Mercado & Taqueria De Amigos

An everything restaurant in Pescadero that serves really exceptional Mexican food. Prices are fair but the quality of the food is incredible. We ordered a jumbo Al pastor burrito and split it in half, we both thought it was among the best tasting Mexican food in the local area. There’s a large salsa bar and a great outdoor seating area with water, napkins and utensils station. The jumbo burrito cost $14.99 but it is CASH only!!! We highly recommen this place!!!

Tasty freshly made mexican food with lots of fresh veggies and many salsa options. Horchata drink was good .we had burrito bowls, tostada and tacos. They take cash only.Outdoor seating area was perfect for a sunny day loaded with nice holiday vibes!! Pescadero itself is a perfect little rural town.

While pescadero doesn’t have many options this is a good casual budget option. I’ve found the food good, the service fast and the outside seating very nice. The chip bar has the usual Mexican sauces but the habanero sauce is as spicy as I have had. The fish tacos are good and usually what I get.

Popped in for a quick bite on our way to Santa Cruz and it was phenomenal. Super fast service, very friendly atmosphere, and excellent, very filling food! We had the carnitas tostada, chili verde taco, fish taco, and lengua taco. Cash only but there is an ATM on site. Definitely worth the quick pit stop; parking is limited at the gas station but the street parking is open anywhere in the area (at least in April).

Best hidden gem in Pescadero. Skip the other places and visit the gas station instead for hearty Mexican food. We got steak fajitas, California burrito, and birria plate, all of them were delicious and satisfying. Fresh salsa bar was awesome; habanero salsa really hit the spot with a nice kick.

After years of saying I should eat here each time I'm in town I did. Had tamales and a shrimp burrito. Burrito was delicious. Their homemade salsas are great with chips.

This is a great authentic Mexican taqueria in Pascadero. At my last visit, I was surprised and happy to learn the aguas frescas are made by scratch. The horchata drink I ordered was delicious. Horchata is a traditional Mexican drink made up of white rice soaked in water, it’s flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with granulated sugar. Most vendors make it from overly sweet packaged mix but not this taqueria. I highly recommend for good eats and reasonable prices.

Mercado & Taqueria de Amigos in Pescadero is a must-visit! I had the super quesadilla with carne asada, and it was absolutely to die for. The meat was flavorful, the cheese perfectly melted, and the portions were generous. Authentic, delicious, and full of flavor – you can’t go wrong here. Highly recommend this spot for anyone passing through Pescadero!

This place is a GEM. I'd never have thought to get great tacos at a gas station but I've been here over 5 times and NEVER does it disappoints. Fresh , flavorful and fast! Cash only but there's an ATM. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating . LOVE THIS PLACE

Cash only- $20 flat can get you a super shrimp burrito and an agua fresca. Loved the size of the shrimp, nice and fresh, not too oily. Would eat here again!

I am still awake I cannot write haikus I liked the concha And apparently this needs to be 85 characters for me to post but I wish I could've tried the real food because I'm sure it was unreal.

TLDR: Tasty Mexican food, a bit of a grocery store and gas up your car too! Friendly hardworking service. Cash only on the restaurant side of the house. T H E. F O O D : Big menu for Mexican food with all the usuals - tacos, burritos, quesadillas, plate meals that add beans and rice, plus breakfast options like breakfast burritos hidden in plain sight on the sandwich board in front of the order counter. As we already had breakfast on our way here, we enjoyed a chicken street taco and a chorizo breakfast burrito with avocado slices added. The burrito was of a (regular/reasonable - moderate) size. Tasty stuff, though I prefer my potato bits inside the burrito a little larger. They have bigger burritos too.. Head on over to the grocery aisles to also find fresh Mexican baked goods in the bakery case. S E A T I N G : Some basic booth seating inside, but TONS of big red picnic tables outside to enjoy your meal. Definitely worth a stop if you are famished and wanna go Mexican here in scenic Pescadero!

Anyone who told you to not trust burritos from a gas station needs to not be trusted themselves. That is, if the gas station in question is the Alliance in Pescadero, CA. This Taqueria and Market has all of the essentials and some really good Mexican food to boot. I ordered the super size Fajitas burrito with Carne Asada. The sauces are unlimited, so help yourself. The Carne Asada was incredibly generous in terms of portion and marinated expertly. I spent no more than 10 minutes waiting for my order which was pumped out with expert speed and precision by the chef in the back. Will be back next time I'm in Pescadero!

The quesadilla was exactly what I needed on my drive from Santa Cruz to Halfmoon Bay! The beans and rice were not super remarkable or flavorful, but the carne asada and guacamole were lovely. To add, the service is pretty quick. Tip: bring cash, as they are cash only!!

**CASH ONLY** Dropped by while in Pescadero and the tacos were amazing. I was apprehensive at first since it is inside a gas station, but the flavors were amazing. 10/10 would go back for the tacos. I ran out of cash; but if I had more, I would've ordered many more items from the menu to try

Totally thought this place was brand new until I came to share my review and saw years of previous reviews! With its location tucked inside a gas station convenience store, it's easy to miss, but I'm glad it popped up on my radar, because it's a sweet spot serving up some pretty good food. This spot is cash only, though with their great pricing you won't need too much of it! I got a taco plate with two tacos, rice, and beans for just under $11. Not too many places nowadays you can get a full meal and walk away full for that price. The menu was pretty big so picking what to order wasn't an easy decision, I definitely need to come back here to try more things out. Ultimately I ended up going with a carne asada taco and a carnitas taco. Both meats were good, and I'd gladly order either again, though the carnitas were the winner for me. I did find a couple pieces of gristle in my first bite of the carnitas, but didn't notice anymore while eating. My mom got the nachos, which came loaded up with meat and guac. She liked them but also noted some gristle in the chicken. Nachos were also just under $11and filled her up. They have a bunch of picnic tables outside and a couple tables inside. The outside has a better vibe, so it is a really great place to come on a nice sunny day.

Don't let the outside fool you--this spot is our go-to whenever we're in the area. The breakfasts are fantastic, the food's consistently great, and the service is solid. No frills, just good vibes.

There is parking in the back, there's probably 14 spots there. BTW, it is cash only! I got Super Tacos (Pastor), Quesabirria, and Shrimp Burrito. The quesabirria was just alright, but I thought the Shrimp and tacos were great. I will definitely get shrimp items here again. Many places half-ass cooking shrimp, or source stale tasting shrimp. Somehow, this little place inside a gas station served me one of the best shrimp I've had in California. The shrimp burrito was flavorful, not overcooked, had the perfect texture of crunch and not rubbery. The regular sized burrito had 8 shrimps..8! It was very generous and each bite I took had a shrimp in it. How is this possible! There are picnic tables in the back with no shade. There are also seats inside but I thought they looked a little icky.

It had a reaaaaally long line when we came in. There barely any seat available because they only had a few tables. The restaurant was combined with the grocery stores.. the service was a little slow and it was *cash only* I ordered taco plate & birria taco. They tasted ok, nothing remarkable. I don't think it's worth waiting half an hour on the line though.

A gas station break and a stretch break led us to this hidden gem! What a find, thanks to Yelp! The food is amazing, fresh, hot: perfect combination!!! It's cash only though, that was the only tiny downside of this experience. There's outdoor seating that looks great for warmer days, but given that it was cold (a brrr kinda day), we sat inside where you can see 2-3 tiny tables packed together. We ordered a combination of tacos, eggs with potato and a fajita. The Guac was superb!!! Must go!!!!

No. 6 Stars! This little gas station with a taqueria is an authentic place that cares about your happiness. When I go to taquerias, I ask for a keto meal - no rice, no beans, no tortillas. I tell them, "Lots of meat, cheese, guacamole, salsa and crema!" I usually get the head tilted, "Que?" I say, "Charge us whatever." Then, most places, including this one, charge us roughly $20 a plate. I usually expect to be underfed. Not here. Look at the picture of the plates! The carnitas were INCREDIBLE. The vegetales rocked with flavor! Lots of great guacamole, sour cream, cheese and salad. To put it over the top, they have FRESH habanero, no-nonsense salsa that will KICK YOUR ASS! I ate 1/2 a cup of that over those two plates, and left the place crying with joy and capsaicin frying my sinuses. This tiny place is a REASON to drive to Pescadero. Go. Experience it.

Ok , this is not a fine dining experience, It's not a date night establishment, it's not even as comfortable as Mickey D'S ,matter of fact you can get your car filled with unleaded gas here , or buy groceries here , but here's the catch : you can get a bad azz taco here also , carnitas or chicken or even lengua if you dare !! When needing to fill up your gas tank or your belly , stop on by here - you'll thank me

I love this place so much but please lower the price of the vegetarian burrito. $13.99 is WAY too high. Thank you.

*Parking: Street parking or park in the small lot right next to the gas station *Experience: This is located inside the gas station so you can also pick up some snacks! Pretty extensive list of options ranging from burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, etc.. cash only! We ordered a super burrito for $13 and a horchata for $4. There's also a restroom, but you'd need a key for it. After placing your order, venture over to the sauce bar and pick your sauces! I loved that they had a cute outdoor patio to dine at. I would not dine indoors as there were many flies. *Food: The burrito was pretty long and carne asada was good! It was enough for my husband and I to share. Loved all the different sauces as well. My favorite combo would be a mix of the green and white sauce with every bite! I would not get the horchata again. It was super watery and not worth it.

Genuinely delicious , no frills, didn't expect to get such good Mexican out here. Got some exhaust coming in from the gas station outside, but you can eat out in the back patio if it's not too cold.

Pretty dang good! I hear some people say to never get burritos from a gas station, but this place would have to be the exception. I came here with my parents after touring Harley Farms. I ordered the California burrito while my parents got the carne asada/camarones a la diabla lunch specials. It's a cash only establishment, my dad had JUST enough cash for lunch for the three of us lol $46. The staff notified me that they hadn't fired up the fryer yet so there would be no fries in my burrito. This would normally be upsetting but I understand that I literally got there at 11am before peak lunch hour so that's fair. They were willing to make adjustments to my burrito though: I asked for no beans and extra rice and lettuce. In the end I had an amazing burrito with everything I asked for! My parents also enjoyed their meal as well. Very friendly service. They do have a bathroom here, you need to ask them for the key to use it. The condiments are self serve. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, though the indoor seating is a little cramped. Overall, I had a happy experience here. I would recommend it to anyone visiting Pescadero!

CASH ONLY. Ate here after a hike at Butano and it did not disappoint. Flavorful and distinctive. We tried their birria tacos and carne asada tacos and camarones. Camarones and salsas were spicy but in the best way possible. Beans were good. Fun spot!

Let's start with the good: the grilled fish in the fish tacos was flavorful, light and moist. Kudos considering it was chopped into small chunks, which could have easily come out dry with a few more seconds on the grill. Breakfast burritos served all day. We opted for the chorizo, which also had scrambled eggs, cheese and diced potatoes in it. It was dense and the chorizo overpowered everything else. Way too spicy, I didn't dare try to finish my half. We also got a carne asada taco which was very run of the mill. Wouldn't get this or the burrito with chorizo again. Every single salsa in the salsa bar packed some level of heat, even the pico de gallo. We were intrigued with the white sauce, which we gathered is crema based with some diced pickled jalapeños? Never had that before and it was our favorite! They have a few tables inside as well as a fairly large outside area with lots of benches. Cash only!

Mercado & Taqueria De Amigos is a combo gas station and Mexican restaurant in Pescadero. The food is cheap and comes fast. Safety Pluses - Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering. Food Review: Chicken Quesadilla ($7.49) was average. Lots of chicken, not a lot of cheese or flavor. 7/10 Overall - Good Food - Good Decor - Good Service - Good Value - Good Would we come back - No

How is the best Mexican Food I've ever eaten from a gas station in the middle of nowhere? Not sure how, but this place is amazing. Treat yourself to a shrimp tostada. You won't be sorry!

We stopped in here for a quick bite after a half marathon because we heard this place was highly rated, and even written up by the New York Times and SFGate. I had the Super Taco with Shredded Chicken and my husband had the Super Taco with Carne Asada. They were served with Guac, Sour Cream, and Lettuce. They were really tasty served on soft corn tortillas, but too wet to eat with hands. We were given forks and wondered why at first. Then it made sense. They also gave us chips and have a salsa station. The salsas were yummy. There were many options on the menu. The guy behind us had Menudo. I'll have to try that next time. There were lots of flies inside the restaurant so that was kind of gross. We ate our tacos at one of the booths. The service was fine though not very personable. It was a little after 10am on Sunday so though the sign said they were open, we weren't quite sure since no one came to the counter for a few minutes. By the way, it's cash only.

The best taqueria around! Food is incredible and quickly served and the service is prompt

If your traveling between Pacifica and Santa Cruz on Highway 1 then I highly recommend you stop here. Everything is local and fresh, the chickens come from three building down the street. I enjoy everything on the menu with there amazing condiment bar with the best salsa and pico, I truly believe. Parking is easy and outside eating is very enjoyable with a tree that was struck by lightning many years ago. Ah I love this place thank you guys for another great lunch. While I'm Pescadero keep like 175.00 cash on you because the local stores have delicious treats from pies, soups, jams, to garlic artichoke bread

This place is very much a hole in the wall. They also only accept cash! I tried their fish and shrimp tacos and they were pretty tasty! I enjoyed their shrimp tacos a little more as the fish was a little dry. I honestly feel like it was pretty average and I have had better tacos... Also, the amount of flies inside really threw me off. I didn't expect it to be super clean inside, but the amount of flies were crazy the day that I went. It just made me super uncomfortable.

Hole in the wall is what I'm about. This place was IT. Per the guidance of other fellow Yelpers, we tried the shrimp taco and toastada. The shirmp taco had about 4-5 shrimps and the toastada was definitely loaded. The line was not long but the wait for the order took over 25 min. I think they take more orders than their little kitchen can hold hence the wait time. Nonetheless, all impatience subsided on the first bite of the toastada. It's really good. Come try this place out!

Found this taqueria through Yelp and so happy we tried it! Very fresh and authentic Mexican food. Ordered: Camarones a la diabla Super quesadilla with pollo Carne asada taco All three were excellent. My family is very picky about food. Whenever we eat out we'll find either the food quality is lacking or doesn't justify the high prices. This place met and went beyond our expectations. My dad was still talking about it the next day and my persnickety mom said she's looking forward to trying the enchiladas and tamales. We drove from Menlo Park and there's plenty of Mexican restaurants near us but we can't wait to visit here again. Good food and great prices. Thank you for providing a great dining experience :)

This is the real deal for good Mexican food. I have had almost every dish on this menu and can say that everything is great. Cash only !!

We were cold and wanted a bowl of artichoke soup, but Duarte's was closed on a Saturday evening--go figure. Then my partner said, "I know where we can go". He remembers when this place was a literally a hole in the wall inside of a gas station in the mid 90s. They served large meat burritos for $2.50 to mostly the local farm workers from down South (and also smart gringos. On the outside, it is still a gas station situated on a corner. When we walked inside, there was a counter to order tacos and burritos. There were lots of people lined up ordering food. The place was clean and also smelled of wonderful Mexican flavors. When I walked in the back there was a market filled with all the ingredients to feed a Mexican family. They had salsas; masa flour for making one's own tortillas from scratch; Mexican sodas; tall candles of the Virgin Mary; and cleaning products. We decided to get just one small item--a fish taco made from snapper, and it was delicious!!! I am making myself hungry writing about it.

We call these gas station tacos. It's the perfect place for a break just off the PCH. Delicious tacos, burritos, and drinks, lots of salsas, plenty of tables both inside and out.

Hole in the wall taco joint in a gas station. They have outdoor seating so nice place for lunch. Shrimp tostados - the shrimps were so juicy and perfectly grilled. Favorite thing here! Fish taco - pretty good. Better with the lime carne asada taco - this steak was dry and a bit underwhelming. Drenched it with the green sauce I'd come back for the shrimp tostados!

Stopped by to an impromptu lunch while in Pescadero. It was a lovely warm Fall day, after strolling the Town, decided to have the Carne Asada lunch plate, it was very tasty and had some tortillas to take home. If I was not the area, I'd do it all over again. Lunch was scrumptious and a true treat

The fish tacos were bomb but I have to give this place only 3 stars because of the dry and flavorless Carne Asada -- the meat did not smell fresh or flavorful and i could barely cut through it with the plastic knife. Fun gas station dining experience though, and definitely just get the tacos!

We are trying to find a secluded, COVID-safe place for an overnighter and when looking around Portola Redwoods and around PCH for a cabin I couldn't help but check if De Amigos was still open during this crazy year. This place is so good I remembered it from a year ago and would still seek it out even if it was 30 minutes away from where we end up. From recent reviews excite they are still open and doing takeout! This is located in Pescadero at a gas station convenience store, it is very popular and legendary and was pretty crowded before covid. Every ingredient was delicious and fresh from the tortillas to the onions and cilantro. Sides like rice and beans were also very good and did not feel like a "add-on". One thing to note is the fish tacos are grilled using great tasting fish and are not fried, see the picture. Note pics are from last year, before Covid.

Scenic drive to arrive at this quaint town, Pescadero, and have delicious Mexican food at town's only gas station. I always get the fresh fish taco plate with maybe the most delicious refried beans and side of Spanish rice. They have other options available and only accept cash. If the weather is pleasant, take it across the town at the Pescadero beach to enjoy the view.

Bomb tacos and burritos! My boyfriend and I swung by after doing a quick walk around Pescadero Marsh. I got a shrimp burrito and he got fish and chile verde tacos. Your order comes with an order of chips and salsa as well. We also came during COVID-times so we picked up our food and brought it out back to eat. They have a nice set up in the back with picnic tables, some with umbrellas, that are nicely spaced apart for outdoor dining. Food is delicious, fresh, and flavorful! No complaints all around; support small local businesses :) We parked across the street from the gas station though there's plenty of parking along the street.

We tried vegetarian super taco and lingua tacos. Overall the tacos here were delicious - fresh and flavorful. They had a huge platter of self serve salsas/sauces. We really enjoyed crème and tomatillo salsas. Crème salsa was really unique and I've not seen that at any other taquerias in the peninsula. It was quite pricey for the size of the tacos though. Especially it's hard to justify paying $5 for a vegetarian super taco which mostly just had a huge filling of rice, almost 70% rice. My partner was quite happy with lingua tacos. There was a long line when we entered, which made us felt good about our choice. It takes about 10-15 mins to get your food, which is reasonable. There is plenty of seating areas indoor and is quite clean, well maintained. Also, this was the only place near San Gregorio and Pescadero which seemed open, unless you want to drive all the way up-to half moon bay for food.

Super quesadilla is not quesadilla. It's like 2 small tacos. And be ready to get cold meal. Sweet town, nice waves but I wouldn't recommend the meal.

Amazing salsa bar! Good hours. Open on Tuesdays when the rest of Pescadero isn't. If you're stopping off for gas at the only place for miles along the San Mateo coast and you want some good, affordable authentic Mexican food, then you've come to the right place. Bring cash. They don't take cards.

SF Gate recommended the shrimp tostada here, an unassuming taqueria located in a gas station in Pescadero. It was phenomenal, highly recommend. We weren't sure how big the tostadas would be so the bf and I each ordered that and a fish taco. The tostada alone would certainly have been enough for lunch although we weren't overly stuffed with the fish taco add-on. While the fish taco was certainly good, if you were only going to pick one item, shrimp tostada all the way. The shrimp were so plump, plentiful, and juicy. I wasn't sure if all that cheese might be too much or a bit strange (and the bf especially gets apprehensive about combining cheese and seafood but Philly sushi rolls are one of my guilty pleasures so I have fewer qualms about that), but the layers of everything turned out to be just the right amount and all came together perfectly. Not sure if it's particularly clear in the picture but there's a layer of refried beans on top of the tostada that was also great. Grabbed some salsas from the salsa bar as well and my favorite was the green one.

First off it's CASH ONLY so either bring some with or hit up the atm inside before ordering. Now that's out of the way, this is a hidden gem for those that don't know. Inside a gas station, this spot serves up some of the best carne asada and carnitas you'll have. The steak is flavored well and not that rubbery or fatty type; while the carnitas is juicy and semi crispy! I ALAWYS order tacos here and these ain't your small skimpy ones either. Each taco has enough to be split into two really. You could probably use that extra tortilla to pick up all the meat that fell out while eating. If you're feeling really hungry grab a tamale or add rice and beans to your order! Grab a coke and head to a picnic bench around back and enjoy! Whether you're driving down PCH or coming thru the canyons this is a must stop. Also there are cute shops and a cafe down the street to walk it off!

Delicious. Quesabirria was so good! The green salsa is so bright and limey. Loved it. Cash only!

Lots of rave reviews about the tacos at this corner gas station/taqueria. I was not impressed with the flavorless fish tacos. Fast service, but cash only. Their beef was flavorless, too. Maybe we went to the wrong place? Maybe the people rating this place didn't know what they were talking about? I don't know. What I do know is that I can find better fare in San Jose.

Came across this shop while trying to find a gas station and finally gave it a try on our second go. We ordered: * nacho fries w/ shrimp + carne asada * 2 fish tacos ($2 special of the day) * super burrito w/ shrimp + carne asada * bottled water $30 Love their self-serve chips and salsa bar. One of the red salsas was actually spicy- yas! Also, I'm usually not that into salsa verde salsa, but theirs was tasty. We got our order to-go to eat by the beach. Once we arrived beachside I opened the nacho fries and was happy to not see artificial orange cheese sauce lol. On the flip side, I took my first bite and right away found a hair all up in my fork :(. I was really hungry so I tried not to care too much. Couldn't eat too much though bc the fries were steak cut and soggy, but I'm biased bc I used to live in San Diego (home of the best carne asada fries!). The fish tacos weren't as good as I expected them to be. Kinda mushy in texture. Not bad for $2 though. The super burrito was my favorite out of the 3 items we ordered. The shrimp were large and flavorful. Not the best I've ever had but definitely good when options are limited within the area. I'd recommend this place because it does the job, especially when you're in the mood for mexican food on your way to the beach!

Driving on coastal Hwy One from San Francisco, this is our lunch destination in Pescadero. Excellent lengua quesadilla and chili rellenos plate with Jamaica to drink. Next time we'll try the shrimp tostadas and fish tacos with horchata to drink. Friendly service makes this our happy place.

Man I rather eat chipotle than eating here. Only Mexican spot headed towards the beach, not sure what's worse the single line to check out your gas station goods with the same line to buy food, I was in line for about about twenty mins. I ordered 2 burrito bowls and a small rice beans with a chicken taco, food was horrible, The carne asada no flavor I spent $50 on food and didn't even eat it that's how bad it was. Probaly the worse Mexican food I've ever ate before. Save your money buy a sandwich or something else.

Went for a quick ride after work and stopped into De Amigos for some grub. They had fish tacos on the specials board today, and I LOVE good fish tacos. I asked what kind of fish they serve, and the gentleman told me they have always used locally caught rock fish. BONUS! I ordered three with everything and spicy sauce. They came with generous heaps of flaky white fish, pico de gallo, and a couple lime wedges. Perfect, and they were delicious! Corn tortillas were really fresh too. I love this place! Another BONUS! They have awesome breakfast burritos, and they serve them ALL DAY!

Shrimp tacos good. Carne asada chewy. Chorizo dry. Quality has gone down from last year and prices have gone really up up up! The wages of success!!! I preferred the version when no one knew about it.