... you gave me a complete different appreciation for authentic mexican food. I. Cant. Wait. To. Go. Back. Now....... I am drooling
(5)Ian T.
Delicious, simple and a great value. They have delicious meats and spicy means spicy. You can't go wrong.
(5)Collette D.
Really good Mexican not the commercial chain food. Fresh & made to order. The service is wonderful .
(5)Gabby G.
If you want amazing authentic Mexican food, this is the place to go. The carne asada is one of the best in the valley, and there are no words for how delicious the green chile beef is. To top it all off, their salsas are delicious!
(5)Lucy D.
I really like this place. The ambiance is a little noisy for my taste and the service is a little disorganized (when your food is ready you take it to a condiments station to load it up and then, if you have a burrito, you take it back to the counter so they can wrap it for you) however the food was really good. We had Carne asada and pork barbacoa, cabeza and lengua, and all of it was really good. My husband went back for seconds. When a slight mix up occurred (we got a barbacoa taco when we ordered the carne asada) , the manager asked if we would like to keep it while he got us the right order a classy move. Also, the red salsa... Super delicious and super spicy. My husband loves spicy salsa and is often underwhelmed with claims of spicy salsa. This one however, fried his palate. We will definitely be coming back for more. 5 people eating (2 kids) and the total came out to $45ish.
(4)Lance S.
It's just plain good! The staff was ultra friendly, the restaurant was clean and the food was fresh. If the service was any faster, I swear someone read my mind when I walked through the door. I enjoyed my carne asada burrito so much, I went back and ordered two carne asada tacos. Everything was delicious. I'm not setting foot in Phoenix and missing an opportunity to grub here again.
(5)Erlie P.
Amazing Food, Great People. You will definitely enjoy your meal & your time here. You must try the carne asada, you'll enjoy every bite except the last (because that means it's all gone).
(5)Chuck S.
The BEST!! All ala carte and delicioso!! Have a great salsa bar. Great place. Casual, warm, very nice people. Can't wait to come again!
(5)Michael M.
Great, authentic tacos. I've tried almost every variety of tacos on the menu amd they were all superb. My favs were asada, cachete, and salsa verde. Great prices and friendly owner
(5)Andrea V.
Not good and not sure how they got a strong 5 star rating.. Not sure how 40 ppl so far that have taken the time to write a review have loved this place.. Did not taste good. Not impressed with their "fresh salsa bar" either... I waited to write this review just incase I was just feeling grumpy last night ... Woke up this morning ... Nope still disappointed.... Maybe my review will help someone like me using yelp as a guide to help find yummy places to eat when you don't know where to go and are not from the area.... Which is why I chose this place. Can't win them all lol !
(1)Rita V.
The meat is so tender with mouth watering flavor:) along with the freshest salsa bar! A MUST TRY!
(5)Nicole R.
Just in town for the weekend and my boyfriend was craving a good taco shop - WE FOUND IT! the simplicity of the restaurant and ingredients used - proves it truly does not take much to please customers. The gentleman who took our order (possibly the owner?) was very friendly and personable to every one who came in the door. If I lived in Phoenix this would be a go-to spot - can't wait to come back again!
(5)Sal M.
Okay my wife wanted to try this spot a friend recommended. We ventured out to Phoenix to give it a shot. We parked in the back to walk around to the front entrance. Once we entered we were greeted by the friendly staff. The family ordered multiple tacos & a quesadilla. I was busy on the phone with a friend while taking a bite of my Carne Asada taco...I had to immediately hang up & take another bite then made my way to the salsa bar. Lots of variety of toppings to your liking. I kid you not. The food was so good that we placed a second order. The staff asked if it were our first time & they graciously gave us a bean & cheese quesadilla which was good as well. Overall great ppl & awesome food. We will be back for sure.
(5)Brian L.
Great food and even better people! Carne Asada and Turkey Barbacola tacos were terrific!
(5)Steffi V.
Omgoshhhh this is like real food. The carne Asada is to die for. It's a little pricey but totally worth it. I got a burrito w rice meat beans and cheese. It didn't take long for a pick up order. I hope this place is here to stay! I plan on becoming a frequent customer!
(5)Art C.
Well as i search for great tasting tacos, I found a great place in downtown Phoenix that is Awesome!!! El Chino makes excelent tacos n not to mention burritos, quesadillas and tortas....tasty meat especially the asada!! Great service, great people.....will be going back to taste everything in there menu lol when I get a chance......by the way the Refrito beans are the BOMB!!! GREAT JOB N FOOD CHINO!!!
(5)Shawn M.
Carne Asad burrito was simply awesome. Love being able to load the way I want from salsa bar.
(5)Sabrina M.
I am completely in love with this place! They not only make the best tacos and burritos but el chino beans are to die for! I now have a true food addiction to this place and go a few times a week. They also offer turkey and chicken options if you don't eat red meat, which is a plus!! You leave craving more and without the feeling your pores are oozing grease. This is quality food and cooked/seasoned to perfection. I look forward to each visit and their staff is always so welcoming and accommodating. This place is a MUST stop and so reasonably priced as well
(5)Kelli D.
best carne asada burrito I've ever eaten. Great food. Clean restaurant. Kind staff. A gem!
(5)L C.
3.5 Stars Taqueria El Chino(TEC) has a 5 star rating with just four reviews. For me it is tough to take fellow Yelper's reviews who's review count are not in double digits and dolling out 5 stars seriously. A Yelp friend Adrixx C. recommend this place on YT so I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did. This place is not perfect by no means. TEC appears to be a new start-up. If not, they are not a well oiled machine with many opportunities to improve. TEC has a fighting chance to become a legit goto spot, but not yet. As we walk in we are greeted by a plume of smoke, no not what you're thinking. They smoke some of their meats but they were not using their exhaust hood above the grills nor had any doors open. As I'm writing this review six plus hours later our clothing, car and accessories still have a strong smoke scent. They open both the front and rear doors as we were looking at the menu. You walk up to the counter, place your order and wait for your number to be called with your beverage in hand. You pay after you are done which allows you to add additional items if you choose, thumbs up! I was really impressed with TEC's menu which is easy to navigate. It consist of two columns of vertically listed meats. Each available meat then lists horizontally it's price for taco(corn/flour tortilla), burrito, torta or quesadilla. My family and I only got the following tacos. Carne de Rez con Chile Verde(cubed beef in a green chili sauce), the meat was well seasoned but a bit on the tough side. Taco de Rib Eye(carne asada), meat was very tender but only luke warm and to much fat on it for my liking. Barbacoa de Rez(beef seasoned barbacoa style), this was the rock star of my order! The barbacoa was executed perfectly, very flavorful and tender! When we ordered our drinks we were told that they only had enough horchata for one order and were out of their other aquas frescas. There were also down to one bottled orange Fanta Mexican soda(sugar cane soda taste so much better) with no Coke left, another example of inexperience. I have a finicky eater in my group so TEC gives you your taco plain and allows you to dress it with what you want off their salsa bar. I hope TEC much luck and sincerely hope they hammer out the little things that may scare some return business away. I will be back for some Barbacoa de Rez tacos and try more off the menu! My mouth is salavating as I write this.
(3)Rene F.
Tacos were ok. I think they are a little pricey. After reading the other reviews, I thought I would find the best tacos ever......but no. I will still keep searching for the best tacos in PHX. I still prefer these tacos over most taco places in this city. The owners and service was awesome.
(3)Adam M.
I work at the Arizona State Capitol and we are wanting for good non-cafeteria food. El Chino fits the bill and then some. The people and the food are fantastic. El Chino has become a mainstay as it's modestly priced and consistently good Mexican food. This is the perfect Capitol lunch spot.
(5)Meghan B.
Visited with our 10 month old daughter when on vacation based on yelp reviews. Wasn't sure what to expect and we were PLEASANTLY surprised! service was fast and friendly and the food was delicious! My husband got three different tacos and I got the Barbados burrito. Both were wonderful. We also got a cheese quesadilla for our daughter who powered through the whole thing. Clearly homemade tortillas. So yum! Only wish they had margaritas to wash it all down with!
(5)Tom H.
This was the best burrito I have ever eaten! They use rib eye for the carne asada. The meat was very tender and very flavorful. The red chili beef burrito was also very good. The best thing is that they give you the burrito opened on a plate with the meat on it. You get to put in what you want from the salsa and vegetable bar. When I eat a burrito I don't normally eat the tortilla but I ate the whole tortilla. They bring the tortillas in from Mexico . Yum!! And the homemade salsa was awesome. I will try to get back there the next time I am in Phoenix.
(5)Karen B.
Authentic, tasty and wonderful!! Fresh ingredients, simplicity in the decor. The proprietors were so gracious and kind. I would eat here often if I were a local.
(5)Mario C.
The food was pretty good. Tried three different tacos: barbacoa, cabeza, and carne azada. Not the best I've had but pretty good. Would have liked double corn tortillas and a little more meat. Friendly staff.
(4)Gage W.
Ok. So you know what I'm gonna say. The Carne Asadas were so good. I got the burrito with everything on it. So much flavor and the beef was so tender. I'm from out of town and needed a place to stop and eat before we went to Sedona and this was the closest and highest rated restaurant. I'm so lucky I found this place! If I'm ever in town I will def be back!
(5)Britt P.
Cheap Delicious Excellent Customer Service Fresh Did I mention Delicious? I go to el Chino about twice a week. I acknowledge this with no shame. Since they have opened the service is much more streamlined and fast. The ingredients are fresh and with variety for those that really like to pile their tacos with a multitude of toppings. Tacos are street-style size. Burritos are large in size. You will leave satisfied without feeling miserable. Suggestion: Get the Turkey taco. . . it will not disappoint. Make sure to put cheese on it.
(5)Steve G.
1st time there was small nothing fancy but good atmosphere and great food . Very helpful and friendly staff . Were very quick to get food to us at the time we went . Would recommend this place to anyone looking for some good tacos or burritos.
(5)Jade M.
Food is tasty. Heaven to the taste buds! They also have friendly and customer driven service!!!
(5)Hawk M.
Everything was delicious!! Barbacoa was a little salty but still good, nice and tender! Red chile burrito was the the hit! Love this place recommend to all!
(5)Alonzo L.
Hey Yelpers... Im a die hard Mexican Food critic and mainly pesimistic on new spots. Many times, even before our almighty Yelp, i have been victim to restaurants that claim grandeour when there is none. So I seek out The authentic... The revolutionary, the spot that sets the bar. So... I have to admit before my affinity was shattered... El chino had me sold. I raved to my masses of there quality and taste. I was of the first to walk in to this hole in the wall. Then, was El Chino, in the back killing it... Like magic churning out delight, savory stews, grilled heavenly morsels... And I its cheerleader as I licked my fingers clean. But loyalty draws me to my fan fare regularly... And on this dismal day my accolades shattered and I witnessed as others a very different El Chino. The fault, I believe was the absence of their namesake. El chino was nolonger there. And I in horror saw Microwaved left overs from fridge to nuke... coagulated disgust shoveled to my wifes tortilla... How as her man, allow it to transpire... No not me so i called them out... And struck them down. Read my others and 1 is a response to a message sent denying what we witnessed.
(1)Chris T.
Fantastic taco spot! Food is delicious, place is very clean and well kept! Will definitely return! Cheap too.
(5)Justin B.
This business is a co workers friend.. great guy with great food and prices ! Try everything the beans are to die for , and chicken is moist .. Support small business and try this out !!
(5)Sergio B.
Best authentic Mexican style tacos and burritos around! Mexican restaurants come a dime a dozen, with few who spare no expense for quality, fresh ingredients, Taquerias El Chino is no exception. From the moment you take a first bite, you can be sure you're getting the best cuts of meat and the freshest cuts of vegetables. Try this place once, and you'll be sure to make Taquerias El Chino, a regular stop!
(5)Wi H.
Visited today with my wife after a long hike in South Mountain Park. Wonderful greeting from the owner sincere and friendly. We had amazing barbacoa puerco (Pork), barbacoa res (Beef), Cabeza (braised meat from the head), carne asada (Ribeye) and then finally 2 bean burritos to go. Wow absolutely the best mexican food I have found in entire city. I do reviews maybe once or twice a year. We will be back as everything was fresh and flavorful and overall very clean. Give this place a try there is a reason they have 5 stars and 30 plus reviews. Side note we visit Mexican restaurants about 2 times a week and very rarely go to the same place twice. This place is going to be on my travel routes weekly. I did learn a little bit about where they source their tortillas and I also get mine from there and know how hard they can be to get ahold of.
(5)Zhong Y.
Si, me gusta. In a strangely meta experience, your reviewer went to the aforementioned taqueria as part of my colleagues' emerging lunchtime tradition, informally known as Taco Tuesdays. First of all, there's parking adjacent to the building, which is awesome; second, it is easy to get in and order. You can smell the smoky grilling beef of the carne asada. All you need to determine is which of the tasty meats you want and in what form of tortilla, corn or wheat flour, do you want it served on. It doesn't really matter, everything we tried was good: we tried a few of the head meats -- cabeza, cachete -- very delicious and tender, the cheek meat was possessed of a big beefy flavor; the carne asada was generous and very delicious. My colleague enjoyed the frijoles, which she claimed were the best frijoles she'd ever eaten. The salsa bar was well stocked with fresh produce, and had, in particular, a salsa roja, made with arbol chiles, clearly labeled as hot. Readers should be forewarned this is a bit of a misnomer: it's very hot. It's called memory sauce for a reason: you'll remember it later on. Service was personable and helpful; the tacos come out not all at once, but piece-wise, but, it means you'll get up a few times to get the rest of your order as it's filled.
(5)David K.
Oh yeah - we are talking seriously good food here - order the rib eye steak torta dressed to the hilt at the salsa bar and iced cold machata and tell me an equal level of paradise - p.s. wear shorts and a tank top as air conditioning has been replaced with fans -
(4)Matt M.
There are few places that miss you when you are gone, and this place did. I came in after a long hiatus from tortillas as I was dieting and when the lady at the counter took my credit card, she realized it was me. She called to the back and couldn't believe I was there. The kitchen staff said that we missed having you here during lunch and wanted to make sure I was satisfied with everything. Well I am. Its just food this good needs to be taken in moderation, because it is easy to get carried away here. Everything is good. I have crossed up and down the menu several times and when it come to cabeza and cachete(cheek) tacos and burritos, this is the PHX spot hands down. Plus they let you load up your burritos with plenty of fixings before they fold it up perfectly for you. Its proximity to the State Capitol makes it my favorite quick taco between committee meetings or a great place to sit and debate policy over some tacos and horchata. So thank you to a place that makes you feel like you been away from home too long.
(5)Chris O.
Some of the best barbacoa "de cabeza" I have ever had. Since moving in to Phoenix, coming from a city that is close to the border, I have always been searching for this kind of meat. I was able to find some Mexican places here and there but their meat was always dry and nowhere near as flavorful as this place. I even told the owner "there are some places but" and the owner finished with "but no one does it good." We both laughed. I ordered 3 tacos and a torta totally underestimating the amount of meat that I was getting and took it home. The amount of meat which I stuffed into the bread, to make the torta, was a ton and I still had enough to make another 6-7 tacos! Satisfaction guaranteed. No wonder this place has a solid rating.
(5)Quincy T.
Friendly, pleasant and very welcoming staff. I needed that, being a truck driver who was 1,600 miles from home. And the food was really good! Excellent service! :) Thanks to the staff. Quincy
(5)Norm R.
The street tacos here cost a bit more than at other street taco places, but they make up for it by giving you more meat or other filling, and the tacos are definitely the most moist you'll find anywhere. Tastewise they're OK, although I find that adding a bit of salt wakes up the flavors significantly. And there's a good salsa bar offering lots of stuff to dress the taco with; definitely don't forget to add the pickled onions on your tacos or burrito. You may find a line leading to the counter if you come around lunch hour, but the line moves reasonably fast.
(3)Jesse M.
Stopped here to eat on a business trip prior to a meeting. Fantastic food, great selection of meats and the best "burn" I've had from a salsa in a long time. I will definitely come back! Had a carne en salsa verde burrito and a lengua taco. Definitely filled me up and tasted great!
(5)Josh G.
Great food big portions. Owner came out and ate with us and chatted. Super friendly staff. This taqueria is as good as many I've been to in old Mexico.
(5)Elizabeth A.
Me and my boyfriend had come to AZ for a week and we're staying on downtown phoenix. We were hungry and love good food so we found el chino on yelp with rave reviews. Hopped in the challenger and headed down. At first we each ordered a taco. We didn't think it was a big deal. But wow! That flavor! It was so fresh and so delicious! We moved onto burritos and then more stuff on the menu. The owner, El Chino was an awesome guy. So laid back and helped us venture through the menu. He was a great host. We promised to come back with friends and in that 6 day period of staying in Phoenix we visited el chino 3 times with different groups of friends. No other place stands the competition. Trust a foodie!
(5)Jennifer I.
AMAZING AUTHENTIC FLAVOR!! We pretty much had a taco of each and on some we had double.... The head and tongue have outstanding flavor and there barbacoas are the bomb!! Carne asada is very delicious and kept me wanting more.... The owner "el chino" is very welcoming and more then great customer service skills! We will definitely be back!!!
(5)Joe E.
I stopped in for the first time a couple weeks ago, and was extremely impressed with the place. The carne asada tacos were amazing - perfect flour tortillas, and a nice topping bar, including some delicious hot salsa which might catch you off guard if you're not used to "hot" actually being "hot". The other meats are delicious - the pork, beef, turkey, cabeza, and cachete are all fantastic. This was the first place I've tried cabeza and cachete, and those are now my two favorites. The people are friendly, service is fast, and prices are very reasonable. Definitely my new lunch spot.
(5)Dr. K.
The Carme Asada burrito is amazing! About twice the price of everything else on the menu, but definitely worth it. High quality meat, and great toppings. You order from the burrito bar where they cook the meat to order and They add beans rice and/or cheese if you want. You then take it to the salsa bar to add your salsa and a few other things, and they wrap it for you. Food was excellent. Service was great. People were extremely friendly. Great menu (see attached photo of menu). Downsides: neighborhood is a bit sketchy. Only beans they have are refried.
(5)Troye J.
El chino taqueria is so hospitable! From the moment you walk in you feel like you are in a family home. The tacos were so good. It honestly doesn't matter what kind, just get some! The owner, Raphael aka, the chino, was very helpful with recommendations and so friendly. The salsa bar was so fresh and had lots of options for toppings. Best taco experience yet!
(5)Damion W.
Let me start off by saying... I don't give five star reviews often, but when I do, it's with a purpose! When you come to El Chino's, it's not in the vest of neighborhoods or a mega shopping center, who cares about that??!! When I am hungry, the only thing that I care about is GOOD food and a clean restaurant, and quality service is always a plus. I will tell you this place has ALL THREE! The owner was super appreciative that we went off the beaten path to come to his restaurant. I would tell you to close your eyes and read this review as if you were me, but that would make much sense! I had the carne asada burrito and I have to say... hands down, second to none, and without a doubt, this is THE BEST carne asada burrito I have ever had in my life! They make the steak for you and put the rice and beans on your burrito and then you add all your toppings (kinda like a self-serve Chipotle) then you give it back to them and they wrap it for you. My burrito ended up being about the size of my forearm! I literally thought about this place all day... the best meal that I have had in a long time, and if I was anywhere close to this place when I return to AZ I will go out of my way to come back here. Without question. Without hesitation. Awesome job El Chino's... you gave me a complete different appreciation for authentic mexican food. I. Cant. Wait. To. Go. Back. Now....... I am drooling
(5)Ian T.
Delicious, simple and a great value. They have delicious meats and spicy means spicy. You can't go wrong.
(5)Collette D.
Really good Mexican not the commercial chain food. Fresh & made to order. The service is wonderful .
(5)Lucy D.
I really like this place. The ambiance is a little noisy for my taste and the service is a little disorganized (when your food is ready you take it to a condiments station to load it up and then, if you have a burrito, you take it back to the counter so they can wrap it for you) however the food was really good. We had Carne asada and pork barbacoa, cabeza and lengua, and all of it was really good. My husband went back for seconds. When a slight mix up occurred (we got a barbacoa taco when we ordered the carne asada) , the manager asked if we would like to keep it while he got us the right order a classy move. Also, the red salsa... Super delicious and super spicy. My husband loves spicy salsa and is often underwhelmed with claims of spicy salsa. This one however, fried his palate. We will definitely be coming back for more. 5 people eating (2 kids) and the total came out to $45ish.
(4)Lance S.
It's just plain good! The staff was ultra friendly, the restaurant was clean and the food was fresh. If the service was any faster, I swear someone read my mind when I walked through the door. I enjoyed my carne asada burrito so much, I went back and ordered two carne asada tacos. Everything was delicious. I'm not setting foot in Phoenix and missing an opportunity to grub here again.
(5)Erlie P.
Amazing Food, Great People. You will definitely enjoy your meal & your time here. You must try the carne asada, you'll enjoy every bite except the last (because that means it's all gone).
(5)Mario C.
The food was pretty good. Tried three different tacos: barbacoa, cabeza, and carne azada. Not the best I've had but pretty good. Would have liked double corn tortillas and a little more meat. Friendly staff.
(4)Gage W.
Ok. So you know what I'm gonna say. The Carne Asadas were so good. I got the burrito with everything on it. So much flavor and the beef was so tender. I'm from out of town and needed a place to stop and eat before we went to Sedona and this was the closest and highest rated restaurant. I'm so lucky I found this place! If I'm ever in town I will def be back!
(5)Britt P.
Cheap Delicious Excellent Customer Service Fresh Did I mention Delicious? I go to el Chino about twice a week. I acknowledge this with no shame. Since they have opened the service is much more streamlined and fast. The ingredients are fresh and with variety for those that really like to pile their tacos with a multitude of toppings. Tacos are street-style size. Burritos are large in size. You will leave satisfied without feeling miserable. Suggestion: Get the Turkey taco. . . it will not disappoint. Make sure to put cheese on it.
(5)Norm R.
The street tacos here cost a bit more than at other street taco places, but they make up for it by giving you more meat or other filling, and the tacos are definitely the most moist you'll find anywhere. Tastewise they're OK, although I find that adding a bit of salt wakes up the flavors significantly. And there's a good salsa bar offering lots of stuff to dress the taco with; definitely don't forget to add the pickled onions on your tacos or burrito. You may find a line leading to the counter if you come around lunch hour, but the line moves reasonably fast.
(3)Jesse M.
Stopped here to eat on a business trip prior to a meeting. Fantastic food, great selection of meats and the best "burn" I've had from a salsa in a long time. I will definitely come back! Had a carne en salsa verde burrito and a lengua taco. Definitely filled me up and tasted great!
(5)Josh G.
Great food big portions. Owner came out and ate with us and chatted. Super friendly staff. This taqueria is as good as many I've been to in old Mexico.
(5)Matt M.
There are few places that miss you when you are gone, and this place did. I came in after a long hiatus from tortillas as I was dieting and when the lady at the counter took my credit card, she realized it was me. She called to the back and couldn't believe I was there. The kitchen staff said that we missed having you here during lunch and wanted to make sure I was satisfied with everything. Well I am. Its just food this good needs to be taken in moderation, because it is easy to get carried away here. Everything is good. I have crossed up and down the menu several times and when it come to cabeza and cachete(cheek) tacos and burritos, this is the PHX spot hands down. Plus they let you load up your burritos with plenty of fixings before they fold it up perfectly for you. Its proximity to the State Capitol makes it my favorite quick taco between committee meetings or a great place to sit and debate policy over some tacos and horchata. So thank you to a place that makes you feel like you been away from home too long.
(5)Chris O.
Some of the best barbacoa "de cabeza" I have ever had. Since moving in to Phoenix, coming from a city that is close to the border, I have always been searching for this kind of meat. I was able to find some Mexican places here and there but their meat was always dry and nowhere near as flavorful as this place. I even told the owner "there are some places but" and the owner finished with "but no one does it good." We both laughed. I ordered 3 tacos and a torta totally underestimating the amount of meat that I was getting and took it home. The amount of meat which I stuffed into the bread, to make the torta, was a ton and I still had enough to make another 6-7 tacos! Satisfaction guaranteed. No wonder this place has a solid rating.
(5)Quincy T.
Friendly, pleasant and very welcoming staff. I needed that, being a truck driver who was 1,600 miles from home. And the food was really good! Excellent service! :) Thanks to the staff. Quincy
(5)Elizabeth A.
Me and my boyfriend had come to AZ for a week and we're staying on downtown phoenix. We were hungry and love good food so we found el chino on yelp with rave reviews. Hopped in the challenger and headed down. At first we each ordered a taco. We didn't think it was a big deal. But wow! That flavor! It was so fresh and so delicious! We moved onto burritos and then more stuff on the menu. The owner, El Chino was an awesome guy. So laid back and helped us venture through the menu. He was a great host. We promised to come back with friends and in that 6 day period of staying in Phoenix we visited el chino 3 times with different groups of friends. No other place stands the competition. Trust a foodie!
(5)Jennifer I.
AMAZING AUTHENTIC FLAVOR!! We pretty much had a taco of each and on some we had double.... The head and tongue have outstanding flavor and there barbacoas are the bomb!! Carne asada is very delicious and kept me wanting more.... The owner "el chino" is very welcoming and more then great customer service skills! We will definitely be back!!!
(5)Joe E.
I stopped in for the first time a couple weeks ago, and was extremely impressed with the place. The carne asada tacos were amazing - perfect flour tortillas, and a nice topping bar, including some delicious hot salsa which might catch you off guard if you're not used to "hot" actually being "hot". The other meats are delicious - the pork, beef, turkey, cabeza, and cachete are all fantastic. This was the first place I've tried cabeza and cachete, and those are now my two favorites. The people are friendly, service is fast, and prices are very reasonable. Definitely my new lunch spot.
(5)Dr. K.
The Carme Asada burrito is amazing! About twice the price of everything else on the menu, but definitely worth it. High quality meat, and great toppings. You order from the burrito bar where they cook the meat to order and They add beans rice and/or cheese if you want. You then take it to the salsa bar to add your salsa and a few other things, and they wrap it for you. Food was excellent. Service was great. People were extremely friendly. Great menu (see attached photo of menu). Downsides: neighborhood is a bit sketchy. Only beans they have are refried.
(5)Troye J.
El chino taqueria is so hospitable! From the moment you walk in you feel like you are in a family home. The tacos were so good. It honestly doesn't matter what kind, just get some! The owner, Raphael aka, the chino, was very helpful with recommendations and so friendly. The salsa bar was so fresh and had lots of options for toppings. Best taco experience yet!
(5)Leah R.
Great food and great service! The quesadillas are AMAZING!! From the outside it doesn't look like much but the inside is pretty nice and clean. A ratings from food dept. highly recommend for a casual lunch or dinner.
(5)Moira T.
Arrived to Phoenix, AZ and my first stop... Taqueria el Chino!! I had one of the most amazing burritos de carne azada and tacos the barbacoa de puerco. The owner señor Rafael and his entire team super friendly and the service exceptional. I was curious why he called his place El Chino. He said his great grandpa is from China and family comes from Sonora, Mexico. A great to start my vacation.
(5)David K.
Oh yeah - we are talking seriously good food here - order the rib eye steak torta dressed to the hilt at the salsa bar and iced cold machata and tell me an equal level of paradise - p.s. wear shorts and a tank top as air conditioning has been replaced with fans -
(4)Valerie H.
First time ever going here. I came because of the reviews on Yelp. The customer service is great. It is a small restaurant on the corner and it's a little warm if you stay indoors to eat but overall I had a good experience. Since it was my first time, I didn't know that you had to pay for the rice & beans separately. It can get a bit costly. However, the lady at the registered didn't charge me for that and just charged me for the street tacos I ordered. I could have passed on the rice & beans as they were just ok, but the TACOS WERE AMAZING! Carne asada street tacos. I would come back for the tacos for sure and friend service.
(4)Alex Andrew M.
Best tacos in AZ!!! You won't find better carne asada. Don't forget the chino bean quesadilla!
(5)Jeanell A.
Awesome, fresh, homesyle Mexican food. Barbacoa was wonderfully spiced and very tender. Lengua taco was super tender and great beefy flavor. Pork burrito, homemade huge tortilla stuffed with shredded pork. The beans are seasoned well and very tasty. Overall a wonderful place for super fresh Mexican. Salsa bar is also amazing, very fresh and great flavors.
(5)Patrice B.
Excellent carne asada burrito. Tortilla was what you find in Mexico, not at the chains. Very warm and friendly owners/staff. Highly recommend.
(5)Leo A.
Very tasty, lots of variety. Many of the safe/traditional (carne asada, pork, chicken) options with plenty of choices for the more adventurous eaters (lengua, cabeza, cachete). The build method is great: choose your base (torta, corn/flour tortilla, burrito) and meat, then grab some veggies and bring them back to the counter and they whip it up for you perfectly. Speaking of grabbing the veggies...the topping bar is very ingenious. It has a great variety of salsas and much more. You add exactly what you want. The only reason you'd not like something you get here would be because of something you added that you didn't like. Oh, and horchata. What is there not to like? Another thing for the grab and go crowd: the ingredients are handed to you separate. No soggy tortas or tortillas falling apart at your table.
(4)Tyler M.
JUST DO IT! Everything was delicious! I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you order! Service is amazing as well!
(5)Tina H.
Outstanding! Without a doubt the best tacos I have had outside of my grandma's kitchen. Service was awesome, restaurant was super clean. I highly recommend this place, I will definitely be back!!
(5)Fernando O.
Amazing food! Great friendly people. Try there Carne Asada and the Chino Quesadilla.
(5)Marissa B.
I first discovered Taqueria El Chino while at its original location in Hermosillo, Mexico and was ecstatic to see that they had expanded into the US. Its the only place I have found to get famous "head" taco, tacos made from head meat and the prices can't be beat. The cachete (cheek) is my absolute favorite. A little off of the beaten path though, and not in the best neighborhood, but worth the drive.
(5)Ben L.
As soon as I arrived the staff welcomed me and I felt as if I just walked into my Nana's house. There is literally a traditional residential front door that when closes makes you feel like you are in someone's awesome smelling home. Granted the area is right in the middle of Phoenix and there are people around that someone might consider this restaurant "dirty" or "unsafe" but that is not the case. This place not only raises the value of the community it is in, I believe they are making a difference by providing an excellence service. This is coming from a guy that is born and raised in East Mesa that hates the Phoenix and downtown area. This place is great! Now with the food. 10 stars. Get everything on the menu because it's so dang cheap! A taco for 2 bucks?! What?! The meat is something of a miracle, it is so tender and tasteful. My wife and I got the beef Barbacoa, and carne Asada tacos. They are BOMB. All you business professionals need to come to this place for lunch and make it your place for lunch.
(5)Chuck S.
The BEST!! All ala carte and delicioso!! Have a great salsa bar. Great place. Casual, warm, very nice people. Can't wait to come again!
(5)Michael M.
Great, authentic tacos. I've tried almost every variety of tacos on the menu amd they were all superb. My favs were asada, cachete, and salsa verde. Great prices and friendly owner
(5)Andrea V.
Not good and not sure how they got a strong 5 star rating.. Not sure how 40 ppl so far that have taken the time to write a review have loved this place.. Did not taste good. Not impressed with their "fresh salsa bar" either... I waited to write this review just incase I was just feeling grumpy last night ... Woke up this morning ... Nope still disappointed.... Maybe my review will help someone like me using yelp as a guide to help find yummy places to eat when you don't know where to go and are not from the area.... Which is why I chose this place. Can't win them all lol !
(1)Rita V.
The meat is so tender with mouth watering flavor:) along with the freshest salsa bar! A MUST TRY!
(5)Nicole R.
Just in town for the weekend and my boyfriend was craving a good taco shop - WE FOUND IT! the simplicity of the restaurant and ingredients used - proves it truly does not take much to please customers. The gentleman who took our order (possibly the owner?) was very friendly and personable to every one who came in the door. If I lived in Phoenix this would be a go-to spot - can't wait to come back again!
(5)Autumn C.
This place has the best carne asada. The meat is seasoned perfectly and tender and juicy. The corn tortilla I chose to have it on was delicious. They have a salsa bar that you take your food over to and choose toppings. I chose cilantro, pickled spicy onion and green salsa on my first one and pico on my second one (yes, I went and ordered seconds). I HIGHLY recommend making a stop to try a few tacos here. I also had the barbacoa pork taco. O.M.G. it was ah-ma-zing! Its juices were so flavorful and the meat was perfectly cooked and soft. I wanted to drink the drippings from my plate. But, that wouldn't have been lady like. The service was very pleasant. Everyone was kind and wished us a good night. Even the cook said good bye as we left. I will be going back at every possible chance I get!!
(5)Dawn H.
I am totally thinking this place must write its own 5 star review. This place was horrible!!!!!!! Microwaved my nasty beans. Carne asada torta was a big joke. The micro-thin fat riddled "ribeye" steak was 1/8 maybe thick and about 30% smaller than torta bun. The Barbacoa could have been good if it did not have so much salt. What's really bad is I am a salt hound and it was too salty for me. Lord help some that doe not do salt. I cannot understand how this place could get such a high rating..NO WAY!!! Won't be back ever again!
(1)Ariana G.
Fresh, welcoming and authentic. My new favorite! I appreciate a salsa bar and theirs is complete with fresh veggies- tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and pico de gallo. The owner is really nice and I will definitely be back to support this small business! You are in for a treat.
(5)Tammie P.
We stopped by this place on our way back to Cali. We ordered two carne asada burritos and they were delicious. The ingredients were super fresh. If you are ever in the Phoenix area....
(5)David V.
Don't think twice if your looking for Mexican Food, El Chino has the best Carne Asada Tacos in the city w/ fresh salsa bar! Tell them David sent you! Enjoy!
(5)Angelica R.
1st time here. My husband and I stopped for lunch today and this place is really kept up. I ordered the carne asada torta and man was it very filing, I had a hard time finishing it. My husband ordered the same with 2 carne asada tacos on the side. They have a salsa bar with fresh pico, cilantro, limes, salsa, and onions you can top your plate with. The carne asada was so delicious! I work near the capitol and already can't wait to come back and try the other items on the menu. Prices are really reasonable and the customer service is awesome. They walked up to our table and offered us refills, boxes to go, and even take our empty plates. If you are in the area this is a must stop.
(5)Scott J.
Stumbled upon this place and enjoyed some of the best tacos we've ever had. Super friendly couple, Barbacoa Res tacos our favorite.
(5)Heather G.
Absolutely delicious. Tried both the tacos and the burrito. Both were great but the barbacoa de Res burrito was amazing. Nice, clean, and friendly. So glad we stopped!
(5)Gabby G.
If you want amazing authentic Mexican food, this is the place to go. The carne asada is one of the best in the valley, and there are no words for how delicious the green chile beef is. To top it all off, their salsas are delicious!
(5)Sal M.
Okay my wife wanted to try this spot a friend recommended. We ventured out to Phoenix to give it a shot. We parked in the back to walk around to the front entrance. Once we entered we were greeted by the friendly staff. The family ordered multiple tacos & a quesadilla. I was busy on the phone with a friend while taking a bite of my Carne Asada taco...I had to immediately hang up & take another bite then made my way to the salsa bar. Lots of variety of toppings to your liking. I kid you not. The food was so good that we placed a second order. The staff asked if it were our first time & they graciously gave us a bean & cheese quesadilla which was good as well. Overall great ppl & awesome food. We will be back for sure.
(5)Brian L.
Great food and even better people! Carne Asada and Turkey Barbacola tacos were terrific!
(5)L C.
3.5 Stars Taqueria El Chino(TEC) has a 5 star rating with just four reviews. For me it is tough to take fellow Yelper's reviews who's review count are not in double digits and dolling out 5 stars seriously. A Yelp friend Adrixx C. recommend this place on YT so I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did. This place is not perfect by no means. TEC appears to be a new start-up. If not, they are not a well oiled machine with many opportunities to improve. TEC has a fighting chance to become a legit goto spot, but not yet. As we walk in we are greeted by a plume of smoke, no not what you're thinking. They smoke some of their meats but they were not using their exhaust hood above the grills nor had any doors open. As I'm writing this review six plus hours later our clothing, car and accessories still have a strong smoke scent. They open both the front and rear doors as we were looking at the menu. You walk up to the counter, place your order and wait for your number to be called with your beverage in hand. You pay after you are done which allows you to add additional items if you choose, thumbs up! I was really impressed with TEC's menu which is easy to navigate. It consist of two columns of vertically listed meats. Each available meat then lists horizontally it's price for taco(corn/flour tortilla), burrito, torta or quesadilla. My family and I only got the following tacos. Carne de Rez con Chile Verde(cubed beef in a green chili sauce), the meat was well seasoned but a bit on the tough side. Taco de Rib Eye(carne asada), meat was very tender but only luke warm and to much fat on it for my liking. Barbacoa de Rez(beef seasoned barbacoa style), this was the rock star of my order! The barbacoa was executed perfectly, very flavorful and tender! When we ordered our drinks we were told that they only had enough horchata for one order and were out of their other aquas frescas. There were also down to one bottled orange Fanta Mexican soda(sugar cane soda taste so much better) with no Coke left, another example of inexperience. I have a finicky eater in my group so TEC gives you your taco plain and allows you to dress it with what you want off their salsa bar. I hope TEC much luck and sincerely hope they hammer out the little things that may scare some return business away. I will be back for some Barbacoa de Rez tacos and try more off the menu! My mouth is salavating as I write this.
(3)Rene F.
Tacos were ok. I think they are a little pricey. After reading the other reviews, I thought I would find the best tacos ever......but no. I will still keep searching for the best tacos in PHX. I still prefer these tacos over most taco places in this city. The owners and service was awesome.
(3)Adam M.
I work at the Arizona State Capitol and we are wanting for good non-cafeteria food. El Chino fits the bill and then some. The people and the food are fantastic. El Chino has become a mainstay as it's modestly priced and consistently good Mexican food. This is the perfect Capitol lunch spot.
(5)Meghan B.
Visited with our 10 month old daughter when on vacation based on yelp reviews. Wasn't sure what to expect and we were PLEASANTLY surprised! service was fast and friendly and the food was delicious! My husband got three different tacos and I got the Barbados burrito. Both were wonderful. We also got a cheese quesadilla for our daughter who powered through the whole thing. Clearly homemade tortillas. So yum! Only wish they had margaritas to wash it all down with!
(5)Steffi V.
Omgoshhhh this is like real food. The carne Asada is to die for. It's a little pricey but totally worth it. I got a burrito w rice meat beans and cheese. It didn't take long for a pick up order. I hope this place is here to stay! I plan on becoming a frequent customer!
(5)Art C.
Well as i search for great tasting tacos, I found a great place in downtown Phoenix that is Awesome!!! El Chino makes excelent tacos n not to mention burritos, quesadillas and tortas....tasty meat especially the asada!! Great service, great people.....will be going back to taste everything in there menu lol when I get a chance......by the way the Refrito beans are the BOMB!!! GREAT JOB N FOOD CHINO!!!
(5)Shawn M.
Carne Asad burrito was simply awesome. Love being able to load the way I want from salsa bar.
(5)Sabrina M.
I am completely in love with this place! They not only make the best tacos and burritos but el chino beans are to die for! I now have a true food addiction to this place and go a few times a week. They also offer turkey and chicken options if you don't eat red meat, which is a plus!! You leave craving more and without the feeling your pores are oozing grease. This is quality food and cooked/seasoned to perfection. I look forward to each visit and their staff is always so welcoming and accommodating. This place is a MUST stop and so reasonably priced as well
(5)Kelli D.
best carne asada burrito I've ever eaten. Great food. Clean restaurant. Kind staff. A gem!
(5)Tom H.
This was the best burrito I have ever eaten! They use rib eye for the carne asada. The meat was very tender and very flavorful. The red chili beef burrito was also very good. The best thing is that they give you the burrito opened on a plate with the meat on it. You get to put in what you want from the salsa and vegetable bar. When I eat a burrito I don't normally eat the tortilla but I ate the whole tortilla. They bring the tortillas in from Mexico . Yum!! And the homemade salsa was awesome. I will try to get back there the next time I am in Phoenix.
(5)Karen B.
Authentic, tasty and wonderful!! Fresh ingredients, simplicity in the decor. The proprietors were so gracious and kind. I would eat here often if I were a local.
(5)Steve G.
1st time there was small nothing fancy but good atmosphere and great food . Very helpful and friendly staff . Were very quick to get food to us at the time we went . Would recommend this place to anyone looking for some good tacos or burritos.
(5)Jade M.
Food is tasty. Heaven to the taste buds! They also have friendly and customer driven service!!!
(5)Hawk M.
Everything was delicious!! Barbacoa was a little salty but still good, nice and tender! Red chile burrito was the the hit! Love this place recommend to all!
(5)Alonzo L.
Hey Yelpers... Im a die hard Mexican Food critic and mainly pesimistic on new spots. Many times, even before our almighty Yelp, i have been victim to restaurants that claim grandeour when there is none. So I seek out The authentic... The revolutionary, the spot that sets the bar. So... I have to admit before my affinity was shattered... El chino had me sold. I raved to my masses of there quality and taste. I was of the first to walk in to this hole in the wall. Then, was El Chino, in the back killing it... Like magic churning out delight, savory stews, grilled heavenly morsels... And I its cheerleader as I licked my fingers clean. But loyalty draws me to my fan fare regularly... And on this dismal day my accolades shattered and I witnessed as others a very different El Chino. The fault, I believe was the absence of their namesake. El chino was nolonger there. And I in horror saw Microwaved left overs from fridge to nuke... coagulated disgust shoveled to my wifes tortilla... How as her man, allow it to transpire... No not me so i called them out... And struck them down. Read my others and 1 is a response to a message sent denying what we witnessed.
(1)Chris T.
Fantastic taco spot! Food is delicious, place is very clean and well kept! Will definitely return! Cheap too.
(5)Justin B.
This business is a co workers friend.. great guy with great food and prices ! Try everything the beans are to die for , and chicken is moist .. Support small business and try this out !!
(5)Sergio B.
Best authentic Mexican style tacos and burritos around! Mexican restaurants come a dime a dozen, with few who spare no expense for quality, fresh ingredients, Taquerias El Chino is no exception. From the moment you take a first bite, you can be sure you're getting the best cuts of meat and the freshest cuts of vegetables. Try this place once, and you'll be sure to make Taquerias El Chino, a regular stop!
(5)Wi H.
Visited today with my wife after a long hike in South Mountain Park. Wonderful greeting from the owner sincere and friendly. We had amazing barbacoa puerco (Pork), barbacoa res (Beef), Cabeza (braised meat from the head), carne asada (Ribeye) and then finally 2 bean burritos to go. Wow absolutely the best mexican food I have found in entire city. I do reviews maybe once or twice a year. We will be back as everything was fresh and flavorful and overall very clean. Give this place a try there is a reason they have 5 stars and 30 plus reviews. Side note we visit Mexican restaurants about 2 times a week and very rarely go to the same place twice. This place is going to be on my travel routes weekly. I did learn a little bit about where they source their tortillas and I also get mine from there and know how hard they can be to get ahold of.
(5)Zhong Y.
Si, me gusta. In a strangely meta experience, your reviewer went to the aforementioned taqueria as part of my colleagues' emerging lunchtime tradition, informally known as Taco Tuesdays. First of all, there's parking adjacent to the building, which is awesome; second, it is easy to get in and order. You can smell the smoky grilling beef of the carne asada. All you need to determine is which of the tasty meats you want and in what form of tortilla, corn or wheat flour, do you want it served on. It doesn't really matter, everything we tried was good: we tried a few of the head meats -- cabeza, cachete -- very delicious and tender, the cheek meat was possessed of a big beefy flavor; the carne asada was generous and very delicious. My colleague enjoyed the frijoles, which she claimed were the best frijoles she'd ever eaten. The salsa bar was well stocked with fresh produce, and had, in particular, a salsa roja, made with arbol chiles, clearly labeled as hot. Readers should be forewarned this is a bit of a misnomer: it's very hot. It's called memory sauce for a reason: you'll remember it later on. Service was personable and helpful; the tacos come out not all at once, but piece-wise, but, it means you'll get up a few times to get the rest of your order as it's filled.
(5)