Taqueria El Buen Gusto & Best Menudo

Cannot speak highly enough of this place. Taqueria Buen Gusto is the real deal; a phenomenal hole-in-the-wall family-ran taqueria that delivers amazing food every time. I come in for Al Pastor Super Burrito every chance I get, but have also loved their Carnitas. Great seafood. Menudo on the weekends, right when you need it!

I've passed by this place many times but never stopped. Mostly because it's in a small shopping center with very little parking. A friend invited me for lunch though so I finally got to try it. I entered a utilitarian interior and was greeted by friendly people who got my order done fairly quickly. Prices are on the high side for a hole-in-the-wall but decent for Santa Barbara. I ordered the tacos al pastor plate. It was pretty good, with fresh ingredients and lots of food. I tasted my friend's crispy mashed potato tacos and they were really good. Wouldn't mind having them again. There are better places on Milpas, some of them a hole-in-the wall, and some of them more upscale but there's nothing to complain about here. The food is good.

I love their caldo de res. I added extra vegetables. The broth was delicious. Customer service was good, I didn't have to wait too long for my order. The atmosphere was nice. Really family oriented, lots of laughter and conversations going on. Highly recommend.

Easy to find, off-street parking, inside dining or take-out. Large menu - leans more towards authentic Mexican than Mexican-American... Lots of seafood. The prices seemed high for the portion size and restaurant quality/condition, however the food was very fresh, the beer was cold, and the service was quick. Definitely geared towards a neighborhood or drop-in crowd - not a date, destination. Almost forgot - breakfast burritos are the opposite of lunch and dinner. Priced moderately, with a larger portion 😋

Had the al pastor super burrito and it was delicious. I unfortunately did not get a chance to try the salsas because the burrito was perfectly seasoned and didn't need any messing with.

Food quality: AMAZING. Literally the best carnitas burrito I’ve had in all of Santa Barbara as someone not originally from here. Back home, the options for delicious Mexican food are everywhere and I’ve noticed it’s not the same in SB since moving here 3 years ago. Since finding Buen Gusto, I haven’t gone anywhere else for a burrito. Pros: - Burritos and tacos are both packed full of meat - Salsa bar with jalapeños, limes, and radishes which is something other places don’t have anymore - QUICK service. Came on Father’s Day while it was busy and was given my food less than 10 minutes after placing my order - Staff is bilingual (English & Spanish) - Can order by phone (love doing this!) - Regular burrito comes with more than just beans and rice, also includes pico which definitely elevates the whole thing Cons: - Some people won’t be happy at the decor or atmosphere (hence some of the reviews) Personally, I find the food absolutely amazing so I don’t mind the outdated decor and atmosphere. One review stated the tables were dirty, however, I’ve never seen that. At least once per visit, I’ve witnessed an employee do a quick floor sweep and some table wipe downs. I just think the decor is a little outdated which someone people will take as being dirty. Please come here!

Great location on the upper East side of town. Never a bad meal here. Staff is very friendly and the food is great! Sufficient parking on the lot as long as you are not there during the lunch rush hour. Plenty of street parking out back and front though. It's a busy spot during lunch hour so get there before the lunch crowd. Getting it to go is also a good option as we have done many times when waiting in line isn't an option. The servings are huge, they are not shy about filling your plate full of meat and veggies. Great for some leftovers for the next day or dinner. The pastor plate is amazing. It's tangy and tasty. The carnitas plate is alsyo very good. Their tacos are filled with meat and easily twice the portion of other Mexican restaurants. Will have to try their Camarones dishes next time we are there! Variety of Salsas from mild to wild. Highly recommend you trying this place out.

Take back what I said about super coucas, this is the best Mexican food place in downtown SB. Like deadass, this place is so good. Paid like 12 bucks for a burrito, soda, and burrito bigger than those 32oz hydro flasks from 2019. I strongly recommend this place as nothing can beat it in quality and price

Authentic, homemade, estilo Guanajuato! My gosh this was so good. Their menu is huge and it was hard to decide. We went with burritos because we were taking them to go into the zoo (only a few min drive away) to eat later. I was wishing all Taquerias had a menu like this with everything from caldo de res to chiles rellenos. The burrito with chicken had chicken cooked in broth not grilled which we loved (especially my toddler). The red salsa was BOMB! The service is fast even though they make it when you order. Really nice gentleman working here and a homey vibe. It is also very close to the 101 off the Milpas exit so you know, if you need a place to get delicious Mexican food, this is it!

I had a seafood Caldo that was delicious, but first time ever going to a Mexican restaurant that charges for chips and salsa.

I've passed by this place many times but never stopped. Mostly because it's in a small shopping center with very little parking. A friend invited me for lunch though so I finally got to try it. I entered a utilitarian interior and was greeted by friendly people who got my order done fairly quickly. Prices are on the high side for a hole-in-the-wall but decent for Santa Barbara. I ordered the tacos al pastor plate. It was pretty good, with fresh ingredients and lots of food. I tasted my friend's crispy mashed potato tacos and they were really good. Wouldn't mind having them again. There are better places on Milpas, some of them a hole-in-the wall, and some of them more upscale but there's nothing to complain about here. The food is good.

This place has been here forever and okay delivers authentic and traditional Mexican food. The food is excellent. Everyone is super friendly. Sometimes they run out of their special dishes such as the menudo, so get there early. There are tons of salsa options as well. The enchiladas and nachos. The menudo was great. There is plenty of space to eat. You can eat inside or outside. Parking is in a little shopping area. If there are no parks then you can park on the street. Prices are great. This place has been here forever and okay delivers authentic and traditional Mexican food.

AMAZING FOOD. I currently live near Palm Springs, where you would assume there's great Mexican food. You'd assume wrong. It sucks here. Cheap, lazy crap. Santa Barbara, Ventura, TO, Oxnard... great food. Buen Gusto's greasy, FULL, savory, tasty, crispy quesadillas are legendary. My gold standard quesadilla. Thin, clean, dry quesadillas are the worst. If it's not thick with marinated meat and dripping grease, then it's not a good quality quesadilla. Good quesadillas are not meant to be healthy options. I've only had the quesadilla and Camarones a-la Diabla, that was great too. I just ate another typical POS quesadilla from Palm Springs area, and it made me give this spot 5 stars.

I'm not from Santa Barbara, but from the Central Valley where AMAZING Mexican food is around every corner. Trust me when I say Buen Gusto has the best carnitas burrito I have tried in all of Santa Barbara. I've been to Super Rica, Pipeyes, Cucas, Rudy's Mexican, and Cuernavaca - all places locals have recommended to me. And Buen Gusto beats out all of them. The carnitas is definitely their best meat, I've had the carne asada & al pastor but the carnitas is where it's at! The most recent time I went, I had to actually pick some of the meat out because there was too much and the ratio of pico & rice was off. But don't take that as a complaint, I was very pleasantly surprised. They are very quick getting your order out. I visited on Father's Day and got my burrito in less than 10 minutes. The cashiers are fluent in both English and Spanish and are VERY nice. The tomatillo salsa is my favorite - not spicy at all though, if that's what you're into. They have sliced jalapeños, lemons, and radishes in the salsa bar, which I've noticed has become kind of a thing of the past after Covid. The prices are good for Santa Barbara, I haven't yet found a cheaper burrito that has the same value as Buen Gusto. The burrito itself: it's moist. I get the regular burrito and there's never a lack of moisture even though the ingredients are pretty simple. There is a light layer of grease that sticks to the aluminum foil and the tortilla, but I love that. Please try Buen Gusto, you won't regret it!

Milpas street offers a great deal of restaurants of all types. Today I opted for this joint. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much as it was closing time and you know how that can go....but. The food was great! I got the enchilada combo. Great flavors and the portion size was huge. Price point was good at $13.99 for three enchis, rice, beans and a dollop of guacamole. Friendly fella at the front. Why hadn't I been here before??!!

There are a lot of Mexican restaurants on Milpas. At first, I thought about going to Super Rica. Line out the door- no thanks. Then I remembered Taqueria El Buen Gusto. I like its low key, local vibe. It's also got plenty of parking and there was only a small line at the noon hour. Lots of SB high kids on lunch break but I got the last table. The staff here is super friendly and the food is tasty and reasonably priced. It's been around for decades- my friend who is in his late 50's worked here as a teenager. The menu has lots of offerings but I went with the taco plate (pollo and carnitas) which comes with rice, beans and guac. Yummy. Highly recommend this taqueria!

Some of the best quality tacos in Santa Barbara! One of my go-to spots when it comes to ordering takeout. The salsas are also very delicious and being able to select from a salsa bar makes it all the better.

Taqueria Buen Gusto also does catering. Alberto & his crew were awesome. We chose 3 different meats for tacos, carnitas, chicken, and carne asada as well as beans, rice, salsas, and chips. He also brought some guacamole. Everything was delicious & many of our guests complimented the food. They arrived on time, set up where we requested, and took care of everything professionally. Highly recommend!

Really good sit down taco place! I got the al pastor super wet burrito with both hot sauces and it was really good! The burrito has lots of meat in it along with rice and beans. The rice wasn't too mushy like other places I have tried. The red sauce was my favorite. It wasn't too spicy, just a little kick and very flavorful. The green sauce is really nice since it had lime. My bf got al pastor tacos and he really enjoyed that as well. Overall the meat was cooked well and not dry. Service was also really good.

Delicious food, pretty authentic Mexican food. Good portions and salsas are spicy enough. Service is great and the cashiers are friendly and kind.

Great salsa bar and the best chorizo egg burrito. I've had in a very long time. Look forward to going back and try and other things on the menu.

This place was sooo good . We're having it for dinner tonight for a 3rd time in a row . I always judge a Mexican restaurant by their rice and beans first and if those aren't good chances are nothing else will be . Loved the beans and rice as well as the tacos , so flavorful and yummy

Don't go. I ordered a simple bean and cheese burrito and ordered extra cheese. After getting home and eating 1/4 of the burrito looking for cheese, there was none and they charged me extra for cheese. When I called to see if I could have some type of reparation, they were rude and said that I was lying and hung up on me twice. They then began to speak Spanish only, whereupon I answered them in fluent Spanish. Extremely unprofessional and rude Young Believ. Trust me, the $10 bean and cheese burrito was not worth it, neither was there rude service.

So glad this was open on New Year's Day! Great way to start off the year with a tasty chorizo breakfast burrito. Got added beans in ours. Also would have been great if it had diced onions and peppers of some sort and/or cilantro (or maybe those at the bar more to add ourselves). Really good burrito that I would eat again. Not 5/5 stars because it wasn't incredibly amazing.

Great food. They don't always answer the phone though, it sometimes takes several times to call, other times you have to order inside which may be a minor inconvenience to some. recommend their burrito de pastor, extra crispy.

I went to Taqueria El Buen Gusto for a late lunch with a group of ten or so people after our baby nephew's christening. I guess it's a regular spot for my sister-in-law, owned by a relative of one of her friends, near Santa Barbara High, where my husband went to school. We ordered at the counter inside--service was great, fast and friendly--and took over the small outdoor patio, which was mostly empty at 2:30 on a Sunday (there was one guy there drinking a truly impressive amount of alcohol, but he was very chill about our swarming of his haven). I had already eaten, but I couldn't resist some afternoon Mexican food. I enjoyed the crunchy, fresh tortilla chips, which came with a flavorful variety of salsas. The tacos were good--I got one al pastor, which came dressed with onions and a spicy orange salsa, and one shrimp, with pico de gallo and melted cheese. I also had a carnitas sope, heaping with lettuce, beans, sour cream, and salsa. Not bad for a second lunch. The menu was huge, and if I'd been hungrier, I might have gone for one of the larger entrees (one of the regulars in our group said all the seafood stuff is great). I'd recommend Taqeuria El Buen Gusto if you're looking for some satisfying Mexican food. It really is a place of good tastes.

This place has fantastic food. One of the best on the eastside which is saying a lot since every other joint on Milpas is Mexican good. Buen Gusto also has delicious flavors and traditional dishes to make everyone happy. Buen Gusto is also a big community contributor on the eastside. I love a local business that gives back!!

The building itself is not the prettiest and the interior is old fashioned. Nonetheless the food is great!!! Every Friday, they serve fresh and savory pozole. This is important to me as it takes a long time to make pozole. I have searched high and low for the perfect pozole, the way my grandmother used to make and this place is high up there on the list. The restaurants that serve pozole everyday are simply put, not going to have the freshest options. This restaurant also serves it with a plenty of cabbage, onions, radishes and Lemons, on the side which is nice. My tip would be to ask for oregano, and add it to the soup as it compliments the flavors amazingly. Lastly the horchata here is not to sweet, which is nice since some can be overwhelmingly sugary.

Food is good but service is terrible. I have ignored the bad service because the food is good! Hopefully they can get it together soon!

The food here is pretty good and tastes authentic. I got the camarones a la Diabla and one carnitas taco. The camarones a la diabla came with rice and beans. The sauce had mixed bell peppers and grilled onions in it which made it super flavorful. It had a good taste but not too spicy. The carnitas taco was super meaty but tasted a little dry. Other than that, it was good.

Amazing food. Good service, friendly staff and we will be back for more. We have eaten in many Mexican restaurant and this place is amazing and affordable to the people. The food is delicious!

Excellent food, friendly service, generous portion size, and a great price. What's not to like?

Esta mañana fui a comprar 2 menudos con patas y no venia la patas en la orden, estas es la segunda vez que me pasa. Esta vez le pregunten a la persona que esta dando el menudo, si venian ahi adentro del vaso las patas, la persona me respondio que si venian las patas ahi en el vaso, entonces agarren la bolsa del menudo y me fui al carro y destapen el vaso del menudo para ver si venia ahi las patas dentro del vaso. Resulta que no venia nada de patas, me regresen al restaurante a reclamar las patas y la persona muy desputa me dijo, yo no se, aquella persona el quien esta sirviendo, yo le dije si te entiendo pero cuando yo te pregunte de las patas tu me dijiste que si venian ahi adentro del vaso las patas y no hay nada, tambien le dije, esta vez es la segunda vez que me dices que si estan las patas ahi en el vaso y no es verdad, te imaginas me voy hasta mi casa!!! y volver aregresar nomas por esto, deverias estar segura lo que estas haciendo, y persona que sirve el no tiene nada que ver ni la cajera, y la cajera estaba un lado de mi me dijo, " Yo creo que usted ya no deberia de venir aqui al restaurante a comprar. Y yo le pregunte, que dices, me quieres decir que no puedo venir a comprar aqui en esta restaurante y ella me respondio, "Si porque le esta reclamando muy fuerte la persona que da el menudo, no yo simplemente estoy reclamando de lo que pague. Ella (La cajera ) me dice, ya no venga a comprar aqui al restaurante" Yo le dije esta bien si no quieres que vuelva nunca mas no hay problema pero voy a poner esto en review. Por lo tanto tenga cuidado cuando compren menudo con pata porque a mi me ha pasado2 veces que se les olvida darme la pata y les reclamen y ahora la cajera me prohobio volver al rstaurante. No lo recomiendo. 8:12AM 8-11-2024

This was my go to place in high school! I haven't been here in years but the service and food is still delicious.... I only wished i had more sauce and the carne asada was just a little dry this time... but still tasty

Came by one random night after grocery shopping (too tired to cook) and tried this place out. I can't believe we haven't done so sooner and love how close it is to my house. My wife ordered the super burrito, wet and that thing was HUGE. I had a bite and it was super tasty too. I'm a taco guy and needed to compare to others in town. Their tacos were 1.85 per, and had plenty of meat options. I got Asada, al pastor and chorizo The size of the tacos are a slightly smaller than the other street taco establishments in town, however the flavor and overall quality of the meat held its own. They have 3 different salsas, but didn't find any of them "spicy" if your into that kinda stuff. While being there, several other customers came in and each party ordered their nachos, which must be the go to. Definitely will be back to try more!

As a mexicana, this food was straight trash. 19 bucks for what :,(?? Rice? Dry. Beans? Average. And you might be wondering what that is on my plate, it's enchiladas. Worst I've come across I was okay with throwing away 75% of this because I really wasn't gonna sit there and eat food that really had no flavor and dry and just far from Mexican food. if you craving Mexican food this ain't the spot at all. Not rating service or ambiance because I think everyone eats for the food

Great food! Best Mexican food in Santa Barbra and a def need to visit when your out here. Great prices!!

Waited 20min for 3 tacos. There are 2 ladies at the register just piling up orders. Can't they help the cook? There were times that they were just standing waiting for the orders to come out.

Generous portions of meat in tacos and burritos! The pastor pork is flavorful and done just right! Friendly staff!

Delicious and fast Mexican food near Downtown Santa Barbara. We picked up a few things to take to the beach for dinner and it was packaged and ready to go when we came to pick it up! The tacos were flavorful and the ingredients were very fresh. The burrito was warm and a nice take on a classic recipe. The guacamole was slightly underwhelming and lacked some flavor, but the chips were amazing and warm so it ended up tasting great. If you're on the lookout for good Mexican or a good dinner-on-the-beach meal, definitely check this place out!

My husband & I drove from LA to spend Saturday at Santa Barbara. There's so many choices but we chose this place cuz it looked cute & not pricey. First of all,the girl on the cash register,Alicia,wasn't friendly at all. She never greeted us,never smiled,didn't even say thank you when we paid. She barely spoke & when she did,it was with a bad attitude.Second, we didn't get sauces cuz they were uncovered,unattended & flies were in the restaurant. Third,we ate outside on the patio,which is a shame cuz it seemed more like a storage. The mop & bucket was left there,boxes were emptied & again,more flies. Ended up paying $36 for a bland,plain meal. The beans seemed like they were directly from a can & the tacos didn't have seasonin. This was our first/last time being there.

Lots of charred burnt meat in my burrito please don't burn the meat taste awful to eat hard crunchy burnt meat

I love buen gusto period haha i don't care what anyone says this is such a staple Mexican restaurant is Santa Bárbara that I believe is better than any of the super cucas. I wish it was closer to me so I wouldn't have to sacrifice my taco cravings elsewhere. Their burritos are gold and you can get menudo here that is yummy! I recommend it, the lady in the front is always super sweet!

I've eaten here many times and it's my favorite place in SB. Everything I've had here is really, really good. The combo plate is high value. Pick your meat, 4 warm tortillas, beans, rice, salsa, quac in generous portions. My son always gets the seafood dishes- 12 shrimp per plate! The fried fish was really good. The menudo is very filling and authentic. The locals all eat here. Worth the 0.7 mile walk over from the touristy state street area.

Really good! Seemed very authentic and didn't taste like greasy fast food. We had the asada and carnitas and they were both great in the tacos and enchiladas. They let you mix different meats in the same dishes (aka when you get the tacos, you can get one with asada and one with carnitas). Rice and beans were fantastic. I don't normally like corn tortillas but theirs were great. Employees were very nice. I'm looking forward to going again and trying other things on the menu.

OMG!!! THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD EVER!! I was getting my car smogged and I was walking my dog over to Taco Bell and saw Taqueria El Buen Gusto. I will always try something new and I got a super burrito with shrimp.. it was delicious!!!!. It even beat Free Birds! The staff was very nice. I asked one more side cup and they gave me two which was awesome! AND they have hot hot hot salsa, I'm a hot salsa queen and I just found my New Mexican spot king! I'm in love!

This gem was one of our stops on a Scooter Ride yesterday. We were on a Taco Crawl and this place was my favorite! The food is authentic, delicious, a great value, and large portions!!! I ordered the Chile Relleno combo. The batter was light and fluffy and the sauce was very flavorful. It came with a side of flavor packed and fluffy Spanish rice and rich and creamy refried beans. It was accompanied by a good portion of creamy fresh guacamole, homemade pico de gallo, and sour cream on a bed of shredded lettuce. The cheese that filled the Pasila Chile was a plentyful, hot, stringing delight! I loved their fresh salsa bar! Not a bad salsa in the line up Some folks we came with say they go there a few times a week for breakfast burritos. They said their breakfast burritos are the best around! If your in the area I definitely recommend this place if you are looking for an authentic Mexican meal!!!

Nice eatery in Santa Barbara, definitely coming back. The fried Tilapia plate is as good as it gets, and Cocktail de Camaron has lots of shrimp that is not overcook, the celery undertone made it delightful. Outside patio available. Yum yum!

The perfect post-Bowl meal can be had here, an almost-shack located on Milpas. Emily L. insisted this was her favorite Mexican place in the city, so my SO and I knew we had to try it out. Parking wasn't a pain, so we were in there fast. The menu, however, is giant and almost overwhelming, so it took us forever to decide. I got the lengua torta, Emily L. ordered a super burrito with pollo, and when my SO tried to get asada in his super burrito, they said that they were out for the night. It was 8 p.m., which I suppose is about when meat starts to run out. He went with carnitas instead. Portions were perfect for the price we paid. None of our meals cost more than $10, yet all came overflowing with meat and cheese. All our attempts at self-control were thrown out the window when we realized that this was not the kind of meal you save half of. The lengua torta especially fits into this kind of meal category -- it's so soft and delightful, but because of its liquid content, it soaks through the bread almost instantly. A picky eater should get the torta, though, perhaps with asada or pollo instead. There's only lettuce and tomato, so far as vegetables go, and it's a pretty filling meal. (But if you're not a picky eater, pour just a bit of the avocado salsa on there -- it is spicy and it is worth it.) If you love horchata, this place makes a good one, chock full of cinnamon and cheaply priced at under $3 for a massive 32-oz-plus styrofoam cup.

This place is absolutely disgusting. I hate to leave negative reviews. But my husband kept buying menudo on Sundays and the onions w cilantro they give u for the menudo is rancid- it happened 3 times!!!!

Simple, friendly and delicious. An absolute must for their seafood; the fish tacos. You will come back for those, it's sublime with a cold drink. Pro tip: if you like spicy get the bright-green jalapeño salsa. Not for amateurs. Enjoy, and say hello to the staff.

Lacked flavor and I rotten Avocado in my burrito when asked for Guacamole. This place is a S$!t hole

Had the absolute best burrito of my life here. I ordered the regular burrito with lengua and added the "wet burrito" option. The meat was so so tender and soft; it literally melted in my mouth. The sauces were delicious and the beans and rice inside were cooked perfectly. I can't believe this place doesn't have more raving reviews because they deserve it 100%. I'll be dreaming of having this meal again!!

If you want to place a phone order, good luck as it's rare when they answer the phone. I been trying to call to place a phone order and called over 40 times and still no answer.

This place is great, tastes authentic, and everyone here is always friendly. Lately, my go to has been the enchiladas combo with red sauce and chicken and it always tastes amazing! Have tried the breakfast burrito, the super burrito majado with asada and both green and red salsa and both never disappoint. I'm sure everything on the menu is tasty and will probably need to try something new next time! Please check this place out, I promise it's worth it!

This restaurant is is a staple in Santa Barbara. The staff is friendly & the food is amazing. Real authentic Mexican food. Service is fast & prices are reasonable. I would recommend to any of my friends or family.

Maybe an unusual review however... We were feeding the hungry some pizza at a nearby location and ran out of paper plates. The manager, I think, donated enough plates to help. We are thankful for his generosity and compassion. Btw, I have enjoyed several meals at this restaurant. It's simple, no frills, with good food at reasonable prices and great customer service. Color me happy.