Welcome to El Palenque Taqueria
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15 N Kingston St San Mateo, CA 94401 Hotline: (650) 342-4040
Introducing El Palenque Taqueria, a hidden gem located in San Mateo, CA, offering a delicious fusion of seafood and Mexican cuisine. This unclaimed restaurant has gained a loyal following for its mouthwatering dishes and cozy atmosphere.
With a menu that boasts a variety of options, including tacos, burritos, and shrimp plates, El Palenque Taqueria caters to diverse palates. Customers rave about the generous portions, flavorful meats, and crispy tortillas that set them apart from other taquerias.
- Highlights:
- The lengua tacos, cooked to perfection with a tender interior and crispy exterior, are a must-try.
- The al pastor tacos receive high praise for their seasoning and juicy flavor.
- The garlic shrimp plate is a standout dish, offering a satisfying and delicious dining experience.
Visitors appreciate the friendly staff, quick service, and reasonable prices at El Palenque Taqueria. The cozy ambiance and welcoming environment make it a favorite spot for lunch or dinner.
Whether you're a fan of traditional Mexican flavors or looking to explore new seafood dishes, El Palenque Taqueria is a top choice for a satisfying meal. Don't miss out on this culinary gem in San Mateo!
El palenque taqueria is a dank hole in the wall spot. Four dollar tacos was on the pricey side so I opted with a regular burrito for 10 bucks. These burritos come with meat beans, rice and salsa. These burritos are basically over 1 pound bricks of food. I got the pastor and it was pretty good. The ratio was like over 50% meat with the rust of filler. As far as flavors go there are better places, but the spot still hits the spot. It was starting to be on a Saturday lunchtime with orders and lots of people getting food. it comes with a side of chips as well. I recommend the spot and will definitely come back.
A small hole in the wall with great tacos! The taqueria has a few seats in the restaurant with street parking in the front and a small lot on the side. I got the lengua taco and super taco and it was filling! I liked that the tortilla was a bit crispy on the bottom; I haven't seen any other places do this and I felt that it helps hold the filling better. Lengua was tender and they give you a good amount! You have to ask for salsa if you want any, and they'll give you red and green ones. Prices are reasonable as well. The place seems to be more of a to go place, perhaps because there isn't too much seating
great al pastor tacos - Love it and best I add. miam! music and staff are friendly good salsa nice little gem
Lengua - 5+ stars Chorizo - 3 stars. I think this a preference thing; this style and flavor of chorizo is not my favorite. Pastor - 3.5 stars. Good, hits the spot when you want pastor, but far from the best. Pollo asado - 5 stars. According to my husband, these were some of the best pollo asado tacos he's ever had. I didn't have it though. The lengua tacos here are incredible. Cooked super tender and then thrown on the flattop for some sear. Both my husband liked the lengua so much that after we finished our meal, we went back for another round of lengua. If we came back, I'd get two lengua, and try the pollo asado. I'm also curious about the shrimp platters; they looked excellent.
==Overall for taste: 4/5 Lengua: 5/5 Asada: 3-4/5 (very solid taste) ==Packaging: Poor, we had a lot of mishaps. Like other reviewers, we wish they put the tortilla chips in a paper bag instead of a plastic bag. Also, we had multiple issues with the sauces. The lids came off the takeout sauce containers for each of us. The staff was kind enough to replace the sauces and clean up our takeout bags (that was nice - it literally happened as they were handing the to-go bags to us) but for two of us it happened again right when we were heading out of the store. They could just get better containers with lids that actually stay on. :D ==More detail on the food: My personal barometer for any taqueria is how well they cook lengua (beef tongue). This is a very specific measuring stick, so if you don't like lengua, then maybe this isn't the review for you. I think that any authentic taqueria has lengua on their menu. I have been here a couple of times and each time I have had the most delicious lengua. Most recently I bought the fajitas with two portions of lengua. The lengua is soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside. I would say this is the top two lengua place in the Bay Area that I've tried. I also enjoy their nachos - just the right amount of salt for me. My friends who came with me tried the asada burritos and rated it as solid. They would return.
I have not come here in so long and decided to try them out again because I enjoyed the last time I tried it. I ordered their Garlic Shrimp plate and oh ' it hit the spot. The place is clean and very organized. The host and cooks are always very accommodating. And they have made my food fresh, so when served it's hot, smelled good and tasted delicious! Enjoyed my meal and will definitely return another time!
Took my dad here for lunch and he really enjoyed the food. There's a huge selection to chose from but I already knew what I wanted. I normally go for lengua tacos and I gotta say, El Palenque did not fail. The meat was juicy, tender, and very flavorful. Service was very quick and it's a small little shop right across from what I believe to be an elementary school. There's ample parking in the back but also a lot of street parking as well.
Was recommended by a friend to come here. I thought it was suppose to be cheaper than it was but the burrito was worth it! I really enjoyed the Al Pastor in the burrito, it was so flavorful. Also the chips were really good here too! However I wish they put the tortilla chips in a paper bag or a different bag and not in a plastic bag.
Stopped by around lunch time since we were in the area and craving for some Mexican cuisine. Also, during the depressing superbowl I had eaten burrito from another location. Therefore, I wanted to see how this one compared. It is a nice small shop that was pretty empty initially. Also seems like they have some obsession with chickens since they had some poster on types of chickens and some fake chicken models. But later on it seems like some regulars started trickling in to pick up some food to go. The price was $10 for a regular burrito. I am not sure why I didn't choose to get the super burrito maybe I thought I didn't want to eat too much. Or I just wanted to save the extra $2. But I ended up just getting pork. They also have the choice of getting fried pork but I figured the regular pork was healthier. I also felt sad because I did see my fav beef tongue on the menu but I couldn't really order it because of health reasons. Otherwise, that really would have been my goto filling. After we sat down, they also gave us a small bowl of chips and 3 salsa samples for free!! :) This was a nice surprise since I did not expect it. :) My wife ended up ordering the chicken enchiladas. She said she wasn't used to the spice they use. She believes this was some hint of cinnamon. I thought it tasted fine though. I felt like her dish and my burrito was a good size for the price. Taste wise, I thought everything was mostly ok. But of course remember, I am quantity over quality, so this fit the bill for me. But I really did enjoy the salsa they gave. The one with the diced tomatoes was the best because it was pretty spicy. And I love spicy things! Don't be fooled like me to think it was the mild salsa @ CMG. The red sauce was a tiny bit spicy as well. But the green salsa was pretty mild. This helped amplify my burrito experience. :) I would probably definitely come back again. But next time I'll try the super burrito or the wet burrito. But until then if you're there, you can try it for me. :)
We were craving Mexican food on a Saturday afternoon after returning to the Peninsula from the City. We found this place and stopped by. It's very tiny and no restroom. This seems to be a mom and pop shop, and the staff spoke very limited English. We both got burritos. Mine was a prawn burrito, while they got a wet burrito, and we shared tortilla chips that were loaded with avocado. It was all really delicious and indulgent Mexican food that hit the spot for us!