The other day my husband and I were craving street tacos, so we decided to try Tacos EL DF, an unassuming taqueria that claims to be home to real street tacos right off Middleway Pike in Inwood, West Virginia. My husband is a first generation Mexican American, and I’ve been lucky enough to try his family’s delicious recipes over the years to have a real appreciation for authentic Mexican food. So, we placed our order over the phone and ventured out to pick it up. We both ordered a variety of tacos and guacamole and chips.
Price 💲💲 out of 5
Tacos EL DF has very reasonable prices, especially considering the value of fresh, homemade ingredients. The tacos average about $4 each, although they have meals as well, which will save you some money. The combos seem to be the most expensive items on the menu, but even they are incredibly reasonable and pack a lot of value for your buck.
Ambience 🧑🍳 🧑🍳 🧑🍳 out of 5
Although the building may not look like a typical restaurant from the outside, the inside is cozy and clean with yellow walls. The space is small and only offers a handful of tables, but it is still large enough to accommodate several groups at the same time. When searching for authentic Mexican food, I think you will find places like this a lot, and they have their own charm and their own stories. You will feel right at home here, and there is something special about that. It is modest but inviting.
Food 🥩🥩🥩 🥩 out of 5
The thing that stuck out most to me about the food was the freshness. Everything was homemade and so fresh, especially the guacamole. The guacamole was very chunky and along with the avocado, had large chunks of tomato, onion, and cilantro. I found out later that the guacamole is made to order, which made sense since it was so very fresh. All the tortillas are homemade as well!
I tried four different tacos: chorizo, veggie, el pastor, and chicken. The tacos also came with lime, cucumbers, and a smoky, red salsa. I enjoyed the unique flavors of each taco, but my favorite was the veggie taco, which not only had beans and rice, but also grilled fajita veggies, cheese, and tomatoes. The salsa was also very good, and I wish I had more to go along with my tacos! Next time I would ask for extra salsa.
I personally would have preferred more salt in the food to really bring out those amazing flavors, especially with the guacamole, but that is a personal preference and will vary among patrons. It is certainly better to under-salt a dish so guests can add salt to their liking. Overall, though, the self-proclaimed real street taco sign proved to be true and we will certainly be visiting again.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Although we ordered to go, the overall experience of our trip was great. The staff was friendly, the food was fresh, and the building was clean. This is a restaurant that I would recommend to friends and family, and will be a place we patronize again, especially when we are craving authentic Mexican food. There are several other items on the menu that I look forward to trying, including “the machete”, a larger-than-life quesadilla that is only $22! Tacos EL DF will be a regular stop for us.
