El Sabor de Puebla

Scrumptious authentic Mexican food for an unbeatable price. This place is a MUST try in the Madison area. It is a super tiny restaurant with very limited seating (about 10 booths/tables) so if it's a busy time you will have trouble dining in. However, they have a highly effective take-out system which is what the majority of their orders are. When eating in you'll be presented with complimentary chips and salsa. Their salsa is extremely flavorful and has a great spice level. We ordered the highly rated Chicken Tamales and El Pastor Burrito with Mole- both definitely lived up to the hype. In addition, their rice and beans are so much better than any other place I've tried. The prices are unmatched and the serving sizes are perfect to leave the restaurant feeling satiated. The service is great, just be patient when the restaurant gets busy. They have a very limited staff. When you're ready to pay you can walk up to the register. The parking lot is small but there is street parking in the nearby residential area.

I ordered taquitos, my husband ordered tamales. Very authentic dishes.The chips and Verde, also authentic. The chips had a lime aftertaste to them that was very enjoyable. There was no wait. We came for a birthday, he got a free dessert and a sombrero to wear for fun. The staff sang happy birthday. Our server was prompt, attentive and brought whatever we needed. There was a bit of a draft due to the side door being opened and closed. Otherwise, the atmosphere was decent.

Our table ordered the pastor mole burrito, chicken quesadilla, steak tacos and pork tamales; everything was amazing & very authentic

First time there, we were visiting from Chicago. People from Puebla are know as one of the best making mole so when I saw the restaurant on google I knew for sure we had to try it. I had the enmoladas and my husband had the burrito with mole on top and a quesadilla de flor de calabaza. Quesadilla needed more seasoning but the mole was sweet and that’s the way I like it, server was nice and we had a great time!

El Sabor is one of our favorite restaurants in Madison! They serve such an amazing variety of foods and they are all fantastic. We've eaten at their restaurant, at the farmers market stand, and various festivals and events around Madison - their tacos are particularly good. They also catered our wedding and made special vegan foods at our request that were all delicious. There staff are friendly and professional too. Please visit El Sabor!

Just a simple Mexican restaurant with a regularly-tasting meal, staff is nice as well. Yet nothing what you'll tell your grandchildren about. I had enchiladas de pollo, and they both looked and tasted good, but not somewhat to be named "best enchiladas I ever had". Definitely worth trying if you are in the area - you won't get disappointed (but probably won't be ecstatic as well).

Confession: I went here 3 days in a week. Monday, I got a quick lunch of chorizo, spinach & mushroom quesadillas (so good!) I came back the next day for the Taco Tuesday special. Then, I dropped by on Thursday for the special on tamales to add to our family dinner. All I can say is fast service, quality food and good prices!

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! I called ahead to order a dozen tamales. I absolutely love the tamales from here and have ordered them 4 times to which the price usually comes up to $20-21 for a dozen. Today, when I went to pick up the tamales, I was charged $26.38 for a dozen. I asked for the price increase and the young lady at the registered IGNORED ME and continued to PLAY ON HER PHONE! I asked again and she just said “I don’t know that’s the price” I paid and left. I was already having a bad and her attitude made it worse. I won’t be coming back after this horrible experience. Look somewhere else. Gracias.

The food has all been exceptional here. Everything we've tried has been super tasty - tlacoyos, tacos, tamales, Sopes, mole. All stellar! Atmosphere is ok. TVs on the wall still have plastic wrap on them. I assume there's a bathroom through the one door, but there isn't signage. It can be a little loud, but just from echoes. Booths and tables are fun designs. Based on all the signs posted, they must have some issues with students, but we've been on Saturday a few times and it's been fine. Drinks are pretty expensive, and only one small basket of chips/salsa is free, but those are becoming commonplace unfortunately.

Nice little locally run Mexican restaurant in Madison. Probably about 9 tables total inside and 3 outside tables. The booth tables have beautiful carvings under a lacquered finish. Wait staff are always friendly and prompt to bring menus, chips and salsa and to take orders. This was our second trip and I decided to try the mole enchiladas, which they called Enmoladas. I chose chicken for the filling. They were amazing! Some of the best mole I've had in a long time. Absolutely recommend you try this spot.

This is one of Madison's authentic Mexican treasures, located near East High School. I've never been disappointed by El Sabor, whether I'm getting takeout, eating in or see them out vending at a festival. My favorite dish is probably the Chicken Enchiladas Verdes - it's the ultimate comfort food, but everything they serve is delicious. Fast, friendly service and great prices, too! It's a casual spot and a neighborhood favorite.

Great casual spot. Good pricing. Flavorful food and fast. Super local spot behind east high.

When we entered in the restaurant there was only one other table. I ordered water with lemon. I got water with lime. I eat Mexican food regularly. I ordered Enchiladas Verdes $16.00 and a Puerco Tamale $3.00. My wife ordered Chimichanga Combo $16.00. I have only sent food back 4 times in my life and I am 66. So, I eat almost everything. I ate 1 bite of the Enchiladas. I did not like it at all. I told the waitress. I requested it to be replaced with an enchilada without the sauce. I ate the beans and rice. She brought out one with the cheese sauce on it like I requested. I ate the Tamale and the beans and rice. I was charged not only for the bad Enchilada $16.00, but for a queso dip $4.00, open food $3.00 and an Enchilada no Salsa solo queso arriba sin sides $9.00 and my wife's Chimichanga Combo $16.00. So, they charged me for the bad food and additional amount for the replacement. I did not eat the replacement enchilada in the restaurant and took it home. When I went to eat it, it was just dried out chicken inside. There was nothing else inside of it. I couldn't eat that either. I threw it in the trash. I went to Taco Bell a couple days later and ordered an enchilada there. Not only was far better tasting it was a lot cheaper. Needless to say, my wife and I will not be returning ever. I really dislike paying for bad food twice.

El Sabor de Puebla is the best authentic Mexican restaurant that I've tried in Madison. They have an excellent menu, and everything we tried here was amazing. I had been wanting to try huitlacoche & squash blossom for a long time and I was so happy to see that they were both on the menu here! The guac & horchata were also both delicious. The service was fantastic & the art in this restaurant is gorgeous. Highly recommend!

The people working are always friendly, even when I dine in with my rambunctious toddler. The food is consistently good, and friends I have brought there also agree. I love the chorizo chimichanga, and my boyfriend usually gets the chicken chimichanga. Kids love the tacos, fries, and the agua Fresca is always yummy. If you haven't been here, you're missing out.

We came here for a quick dinner and had a great meal! I went with two carne asada tacos, while my boyfriend with the enchilada plate and a carne asada taco on the side. They serve chips and salsa at the table also. The food was fantastic and came out fast, and the service was friendly! Glad we came here and know we will come back!

I'm actually posting to comment on their new location! They're pretty new so not on yelp yet. The restaurant opened where Benvenutos was and what a terrific place! Good staff and the food was delicious. Thank you for coming to the northside!

Just ate at their new location. The food was fantastic as always. The new place is HUGE compared to their old location. I just hope that they can get enough biz . They deserve it!

Absolutely the best food in the city. People are fantastic. Love the booths by the windows. Highly recommend their shrimp fajitas. My son will eat their chicken quesadilla with rice until the cows come home.

Plenty taco options. Great TAMALES. Never dry very juicy. Taco Tuesdays. Tamale Thursdays. $1.10/each so worth it. Chips leave much to be desired. Good pricing for side portions of creama/sour cream. Guac. Pico. The pico has great flavor. I'd recommend but have never dined in. Maybe that will return once we reach herd immunity.

Great authentic Mexican food that's more nuanced than what you get in a lot of other places, at great prices. They were so nice to my family--they gave us a pumpkin upon leaving!

This has been my latest go-to for tacos, and we absolutely love it! ::The Food:: Fresh, flavorful and reasonably priced! They offer weekly Taco Tuesday deals: $1.50/taco every first Tuesday of the month; all other Tuesdays, the promo is only valid till 5 PM. The meat selection is more limited than some other spots, but good quality and quantity. The corn tortillas are always soft and fresh, too! I will say the red and green sauces are on the mild side (my preference is HOT and flavorful) and would love if they offered a spicier option. The sauces are given "1 per 2 tacos," and are an additional $0.75 if requesting more. Their mole sauce is rich and yummy--and their Burrito Mole is a must-try! Another thing I love is the Kids Menu, and their Agua Frescas--which vary weekly and are so refreshing! They also post specials on their FB page so definitely follow them for deals. I am looking forward to trying more--but can't seem to steer myself away from the usuals mentioned above...! ::Service:: Ordering by phone is easy and usually only 5-15 minutes to whip up! Pick up is a breeze, always quick and friendly. We have only done take-out (since discovering it during the pandemic) and appreciate the care they take in packaging the food.

They have great tacos and on Tuesday they have the taco Tuesday sale. Remember it used to be $1-1.50 per taco but has increased. Don't bother coming in the afternoon. Its when the high schoolers come out for lunch and swarm the place. Typically only order to-go, but dining in they have lots of options.

Everytime i come in there they mess up the order. Food was okay, whenever i get steak tacos, quesadillas it always has so much fat. They used to be the best food place that's close to work, but now it's terrible. Workers usually are nice but usually mess up the order not very cleanest. They expect you to use sauce bottles that look like they haven't been cleaned in so long and the sauce is stuck at the top. Overall nasty

They service is taking to long. We was sitting here for 30 minutes and we haven't got our food. We were to go and they serve the dine in first before us

I know I've left multiple reviews for this establishment but I feel like consistency on this level needs to be recognized. The other day my partner got home wiped out and I decided to grab us food. We went to El Sabor and he ordered steak tacos... one of my absolute favorite things about the meals here is the beans and rice and the consistency with the flavor. I also got a Hibiscus agua fresca and that will now be added to my regular order.. service was friendly and prompt still... this place is a gem!!! If you're on the Fence try it out!

The tamales never disappoint! I loved both the red and green sauce; typically I live for the green, but the red added some great flavors and a bit creamier than your typical. Service was lightning fast. I'd say this is a quaint area, probably not great for a large group. It was bustling with take out orders on a Tuesday. I'd come back for their taco Tuesday lunch (10am-5pm) $1/taco deal. The beans were okay. I liked the added texture. The rice was bland. Salsa: definitely spicy, but could have used a little bit more garlic, salt and lime. Overall, I was happy with the main items I had to eat (tacos and tamales).

Good mole and tacos. Tamales are the best. And I love the vibe of the place; always friendly and fast. This is my favorite local East Side Mexican.

Maybe its just me but Mexican food in Madison is not great. Luckily, I found this place. The tacos and burritos are pretty tasty and I will definitely return. Having had some great Mexican in other parts of the country I will refrain from being to critical but for Madison, WI this place is good!

I just had this at a festival and it was the best dang burrito I've ever had in Madison. Might be going back for burrito number 2 soon and to try the delicious looking tamales and horchata.

hands down THE BEST chicken tacos and enchiladas I ever had! the agua frescas are very refreshing as well!

Excellent food and very friendly service, this is a must go every time I'm in town. I always get a few of their tamales to take home, no matter how full I am. The prices are low but the quality is high. If you like authentic flavor and fresh ingredients give them a try.

Ordered from here the other night for dinner for pickup. We got three asada tacos and three al pastor and weren't pleased with either of them. The tacos seemed to be barely "filled", with little meat and toppings inside. The rice and beans were tasty and typical to what you'd expect to get at a Mexican restaurant. Overall, we just weren't satisfied with the meal and felt hungry when we were done. Still on the hunt for the best Mexican in Madison and unfortunately El Sabor de Puebla wasn't it!

Great tacos. Fast service. I call ahead and they are ready in 15 min. I recommend Birra and charisma tacos.

Went here at dinner time for Taco Tuesday. Their deals are $1 tacos that are slightly smaller than normal, and you can choose any meat/veggie. Definitely an amazing deal considering how much meat they give you in each taco! I would recommend the chorizo and steak. The chorizo had a nice kick to it, and the steak was very flavorful. I'd come back here again to try out their other Taco Tuesday deals, like combinations and other taco options.

Best tasting chicken I've ever had in a Mexican restaurant. Flavorful, moist, and a little spicy. Everything is homemade. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

best mexican food in madison!! do not skip this place. try taco tuesday or tamale thursday.

I liked the restaurant a little bit! The environment wasn't comfortable, it was not very clean, and the prices weren't cheap. When I got my payment receipt, I noticed some extra payments such as 18% per tip, and 10% of fees by using my credit card. I felt disappointed at the extra charges. I would prefer giving the tip directly to the waiter, and not included with the total payment. Overall, the food was fine, but the service was terrible!

I love El Sabor! The cecina tlacoyos are my favorite. I have never been a huge fan of tamales but I tried the pork tamale, and wow--delicious! I've been converted :) The mole is excellent, and the chips and salsa are a must-have.

Everything at Sabor was ok. The chips were ok. Better than store bought but an odd after taste. The guac was full of onion and tomato. I would have rather had less guacamole with only avocado and no veggie mix ins. The mole with Chicken was ok. The sauce needed something as it was a bit bland. The best item we had was the carne asada tacos. We ordered two of them and my wife and I were fighting over who would get every bite. The steak was marinated perfectly. If I come back I will definitely get the carne asada. I love the neighborhood feel of the restaurant, tucked between some houses just off of Johnson street. The inside has just 4 or 5 tables with the bulk of the people I saw coming in the takeaway. All in all, I think better Mexican food can be had just down the road.

Ordered street tacos: received the wrong meat. Ordered the taco salad for 15 bucks. Seriously was tiny. I mean I couldn't believe it Very expensive average Mexican

We discovered this amazing and authentic Mexican restaurant at the Taste of Madison 2018. We couldn't wait to try them at their location in Madison. To start, the chips and salsa were some of the best we have ever had. I'm a fan of salsa with a kick and it wasn't shy of that. The Tacos Al Pastor and Tacos Carne Asada were top notch. Ben also enjoyed the Tamale with pork which was as equally delicious. This place has easily and quickly became one of our favorite authentic Mexican restaurants in the Madison area. El Sabor de Puebla will be one of our main "go to's" when we are craving top notch Mexian food. Our next visit cannot come soon enough.

Amazing, Authentic food. Have never been disappointed with the flavors. Great Takeout option. Also a lot of their produce comes from a local sustainable organic farm in Verona. So Win Win!

We stopped here on our way to Madison (visiting from Florida) and this place did not disappoint! Sadly they were out of torta bread (clearly bc it's so good) but the taco salad had all of the fixings of a torta, plus I added jalapeños. Everything tasted so authentic -- we also tried the mole, homemade quesadillas, and tamale trio. If we lived there we would be eating at this place weekly. They have a small selection of beers, and some sangria, no margaritas. If we are ever in the area again we will be back!

My son and I checked out El Sabor de Puebla a couple of weeks ago. It's within walking distance and it was a beautiful summer night. If not for mosquitoes, we could have enjoyed our entrees at one of the outdoor tables, but that was not to be. There are so many echoes of 4 & 20, the previous bakery/cafe that was so loved and closed after such an unexpectedly sad event. The layout is the same, only the colors have changed. The interior is awash in warm caribbean hues, and beautiful pottery from the owners' home region in Mexico is displayed as art and available for purchase. Pride of place is evident in the decor and in the food. We enjoyed our entrees and their low prices as well. For some reason, their soft corn tortillas, normally a somewhat bland component of the meal, had the most amazing flavor. Absolutely delicious! The owner was extremely busy catering summer events as well as running the restaurant, so some things weren't available, such as a milder salsa than the extremely hot green one. It made it hard for me to season my food to my liking, as it arrives not spicy at all and the green sauce is killer. They have lots of natural light through the wall of large windows (may want to think about installing shades of some sort for when the afternoon summer sun is fairly blinding), but this winter I'm sure that will be an asset when we all crave the light. I'm looking forward to my next visit and checking out some of their other offerings!

Spending a decade of my life in Chicago, I have often longed for some of the extraordinary Mexican food I would consume on a regular basis. Don't get me wrong, Madison has recently gotten some pretty legit spots, but I think it's safe to say El Sabor de Puebla has quickly become one of my favorites. We dined in their new location, conveniently located in walking distance from my house. They've done a nice job with the space, making it casual and cozy. The food was excellent. I got the Torta Milanesa de Res and my family all got tamales and tacos. The Torta was outstanding, reminiscent of some of my favorite spots in Chicago. Milanesa can often come off being chewy and gristly. Sabor's was tender on the outside, but maintaining the crisp, fried exterior. Topped with pickled jalapenos, avocados, cheese and crema---this Torta was fantastic. The tacos tasted great too and a they serve a killer horchata. All in all, i'm smitten to have them in the neighborhood and they are guaranteed to become a weekly haunt.

Delicious authentic Mexican tacos! I get their Al Pastor tacos almost every time. The flavors are great and the pork is always tender. Their tamales are really good as well. Definitely worth a try. If you're looking for good authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price, you should give this place a try.

Excellent food and service -- torts with asafa, enmalada with pollo, chimichanga with pollo

Awesome food and friendly staff! Seven of us tried a variety of dishes and we were all pleased.

El Sabor has become my favorite local Mexican restaurant here in Madison. It's the closest I can get here that compares to the food I remember my parents and grandparents making throughout my life. The portions to cost are fairly well balanced and the flavors and quality are fantastic. If anything, they tend to kick up the heat a bit higher in their food than other local places, but not so much that you can't eat it. I'm talking heat/bite, not spice. Too many people confuse the two. Their spices are spot on. I gave them a 4 out of 5 only because I wish they had milanessa de res, botanas, and a giant plate of killer nachos with all of the fixings.

I dare say, the ONLY authentic Mexican food you can find in Madison, although nothing is very spicy. Some of these negative reviews are so snooty. Yikes! I ordered tlacoyos, a specialty street food of Mexico State, which I have only ever had in Mexico. The young server (I'm guessing the owner's daughter) did not really know how to describe what I was ordering since I wanted to be sure I would not be disappointed by something else. However, I received a perfectly authentic tlacoyo (it was missing nopales, which is ok; even some Mexicans can't stomach them). My husband ordered the mole which was burnt and tasted a little too much like chocolate, but that may just be a question of taste.

Came here on a Tuesday at 8pm only to find out taco Tuesday ends at 5pm. Seems odd, but ok whatev. Tacos were good nonetheless. Will likely return but will first scope out better taco Tuesday deals.

Stopped in for margaritas and was surprised to learn they only serve bottled drinks. They did serve beer and a bottled margarita but it was a little odd finding a Mexican restaurant sans Margaritas, lol. Since we were already seated we stayed for a drink & chips/salsa. My friend had the bottled margarita which she said was ok. I ordered a Michelada which was delicious and perfectly done! Salsa was flavorful but can't say I was a fan of the chips. Would return to try the food, even without tequila!

I'm a huge fan of mole and after reading the reviews praising their mole I had to check it out. It's a clean restaurant and a fairly comfortable space; the quick and friendly service bumped my rating to the four stars. Food wise, it did not live up to the hype. The complimentary chips and salsa were great (warm chips and salsa with some heat), but the mole needed a bit more kick to it - it was heavy on the chocolate flavor, not on the spice. They did slather it on my enchiladas and hubby's burrito, so that was a bonus as some places aren't as generous. Also, there weren't many vegetarian options other than a spinach/mushroom burrito. I'd be interested in going back and trying their tacos.

Sabor de Puebla is a severely underrated place. I got their burrito with mole and a tcylaco (unsure if spelling is correct. I definitely recommend trying one of their special dishes from Puebla. It was so good we ordered two. Prices are good. Ambiance is so so. Service was good. This is pretty close to authentic. I'll be back and I'll come hungry!

The mole is delicious!!! I would drive across the US again for the mole. The tacos are full of meat. My family loves it

Not bad pricing and not bad flavors. Got the carne asada quesadilla served with sour cream, guacamole and salsa, and rice and beans. The green sauce really made the dish better. I went with a large group and once we receive the red and green sauce, we all reached for the extra flavor. So slightly on the bland side but the sauce was great.