Taco Libre

We were looking for a restaurant to get breakfast and decided to try Taco Libre. It was great. 2 of us had chiliquiles and 2 had huevos rancheros..Both were very good. The chiliquiles had scrambled eggs on top and were made with homemade tortillas. The red and green sauces were both good. We ate every bite.

The Enchiladas Tapatias, shrimp taco, and pink lemonade I had hit the spot after a long day of walking. The rice, beans, and chips were pretty good too. Plus the server guy was nice.

Great little taco spot! Super quick and easy to grab a few tacos, with larger plate options if you so desire. We stopped by here for their Taco Tuesday special and even though I only had 3 tacos, I felt so full afterwards! I had two soft shell tacos - chicken and asade, and one crispy shell - potato (which I definitely recommend). You can order with some extra toppings, and they also have a mini salsa bar with onions and cilantro to add at your leisure. They have indoor and outdoor seating. A fun lively vibe, with colorful walls and decoration. This place is hidden within an alley between Colorado and Green Street in Pasadena. Food came out quickly; hot and fresh. We ordered from a screen but there was also a person to take orders as well. I would love to go back and try their nachos. Great experience!

The food was better than average int terms of ingredients and preparation. Service was not great, slow and inattentive. Just a takeout place with a small dining room, so not much to speak of in terms of atmosphere. Inflated California prices of course.

Love to stop in here when I’m in Pasadena. The tacos al pastor and birria are delicious. The decor and atmosphere are pretty cool, too.

While it’s hidden from the main street, this is a (very safe feeling) alley that you’ll definitely want to travel down to get tacos. Taco Libre is in between a dog bakery and the amazing coffee shop Savvvys. I recommend getting at least two tacos. When I ordered, I didn’t realize that the listed price was only for a single taco. The chicken, pork, and beef tacos are cheaper then the shrimp, so definitely order according to your taco budget. The sautéed shrimp taco on a corn tortilla comes with pico de gallo, and the pastor marinated pork taco comes with deliciously sweet pineapple. I added guacamole to both tacos, and it was delicious, especially with their green mild salsa.

I’m born and raised in Pasadena, and my family has been here for many generations. Taco Libre has only been here since 2018. I’ve been supporting their restaurant since they opened. I work from home at Savvys and other cafes in the area, and I just got back home in town after working out of state on a gig. Recently, I needed to use the restroom. They don’t have one, and instead of understanding, they had the nerve to get an attitude with me for using the one next door, even though I am a frequent customer, mind you I have been supporting them since they opened and have spent hundreds with this spot. I am extremely disappointed because this shows there’s really no sense of community within my community. I have been here long before their establishment and generations of my family have lived here. My family, my friends, people from this city, my church. I’m deeply rooted and connected here in Pasadena. It’s my home, and when I try to support newer establishments in my community, they always seem to disappoint. We all own property here, some of it is not gone in Altadena as well. I hate when restaurants open in Pasadena and have no sense of community, like they’re just here for who they are here for and to sell to us and make money off of us. Complaining about me using the restroom as if I haven’t been here is gross and disrespectful, a nasty attitude doesn't get too far especially when it's directed towards me, I am not the one. I will no longer be supporting them. This attitude is crazy, We fought for civil rights for this type of behavior, and it’s unacceptable.

The tacos were some of the worst tacos I ever had. They chicken was very dry and hard, pastor and asada were dry and over cooked. Tacos only came with one tortillas, they don’t even give you a back up tortilla for the meat that falls out. 3/10

This is a tucked away taco joint in an alleyway that you can easily miss if you're not looking at the right signs pointing to it. There's a nice shaded outdoor patio area for outdoor seating, and a good amount of indoor seating as well. It's bustling with the constant sounds of the kitchen cooking fresh meat, and a TV playing loudly in the background. It feels like a no-frills taqueria, but feels like a more modern one with the decor and setting. Ordering is straightforward with the kiosk next to the register. The tacos and burritos are on the more expensive side, but 1/2 off Taco Tuesdays is a thing here! There's a self-serve condiment bar with diced onions, cilantro, sliced radish, a myriad of salsas. For the meats, it's pretty standard proteins without the more exotic ones like lengua or buche. I got a birria and al pastor taco. Both tacos were served on a corn tortilla, which unfortunately fell apart under the amount of meat on each- which is a great thing! The tacos were both equally juicy, flavorful, and seasoned perfectly. Topped with the condiments and sauces I got, and it made for a decent afternoon snack. A pretty good spot if you're craving tacos, but come on Tuesdays to get your money's worth!

Disappointing lunch experience One of the worst el pastor burritos I have had. Very salty and did not seem to be freshly cut. Price was acceptable at first, but not worth it after the first bite. Battered fish taco was just ok. Overall this place will not WOW you in anyway.

The outside is lovely, with lots of faux roses and a welcoming patio area. Inside, it just kind of feels dim and a little dirty. There are smears on the walls, the decor where we were sitting still had tags, and the bathrooms were pretty gross. The tacos were expensive, though the sauce bar is a nice addition! There is an ordering kiosk. This felt like a place that wasn't sure what it wanted to be-a greasy taco joint, or a fancy floral taqueria. It landed somewhere in between, with the dirtiness of a greasy taco joint and the pricing of a fancy floral taqueria.

This place is pretty small in the alley way with outside seating. The taco is not exactly the best, and the price is bit high, but that's Pasadena... A quick bite sure, not a place I'd get out of my way to go to be very honest. The staff is nice and accommodating, but it's unfortunate the food is not quite there...

This is located within an alley. There's street and structure parking. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Although the alley can occasionally get a bit smelly so sit outside with caution. The inside could be cleaner. There was a wash rag left abandoned on one of the tables. The staff were good and nice. And they have a kiosk! I got the pastor taco and birria taco. They were okay. Both could've been more hot and juicy. They were savory enough to taste fine but there's better options. The price per taco is also a bit steep.

I tried their asada and pastor tacos, and I really enjoyed both! Flavor wise, it's not the best I've had, but I still really liked the way they marinated the pork and seasoned the beef. The pieces were tender and not too dry. The onions, radish and cilantro were all very fresh. The flour tortillas were soft yet pliable.

This place is okay. I came here because of the SGV podcast passport I had. It was to redeem a "Buy 1 Get 1 Free Taco and Fountain Drink." I decided on shrimp and the employee told me that wasn't allowed, he said anything else. But, I looked at the passport and nowhere did it say that shrimp was excluded. He agreed, but said shrimp isn't meat, so they can't honor the passport because of that. Huh? Anyway. So, I bought one shrimp taco and redeemed a chicken taco instead. It took about 20 minutes to get my food. It wasn't very busy when I was there, but maybe they forgot about me? Not sure. The volume from their tv/radio was loud so people dining at to speak louder to their company they were with. Food was okay, slightly on the salty side which needs water to wash it down with.

Taco Tuesday $1.75 tacos i ordered online for pick up. Pick experience was easy went in there and told them my order number. They have sauces on the side the avocado one is amazing a hint of spicy but not overwhelming. I was about to try the others but afraid of the spicy ones maybe next time. I ordered 3 tacos and 1 cheese melted taco (i don't remember the actual name) the seasoning of the taco meat was on point. If you ordered online grab like i did my tacos did not have onions or the cilantro idk why since i didn't deselect it but u can grab those on the side where all the sauces are at. Please note that the taco liver is an alley. Overall delicious flavors.

Good deal for taco Tuesdays, select tacos are half off. I tried every option available for their taco Tuesday special - carne asada, carnitas, grilled chicken, birria, and Al pastor. My favorite was the crunchy taco and cheesy taco versions. They also have lettuce wrapped tacos! They were good and have a little self serve hot sauce and pickled peppers/onions bar.

Refried beans have a very heavy sour cream or yogurt taste. Some people might like but not what I was looking for. Pastor and asada taco plate was a bit sad; meat appeared dry and no toppings provided outside of the salsa bar.

Ordered hard shell Beef tacos, Quac, and a Bean & Cheese Burrito. Tacos had great crunch and the meat was tender (machaca style) and had great flavor. Bean & Cheese burrito was tasty (refried beans). I like that they have a good condiments bar with onions, cilantro, and a few salsas. Had a red salsa, which was mild, not hot, but had great flavor. They appear to also have a Habanero salsa, so if you like heat...Quac was also pretty tasty. Why not 5 stars? Just misses that mark as a price / value ratio. Quac was a little on skimpy side, and meat in taco was a tad skimpy. Otherwise, yes I'd eat here again.

Taco Tuesday is the best deal around. It's our go-to. We like the birria and the crispy beef

I order the soft taco (Al Pastor) and their crispy Taco (beef.) Their Al Pastor was really good, one of the best I've had, and their Crispy beef taco was alright. I also like the ambiance of the restaurant being in an alley in Downtown Pasedena. I would come back if j get the chance.

I was walking around Pasadena so I decided to try this place out because you can never go wrong with Mexican food. It was decent food, but nothing that made me want more. I had the tostada salad which they packed with a lot of food. I even had some to take home. My husband had the chilaquiles. They had some adult drink options like sangria and micheladas which I thought was nice. If I come back again i would probably try the tacos to see if I enjoy those more.

Food is really filling. Definitely went on a good day because they have their Tuesday deals! Love that! The cashier was really sweet and accommodating! With good music across the street! My favorite by far was the birria ! Extremely filling!! Potato crispy taco was a nice texture between crunch outside and creamy potato! The green sauce is literally so good!

First time ordering from this place Got torta and found hair in my food The asada is also salty

I come to Taco Libre often because I train next door (Fight Academy aka the best mma gym in the city) and I ALWAYS get the Cali burrito haha. I'm pretty sure they recently removed it from the menu, but it costed a pretty penny this time around because it was just a carne asada burrito + guacamole + fries. The Cali burrito never disappoints. Love their asada. Well-seasoned quality beef. Good stuff. I also love all their salsas! I usually don't go for the habanero/orange salsa cuz of the heat, but this one is too tasty not to suffer a lil bit for! But overall, my favorite part about this place is the service. Nothing extraordinary, just the basics. A hello/welcome, friendly attitude, and no matter how busy someone is, they'll stop what they're doing and address you at the counter right away. Love the staff!

I had a really good time here. Burrito was decently priced. Tortilla tasted fresh. The birria was super flavorful and moist. The burrito was evenly spread out and hot. Everything was quick and the service helpful. Nice inside.

I love Taco Libre's seafood options. Huge portions, good flavor and high quality on all of their menu. My go to tacos are the Baja fish tacos and the grilled shrimp tacos. The Baja fish taste just like in Ensenada. So perfectly battered and fried. The grilled shrimp is not overdone and not overtly salty. I've also had a plain pollo asada taco also flavorful and protein packed. I'll continue being a loyal customer since they're consistently delicious!!!

Taco Libre is located down the alley way (by Lather), right next door to The Dog Bakery and right across from Edmin Mills by Equator. My husband, our little girl dog and I came here with our 2 friends for a quick lunch this past Sunday afternoon, a little after 1 pm. The reason why we came here was because we were looking for a place nearby that had dog friendly seating and also did not have a wait. After looking at the menu, my husband and I ended up ordering: Taco Asada, $3.95 prior to tax- My husband thought the beef was good. The beef was fatty so it was tender and juicy. But for the price, this taco is expensive ($4 for a taco? Ouch!). Healthy Bowl, $14.95 prior to tax- I really liked this healthy bowl, as it came with black beans, salsa, cheese, rice, corn, Romaine lettuce and a scoop of guacamole. Also a side of cilantro sauce. You can add meat for an additional cost. I really liked this bowl. The portion size is really great for one person and also just fine to share with another. My husband thought the bowl was standard. ---------------------------- (Total= $20.84 after tax) Wait time for our food was about 10 minutes after we ordered. There are 3 outdoor (covered) tables. Water is self serve, along with utensils, napkins, etc. There is one unisex restroom by the food pick up area. The first time I used the restroom, it was fine. But when I used it again after our meal, it was dirty because someone before me threw up and didn't bother to clean it up... Overall, this place is A- Okay, thus my 3 star rating.

I like their crispy tacos and quesatacos (carnitas)...eat there at least twice each week. Also great value on Taco Tuesdays!!

I ordered the carne asada burrito and it was too much good food. My wife orders the nachos but they gave us nachos fries - we thought the French fries conflicted with the great chicken asada flavors - they gave us chips once we made them aware of it. Overall food too a little while to get but was very tasty

I ordered a bean and cheese burrito and got FOOD POISONING!!!!! Im still getting over it days after. Its so gross to think it was probably because someone had fecal hands, yuck It wasnt even that good- the sauces are weird. Im mexican never once tastef thosr eeird salsas But im really pissed about the food poisoning! Assholes wash your hands

I randomly tried this spot and thought it was decent! I tried the cali burger and liked it. The portion and price was good as well!

I'm very impressed with the healthy bowl!!! So good and make sure to add protein, you'll be wowed What I have here is chicken, there're beef and pork options too!

Good tacos and good food. Will go back again.Nice patio seating area and good service.

Food is usually good but they made my gobernador tacos totally wrong from the 100 times I've ordered them before. I don't know if I will be back. Consistency is key fellas!

I ordered the breakfast burrito, but it was full of greasy bacon and soggy fries... and barely any eggs. The tortilla they use is gross, too. The whole meal wasn't very healthy. Too greasy. Should've gotten my burrito elsewhere. There's better spots in Pasadena.

Ordered tacos to go. Got home and they're just tortillas and meat, with none of the toppings listed on the menu. Just chicken on a tortilla.

I settled on this establishment because it was inexpensive and a very short walking distance from where I was currently located(I was starving!). This place is kind of hidden, located in an alley way on Colorado Blvd. It's pretty easy to spot and locate with GPS. The entrance is inviting, and its a "walk-up" and order set up once you enter. Once at the counter, I ordered a Enchiladas Suizas plate and sat while enjoying the complimentary lemon water that was at the counter. The interior is cute and colorful with plenty of seating. Ordering was very easy and quick. I received my order in about 10-15min. I didn't mind the wait because imo, it just means that the food is fresh to order. Upon receiving my order, I was welcomed to the self-serve condiment bar, which included fresh salsas, pickled red onions, utencils etc. I helped myself to the bar before taking a seat. The Enchiladas Suizas: my favorite part was the shredded chicken. It was moist, shredded perfectly, and had a great flavor. The green enchilada sauce was tangy, a little spicy, but overall average. The cheese was adequate. Beans and Rice: The beans were great! I really enjoyed the texture and flavor. The rice was decent, but nothing special. Also, unlike other Mexican establishments, the serving of rice and beans was small in comparison, however, it was enough for me. Chips, salsas, and pickled red onions: This was the highlight of my meal aside from the chicken. Each salsa was super delicious, the red onions were a nice treat, and the chips were fresh. I honestly wanted to take all 3 of these extras To-Go! Overall, the entire food experience was good. I would of liked a more remarkable enchilada sauce and rice, but at the end of the meal, I was full and satisfied. I'd consider visiting this establishment again and trying their tacos.

Tasty tacos tucked away in an alley in Old Pas! This is in a walking alleyway with other hip places like a dog bakery and a bar. I've walked by several times and wanted to try. They have combos (with rice and beans) and a la carte items that you can change the meat, add cheeses and other toppings. Made to order so not super fast. I just ordered the quesatacos. You can park in nearby parking garage (closest is on delacey). Or you can try to park in the one way alleyway but there is a lot of food traffic and probably better for food delivery cars to pickup. Food is tasty. Salsa available.

I haven't had an amazing Carne Asada taco in a long time! Generous serving of carne and a great selection of salsas in their condiment bar. I also had the crispy chicken taco as well. Loved the crunch of the tortilla and the chicken is well seasoned! Definitely coming back to try the burritos

Highly recommend this restaurant! Very authentic very delicious!!! The crispy tacos are outstanding as is the green salsa!!!

While it's hidden from the main street, this is a (very safe feeling) alley that you'll definitely want to travel down to get tacos. Taco Libre is in between a dog bakery and the amazing coffee shop Savvvys. I recommend getting at least two tacos. When I ordered, I didn't realize that the listed price was only for a single taco. The chicken, pork, and beef tacos are cheaper then the shrimp, so definitely order according to your taco budget. The sautéed shrimp taco on a corn tortilla comes with pico de gallo, and the pastor marinated pork taco comes with deliciously sweet pineapple. I added guacamole to both tacos, and it was delicious, especially with their green mild salsa.

I didn't realize this was a fast casual place when we decided to go and was a little bummed when I did learn that, however, we were with a group of people and they were set on eating here. I found the menu to be very confusing and quite frankly wasn't sure what I was even ordering and only for sure know I got the birria taco which was by far the best out of the three I got. The food was decent, but for the hype of street tacos in the area, I would not say we got them.

One of my new favorite places to stop by for lunch or pick up something for dinner. All of their food is made when ordered and I love that they have some vegan options for my husband even( ala crispy potato tacos). The place is of small but has decent seating within and outside and the service has been satisfactory. Favorites so far have been their shrimp gobernador taco, quesatacos, and consomé de pollo. Can't wait to try all the other items on the menu.

I've been here a couple of times, and it's pretty good. It's in a great location, right in a cute alley in Old Pas. You can walk around before dinner, go shopping, catch a movie, or grab dessert after. You order at the counter and then pick up your food when it's ready. It's very casual. If you're looking for something that's good and filling, this is the place for you. I've gotten burritos both times and have been satisfied on both ocassions, but not wowed. I think the burritos lacked the usual spice and flavor I tend to find at a taco truck. It's also cost $1-2 more than what you'd find at a food truck. One thing I'll say though is that they have this thing called a "quesotaco". Its sort of got a fried cheesy shell. My friend ordered that while we were there. I tried some, and it was insanely good. I know they only have this item if you come in person to the restaurant and order.

Have always wanted to try this place so swung in yesterday and ordered a carne asada burrito with added guac. Very not worth it for a basic burrito. Beans were the overpowering flavor in every bite, even with adding salsa. The guacamole was a $2 up charge and was a waste because it was buried at the bottom of the burrito. As for the inside of the restaurant, it felt relatively dirty and dark inside. Not a very inviting atmosphere. We're also in the middle of a heat wave and there is no AC inside so it was very warm. Overall, just a very subpar fast service Mexican food spot. Most likely won't be returning.

The food was stupendous. We took our kids to Pasadena on the metro. Discovered this place by accident down an alley. It was all great.

Let me tell you, this is the best shrimp taco I have ever had!! So fresh, sauced just right. Always hits the spot. Their asada is also great quality. If you're in the mood for some fresh good food, I highly recommend. The staff here is also so friendly and welcoming!

THE PERFECT BURRITO! It has the best mix of chilled avocado and hot meat all in one, this is my second time coming and I often travel to Pasadena so don't be surprised when it's my third review haha

Very good crispy taco, quesataco and carne asada! Service was good and food was ready quick

maybe it's just this location idk but in a nutshell, subpar food and the employees are ***holes. I've only been here twice and both times the dudes working at the registers were terrible.Just no manners and didn't care.The only reason I went again is because the person I was with wanted to eat there.So bad it actually made me want to write a review.

I loved these tacos so much I came back twice in one week. Highly recommend el tacos de pescado and the crispy tacos de pollo. The fish tacos took me right back to Bajá. Estoy obseso. Es muy rico.

The food tasted great! The salsa was spicy!!! The service was very fast! The location was so nice!!!

Taco Libre located at Edwin Mills Alley in old town Pasadena. Great atmosphere, delicious food. Was feeling very hungry so I ordered a breakfast burrito. Filled with yummy bacon, eggs and French fries. Split with friend so had room for more. Next ordered lettuce tacos, carnitas, Al pastor, chicken and vegetarian. Basically one of each! The carnitas, birria and chicken were the stand outs. I have to say I didn't even miss the tortillas! Washed it down with a yummy Michelada that was the best I've had in awhile. Will definitely be back, maybe for Taco Tuesday! Great place to sit outside and people watch too

Fun little restaurant on a side street up in Old Town! Area is cute and quiet, sometimes the music can get loud from the bar across the way but its definitely one of my favorite hole in the walls. Nice staff :)

My friend and I were wandering this area for a good place to eat after getting dessert and an ice cream place nearby (this is the correct order when going out to eat). We ended up deciding on this because the reviews were decent and the menu looked great. I got the carne asada burrito, and my friend got the fries. Both were delicious and filling. It was a bit on the pricy side but seemed appropriate for the pricing of this entire area, which seemed really busy. Overall, great experience, taste, and value. Would recommend and would come back again when I'm in the area.

I'm a fan of this place but I also wouldn't go out of my way to go back. Let me explain... PROS: I love that they offer vegetarian options such as the potato crispy tacos I ordered which, by the way, were tasty. I also love their salsa bar...the selection is great and although I only tried the two milder options, they were delicious so I imagine the spicier options are great well. It is conveniently located near Colorado Ave. and is one of the only (if not the only) establishments of its kind in the area. CONS: The service was just ok...in fact, it was borderline between ok and not ok. The cashier was not rude necessarily bu rather than feeling welcomed, we felt as if we had slightly inconvenienced her with our presence. While the food was tasty, it is definitely overpriced. I wonder if this might be because there don't seem to be other similar option in the area. Whatever the reason, it is overpriced. In a nutshell, I may eat here again the next time I find myself in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so. While the food was tasty, I know of other establishments that offer the same type of food, and just as tasty, for a much fairer price and better service.