El Nopal

Some of the best tacos con carnitas I’ve ever had in my life. Staff was super friendly! Order in Spanish/French (I used a mix of the two, it was no problem). Genuinely just good vibes and good food. There’s a park right around the corner to eat or you can sit on the street.

To be fair, I had some higher expectations and it was highly recommended by friends. But one of the tacos was extremely dry, the second was ok and the third was my favourite. But was a cheap meal and filling so still okay

5.50€ for the tiniest bit of guacamole should count as petty theft. Be a little bit more generous. The food is ok but the prices are too high. At least the service is good and quick. Also recommend the restaurant have another vegetation option other than just “no meat”.

I loved it! Homemade tortillas are great, and theirs are delicious. They only had one vegetarian taco option available and when I asked if they could make it vegan, they immediately knew what that entailed and what to remove (love that). The taco was mixed veg with beans, and i added the spicy salsa to it which was really tasty and a good addition. I'm a fan. It was a simple taco, but in the good way.

Excellent, super tasty Tacos made in a tiny place with no seating available. Service is friendly and the food top notch! A bit in the expensive side as 3 tacos are 11€ but worth it.

An order of three tacos, a beer and a side of beans and rice will fill up even a marine. Reasonable prices per the average Mexa spot in Paris. Ambience, flavors and aromas transport you to Mexico. They serve authentic Mexa street style dishes (burrón; quasilllas; gorditas) and offer a wide selection of stews that keep you coming back. BTW, they now serve breakfast. And have 1.90€ tacos on Tuesdays

Seriously brilliant. The food is delicious, especially the home-made relish, the servers are really lovely and friendly, and it’s a great price, especially being so close to the canal! I highly recommend if you fancy some Mexican food whilst being in Paris!

Sorry to have to give a bad review but, I expected much better from this little taco spot, the ambiance was nice, staff friendly, but the food was not on point and extremely expensive, even by parisian standards. The tacos were better than some other places in Paris, but still very average, meat was a bit dry, and the tortilla couldn't even stay in place while eating, everything crumbling and falling apart, I really thought the restaurant looked authentic so even more deceiving…

I'm a Southern California native who has been in Paris for a little over two months now and found myself craving tacos like no other. If you're looking for an authentic taco fix and aren't afraid to venture a bit further across town, then look no further! El Nopal's homemade tortillas paired with a Coke on the canal was just what the doctor ordered. ENJOY!

I really enjoyed these tacos, I have heard that mexican food in Paris is always a hit or miss, this was definitely a hit for me.. delicious Get the pollo and barbacoa Only flaw no elote

My father in law thinks eating at this restaurant may be the most foolish plan I have ever undertaken in France. He doesn't like Mexican and can't imagine anyone choosing to eat a Mexican meal when you're surrounded by such a wealth of delicious French food. But then again he's never eaten at El Nopal. The food is amazing. The service was fast and cheerful and available in three different languages. Try and find that in your average French place!!!! We got our order and impatiently hustled over to the canal and inhaled our tacos, passing them back and forth so everyone could try each meat and gobbling up the little bits that fell into the paper like we expected this might be our last meal. We ooohed and aaahed and rolled our eyes in delight and far quicker than I'd expected our meal was gone. I love my father in law but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with him on this one. French food is delicious but eating at El Nopal was an excellent choice.

Average at best compared to GOOD burritos, and tacos, maybe average... Annoying line up that blocks the sidewalk. Paris must have better Mexican food, somewhere?

As a Mexican American living in Los Angeles, I had a craving for Mexican food. I went on Yelp and found this place and it did not disappoint. The food was really good and fresh. It's just a walk up window, so take it to go and enjoy a beautiful park in this amazing city and enjoy a quesadilla, tacos, and guacamole! Highly recommend!

Tiny hole in the wall place just off the canal offering authentic Mexican grub. We had tacos, a burrito and 2 beers for 22€ which is not bad for Paris! No seats available, so take your meal and grab a spot by the canal; great for people watching. The toppings are rather simple but just what you need; good helpings of onion, coriander and veg. Their meat varieties change, and you can grab one of each in your tacos. My favourite was the chicken (pollo) and the pork. The best thing is probably their home made tortillas - beats chipotle any day! Beware! Cash only and nearest ATM a good 10 min walk away! (Hence 4 stars as it annoyed me for convenience sake)

The best tacos you are probably going to find in Paris. I'm from Mexico City and they are really really good! They are quite pricy but totally worthy (I had 3 tacos and I paid €10,50). Also they an incredible salsa

First of all it's hole in the wall take out joint. Most amazing food. Our first stop for food in Paris. Daughters wanted Mexican. Trusting Yelp, found this GEM close to our hotel. We walked there expecting a sit down restaurant and were shocked to see it was a hole in the wall joint. Literally speaking, it is a hole in the wall... Gentleman working the counter was friendly and understood our vegetarian dietary restrictions in my broken California Spanish. We got our food and walked back to the hotel... That's when the flavor explosion happened.. OMG... This Food puts all American Mexican restaurants to shame. My wife's quote, "I can eat this everyday"... It's a must if you are near Gare Du Nord area....

I can appreciate the fidelity this small hole in the wall joint serves for being open 10 hours a day. on the other hand, a few nicks at this place that made me subtract a star for their rating. 1 there's no place to sit. easily this can be solved by sitting alongside the waterway, but it was already cold and tired from the walk, ready to eat. 2 the tacos aren't superb, mediocre at best. certainly better than chipotle, but far from the familiar authentic taste of tacos I have at home run by Mexicans or King Taco in Southern California. 3 this place was far. I mean I had to go out of my way to try this place, which turned out to be nothing big. at the same time I appreciate the existence of this place and the hard workers, as they were able to cure my nostalgic craving for flavors of home. at the same time, I can't wait to run back home and have some authentic tacos.

This place rocks. This is a great place to go on a nice day to grab some tacos/burritos to go (well there is no room to stay so you have to take out), some Bohemias, and then go over to sit and eat next to the Canal St. Martin or the Jardin Villemin - and bring your friends! You will not regret it. It's a hole in the wall with enough room inside for you to enter, order, and pay, and for them to make you a delicious burrito or some tasty tacos. If you have not been yet, go. The guys are from Latin America - I believe at least one is from Mexico and accordingly their hot sauce is dangerous - but awesome. These are my favorite burritos in Paris - hands down.

Context is everything in a restaurant, isn't it? Why am I eating Mexican food in Paris? Because I live abroad and try to get it when I can. And yes, I'll make allowances because of the location. It's a walk up window, you place your order and can pay by card. Cashier switched to English after my garbled attempt in French, and said that any options could be done vegetarian. We got a veggie burrito and a pork, and asked for both to be spicy. Waited a few minutes for the order to come up, walked to the canal, sat down and enjoyed. Very satisfying! My date said the veggie was actually the better of the two, classic grilled vegetables, rice, beans and avocado, but seasoned nicely. Both were extremely mild, so if we go again we will ask for super extra spicy if possible. If you live in Southern California or Chicago or Texas and are in Paris for a weekend, don't put this on your list, you can probably do as well at home. But if you're an expat or don't have access to good Mexican food regularly, this will hit the spot.

Who would have thought that you can get good Mexican food in Paris?! I didn't until I tried El Nopal. We got the Pastor Tacos and they were delicious. The tortillas were rolled out by hand before grilling. That was very cool to see. The Pastor meat was very interesting; nothing like I have tasted before. The Carne Asada burrito was also yummy. The salsas were exceptional and really elevated the food. The owner and his side-kick were a good duo. They were super friendly. They actually came from Mexico, so they definitely know the food should taste. Definitely worth a try.

Absolutely excellent food. If you're in Paris looking for Mexican food, do yourself a favor and skip O'Taco and come straight here instead. Service is quick enough, the people working here are always very pleasant and friendly. As others have mentioned, don't expect to sit down. Within eyesight is a nice waterway to sit alongside, though, with benches. It's also not far from Gare de L'Est--I can say from personal experience that it's worth heading out for the burritos in the winter, even if it means eating them in the warmth of the station.

I came here at around 10:30 or so on a Friday night, and unfortunately by the time we arrived there were no options other than quesadillas. I would definitely rather choose something like a burrito or tacos, but because we were hungry, it was late, and we had veilbed (my first time in Paris!!) all the way there, we decided to give it a go. We ordered 3 quesadillas between two of us, which was an over-order (we thought they would be smaller than they were). We got 2 veggie, and one with meat. The meat I think was chorizo (again, we were too late to have chosen anything different, we had to take what they had left), and there were lots of different veggies (including avo) and cheese in the veggie ones. The tortillas were amazing -really soft and delicious- the cheese was good, and the veggies were a bit salty but delicious as well. My boyfriend said the meat was good too. The only thing missing was something spicy. I could have really used some hot sauce or something, and then I think it would have been perfect. I'm excited to come back (way earlier in the day) and try some other things they have on offer here. Everything is under 10 euros or so- we paid 24 for 3 quesadillas, which isn't bad based on how full (and happy) we were after.

Last time I ordered food there was a while back, but I remember it was "OK" at best, nothing to brag about, but OK. Anyway, although we are indeed in 2019, this place still refuses to accept any credit cards or contactless payments by mobile phone. It's ridiculous! ATMs not in close range which is enough to skip the place. Very annoying! I haven't been back in over two years because of this. In case one wonders, it amounts to a 600 € loss for these guys that went straight to the nearby competition. Nice way to lose business, folks... mesmerizing.

Amazing Mexican food! All the way from So. Cal. OC area. I was missing home after being away nearly two weeks. Wanted to make sure that the Mexican food was being represented right. Amazing job!

Muchos gracias to the team at El Nopal! Finally some real SPICY food in Paris. As close to real Mexican street food as you're going to get, this tiny shop turns out some fat and delicious burritos packed with flavorful rice, well-marinated carnitas (or carne asada or other filling of your choice) and great homemade guac. The guys who work there are friendly and know what they're doing. If you'd like to enjoy your burrito in the shop, you'll have to go during off hours to snag one of their two stools at the miniscule counter. Otherwise plan on taking your burrito with you for a picnic along the canal or back to your apartment.

Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. El Nopal, thank you so much for existing in this city. I'm from Southern California, so when I lived there I pretty much subsisted off of tacos, burritos, enchiladas and nachos. When I moved to France, I just came to terms with the fact that I was leaving Mexican food behind for good. Then comes El Nopal. Let me tell you, there might be other "Mexican" restaurants in the city that are "ok Mexican for France," but El Nopal is the real deal. Essentially a non-movable taco stand, they serve perfectly flavored tacos and burritos. My favorite tacos were the carnitas and asada. There really isn't anywhere to sit, but on a nice day, you can just go to sit by the canal. Who cares where you're sitting, though; you'll be too busy sitting with your eyes closed, letting the carnitas melt in your mouth. It was so good and nostalgic that I was giggling the rest of the day after my first visit.

Pretty good tacos for Paris. The chorizo probably had the better flavor out of the three we tried. The asada was a little bland, in my opinion. I've had better tacos in the states, but with that said, El Nopal is definitely worth a visit. There's no seating, so bring it down to the canal.

My wife and I recently moved to Paris from San Francisco. We lived in the Mission district and developed a serious taquería addition. Suffice to say, we witnessed serious withdrawal when we moved here...until we found El Nopal! This is the real deal, the only taquería in Paris we've found. They serve authentic Mexican food (as opposed to other places where a "burrito" is actually a "garden wrap"). We've been back numerous times since we first found this place, right in our neighborhood, next to Canal Saint Martin. I agree w/ Melissa K.'s review, everything is fresh and cooked to order (my wife is vegetarian and they have a great veggie burrito). Although the place is small, it reminds me of places like "Ike's" in SF, where lines of hipsters wait for their order (btw they call "hipsters" bourgeoisie bohemians "bobo's" in Paris). Besides the great food, the husband and wife who own this place are so so cool and nice, we always have great conversations with them when we stop by. This place is great!

I'm from Texas, so I'm pretty experienced when it comes to Mexican and Tex-Mex food. If you're from America, this is a decent alternative for some Tex-Mex in Paris. Don't expect any heat from the food. Burrito is decent. I had the steak but chicken would probably have been better. The quesadilla I would not recommend as much.

This is a cute little place and I would love to give it more stars. If I could have given 3.5 stars, I would have. In the end, I was a bit disappointed because I had been hoping and dreaming about a San Francisco mission style burrito as big as my head which I would eat over the course of several meals. I went in with unreasonable expectations. If you don't have those expectations, I think that you will like this place. The prices are reasonable for Paris, and the owners are friendly. I hope that they succeed. The chips and guac were delicious and so were my carne asada tacos and my husband's burrito I would say that it's an excellent place to have lunch if you are in the neighborhood. There is no place to sit. If it's a nice day, it is fun to get lunch and then sit along the canal. I will go back.

Until this find, I had always considered California the taqueria capital of the world. No more!! I can't get my head around this, but the best Mexican I've ever eaten is in Paris France!

Man! Always look to Yelp, people. Always look to Yelp. I only discovered this place because it's right around the corner from my apartment. OMAZING! Fresh, made to order, delicious. And the price is RIGHT, girl! VEGETARIANS, REJOICE! Everything can be made vegetarian. The vegetarian tacos almost made me cry. Normally, when you get a vegetarian taco, it's a regular taco, just minus the meat.....so blah. But the tacos here don't even have boring beans on them! (Don't get me wrong, I do love my refried beans, try the burrito!) The tacos have a delicious mix of sautéd veggies, including....eggplant? Sounds weird, but it's so good. And the cheese is good, too. I guess if you ordered it without cheese, it would probably even be vegan. Burrito is 5€50, 3 tacos are 6€50. I don't remember what else is on the menu, but it all looks really delish. I tried to order the tostada once, and they were out. :-( tears. Nice amount of spice, if you get the spicy sauce. Your lips burn a little bit afterwards, but it's not so hot that it obliterates your taste buds. Yum, yum, yum. There's only two stools to sit on in this tiny hole-in-the-wall, so plan on taking your tacos to a bench, canal-side. OPEN ON SUNDAY until 9pm!

I simply love this place. I love next door and come here regularly. Just a kitchen and a counter. No sitting, heating, toilets.... Just badass Latino food. There is a tiny ledge outside if you wanna eat there and have a few beers. But the best is sitting on the canal! I this place.

When traveling in France we definitely missed our home cooking. This hidden gem in Paris was the place to go to! The owners were very polite and the food was BOMB! Very authentic taste and the salsa is killer! I did not mind paying the price because if brought the taste from home that we so dearly missed. The spicy salsa! And to top it off the michelada! Cannot wait to be back

By the wayyy they raised their prices! so it is not as cheap. Also they have a weird rule where you have to get three different tacos, so no three chicken or two chicken and one another. THREE totally different tacos. The tacos were good as it gets in Paris and at 7.5 euro it is not really a meal more of a stop to eat. The staff was very nice and I was pleased.

I'm from the center of great Mexican food, east Los Angeles, so going in I didn't expect much. My kids and I were pleasantly surprised. We have two orders of tacos and two burritos. Ask for the spicy salas, you won't be disappointed.

I thought I was going to a sit down restaurant but, it is a SPOT! The food was good "Mexican for Paris" as my Mexican classmate would explain it. No it's not the best mexican I have ever tasted but, it was yummy & had a kick (spice optional). I had a Burron, definitely worth 8€. Tortas, gorditas & tacos... Oh my! You will be full and your pockets won't be "dry" after this good food experience. Check them out & Enjoy!

Yum! Great food at a great price. Ordered tacos (carnitas and 2 others that I can't remember) and a burrito for the two of us. Delicious and filling. I could have gone for a little spicier, but we are in Paris so it'll do. Plenty of food and a great meal to have by the canal. Next time I plan to go a bit earlier so I can try their aqua fresca - they had sold out by late afternoon!

Delicious burrito. Had mine with pastor, a generous portion. Includes avocado as standard. Burrito is well-constructed (i.e. doesn't fall apart), so is a pleasure to eat sitting by the canal. Make sure to ask for yours to be made spicy, which is still not all that spicy. Carry-out only -- a counter on the street.

Real mexicans making real mexican food in a hole in the wall. My burron for 8 euros was delicious. Beef, onions, rice, avacodo, sour cream, cilantro...yum! The only thing that made me sad was the "steak" was not really steak but pulled beef. I was hoping for steak tips/cubes. They have refried beans. Place is waaay small. There are two seats against the wall, but if you have a group of ppl coming in to order, there's no way you will sit and eat comfortably.

I'm not sure if hipsters in Paris love tacos or if Paris is simply full of hipsters but the crowd around this hallway of a taco stand was quite interesting. Even if you're not into tacos go for the people watching. I had a chicken, barbacoa and chorizo taco as well as the quessadilla all of which was quite tasty. If you're in the area give it a shot totally worth the wait.

I rarely give 5 stars. Expect a wait as they make tortillas from scratch. Well worth the food. The gorditas with carnitas and chicharrones are my go to. No room to sit and eat so grab the food to go or hang outside in the street while standing. Tacos are great, while the quesadilla and campechana had a bit too much cheese for my taste. Wash it down with some Mexican importer beers (Bohemian!) Will seek his place out next time I'm back in Paris. They are looking to expand into food trucks so look for that.

It's been almost a year since I've had legit Mexican food and I finally had to go and try this place. Got three tacos and a negra modelo. The tacos were so good. The pastor was excellent. So much flavor and just well executed. They were simple, but still had the essential accomplices like lime and salsa. The salsa isn't really like it is in California usually, but it was still tasty. I am so impressed with this place. I will definitely be back!!

Found this gem around corner from our rented apartment. My wife and I are living in Italy (originally from California) and it's Impossible to find good Mexican food! We both had the spicy carne burrito and a side of guacamole, so good! Keep in mind, spicy actually is spicy, they don't mess around. Def recommend it.

I had the 3 tacos and the Guacamole. The guacamole was ok but small for the price. The chips were good though. Tacos were good but nothing great to remember. I recommend the place for a casual lunch/dinner

One of the best burritos in Paris made by Mexicans everything is made fresh. The only problem is that they open only for lunch and dinner time so you'll have to find something else if you didn't have lunch and it's 3 PM

Wow! What a find. This place is truly authentic. I live in California the gringo taco capital and this place is the real deal holy field. One of my favorite finds of all time in Paris.

Food WAS good. Tasty, spicy, well-done Mexican. But I wasn't enamored for three reasons: 1. I wanted to sit down, and on a yucky day, El Nopal isn't a good idea because you stand outside waiting for your food, then you've got to find somewhere else to sit. 2. My friend asked for guacamole, and they said they didn't have it! Who doesn't have guacamole??? With creates of avocados sitting in the back? Silly. 3. Prices were so-so. Once you add a drink/side, it's not so cheap for Mexican food to-go. I'd recommend El Guacamole or Café Mexico for a better experience as they were sit-down, with a bigger menus, for the same price!

Fast service , located next to Canal st. Martin perfect for takeaway (only available) then sit along canal. Only one or two vegetarian options and could be bigger potions for price.

I live in the neighborhood but have been around to other Mexican places. As a California native, I have to say this is the one place I find has real Mexican food and it's much better than a taco truck because it's delicious like one, real Mexican (which a Colombian guy who works there too) and I have never gotten sick like i have once or twice from Californian taco trucks. What a great place! It's been my favorite Mexican place for years. A far from close second goes to candelaria, but the other Mexican places in paris are just not good.

Freshly pressed & grilled tortillas and super fresh & spicy salsa! Just a couple of the amazing things about El Nopal. As an American living overseas I hadn't had good Mexican in almost a year, very tragic. El Nopal is legit, in flavors, quantities, prices, just everything. The tacos were amazing but I'm a huge fan of burritos and these did not disappoint, at all! Thanks guys!

Truly authentic good tacos. Mexican beer selection. Great atmosphere.

This place has the best authentic Mexican tacos you'll find in France. I had been searching for good tacos for almost a year in France and so happy I stumbled upon this place. It's a more of a taco stand so don't expect to go there for a sit down dinner. Usually the smallest hole in the wall spots are the best. If you are into real Mexican street food as opposed to crap like chipotle, this is the place to go while in Paris.

3.75 stars My fellow expats, we may now rest a little easier at night knowing that there is finally a taqueria in town. This tiny place, opened just 2 weeks ago (September 2010), is run by a wonderful guy - a Mexican-American expat himself who worked at a number of Mexican restaurants in the states for the last 10 years. He buys all of the ingredients fresh at the market each morning, and everything is cooked to order (even the guac and salsa are homemade, not out of a can!). The burritos are east coast in style and decent - not a California burrito (the owner's not been there), but will suffice. (He has, however, eaten at a Chipotle, and gets the general idea.) So, if you want your burrito made in a particular way with particular ingredients, just ask (nicely, of course). He's got other ingredients available, but they are hiding under the counter. The tortillas for the tacos are hand-made right before your eyes. Next time I go, I'm ordering those. He didn't bat an eye when I said I wanted a veggie burrito. Overall, I was quite impressed. There are still some kinks to work out, but I'm confident that will happen over the next few months. So, be patient with the menu and let's keep this place in business!

El Nopal was delicious. My chicken burrito was divine. I plan to go back for more of a Mexican fix. A great find in Paris!

Authentic Mexican in Paris? Yes, please! I visited this delicious little take-away, hole-in-the-wall sort of place (which are seemingly rather common in Paris) on a Friday night with a couple of good friends before going out for the evening. My extensive internet research in preparation for my vegetarian visitor had led me to discover this eatery, and, in the mood for authentic Mexican food before our evening commenced, we ventured to check it out, and boy am I glad we did. They don't have a lot on the menu, but what they have is more than enough. When we visited, the place was being run by only two people, perhaps a mother and son team. They spoke to each other in Mexican Spanish, and I had to suppress a smile, because I knew we were in for the real deal. So, we ordered our meals, and hung around chatting and laughing until our food was ready. I know I asked that they put something special IN my quesadilla, and that they thought that it was a bit odd, but I don't remember now for the life of me what it was...maybe creme fraiche. Anyways. I loved how reasonably priced it was (under 20 Euro for me and my guest), and I loved how delicious and authentic the food was. I had made myself some fajitas a few times while I was in Paris, but nothing compares to Mexican food prepared by actual Mexicans, and since I had been told that Mexican food in Paris was going to be hard, if not impossible to find, I'm glad we found this place and that my craving for proper Mexican was satisfied. When our food was ready, they served it up in little syrofoam containers in a plastic bag, and we walked across the little canal located nearby (I've forgotten what it's called) to sit on a bench and enjoy our food amidst the ambiance of the great outdoors, replete with a single skateboarder across the street imrpoving his skills in a little skate park, and an angry cuckholded Italian man yelling angrily at his girlfriend on his cell phone. Ha! The food! The food was absolutely fantastic, and I was further satisfied in knowing that they had an appropriate and very filling vegetarian option for the vegetarian I had brought along with me and whose satisfaction I had made my mission. She got a vegetarian burrito that looked huge and was filled with all sorts of veggie goodness...cheese, peppers, salsa, creme fraiche, and other assorted veggies. My friend and I got the quesadilla, and I honestly can't remember if it was a chorizo or a chicken quesadilla (I'm leaning towards chorizo), but I do remember that it was spectacular. Super cheesy, filled with delicious vegetables and spices, and completely filling. When I had finished, I remembered discussing with the others whether or not to go back and get another one, but it was more because of how tasty the first one had been, not due to any remaining space in my stomach. Make sure you check out their hours. I'm pretty sure they're open longer than the "only open for lunch and dinner for 3 hour bursts" type of restaurants that are common in France, maybe even open late at night on the weekends, but don't quote me on that. A final note: they served it with a small cup of what might as well as well have been liquid fire, so if you are disappointed in the lack of spicy food in Paris, this place will definitely not disappoint. How do you say "Aye Carumba!" en Francais? For people who miss the ubiquity of the Mexican restaurant in the States, make sure to check out El Nopal. I'd be surprised if you didn't wind up singing it's praises like I am.

While I can't say it's authentic Mexican flare, I will say that it's damn good Tex Mex style. I had the Burron. It was full of flavor and spice. Well portioned, fresh and tasty. They get extra points for blending it all up so you get even bites of goodness. The staff is friendly. Grab and go and sit by the Canal for a splendid afternoon.