Taqueria El Jacalito

I stopped at this little restaurant by my house. I have been wanting to try the wet burrito. So, I ordered it with the chicken. I took it home and took my first bite and fell in love! This is the best burrito in the world! I'll be back to try the asada wet burrito next time. Deliciousness! Wow!

The best Mexican food I've had in my life. (As someone who really loves Mexican food myself 😂) seriously... How I've never been here until recently. Is insane. They blow every other Mexican restaurant out of the water. Not by a little. By A LOT. this is the only Mexican restaurant I'll be eating at.... FOREVER. Everything was so fresh and insanely delicious. Nothing I've ever had in the past compared! THANK YOU FOR EXISTING 😭😭😭🩷

This place is an absolute GEM! The food was so delicious I swear my taste buds threw a little party. Every plate was perfection, and I’m still thinking about it hours later. The staff? Total sweethearts super attentive, friendly, and just genuinely good vibes all around. We even ended up chatting with one of the guys there, and he gave us a whole list of cool places to check out next (tour guide AND great service? Yes please!). We walked out with full bellies, big smiles, and already talking about when we’re coming back! Recommend it 100% don’t double think it and try it out!

Great homie food. The waitress is kind and helpful and patient. The food is good. Our favorite is definitely the Birria. The food wasn’t expensive and still very authentic. Definitely recommend if you’re craving authentic Mexican and want to support a small business.

The establishment itself was clean with the original diner feel, and the staff was very welcoming. I felt right at home, so much that I contemplated checking my 23 and me. 🇲🇽 😉 I ordered the torta de chilaquiles con asada y huevos per my sister's recommendation. It was like nothing I've had before! All of the various textures and flavors throughout were pleasing to the palate. I nearly licked the plate clean. (altho momma taught me manners)😋 I look forward to a return visit as there were several menu items that caught my eye. Trust me on this one. 👊 Get out there and support local! Until we meet again! ✌️❤️🇲🇽

We decided to come here for my birthday brunch and let me tell you they did not disappoint!! I got the torta with chilaquiles, eggs and carne asada, it was HUGE and SOOO delicious!! I 1000% recommend and plan to come back and enjoy more foods 🥰

First time coming here. We ordered chicken enchiladas and beef tamales. I didn't expect it to be an actual sit down restaurant. The vibes were amazing. Super friendly staff. I believe his name is Damien, he was so friendly and made the experience even greater. Very good overal! Meat is tender, flavor is amazing, the salsas are very good, but not too much heat (Which I prefer).

Have passed by this place every day for months, and finally we decided to give it a try based off some pictures on Facebook. It's a quaint little spot right across from Deepwood Museum and Tong King; it's tucked in the treeline going south and can easily be missed! We ordered the Quesabirria, 2 Asada Street Tacos and 2 Fish - yes that's right - Fish Tacos. To find Fish Tacos on a Mexican restaurant menu around Salem is extremely rare and my significant other loves Fish Tacos so we had to take a risk and the risk was worth it ten fold! Wait time for food was about 15 minutes but everything was piping hot, looked appetizing and smelt great. The asada here is strictly okay; we've struggled with every place recently with their asada bringing nothing to the table, so I'm not counting this against them. But let me tell you about the Quesabirria and the Fish Tacos because HOLY CRAP .. best Fish Tacos we've had in a really long time. The fish was crusted from being fried and had a lovely bite to it and went so well with the toppings on it. 12/10 would highly recommend at $3.99 each. The Quesabirria is also some of, if not best we've had in this area and definitely rivals Redline for their Quesabirria. I found the consummate to be far richer and enjoyable here than other places and actually amplified the birria as it's intended to do. All in all, we would highly recommend Taqueria El Jacalito and intend to try them very soon for their breakfast menu -- they open at 8AM!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We came to Salem for a visit and found this little jewel. Service was excellent. The food was fresh,hot and flavorful. We had several items and Everything was yummy!! The hot sauce as well as the sauces on the food were so good!!!! This place is a must!

Four stars because it's better than most in Salem's dismal selection of Mexican restaurants and the owner lady was nice. Got the impressive looking Molcajete de Asada, a boiling cauldron of beef, queso fresco, nopales and sauce running over the edges, down the plate underneath and dripping off the edge. Besides the sloppy presentation the beef was tough as shoe leather. Man nothing kills the mood like chewing chewing chewing and not getting anywhere with a tough hunk of beef. I did like the authentic feel down to the blaring large screen tv and wished it was better but have never gone back. Not trying to trash them cuz I wish them success but the food just wasn't that good.

Definitely on the top of the list for best food! Authentic flavor not to mention there coffee, Anything on that menu is guaranteed to be finger licking worthy!! Stop on by and you won't regret it. La mejor comida de tu Jacalito local 100% recomendado con café de la olla y comida realmente authentica!

Ok being half Mexican and growing up in Az I like to think I know good Mexican food. This place is on point. The food is fresh and amazing. I have been here twice now and both times have been very happy. If you're close and need to eat this place is a must. It is cost and clean and the lady is very sweet.

The service is very hospitable and quick. We ordered the chicken tamales plate which came with rice and beans. Then we got the carne asada tacos and a horchata. Our favorite was definitely the tamales. The green sauce was tangy with a little bit of spice. It just left us wanting to eat it again for our next meal. The tacos were loaded with meat which we appreciated. The meat did taste different than most steak tacos, it had a very similar flavor to phó. I didn't mind it, I thought it made it unique. The horchata was a little chalky but still satisfying. Overall, a solid spot for some comfort foods.

I LOVE this spot so much!!! Authentic, homemade, delicious, made with love Mexican food. The family is so kind and caring. The food is off the hook amazing! Best service and quick fresh food! Can't wait to go back again!!!

Prices are way too high for this type of restaurant, in comparison to similar places. $20 for 3 quesabirria tacos with rice and beans. Same price without the rice and beans, which I never order. Individual quesabirria tacos are $8, almost twice the price of comparable restaurants. Being a little hole-in-the wall I expected more reasonable prices, not fine dining prices.

Great food and prices with friendly staff, will be back soon! Menu is small but has something for everyone

Authentic menu, homemade tortilla chips and salsa, the street tacos are great. Angie always cheerful. A welcome addition.

Friendly as can be, quick service, comfortable/clean establishment Ordered Huevos Rancheros, Eggs cooked perfectly, homemade sauce with bell peppers with rice and beans was the perfect balance for this dish Horchata was perfect, not too sweet, just right Can't wait to return to try more deliciousness!

What a great little place! My sis and I needed to pick up some food to take away & this fit the bill! We were greeted right away & the owner was super friendly. She asked if we had any questions, so we chatted for a few minutes before we ordered. The menu is large with a lot of delicious sounding items. We chose chicken tacos for mom, a machaca burrito for dad, quesobirria tacos for the sis, and I had a wet carne asada burrito. Everything was so good!! The meat in all of our items had just the right amount of spice & all the condiments were just right. So nice to have found a locally run Mexican restaurant that's small with fantastic food and amazing customer service! Can't wait to go back for breakfast!!

Tried this place for the first time and will definitely be back. Food and service both good. Food was flavorful and authentic. Salsas also good. Would recommend. Only downside not many meat choices we tried 3/4 chicken , Asada and Birria all good.

Perfect in every laid back, simple, clean, hospitable, and delicious kind of way. The place is not fancy, not pretentious. The food comes out fast, and the tacos were so good that I had to other more and more.

Great owners!! Love the place a true mom n pop style Mexican restaurant!! A plus in my books will be coming back

I found this place looking online for a new location to try birria tacos. I searched their menu and gave them a call to place a to-go order. The gentleman on the phone was very kind and helpful and also gave recommendations. I ordered the quesabirria tacos with rice and beans, as well as the burrito de chile verde. I also had to order a thing of homemade fresh chips and salsa too. It took about 15 minutes and I showed up right when it finished cooking. The woman at the front greeted me right away. I told her I had a to go order I called in and she got me cashed out. She asked if I wanted sauces and silverware to which I agreed to. It's a small, cute, locally owned business. They also sell Mexican ice cream in the coolers as well as homemade pinwheels. All of the food was delicious! They served onion, cilantro, and limes on the side with your meal. My partner and I shared everything and would rate it 10/10! Highly recommend this place and not sure why it's not talked about more!! Will be back again :)

Excellent service, cute place but best of all they don't use onions in every salsa or marinade. I'm allergic to onions so Mexican food is usually hard to get place to accommodate my allergy, let alone have salsa without onion. Finally I was able to enjoy chips and salsa in a restaurant and not only in my own kitchen. I had tacos and a torta, both delicious and well made. We will come back again for sure.

Simple, fast, DELICIOUS breakfasts. Perfect seasoning and the huevos rancheros are some of the best I've ever had (including in Mexico). Lovely and clean spot. A hidden gem.

Unassuming, authentic, friendly service... this perfectly sums up this adorable spot. It was a warm summer afternoon when my husband and I stopped here with our baby for a much needed "out of the house time". The women who seated and served us was such a gem, really friendly, kind and doted on us as we were the only people there at the time. We both chugged the large plentiful horchatas which were perfect for such a warm day. My husband enjoyed the birria tacos which he said were the best he's ever had, and I tried the classic street tacos with chicken. In the end we also couldn't help ourselves and tried a caramel filled churro. The service was excellent, the food was literally perfect, and honestly it felt like home. Looking forward to coming back!

100% authentic Mexican food!! That's coming from a mexicana herself! They got some tamarindo candy in here and some paletas, that's how you know it's gonna be fucking good!! Lol. We got the sopes, burrito de asada y carne asada fries. Soooo good!! They also have Birria! Recommend!

Have been coming to this local restaurant for a while now and every time it's hit the spot! I've had their burritos and their red chilaquiles are a must! A little on the spicy side for the chilaquiles but in a good way!! The lady behind the counter is super sweet and very attentive to customers! Always a pleasure coming in to eat here!

Best breakfast burritos I think we've ever had! Tried both the bacon and sausage and couldn't tell they were turkey. They are massive too! We'll be back for the rest of the menu. Cute place and the folks are super nice!

I cannot recommend this place enough! My daughter lives near here and I usually see her on days they are closed. Finally got a chance to try it and wow! Incredible. Ambiance is great is you love a clean little hole in the wall. The server (owner?) was incredibly kind and made us feel so welcome. We ordered different agua frescas. I had no idea it would be a pitcher full of juice! It was lightly sweetened and very tasty. I had mango and she had pineapple. We ordered the molcajetes. Wow! My first time and what an experience. It was a huge serving of delicious meat, crispy quail, and nopales in a spicy and savory sauce. The sauce had an amazing flavor and was pretty spicy but not overly so. The homemade flour tortillas were delicious as were all of the salsas and the chips-so crispy. The refried beans had a wonderful flavor and even the rice tasted better than other places. Can't wait to go back!

Loved, loved, loved the food and the service. So fresh and delicious!! We live in Springfield and have already been discussing how soon we can return. The food tasted like we were in Mexico!!

Given all the high reviews, I was expecting more than what I experienced. Went for an early lunch and was the only person besides the server and cook. The tv was so loud I couldn't hear the server when she tried to take my order. I suggested maybe turn the tv down, but that didn't happen. I ordered. I guess chips and salsa or bean dip aren't part of the standard service. My chili relleno was delivered with rice and beans. The beans were barely warm and the chili relleno had no filling - just a breaded pepper. The rice was the tastiest part of the meal. I love a good mom and pop restaurant and I wish I could say better about this one.

Tortillas are fresh, handmade, meat is tender and flavorful, the server brought chips and bean dip for FREE when we sat down. The chips were STEAMING HOT! Delish The salsa was not too spicy but had a tiny kick! Bomb. Impressed by the quality and quantity. Service was excellent!! They were so nice and welcoming. Restaurant is cute and small, very clean! Makes you feel like your at mom's eating comfort food. I will definitely eat here again.

Previous reviews have been accurate and to the point. I've been in twice now. The waiter told me the cuisine is predominantly estilo Oaxaca. Flavors are muted. Many Americans do not like pepper heat and here they would find every dish acceptable. Presentations are elegant. Very extensive menu, many dishes I have seen nowhere else. No alcoholic beverages are served. Far and away the most singular Mexican restaurant I have visited in my life.

I randomly found this place near my work when I was in need of a quick dinner and I am SO glad I did!!! I eat here or grab food at least once a week. Their restaurant is clean. The service is terrific; they are so sweet! Also, the food is delicious!!! They've got great options and very fair pricing. There hasn't been another Mexican restaurant in town I've visited that I actually crave and regularly visit. I get my taco fix at La Guadulapana usually, but the tacos here are great and I love their other foods too. Homemade tortillas and I believe salsa too. Their spicy salsa is AMAZING.

Excellent! Stopped in here for lunch yesterday. It was our first visit. I ordered the steak fajitas my friend ordered the fish tacos along with a michelada, beer and chips and salsa. Everything was great. Friendly staff (owners?)!We will be regulars here!

Delicious tacos on fresh tortillas served quickly. Great service. We will be back next time we're in town. Thank you!

What a wonderful little place! When we walked in we were greeted by the very sweet woman behind the counter. We chose a booth and a moment later we had silverware, chips, three different delicious salsas and a small dish of beans for dipping. Off to a great start! We ordered the birria plate that came with homemade flour tortillas, the sopes with chicken, quesabirria tacos and a kids cheese quesadilla with rice and beans. Everything came out fast, hot, fresh and delicious! The salsas complimented each dish. The tacos were fantastic! The shells were both slightly crunchy and tender and filled with meaty cheesy goodness! The sopes also had a perfect shell-slightly crispy yet tender and bouncy. The diced chicken on top was moist and well seasoned. Everything down to the rice and beans had so much flavor. All of this incredible food was washed down with an icy watermelon aqua fresca!

This place has great food and service . Best horchata I've had in a long time. Birria tacos, rice and beans are on point . Wasn't too crazy about the asada and chicken .

The definition of a "hole in a wall" type place, this business is a hidden gem. The food is excellent, the prices are fair, and the family-like service is one of the best around! If you're looking for great Mexican food, this is the place to go. The inside of the restaurant was a bit warm for a warm day, but it was well worth it for this food.

I love this little place. I have been here twice and the food is delicious. It is owned and ran by a husband and wife and they give great friendly service. The atmosphere is nice and very clean. They have a nice sized menu with lots of delicious options. Always check their special board for some specialties.

Delicious mexican food. Very authentic, very friendly and attentive people. Would recommend. Very fair prices.

Food and service is always great here! I've been here multiple times since moving to Oregon and it's very flavorful. I would highly recommend!

Pulled this place up on Yelp and it was super close to the hospital I'm working at this week so gave it a try. First impression was it was very very clean, menu and prices easy to read and guy who took my order was extremely nice. Had three street tacos, beef tamale and some bean dip. All of it was FANTASTIC!

I met my brother here for a late breakfast/early lunch. The reviews were good and we like to try new restaurants. I had the Huevos Ranchero and it was really good. The red sauce had just enough spice. Refried beans and rice were good. My brother used to live in Arizona and he liked it. He got the Green Chile Burrito. He was a happy guy. The couple that run the restaurant were super sweet and very attentive. We will go there again!

This place is great! We both ordered quesabirria, which was incredible. We tried all three homemade salsas, which were perfect. We browsed the menu while waiting for our food and can't wait to go back and try everything else. This place is everything we can ask for in a neighborhood taqueria, give them a try!

Amazing Food, Amazing Horchata. Service was great. And the place is clean. Overall 5/5

Hidden gem serving delicious food with many menu options. Fresh made fantastic tortillas. Street tacos with plenty of meat. Awesome spicy guacamole sauce that you'll want to put on everything! Wish I had found this restaurant sooner! Service was prompt and friendly, prices are spot-on and reasonable. My only critique as a fellow business owner, which has nothing to do with the fabulous food, would be to change the sign. The sign is a bit small, dark, and difficult to read as you're driving by - should be larger and easy to tell that it signals a restaurant is located there.

The Machaca breakfast burrito is the bomb. And it's huge! Probably weighs 1+ lbs. The staff is great as well, highly recommend this place

Wow delicious! Homemade tortillas, salsa has so much flavor, lots of great food options. Be ready to feel at home with the service!

I ordered the fish tacos and they were amazing!! The lady who helped me was super sweet! The overall feel was homey.

Loved this place. Ate dinner inside. The service was sooo great. The staff was very friendly. My wife had the chicken and steak asada tacos. The meat in both was very tender! The Pico de Gallo and guacamole were delicious. I had the huevos rancheros-a favorite of mine. The server actually asked me how I wanted my eggs cooked-a first for me. Any place else the eggs come overcooked. And, the eggs came just as I ordered! The ranchera sauce was the best! The tortillas are made on site. Also, the chips come with beans and salsa-what a delight. Love this place!

sooo good!! we were passing through salem and saw this little place from the corner of our eye and gave it a try! little did we know we were going to eat the BEST birria we have ever had!!! definitely recommend this place!! the owners were so sweet and the restaurant was so welcoming and intimate. I'll definitely make my way back here if I find myself in salem again!

Excellent Quesabirria, rice, and beans!!! Very nice and clean spot, great service. Can't recommend enough.

Best tacos in Salem! Don't be fooled by the modest restaurant-front!! Taco Tuesday special is $1.99 each. At the risk of them running out when I want some, I'm passing along my highest recommendation!

Amazing food with great prices. The service is wonderful and the people are so genuine and kind. The watermelon slushie is sooooo fresh and delicious. I could drink one everyday! The ambiance was calm, it was pretty warm inside but they have fans going and I did visit on the hottest day of the summer. I HIGHLY recommended giving this place a try.

We really liked the food, I had the Birria ,the consume was very good. My husband had a wet burrito, tasty. We also thought their horchata was very tasty. Bonus that the service was friendly, fast and professional. Highly recommend.