Papa Locos Tacos and Burgers

The burgers there are absolutely wonderful –all of them and would recommend that place to anyone

Tricky location but great food! Everything I have tried to date has been great, especially the fish burrito.

I haven’t had one bad thing here. Their burgers are amazing and I dig their fries. If you eat in, walk on over to the coolers and grab a beer from the connected gas station. Very cool vibe, even better food and prices.

Got some tacos after exploring Saguaro National Park. It is located in a gas station, which is usually where you find the best tacos. I got one chicken, one al pastor, and one carne asada. Skip the chicken, it’s not very good. I was glad I ate it first and got it out of the way. Al pastor and carne asada were great, though!

My husband and I went to dinner here last night and it was great! He got the fajita burrito and I got the echilocos with carnitas. The prices are super affordable and everything is clean and the staff is friendly!

I got the Steak Potato Egg Cheese and Beans Breakfast Burrito Bland Bland Bland. I was hoping for a memorable breakfast burrito but this was not it.

This is a pleasant little surprise located in of all places a gas station! It’s tucked away inside the Rita Ranch Market, and it is a gem!
The food is quite well made, and fresh and tasty! There is a quaint little salsa bar as well! In addition to Mexican Food, this place has some amazing burgers!
Overall it’s a great little place to get your burger or Mexican Fix!
Highly recommended!

This is simply one of the best Mexican places I’ve ever eaten at! So far I have tried many different items and they’ve all been great.
It’s different for a Mexican place to serve hamburgers, so I was reluctant at first to order. But after talking to the guy at the counter I tried the Arizona Dreamin’ burger and man it is a killer burger!
In addition they have a salsa bar with a variety of things that you can top your food with to enhance the flavor. The salsa is spicy too, not watered down for gringos ;)
Highly recommended!

I was skeptical the first time a friend wanted to eat here. «It’s next to the gas station?» I asked. «No, it’s INSIDE the gas station,» he answered. Setting aside my uncertainty, I stopped in for dinner. Boy, am I glad I did. This place has the best wet burritos I’ve had Tucson («enchilada style» as they call it). I prefer the carne asada, but the other meats I’ve had have also been fantastic. The tacos are good too, but lately I’ve been getting the burritos and chimis every time. The self-​serve salsa bar has many good choices, but my favorite is the smoky chipotle salsa. The prices are very reasonable and the service is friendly. Best of all, you can stop in at the attached convenience store and pick up a beer to drink with your food! This is a great stop for a Mexican meal if you’re anywhere around Rita Ranch.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that this establishment is attached to a gas station and a classic barber shop. The food was fantastic and all in my group nearly licked the plates clean.
You can walk into the gas station side and grab a beer (or 6) from the coolers and bring it into the restaurant after paying for it.

I could have sworn I’d previously written a review on this place. Anywhoo… 3^rd visit here and I had to go with my faithful Chicken Cheesesteak, no mushrooms. Great flavor, the bread is sooo close the bread you get on the east coast. Shoestring fries! Don’t be intimidated by the location, as it’s inside of a gas station, this place is the best. Given that there aren’t alot of food options in this area, it’s perfect for the businesses located in this area.

Agreeing with the rest of the positive posts here. A small gas station taco stop. Nice décor and seating inside. Food is great! An awesome selection of fresh salsas. What more can you ask for. Eat here, you won’t be disappointed. Food is way better than Chuys on Houghton and 100 times better than El Coronado restaurant in the Safeway shopping center…

My husband & I came to eat after the Pima Air museum. Very delicious food, I had the chicken enchiladas & he had the fajita burrito. Enchiladas were a 9, husband gave burrito a 7 very clean place.

I had the Carne Asada torta. Huge portion and so so good. Amazing small Jem. I’ve been looking for a Mexican food joint that taste like home cooking. Can’t wait to try breakfast

Amazing food. Don’t be fooled by its location; gas station.
Chicken tacos, fajita burrito, green chili cheese burger, all amazing!
Fresh tortillas, buttery buns, and shoestring fries.
Prices and portions are great.

Who’d a thunk a typical looking gas station on the side of the road would have an amazing Mexican restaurant tucked in the back? Well, certainly not me and I was pleasantly surprised.
Truth be told, my parents and my husband were simply looking for a quick taco stand as tourists in the Tucson area so I Unilocaled what was nearby. Thankfully, this popped right up so in we went. The numerous positive reviews were helpful and accurate. Dayummmmm is this place good! I ordered the chicken enchiladas — both red and green — and they were equally good. The meat is seasoned, the tacos are fresh and delicious, everything we had was beautiful!
Perfect lunch spot with incredible food. You will leave stuffed to the gills and yet, hours later, you’ll ask yourself: hmm, how soon can I return?
Do not miss this place if you’re in the Tucson area! You will not be disappointed!

Papa Locos has been one of my go-​to places for a quick dinner/​lunch/​breakfast in Rita Ranch since I moved here. A godsend to us locals and Raytheon employees alike, Papa Locos presents consistently delicious food for cheap prices and great service.
Personally, I like their fish tacos, the enchil-​locos (empanadas with corn masa smothered in sauce) and (my favorite) their shredded beef crispy tacos. Papa Locos is one of those rare places that frys their own tortilla shells from fresh tortillas to order. So. good. My boyfriend also loves their huevos rancheros. They also have hot dogs and burgers for those not feeling Mexican, and their salsa bar is surprisingly excellent! If you’re in the area (and have already tried out Saing Thai), I’d definitely recommend stopping in.

Here’s another sweet and small local eatery with outdoor seating. I had the veggie taco and it was loaded with veggies and very tasty. The salsa and chips were mighty fine, too.
The location is inside a market so you might drive right by and not notice it. But it’s surely worth the stop.

Every frequent Unilocaler has experienced the disappointment of researching a new restaurant to visit in a unfamiliar city, then pulling up in the parking lot only to be confronted with something completely different than what they imagined. When this occurs, you must resist the urge to turn and run. Trust the Unilocal.
At 7:15 pm in the dark, I drove right past what appeared to be just another gas station on the corner of nowhere on the outskirts of Tucson. Where was Papa Loco’s — all I saw was a Conoco? We pulled a U-​turn and drove by again. I still didn’t see anything but my wife thought she spotted a sign for Papa’s. We pulled into the parking lot and drove up to a small restaurant taking up about ¹⁄₃ of the gas station convenience store. I was initially concerned that this was not the type of place I was seeking. Then a soothing voice whispered in my ear, «Trust the Unilocal.»
You’ve already read too many words that have nothing to do with the food, so I’ll simply say this — fresh, homemade, authentic, fun, and delicious. I have no idea if Diners, Drive-​ins, and Dives has ever featured this little restaurant, but it’s exactly the type of place that warrants that type of recognition. The prices are right, the salsa bar has a ton of variety, the restaurant is clean, there is a nice patio that wraps around the little restaurant, and after the closing time the kitchen crew sings loudly in Spanish to the radio — not in an annoying way, but in a «we really enjoy working here and we all like our coworkers» kind of way.
If you’re driving through Tucson, put this place on your itinerary. It’s definitely on mine when I return.

Went in this morning with the nino to try their breakfast fare. I decided to give the bacon, egg, potato, and cheese burrito and it was some quality goodness. They have a very nice, but small, salsa bar. Tried the tomatillo, roasted red, and their hot option and they were all great.
This place is just awesome. Support small business establishments. They need our monies.