El Aguila

Comida como Mama utilizar para hacer. I liked their tacos the best. Been there many times.

Went there for some late night food. Had 2 tacos, rice and pinto beans. Amazing soft beef tongue taco topped with onions cilantro and lime. Also had a barbacoa taco which was a bit too tough and chewy for my liking. Still good. Rice and beans were very good as well. Nothing too crazy. Quick and delicious! Only take cash

I have been going to El Aguila for years and the food has steadily increased in price and declined in taste. We were there on Sunday and they closed one side of the place and now it is a restaurant. The «waitress» came over with no menus and when I asked there was none. (So there are no prices anywhere) I wanted to order tacos al pastor. They only offered tacos arabe, or tacos with chicken or carnitas. So I ordered carnitas (as I have ordered previously). I had my 2 year old with me and I ordered him a quesadilla and a bottle of water. She disappeared for 20 minutes and then brought my «carnitas» instead of shredded pork, it was cut up bad parts of pork chops on a tiny tortilla. She disappeared again for another 7 – 9 minutes (at this point no drinks and my son’s quesadilla was also not there). She brought over the drinks and then walked away for another 10 minutes then brought the quesadilla that has pieces of bone inside of it. It was so awful! When I asked for the check she wrote it down and charged me whatever she felt and charged me 28 dollars for everything. I paid but I have told everyone I know and now on Unilocal to not go to this place. They are awful and not worth the money. There are plenty of other tacos places in Passaic I suggest you keep driving past Monroe. Also they removed their bakery sections so they offer practically nothing on their «menu».

Hace años cuando abrieron el «Aguila» todo era de maravilla… los tacos al pastor cocinandose en el «trompo» …mucha gente haciendo linea para ordenar, yo esperaba hasta media hora enla linea sin inportar la espera larga con tal de conseguir mis tacos «al pastor».suficiente carne en los tacos… hasta que en el 2012 todo cambió. .precios caros, porciones de comida demaciado pequeña, personal con mala actitud, y tardaban siglos en atenderte y espwrar por tu comida… todo apuntaba que iban a irse a la ruina… y asi sucedió. .por ambición de hacer dinero… se fueron a la ruina… gente que no sabe hacer negocios… gente no preparada para atender a un comensal.
Recuerdo que una vez ordené una «torta de milaneza de pollo» y mi amigo una de «carnitas «. Tardaron mas de 30 min. En prepararlas… me dieron mi torta pero era de «milaneza de rez».me levante y fui con la cajera y le expliqué que yo no habia ordenado eso y que en mi ticket que me dieron decia claramente «milaneza de pollo».
Me dijo que se habia equivocado. pedí hablar con la“manager» y le expliqué la situación, y ella me dijo que «casi era lo mismo solo que era de pollo» yo le dije que yo queria de «pollo».
Medijo: «aqui tenemos una de milaneza de pollo que un cliente llamó y no la vino a traer y que estaba calientita»…yo le dije que yo no queria algo que ya estaba no se desde a que horas ahi y ademas yo queria una recien hecha… la manager de un mal modo me dijo que entonces tenia que esperar otra «media hora».
Total me encabrone y le dije que me regresara mi dinero, que ya no queria nada… no queria regresarmelo pero le dije que si no lo hacia iba a llamar a los dueños y que por eso soy cliente para pedir lo que yo quisiera. .
Toda molesta me regresó el dinero y casi aventandolo de un modo que ni su madre la iba a aguantar.
Jamaz regresé a el «Aguila» .
y de hecho yo no recomendaba a nadie que fuera a comer comida mal hecha y grasosa.
Saludos!

Excellent Mexican food. On right are fish tacos, left carnita tacos (beef) a little greasy, on top is chicken and cheese for my son. The drink is horchata, so refreshing… We had it for brunch and boy were we full after words. The Guacamole is freshly made and excellent, if you don’t like spicy guacamole, make sure you ask for not spicy. Unfortunately they don’t have menus, and the soup is not on their top menu, but looks really good.

I remember a few years back, I had a lot of times going here late at night with friends who used to live in the apartments above the El Aguila. I remember getting a lot of good quesadillas there. topped with authentic Mexican cheese, lettuce, & tomatoes. I rocked them and the chicken tacos for quite a while. Back then I would have given this place 4 stars.
Last few times I went in there it seemed like a wild card of whether they have prepared chicken or not. It leaves me very little options as far as my pallet is concerned some days.
Don’t get me wrong the food is great, but I think as a patron of that establishment I should be served whatever I ask for. Or else why would I be in your restaurant to begin with???
Also used to have a farmers market but that is gone. I’m pretty sure the bakery is still there which is a plus (correct me if I’m wrong).
But that’s not the worst of it. I try to call in orders some days and sometimes it’s just impossible to get through. I had people actually hang up on me. Then when and if someone answered the phone they almost seemed mad to be taking your order! Not proper way to run a restaurant that has the capacity to do so.
While I like the quality of the food here and it is a good 24 hour spot, I don’t appreciate getting hung up on. That is no way to conduct yourself in that setting. Most places if employees did that they would get fired. If you’re swamped with people just utter those words «please hold» and be polite.

3.5 Stopped in on Monday and got the special. 3 tacos and an agua fresca for 7.50. Not bad at all. I had chicken, al pastor, and carnitas tacos. I would pass on the chicken next time, it was lacking flavor. The agua fresca was pineapple. I enjoy the simplicity of Mexican tacos. I had a craving and El Aguila cured that craving. Would definitely go back. ENJOY!!!

Over the past few years, the quality of this establishment has fallen while prices have risen. The business model was ambitious: a Mexican restaurant that aspired to be more than just a taco stand. El Águila doubled as a bakery, spice market, and a convenient corner to bring children to play while also grabbing a bite. The thought put into the original design also served as a bold message to neighboring Mexican businesses on Monroe Street: El Águila is here to stay.
Unfortunately, the years since its inception haven’t been kind to El Águila. The constant change in its floor plan may be evidence of struggling times, and its inability to improve menu options is a sign that this place focuses more on style than substance. As a result, they’ve fallen short on both.
The tacos are good enough but they certainly aren’t great. The in-​house tortillas do not seem like an upgrade over store bought tortillas. The aguas are syrupy sweet and the salsa stations are screaming for attention from the board of health. Such a low quality of food and service does not justify the prices on the menu.
After a few years of attempting to anchor the corner of Monroe and Main, El Águila looks haggard. A punch drunk former contender playing rope a dope with locals who happen to pass by.

Burritos, Tacos, and Tortas — Oh My! One shocking word sums up this review in a single heartbeat — YUM!
Not one to venture too far from what I consider to be «safe» Mexican food (aka Chipotle), I opted to take a walk on the wild side by joining some colleagues for a trek to Passaic to try El Aguilla — a highly recommended Mexican restaurant. While the location is less than desirable, the food is delicious and is served with reasonable timeliness.
To be specific, I had a Torta con Pollo with a Mango beverage. The torta starts with a roll that receives a generous layer of mayo that is then placed on the grill. Once melted, the chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and avocado are added along with a generous handful of cheese. The sandwich was more than satisfying, and the prices are more than reasonable.
In the area? Give it a try.

You come here for the feel and look/​décor and location. If you know your Mexican food you know that El Aguila doesn’t marinate or spice their meat at all and the food is just not that good! Very overrated. Convienient for sure, but there are so many better spots in Passaic alone! I was very dissapointed in lack of any flavor in any of their taco meats and just overal blah quality and taste.

Overpriced For This Area Dry Meats Sketchy Salsa Bar Stale Baked Goods
This seems to be one of the more well known Mexican fast food joints. Not very impressed with the taco fillings. Can somebody take a mop to the floor. The seating is school cafeteria circa 1960. They speak English fine. The bakery is disgusting.
This place seems to have the right location in a busy shopping district with their own private parking lot, so I guess the Main Street District is what drives customers here. Other then that it’s the open late hours and drunken patrons that serve as a boost for El Aguila, it’s not about the food itself.
The ordering process is simple and menu clear, but the cooking and quality of proteins used make for a lackluster Mexican «street food» experience. I have just my eyes, ears and mouth to rely on and trust me you can do much better. The saturation of Taqueria’s in Passaic make for some great competition, this one being in the lower tier.
I suggest venturing off the beaten path and discovering what a great taco can taste like. I would be remiss to not mention Mexico Deli, outstanding Mexican food at very reasonable price with a wide selection of Mexican favorites served in a impeccably clean welcoming environment.
My advise is discover someplace else to eat.

Was looking for serious authentic Mexican food and found this place listed on Unilocal.
It was indeed authentic. Great salsas, horchata, chicken tacos, rice, and beans. Disappointed in the carne asada taco and the prices, though. Also, not the cleanest place ever. Employees making tortillas were not wearing gloves, and they were eating ice cream bars while working. I don’t want to begrudge them a little relief from the heat, but eating popsicles while preparing food seems like a no-​no.
They grilled the chicken and the steak to order, which was awesome. The guy pulled a bunch of tortillas right off the stack that had just come off the conveyor belt — doesn’t get much fresher than that. Chicken was delicious. Steak came out pretty bland and cost $ 3/​taco, which seemed high to me considering the type of place it is.
Definitely go for the horchata, salsas, beans, and rice. Chicken tacos also a good call. They had several other meats available, including tongue, if you’re into that sort of thing. Give it a try if you’re looking for authentic Mexican in the area.

Authentic Mexican place that serves better than average tacos. It kind of out of the way in good olé ghetto Passaic but its good.
The staff is friendly and helped me decide which tacos I wanted. I went with carnitas and I forget the name its like beef with some type of BBQ sauce, it was really good. I say give it a try, its cheap and good.

Just love the authenticity of the food.

I have been coming here since 2010. I discovered this place during my many drives through Passaic and noticed they made authentic style street tacos.
As Adam M. will testify I have been his muse in foodiedom as much as he has become my muse in writing reviews on Unilocal.
After I discovered this place I soon took Adam and we have gone back numerous times.
This little market/​cafeteria really puts out an amazing product. They really specialize in making great tacos.
You go up to the counter and they have about 6 to 8 meats to choose from. From slow cooked carnita to goat to carne asada to pollo asada to numerous others.
You cant choice wrongly. ALL amazing choices. What really takes this place over the top is the fact they make the corn tortillas right in front of you.
Another huge plus OPEN 24 –7 365.
Perfect late night munchie spot.
Another lastly they take credit card.
One carnita taco buck 50, one mexi soda buck 50, Adam M. having a food epiphany Priceless

El Aguila is FANTASTIC!!! My fiancé and I drive from Central NJ to El Aguila because it’s worth every mile… Awesome Authentic Mexican Food!!! Love the Tortas, Tacos — Al Pastor is my favorite, Enchiladas w/​Salsa Verde, etc… The Horchata is the absolute best!!! I’ve tried other restaurants so we wouldn’t have to drive 30 miles but nothing compares to El Aguila.
The staff is extremely warm and pleasant.
Try it — YOU WILL LUV IT!!! :-)

It’s awesome how they don’t flinch when I order in Spanish. Next time I will try German.
Came here with me my gf for dinner. Very legit tacos. Got the chorizo, tripe, and forgot the other. I also ordered the fish soup. And my Beloved got the chicken burrito. I forgot to tell them no beans. She was a champ and didn’t complain. Overall, it was ok not great. the stuff for the tacos were just warm. It would have been better if they nuked it.
The salsa/​sauce bar is a bit sketchy but in the end we didn’t get sick.
We also got a few dessert items. I didn’t like them. might be because they were stale.
Next time I wouldn’t come for dinner. I forgot how close it is to Monroe St.

The best tacos in the north-​east. This is a small grocery store and bakery.
In the front it has a cafeteria style counter.
Most people were eating tacos. Some folks had a side of empanadas.
There is other food too. The drinks are really fresh and great.
The Tacos have fresh onions and cilantro. They give huge pieces of lime
with that.
There are quite a few small tables to sit around. You do need to know spanish here. Atleast know the basics of what food is what. The cashiers
do talk limited English. They have their own parking lot in front.

I go here often, and late-​ish …like between 10 p. m and midnight. The service is still prompt (although I heard that after midnight, they slow down significantly) and the food is still delicious. The tacos, as mentioned throughout the other reviews, are some of the best outside of southern Cali and Mexico City… al pastor is my personal favorite, although lengua is flavorful and chewy !! (but I like chewy)…
Their beverage selection is off the chain, not only can you get the «real» sugar cane Coca Cola, but there is an absolute slew of sodas and juice drinks you will have a difficult time finding at your local Chili’s-like chain establishments. I am personally obsessed with the horchata. The little market is definitely worth checking out, especially if you want to «authenticate» your pantry or fridge.
Parking can be a little… rough. Thus the reason why I venture there when it isn’t super slammed, like, say, during lunch hours. The area can be a little sketchy at these times, but I say screw it, if I get an Aguila craving, I’m effing there.

I really love this place. I used to reside in Clifton and used to frequent here often (i moved further, but still found myself going back). This place is take no shit, down to earth mexican food. It has a few tables, and a few window bar seats. It would help to know spanish, but I wouldn’t say you have to know. The cashiers know english, the cooks who may try and get your attention with a question about your order, may not.
It has quite an extensive menu, my personal favorites are the tacos! they are real and they are so freakin out of this world. I have had lengua (my favorite), carnitas, chorizo, and al pastor. All wonderful. I have also had tostadas (very tasy) and the pork milanesa torta (also, very tasy). The prices are extremely reasonable, and the service is quick.
They boast a salsa bar with varying degrees of spicy (try the verde), a bakery, a chicharron dispensery (freshly made), a grocery store (where you can buy basically everything they make), ice cream and a variety of mexican juices. TRY THE JUICES! they will let you sample them.
Everything I have ever tried from here is good, and they’re open ²⁴⁄₇!

This spot is pretty sweet. My friend takes me here for tacos often Im suprised there is no review at all and that it wasnt even listed! It’s always PACKED when we go.
This place has a sister store in Manhattan @ 116Lex.
This place has like a caffeteria setup… you in and place your order and pay at the register then slide down /​w a tray as u get your order.
Its VERY no frills and very little English. So be ready. Also… have CASH.
The carnitas tacos here are exelent. They r perfectly braised and seasoned served with just cilantro, onion and lime on fresh tortillas that you can see made in front of your eyes right there… In fact the dining area has seats right next to the tortilla line so u can sit and watch them come out. The tortillas are yummy. This place also sells the mexican coca cola with cane sugar. SWEET!
On a nice hot day just wandering around nothing picks ya up like a good taco and refreshing old fasioned coca cola. (not that syrupy crap they sell @ the store called coca cola «classic»)
They also have a small market attached.
I def like this place and continue to go here. Its usually packed full of people, esp on Sundays when we go. If your into authentic Mexican pork tacos this is the place to be!