El Taco Rey

OMG! Mind blowing Mexican food. We were on business travel and happened to visit as we were sight seeing over the weekend. This was noted as one of the best local restaurants when we looked them up. Authentic food that will not disappoint. The seating is limited inside and outside but it is worth it for this awesome food. The staff was nice and friendly even though they were business. I have recommended this food to everyone in my office we send out on business. THIS IS A MUST VISIT SPOT!

Beware where you park!
Very confusing parking situation around this location. We were attending an event at the restaurant next door and drove around trying to find a parking spot. Apparently El Taco Rey has a private lot behind their restaurant that is clearly marked for customers only. We misunderstood and thought it was for customers for the adjacent restaurant that we were attending. When we returned to our car, someone from El Taco Rey or from the parking lot company had vandalized our car by attaching a nearly permanent sticker onto the driver’s window telling us to move the car. The sticker was nearly impossible to remove without a significant investment of elbow grease, goo gone, and a razor. I understand that parking is an issue for any inner-​city restaurant but I have never seen competing restaurants actually vandalizing the vehicles belonging to each other’s customers.
My advice– mark your parking areas better, call the police, and ask them to issue parking tickets for violators. Physically damaging or marking a car is both illegal and infuriating.
The food may be great at El Taco Rey but I will never go back.

Simply awesome. Check out the wall for all of the awards they have won
Tacos, burritos, green chile, everything on the menu is excellent

Little hole-​in-​the wall:
Service is super friendly and fast. They worked through a very long line of people in record time.
The lemonade, refried beans, guac, and avocado/​pork burrito smothered in green chili sauce: 4 stars
The chicken and cheese enchiladas: 2 stars, (bland)
My hubby loved his meal, and I was so impressed with the service that I’m willing to come back. I did have a bite of his avocado/​pork burrito and the green chili sauce, and it was mighty tasty!

Found a pice of metal in my smothered avocado burrito with my mouth. Super gross.
Also, how does a self respecting mexican place not know how to roll up a burrito so both ends aren’t open.

I have been going to El Taco Rey since 1979 — my last 2 visits have been disappointing. I don’t live in the Springs any more but when I am in town I always stop. Today we had a hair in one meal — which has never happened and the green chili used to have a great flavor — not any more — don’t know why the recipe has changed but they need to re-​evaluate! Guess I’m going to have to go to Danny’s — Salsa Latina — I doubt he has changed a good thing!

California ease without the snootiness. Low key, friendly, coffee nerds and a very good cup of coffee. Dog friendly patio. Absolutely perfect for early morning hangouts. Tempted to install a hammock and a little tinkle bell for refills.

Pork Avocado Burrito. That is all.

That damn pork avocado burrito smothered in green chili is gonna make me broke. Broke because I can’t stop going back, I dream about it sometimes. I don’t know how but every single time it’s hot and awesome. Would be great if they could eventually get a bit larger of a place. But won’t stop me. Keep it up guys!

Very disappointed. Unfortunately, I have yet to find good Mexican food in the Springs. It’s mostly mushy rice and beans, and «smothered» equals sauce soup. If you know real real Mexican food, then it won’t satisfy you.

Who eats quesadillas and tacos and writes a review? You can get that anywhere. Let’s be fair here when we write our reviews. El Taco Rey is known for so much more then that!

1 star for fresh food and nice owner. The blandest and simplest «Mexican» food I have ever tasted. My son and I emptied a bottle of the «hot» sauce that was on the table, to add some flavor to our tacos and quesadilla’s. We spent $ 10 each without a drink purchase. The place was somewhat busy. Parking is good. We chose this place because of the awards it received in the past. If a new Mexican place opens nearby with an authentic flavor and a bar… this place will be history.

Upgrade. We got the enchilada casserole to go and I was quite impressed with the quality and the price. I still don’t love the rice, but everything else was spot on. If you’re looking for a good pan of enchiladas to go home, this is a great option at a very reasonable price.
Just the tip: order it «Christmas» style

A little pricy but Delicious!!!
Especially their Rellenos and Green chile. Wish they had a bigger sit down restaurant location to accommodate a large family or group and served breakfast, I’m sure it would be amazing!!!

My husband and I just moved to the Springs and have been dying to find some good Mexican food that lives up to amazing taquerias that we have been to. Maybe we came in expecting too much, but the food at el Taco Rey was very disappointing. We both got a combination plate with enchiladas and tacos, that came with rice and beans. First, the taco: store bought Ortega shell with decently flavored chicken plus chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese. Unfortunately it did not have much flavor. Second, the enchiladas: falling apart and mushy, though the green sauce had a better flavor than the red. The rice had some taste to it, but was overall wet and seemed over cooked. The beans kind of blended in with the red and green enchilada sauce.
I really wanted to like this place, as it is within walking distance of our house. Based on the reviews, its desserts sound tasty, but the Mexican food is unfortunately very underwhelming.

Woah! Best Mexican food around, I can tell you that. Went around 12:30 pm, so around lunch and it’s packed. Surprisingly we got a seat! Anyways, there was a continuous line going and getting up from your table was a maze. I got the number four combo! It comes with a tortilla, fresh and hot! you get a tab and they deliver the food to you. Took less than 10 min. It was great! Honestly, I’d love to go back.

Cant beat this Colorado Springs original for a great Mexican meal. Been coming here for 29 years and always get a great Avocado Pork smothered burrito.

The savory food is standard fare and matches up with any good taqueria drive-​thru in town. Everyone talks about the pork and avocado burrito and indeed it’s a good burrito but not something comes to mind after long stressful workdays. The inconvenience of awkward parking and long lines doesn’t help.
Here’s a secret: this Mexican restaurant is more a mecca for sugar addicts; the desserts are hard to beat. I haven’t had better tres leches cake in town. It has the right stiff spongey texture and sits in a nice, sweet milky puddle. You can get coconut or chocolate and both are great. You can also order whole pans a day in advance for parties or bingeing. I haven’t done that but I’ve seen a few people walking out with huge foil pans and big smiles. I stopped a lady on her way out because I wasn’t sure what she had ordered. It was the banana pudding, which she said is the best she has had in life. She was a tiny petite person but said she and her husband can finish off a pan in two days, no problem. That is some endorsement.

They have the BEST CHILI RELLENO in the universe. My husband has been talking about chili rellenos for years and I just didn’t get it… I always try, and I’m never impressed… until we tried one at El Taco Rey. I saw the lord, and he was wearing a sombrero and listening to salsa music.
We also tried the pork avocado burrito and it definitely lived up to the hype in all these reviews. I have nothing but sweet sweet love for this place.
Limited seating/​standing area inside, there are some tables outside, parking out back, go now!

Great Mexican food can be had here at this little «hole in the wall» joint near downtown Colorado Springs. Not much room for seating, so if you plan to bring a big family, plan on eating elsewhere. We ate outside on a gorgeous day. I had 2 bean burritos and a brownie. The burritos had great flavor. The atmosphere is hip and reminded me of some great locally-​owned Mexican joints in Austin, Texas that I have visited before.