Don Marcelo’s

I had such High hopes for this place. The Taco Pastor was not even Meh. It was so plain. I asked the lady at the counter what came with my order that was almost $ 12.00 she said «salsa, cucumbers and radishes» I said OK and let it go. I got 3 tacos with 3 slices of cucumbers and 3 slices of radishes. I guess one per taco… Anyways I don’t think I will go back anytime soon. Too Bad the menu look wonderful and it was spotless.

Purchased a Groupon for this joint based on Unilocal reviews and I’m confused as to how they have 4.5 stars. We came in around 7:30 on a Friday night and walked right up to the register. There is an electronic menu above but also a printed menu on the counter and they do not match. My suggestion is to focus on the printed one. I ordered the De Tomatillo Con Crema ($ 9) and my husband went with the Chile Relleno ($ 8). We took a seat at one of the last remaining clean tables and waited about 20 mins for our food. The menu stated my husband’s meal came with black beans but he was given a salad and white rice instead. He said it was the oddest rendition of a Chile Relleno he has seen because it was filled with large chunks of carrots and other various vegetables. He ate about a third of it and said he wanted to go to Taco Bell. I was brought my meal minus the beans and thought it was bland so I searched high and low for some hot sauce to no avail. I was shocked to see how dirty all the tables were and coupled with the tasteless food I would have to say this place is officially the worst Mexican restaurant we have dined at in Durham. We indeed left and went to Taco Bell. The only redeeming thing about DM is they have the good Mexican Coke in bottles.

Excellent little Mexican spot near campus. Friendly, clean and really good food. Tried a few things and been very impressed every time.

I absolutely love this place. They have the best chicken tinga tacos I have ever had! The enchiladas and quesadillas are equally delicious.

Surprisingly good tacos! Got spicy salsa and pastor tacos. Everything was excellent. Salsa was actually spicy, pineapples were fresh. Superior than cheap durham staples like Chubbys and cosmic cantina.

Tacos are definitely one of my favorite foods, so when I saw a Groupon for Don Marcelo’s I grabbed it. Honestly, I drove by this place quite often thinking it was an Italian restaurant. Today my BF and I tried the tinga de pollo and al pastor tacos. Both were great! My BF remarked that the al pastor actually had «real pineapple» on top, hahah. Usually it’s canned at other places! The tinga was really zingy. I think we both agreed the best part of our meal was the spicy salsa! Hands down the best salsa I’ve ever had. It had a super unique nutty flavor. The tacos are served classic style w/​radishes, cilantro, and lime. I think they also came w/​cucumber and a leek?
On top of the great food, the place was sparkling clean, and the staff were really nice. Go here!

Let me just say this place does deserve more business. The atmosphere, food and price is way better than Chubby’s or any other Mexican restaurant in the area. It’s spotless inside and the staff are really friendly which is different from like, say, Chubby’s.
I had the pastor tacos which were great. You get four nice sized tacos with side of condiments like salsa, radish and cucumber. Enough to certainly fill you up.

I would say this is the best Mexican food in Durham and I wish it got more business than it currently does.
First off, the food is incredible. Everything I’ve tried has been great, the lunch dishes especially. I had a dish with cactus for dinner once that was really unique. The torta Cubana boggled my mind with its many layers of yum, which could easily be two meals. The tacos are meaty and light on the tortilla. The garnish was delicious with a delicate grilled onion served on the side; cucumbers and radishes helped cut through the spicy sauce. The presentation is very good and the word «fresh» leaps to mind.
Secondly, the restaurant is spotless. All of the food and cook stations are shiny and clean.
The only downside is that Erwin mall is not conducive to ambiance. If this were in a nicer location with its own building it would rival Dos Perros or Mesa, but this isn’t that. It’s a convenient lunch spot with wonderful food.
Sit outside under the umbrellas on a sunny day and you’ll be in Heaven.

We were pleasantly surprised by Don Marcelo’s. Although it is a order at the register place their menu does offer some items that are not in the mainstream. They do offer tongue tacos. didn’t have it today but I will another time. They also had a ‘mole’ sauce that was pumpkin and peanut flavored. I wasn’t crazy about it and will try their more traditional mole’ the next time. The pork on my burrito was very good and the wrapping was whole wheat. The staff were very nice to us and we walked in about 20 min before closing. We WILL go back. :-)

It’s not a bad joint. Food is fresh, tropical juices like tamarind is really good. Food is delicious

This has easily become my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. Everything always tastes fresh. It is very clean and bright if you dine in, but also makes for easy take out!

I wish I could review the restaurant, but each of the two times I have tried to dine there, they were closed. Both times were during normal business hours, each time met at the door by an employee. The first time, the chef had to leave and didn’t know when he’d be back. Today she just said they were closed. No reason. Very frustrating. I suggest Six Plates next door.

The guy with the office next to me and I are both Mexican, by a tremendous coincidence. He was in the office over Thanksgiving and trying to find *anything* to eat near Duke was almost impossible, so he happened into Don Marcelo’s. Its super clean and polished which in our experience usually means least common denominator Americanized-​Mexican food, but low and behold, that wasn’t the case here!
My office neighbor told me he had found an awesome new Mexican place and, honestly, skeptical cat was skeptical, but he took me and its wonderful. The food is really authentic in the style of Mexico City, but the ingredients are really good. Its the best of worlds for folks who want something pretty authentic and people who are afraid of street food.
Highly recommended!
A few tidbits.
In addition to tacos and tortas, they have slightly nicer specials each day like a cut of meat of a fish filet, if your friend is fancy or you’re taking a senior colleague.
The tortas are the real deal. We’re currently on a Milanesa de Pollo kick. Basically thats a breaded chicken filet. Try that if you have no idea what you want.
People are nice, service is good, prices are reasonable.

Wow, can’t believe I just discovered this place considering I live 2 minutes away. Don Marcelo’s is situated in an extremely bland-​looking plaza facing Erwin Road. The food, however, is far from bland.
My favorite item on the menu so far is the Enchilada de Salsa Guajillo. The ingredients taste extremely fresh and the guajillo salsa is perfectly seasoned.
Don Marcelo’s is easily the best authentic Mexican restaurant I’ve found in Durham. However, if you’re in a mood for something less traditional and/​or you have a saltier palette, I would recommend checking out Chubby’s on 9^th street a few minutes away.

Like many great restaurants, Don Marcelo’s is tucked away in an unassuming location in a bland, easy-​to-​miss shopping center. The restaurant itself is simple in décor and presentation but the food is the opposite — appealing to the eye as well as the palate, and plentiful in portion as well. The menu offers choices from tacos to full meals with something for every level of appetite and options for meatless meals are no joke; rather than a simple bean or cheese dish, mushrooms and nopales (cactus paddles) are also on the menu. Prices were more than fair for the quality and the amount of food, and you could certainly get a lot less for more of your money at any number of nearby restaurants. They aren’t dollar-​menu Taco Bell low, which may put off some people, but the food you’ll enjoy is also a much higher standard of cooking that’s well worth spending more than bottom dollar.
Bright and clean, the mostly open kitchen allows a glimpse at the various condiments and ingredients available to tempt you and the staff are friendly, with no hesitation in helping you make an informed dining decision. I chose the cactus, served in a spicy sauce with a side of vegetable-​studded rice and the spouse chose a vegetarian burrito so loaded with filling it required a knife and fork. Presentation was beyond what you’d expect for such a simple restaurant and the flavours were also several steps above your typical Combo #5 Mexican restaurant; don’t take Don Marcelo’s for a cookie cutter Mexican-​themed place! While we haven’t tried the meat options (since we don’t eat it) there are many of those available in everything from chicken to tongue, giving a little something for everyone the range from standard to adventurous. If you want fresh, delicious, affordable Mexican food, skip the chains and keep it local with Don Marcelo’s!

From the Mexican restaurants I’ve been to, this one is one of the best! They don’t just serve the traditional foods we are accustomed to such as burritos and tacos. Their plates and specials are authentic, just like what homemade food is supposed to taste like! Healthy, generous and tasty.
This is a new establishment so they are still getting used to it, but the service has always been great and warm. The prices were reasonable and I always tip higher because the food is just great!
Thanks for the food, Don Marcelo’s

Went to this restaurant for the first time, and possibly last, for dinner this evening. First, it is a pet peeve of mine when a menu doesn’t list all the ingredients in a particular food. What if I’m allergic or don’t like something? I ordered the burrito norteno, which was advertised as whole grain tortilla, beef, beans, and nopal cactus. My partner ordered the chicken burrito, which had no description.
His burrito came with rice, which had peas and carrots in it, cheese, as well as some random onions and tomatoes, and the cactus that was supposed to be on my burrito. He picked out the onions, tomatoes, and cactus and ate less than half of his dinner. Mine arrived with pork (not beef), cheese, rice, beans, and grilled onions (no cactus). The meat tasted like meat that was cooked many days ago and stored in a fridge… like how leftovers lose their flavors as they age. My partner reported the same for his chicken. Both burritos were warmed on the griddle, which melted the cheese nicely.
Both burritos were served with salads, which were really good. They were a mix of spring mix and cabbage with some shredded carrot, tomato, and cucumbers tossed in. The dressing was light and sparse, which is the way I like it. However, it would have been nice to have a choice of salad or chips. We saw chips in the food prep area, but couldn’t find them on the menu. Both burritos were served with Mexican crema (advertised as sour cream, but I prefer crema) and salsa, which was a nice tomatillo salsa. I also had a agua tamarindo, which was likely made from concentrate.
All that came up to $ 24 and some change, which is a bit high, but worth it for good food (which this was not). As I type this, my partner is just returning from Moe’s where he got a really good quality burrito with exactly what he wanted on it, for less than what we paid at Don Marcelo’s.

I waited until I had visited this place six times before reviewing, and it got even better every time.
The selection is wide and includes many veggie options like nopales (cactus) and such. As a meativore, I judge a Mexican place by its meats, though, and Don Marcelo’s gets all 5 stars.
The carne asada is plump and juicy, the chicken tinga spicy and flavorful, and the lengua is outstanding (don’t like tongue? Don’t be a baby. It’s a great meat if cooked right).
But the winner overall is the Pork Al Pastor. Spicy with just the right hint of sweet (delivered via pineapple in the traditional way), it is hands down the best Al Pastor I’ve had in a decade.
A 4-​taco plate can be split between 2 meats, so you can try a variety.
The enchiladas with Mole Rojo are stellar. Smoky with a depth of flavor usually found in a $$$ sit-​down, I’m pretty sure I could drink this sauce by the cup. And I don’t even like Mole sauces.
The burrito is good, but not what I expected. Very thick and rich, queso-​dominated. Ate more like a light quesadilla. Perfect with the well-​spiced carne asada. Interestingly, they serve their burritos with a legit salad (mixed greens) instead of tortilla chips. Seems strange when you order, but by the time you’re done, you’re glad you got some greens.
And the tortillas… oh, man. I’ve heard the owner operates a tortillaria down The Wake Forest Hwy, and fresh, house-​made tortillas make a huge difference. Chipotle certainly can’t match them.
Haven’t had a bad salsa there yet, and service is amazing — it’s definitely run like a restaurant that wants to impress. It’s an order-​at-​the-​counter place for sure, but with very attentive employees.
Give it a try and you’ll forget where Chipotle is located.

My girlfriend and I were looking for a new Mexican place to try and found Don Marcelo’s on Unilocal.Don Marcelo definitely met all of our expectations. They have a really big menu and we struggled trying to pick something out with all the options. We both got the Sopa Azteca which was a really delicious tomato based soup. I got the special (the name is slipping my mind) and my girlfriend got the Nortena Burrito. Her burrito came with a salad which I thought was a nice change to the normal chips and salsa. They also had Mexican Coke in bottles which we can never turn down. It’s a little pricey for Mexican ($ 36 for both of us), but definitely worth it. We’ll be back again next time we’re craving Mexican.

«New Mexican restaurant right off Duke west campus»
This is in the old Sandellas space on Erwin Road, right next door to Chai’s. They clearly just opened within the past few days, and were still working out a few small pieces (e.g., there’s only one printed menu). Still, I was very much welcomed, and someone I inferred as the owner came and walked me through the menu almost line-​by-​line.
The menu is diverse– enchiladas ($ 9 range), quesadillas ($ 6 – 7), Tortas ($ 6 – 8), various house specials (e.g., carne asada), and even a kids menu ($ 4 for taquitos, corn tortilla filled with cheese & tomato sauce, chicken fingers, or fish). The dishes are traditional/​authentic– many options had mole sauces or white sauces, as well as the more typical salsa verde or red. This ain’t no Chipotle for sure!
I ordered an asada torta, which actually wasn’t even on the menu (though other tortas were, and other asada dishes were). They made it fresh– I saw them pull out the meat and cook it, I saw them get a fresh avocado and put on generous slides from it onto the sandwich, etc. Definitely an A for freshness.
Taste– one word– WOW. It was amazing. My favorite torta is typically the one at La Vaquita, but Don Marcelo’s may have just taken that over. The meat was so fresh and juicy, and the bread was perfect, even though I took it as takeout. They were generous both with the meat and the toppings (see photo).
It’s not especially cheap– for my torta and a cup of horchata, I spent a reasonable ~$ 11 (probably would have been ~$ 2 cheaper at La Vaquita). But it’s quite good quality, and it’s RIGHT off Duke’s west campus. The combination of quality and convenience is sure to have me come back, and often.