El Fogon

Nice gem at side of strip mall. Friendly staff. Tacos were simple but good. Serve yourself condiments. Order and pay at counter.

Simply the BEST street tacos in town! If you don’t know what those are, it’s what you would get off a cart walking the streets of Mexico. They are small, so get a lot of them too, lol! I’ll eat 4 for lunch without sides.
Each meat has a very distinct flavor, but non are overpowering. And they serve meat on tortilla only. Then you go to the salsa bar to choose onions, cilantro, limes, sliced radish or jalapeño. And if course the salsas, 6 to choose from. From very mild to extremely spicy! And just like the meats, the salsas are all very different flavors! They make burritos, quesadillas & tortas (Mexican sandwich) too. And on Tuesdays the tacos are on special!
Locally owned, give them a try!

Nothing memorable. The food was bland, but it wasn’t necessarily bad. There was some flavor, but not enough.

We refer to these places as a «hole in the wall» it’s worth finding! Great tacos! Love the ability to onion and cilantro my own. And the Horchata was delicious!

I ordered a chicken and pastor taco. My husband had the barbacoa burrito. Amazing on all accounts. Affordable night out, excellent food, attentive service.

Excellent. I got 3 tacos and shared an order of beans. The tacos were delicious. I got one Carne Asada, one Pollo asado, and one Barbacoa. Service was friendly and food was served up fast.

We stopped in literally 4 minutes before they closed but, they were still happy to serve us :)
Tacos were good! We tried steak and the el pastor (pork). 6 tacos, Guac and chips were $ 18. Which seems a little pricey unless, I’m being cheap.
Anyways, money was well spent because it was good and satisfied my taco craving. Especially the Guac and chips!
The dining area is pretty small so, we normally take our tacos to go!

This is probably the most authentic taco joint in this part of OP. Soft corn tortillas, flavorful meats and a hot sauce bar make a nice, simple little Mexican joint buried into a strange strip mall.
The interior here has a bit of a cell phone kiosk in a mall vibe, but it’s the kind of place you’d go for the food and not the environment. That being said, the staff was friendly and helpful.
I got chips and guac, both of which were no doubt made in house and delicious. I followed that up with an asada and two pastor tacos. They were not mind blowing but they were pretty good, especially when doctored up with the spicy salsas, cilantro and onions.
As others have mentioned, this is the kind of spot that is more reminiscent of a KCK taqueria, but more accessible to Overland Park residents. I liked it, but living nearly a half an hour away, it’s not a place I’d seek out.

Delicious and a great value! The guacamole salsa is HOT!!! We loved it though. We ordered 3 tacos each and split a carne asada torta. The bread was so tasty. The tacos were legit too. I’ve had better tacos but you can’t beat the fast and friendly service along with how cheap it is! 6 tacos, a torta, and 2 large drinks for 23 bucks and we were full all day. I hope it stays in business for a while I do worry just because the location is out of sight from Metcalf and we would have never found it if we weren’t such avid Unilocalers. There is also a Mexican food mart next door we wandered through for some mexican candy after we ate.

Quite possibly the best Mexican food I’ve ever eaten!
My meal was affordable, tasty and healthier than the Americanized Mexican food you readily find everywhere. the closest comparison I can make is to (chipotle) but that would e doing a disservice to this restaurant. the cuisine is more authentic than you can fine most places. wether you get the burrito or the tacos there are a verity of meets to choose from as well as a bar of ingredients such as cilantro, limes, onions, fresh salsa and about six different sauces to choose from; with a variety of flavors and levels of spiciness.
all around a grate place to eat the only reason to not eat hear is if your set on taking someone out to a fancy dinner but even at a expensive sit down restaurant you would be hard pressed to fine a better meal.

My new coworkers and I went to try this place when seeking out a place to get tacos in OP on Cinco de Mayo. Consulting Unilocal,we found this place.
When rating Mexican food I always judge their street tacos. I ordered one of each taco to try the different meats. One thing I really like about this place, as most places with street tacos, is that you can put on your own toppings (cilantro, onions, salsa, etc).
Out of all the tacos a couple people reached the verdict that the carnitas tacos were the best. Even the chicken was cooked well (not dry) and each meat had a different type of seasoning, therefore promoting variety.
Since it’s so close to my office I will be going back anytime I crave tacos without having to drive down to The Boulevard or KC, Kansas.

I’m super picky about Mexican food. And these folks deliver! Their chorizo is excellent — and their quesadillas are out of this world. I prefer the flour, but up to you!
The dining room is austere, but decorated with love and care. Some folks would call it cariño.
Table space can be a little iffy for a large group. Seating is catch as catch can– but; and this is a weird thing to review; the chairs are wicked comfy! Sometimes in taquerias the seats are below average. Not here!
Also– a pal told me they used to have more diverse meats for their tacos (langua, carnitas, etcetera) but they had them removed from the menu due to lack of interest. Come on, people; branch out!
This place beats all the anglicized taco joints (looking at you, Chipotle!) all day and twice in Saturday.

Zowie! I am convinced that anything would be good here. I put together my own taco sampler plate with pollo asado, barbacoa and al pastor. You won’t go wrong with any of these but my favorite was definitely the pollo.
Bookmarked and I would definitely cone back.

Friendly greeting and helpful people. I had the Volcan. Carne Asada, Chorizo, and Pollo, with onions, tomatoes, and peppers. They have a small add on bar where you can add Pico, Cilantro, and 4 salsas from Mild to VERY hot. I had a mix of the Spicy and VERY hot and it really added to my meal. My wife had 3 tacos. no idea what they were because she DEVOURED them. Affordable and tasty! We will be back often.

Absolutely fabulous street tacos. The tortillas are soft and taste homemade. The meats are tender and extremely well seasoned. They have a toppings bar so you can add what you like to your dish, which as someone who regularly calls out «hold the cilantro!» at Mexican restaurants, I can appreciate. Prices are cheap, service is quick and friendly, and the food tastes great. What more can you ask for?

Having recently moved to the KCMetro from the Bay Area, we’ve been on the prowl to locate the best taquerias since it’s a pretty go-​to meal for us in San Francisco.
We were really happy to find good tacos here today. The al pastor was a little sweet which I didn’t personally care for, but the pollo was different than what we’re used to but solid. We especially liked the selection of homemade salsas, that the meat wasn’t greasy, and the dining room and bathrooms were really clean.
The chips were guesos and didn’t look too appetizing but actually weren’t too oily and were tasty-​a pleasant surprise. I’m not used to being charged for chips (or if so, some token amount like .50) but it wasn’t a show-​stopper.
One thing to consider might be to request doubling up the tortillas per taco-​once I added salsa fresca, the tortillas fell apart.
And finally, I’m a big fan of salsa (music) but would prefer more variety (though the absence of ear-​splitting norteno during the entire meal was a welcome relief.)
Very happy to find a good taqueria in OP-we’ll definitely be back!

Tacos, Burritos, great stuff! I keep bugging them to bring back Lengua, but not too many gringos eat it. Good food, reasonable price, small and «fast foody» dining room.

Excellent food. Taco combo was great. Loved the beans!
The very hot salsa is no joke, I love really really hot food so it’s good for me but my wife would not be able to handle it. Quality quality Mexican at an affordable price. Glad I came here, thank you Unilocalers for the recommendation!

Tasty and fast! I got chicken tacos. I like the fact that you can dress them how you like at the taco station. I am accustomed to tacos with two corn tortillas (makes them a bit sturdier and easy to handle) but these were single tortilla tacos. I survived.

I want to say hands down the best in the area. If your looking for authentic, homemade, full of flavor look no further. Im a torta guy and this place is doing it right. Bread was amazing, asada was fresh, pica de gallo was on point. Outstanding torta. Tacos my wife had were just as fresh and delicious as any we’ve had on west and east coast. Hand made salsa bar just knocks it out of the park! Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this place.

YES YES AND MORE YES~!
Knowing I’d been on the quest for good mexican food in the area, after looking at the pics via Unilocal I knew I wanted to try this place. I have Tuesdays off, and thought I’d give it a try because I was in the area anyway. Everytime I get mexican food its always tacos or tamales. So I was excited to get my hands on some street tacos, my fave!
I ordered 3 tacos for myself. (Barbacoa, Carne Asada, El Pastor) and my man had 3 also. (2 barb 1 asada) we also ordered rice and beans and Lg. Horchata.
The horchata was so good. It was the nice and milky kind, not like the ones that taste like they are from the carton. (I know you know what I’m talking about!) So out came our tacos, They have a bar behind the register with the meat all prepared there so its not made to order. On the right side of the register is a cold bar with your onions, cilantro, radishes, lime, pico and salsas. I only like onions and cilantro on my tacos and absolutely hate when pico brushes my tacos. So it was nice I got to prepare my tacos the way I wanted. Upon first bite I was like YES. This is it! THIS IS HOME! Barbacoa was nice and soft and tasty. Asada had that grilled taste to it. Pastor seasoned nicely. DO NOT WORRY. The tortillas are nice and thick so you dont need two to hold up the meat. (ok, I know you guys thought the same thing after looking at the pics.lol.)
RICE AND BEANS OMG. The rice is made how I have made it at home. Nice and flavorful and seasoned well enough to taste the salt. You dont get rice tasting like that anywhere unless made at home. NOW THE BEANS! This has got to be the best charro beans I’ve ever had. My first scoop tasted like bacon to me. It’s kinda like barbecue beans with a Mexican twist. I wish I had a giant bowl of just the rice and beans!
HOORAY for crowning my first «This is my go to place for Mexican food in KC!» :)

Went here 29 Jan based on Unilocal reviews. It didn’t disappoint. It’s a small place with great food. The horchata is on point. We had carne asada, chicken and pork tacos. We thought the carne asada tastes best. They also have a nice condiments bar. They were very nice and friendly. I recommend this place and would consider returning.

Great surprise to find this little place on Metcalf. Ordered a Hawaiana platter for my daughter and I to split– she’s just a kid but not a light eater… and we couldn’t finish it! Rice was just rice, but loved the pineapple mixed with the pork. The beans blew me away– I’ve never had anything like that: Nice firm beans in a smoky porky broth. Horchata, pico de gallo, and creamy salsa verde were all thumbs up from both of us. Loved having cilantro at the salsa bar, but wished they had my favorite pickled carrots! Alas, no pickles. Nice radish shards though, and I enjoyed the spicy salsa. (Dark and chunky– not sure what the base was.). Highly recommended!

This place have awesome tacos, quesadillas and Mexican rice. They have six spices to fit you taste buds on top of side cutter onions radish and all sort of good stuff. Reasonable prices. Fast service! Perfect for lunch time!

I read all the reviews and thought I would try this place. I have eaten at many Mexican restaurants and fast food type places all over the country as well as along the Mexican border. I was hoping my experience here would be a little better than it was. The people were very nice but the food was just average. I doubt I will go back and pay $ 10 for an average meal. I expected the prices to be a little lower for a small place such as this.

Very pleased with the two tacos I got from here. Would that all strip mall Mexican food were this good.
Absolutely worth a look if you’re in the area, it’s a refreshing, vital alternative to the ocean of chain stores.
There are so many good taco spots in the region, so I won’t drive 30 minutes to make the pilgrimage, but El Fogon is a great option, especially if you need something cheap, fast, and delicious.

Gotta say, time has passed, reviews have accumulated, and El Fogon continues to be awesome! Their success has not led to the arrogance and decrease in quality that often comes with, well, success. Prices have increased just a bit, but not enough to deter me from coming here often. Quality and taste are still phenomenal, and customer service is still impeccable. I love bringing friends here. It is no longer a «hidden gem,» thanks to Unilocal,but it remains humble and excellent.

In town for work. So, I like to try the local fare over chain restaurants.
Very pleased with the food. Ordered a chicken burrito. Not loaded with huge amount of beans like some places. Decent amount of rice and good amount of chicken and cheese. Chicken was hot off the grill, not sitting in a warming pan like some famous chain.
Also had the chips. Good flavor, but I’m not a big fan of thick chips. But, still, good flavor. Salsas? mild was, less than mild, seriously, a waste. The spicy was really good, nice kick to it. The next levels up looked like queso, only took a taste, nice!
Service, you order at the counter, then wait for your number to be called. Not slow, not fast. But, the food was freshly made and the chicken was hot and tender. So, no complaints there.
Ambiance? Nothing special. Metal tables, plastic and metal chairs, two TVs on with no sound and Latin/​Mexican music from the ceiling speakers.
I’d come back with no hesitation. But maybe take it back to the hotel.

They have the chips right (see my tip), have a nice clean décor, and feisty accordion and horn-​laden music to put you in taco love mood. I ordered the El Vocan which is a plate of carne asada, chorizo, al pastor, served with peppers, onion, and cheese plus a pint of pinto beans, rice, and four tortillas for $ 10.99. The meats were good, but pretty bland and it was exceedingly light on the meat. I barely had enough to make two tacos and that’s based on international taco design standards. That’s a shame because I would have had more food buying 3 tacos for under $ 6. Their salsa bar had fresh lime, but the pico tasted three days ago, and none of them were amazing and nothing even remotely spicey. I asked the friendly counter person if I could buy a jalepeño and she said they didn’t have any. Maybe that explains things.
Thres suggestions: consider adding a salt shaker per table so you don’t have to deal with the the little paper ones, in California (OK I’ll shut up) you always find at least a traditional bottle hot sauce like Tapatio nearby (the expansive hot sauce collection is one reason I love Unforked about a mile away, but their tacos are twice the price), & finally add pickled or fresh J-​laps to the salsa bar for those weirdos that like it hot. Gracias!
11÷4÷15 UPDATE: I received a very nice email from the owner, Karlo. He thanked me for my visit, said they love hearing from their customers, and had shared my feedback with his employees – including the portion sizes. On top of that, he said the salt and having some bottled sauce is a great idea. Well, Karlo, thank YOU for all that you do to put delicious food before all your customers. I’m humbled that my suggestion is being considered and this proves to me that Unilocal can make a difference, for both the customer and the owner. I left the original review above intact but bumped up a star for the awesome engagement. Thanks Karlo, I will be back!

This is an unassuming place in the south side of Indian creek mall. It you’re north of Krispy Kreme, you’ve gone too far. When I visited on a Saturday, Latin music was playing and football was on the television. I ordered one each of the 5 tacos on the menu-​pollo and carne asada, chorizo, barbacoa, and pastor. Of these my two favorite were the Carne asada and pastor. The first was very tender and beefy-​like a good beef stew might be. It was well seasoned and with some onions and salsa from the bar it was fantastic. The pastor was another solid choice.
Balanced flavor a bit more subtle than the asada. The barbacoa was my next favorite — think much less beefy flavor and some spiciness that hits in the end. This is a good suburban alternative for street tacos and I’ll come back again, if only to get away from the chain restaurants in Overland Park.

Being from Texas I’ve had my fair share of street tacos. This place does it right! It’s a little hole in the wall that usually has plenty of seating.
We got about 6 different street tacos and they were all very well cooked. The various meats were delicious and well seasoned.
Give it a try if you’re looking for authentic street tacos.

I ordered a carne asada & al pastor tacos with cheese, guacamole & chips. They mistakenly gave me a chicken one instead the carne asada. I ate my chips (I sprinkled with salt) & guac while I waited. The chips were a little on the thick side & had a strong crunch to them. The guac was very fresh & I would rate it as one of my top picks. My tacos were made fresh & quickly. As most of the other reviews stated they had a salsa bar. I would like to see jalapeños as an option. My daughter got rice & it was pretty flavorable but we added cilantro (which I love) & some lime. I didn’t care for the al pastor taco so I will hopefully get the carne asada next time. Also a few of my chicken pieces were overdone (too burnt). I have it 4 stars due to the friendliness of the cashier, freshness, price, & taste of the guac.

Came here to grab lunch with a friend who lived in OP. The environment was smaller and very simple.
I asked the worker what his favorite was and he recommended the steak torta so I ordered that as well as a pork street taco and chips. While I waited, I stocked up on some sauces, cilantro, tomato, and limes at the salsa bar.
Food came out fresh and hot. The torta is a Mexican sandwich and it reminded me of a burger. The bun was slightly greasy and soft/​slightly soggy. The inside of the sandwich seemed like everything I picked up at the salsa bar with lettuce. The pork taco was seasoned well and very simple. Variety of sauces though were great and authentic tasting. The chips and salsa are just chips. The salsa is at the salsa bar.
Overall price, authenticity, and quality was decent and would recommend if you are looking for a very casual place to grab food during your work lunch or with friends.

I enjoy the $ 1.69 street tacos ($ 1.29 on taco Tuesdays). Several meat choices are available, including steak, chicken, marinated beef, pork, and Mexican sausage. The marinated beef is especially moist and tasty, but the pork and chicken are also delicious. The toppings bar includes various salsas, pico de gallo, limes, cilantro, onions, and radishes. The side of charro beans is very good at $ 1.99. The $ 1.99 side of chips (with salsa from the salsa bar) is enough to feed two people. The restaurant is spartan but clean, with Mexican music, and friendly service at the counter.

Changing this to a 5 stars after comparing to competitors. The do-​it yourself toppings and hot sauces is great and unique to this taqueria. Plus $ 1.29/taco on Tuesdays!

This place is great! A friend wanted us to meet for dinner and I picked this place because of it’s location (between South KC and Olathe) and because of the great reviews. I hate feeling left out after ALL these other people are saying how great the tacos are here.
I was suprised it was tucked behind the Dennys that stands out on the corner, but parking is ample here.
I had two chicken tacos that I got to load up at the salsa bar, a side order of onions (cebollas), and a Tamarinda soda. The taco shells were soft and fresh, the meat was seasoned well. The onions were grilled so that the black char was light, but the onions were thoroughly cooked. We shared a serving of flan for dessert. It was cold and sweet. What’s not to love about flan? The guy working the counter was super friendly, too.
Ambiance is that of a subway with latin music playing in the background.
Tacos and cebollas were under $ 3 each. The specialty plates are closer to $ 10 – 11,
I would definitely return here and pick it over fast food or pizza.