Taqueria Pequena

I sampled steak tacos & pork tamales. The tamales were served in the corn husks but were very dry & bland. The tacos were pretty much the same... the meat was overcooked & dry with little to no flavor. I ordered a couple of sodas but didn't realize that I wasn't given one of the drinks until I was about 5 miles away...not worth the trip to get it. I live in Oklahoma, and Mexican eating establishments are in abundance with some exceptional food. Taqueria Taquena, in comparison to what I am accustomed to, you have potential, but you need to step up your game.

Good price even better food!! This place is amazing. I recommend everyone give it a try

Food is always stellar. Their tamales and tacos are the best you will find in the area. FYI, they are cash only.

Had the nachos salad. It was the worst nachos salad I ever had. Poor/cheap ingredients. Not worth eating.

I'm never disappointed! Steak burrito is my favourite, but everything is good. Really. When guests come they always look forward to stopping here too. Love this local, genuine and family-run business in Cobden.

Always great Tacos! Make the quick drive south from Carbondale!

This little restaurant is so adorable, and the food is amazing! The service is very friendly, but it can take a while to wait for your order.

This little taco shack has the best food and service I've ever experienced. My personal favorites are the tamales, steak burrito, and nacho salad, but no matter what you pick, it will be delicious. The staff is always friendly and efficient. As a parent of two little ones, the park across is a bonus to let the kids burn some energy before and after eating! Don't b just take my word for it. Be sure to try it for yourself

I've been coming here for nearly 30 years for their tamales all the way from Benton, IL. These are amazing

Really good authentic Mexican food close to home. Great service and friendly faces. Will be a regular here

Forgot to check in here twice, but came here 2 days in a row. Small hole in the wall with pleasant staff. Male in front was helpful and is always the one working the front I hear. I ordered multiple tacos, tostadas, quesadilla with meat, and tamales. I got all the meats to try them all. Tamales only come in pork though. Food was authentic and tasted fresh. Loved the tacos. Has a corn tortilla. 2 soft tortillas for every taco to hold it together. Lime and green sauce (mild) add that nice kick to take it to the next level. Toastada was fine. Crunchy shell, but I would rather spend the money on tacos and tamales. Quesadilla was good. Right amount of natural melted cheese (white) and did not ooze out of quesadilla. Got chicken. Tamales came with the corn husk. Tasted great. Corn dough or masa was soft and had good texture. Slightly wet though from the steam I suppose. All of them come in pork only, and mine did not have much pork in it. Got the guava jarritos and the green apple soda the second time. Now to talk about some meat! Steak - thinly, small cut. Crispy and chewy. Perfect balance of spices/flavor, but not overpowering taste of the steak. Chicken - tender, small shredded. I do not think spices are added to this one or you can not really tell. Pork - tender. Good and also plain (no to little spices added to me) Tongue - very tender. Had lots of natural flavor. If you never had it, it's worth a shot. Better not to know until you've already eaten it :) Chorizo (sausage)- has a spicy kick and lots of spices on this one. Makes the meat orange/red in color. Meat is crispy. The next day I came back again in the late afternoon and they ran out of Chile relleno and tamales :( I guess you have to get there earlier or quicker than the rush. The employee told me you can call ahead so they can reserve some for you if needed (he could tell I was sad). The Chile relleno varies in spiciness so it's a fun/dangerous gamble.

Found this gem during a ride today. Appreciated the young man who took my order and the lady who handed me my to-go bag both wearing masks. Damn Covid has made eating out a rarity for us older folk, so finding a safe place that also had delicious food was just the happiest thing to happen all week! I could have cried and I'm not joking here. I enjoy cooking, but I so very much enjoyed every bite of this fresh and authentic Mexican food. Nice picnic tables across the street provided a place for us to enjoy our lunch. (I had a table cloth in the car) Thank you for being open. Thank for for staying safe. Thank you for great food at a very reasonable price. Looking forward to being able to return and trying more items on the menu. Highly Recommend!

Best hidden secretin southern IL! We make special trips to southern Illinois from Charleston IL just to have their tacos !! Cute town, too!!

The two meat eaters I was with really loved their tacos, but my only option as a vegetarian was a quesadilla. They didn't have any chile relleno. Very inexpensive and it's clear this place is popular! Edit: Saw the owner's comment below - I wish I'd known that when I ordered! That sounds amazing! Thank you!

Some of the best tacos you can find around. The tortillas are made from corn, and are homemade. Awesome. The tacos are pretty simple...meat, cilantro, onions...put a dash of lime on there and magic. They have other great items as well such as chilli relleno, which is a pepper filled with queso...its great! The quesadillas are awesome too. Overall, you can't order anything bad here. Round it up with a fruity jarrito. It's a tiny restaurant...almost a shack. There's a couple of benches outside where you can enjoy the food. Wish this place was in Carbondale. P.S. They are not open on Sundays.

Hands down best Mexican Food in SI. Tiny little shack next to laundry mat in Cobden. Cobden is off the beaten path but that is part of the appeal. It is a nice drive to get there and is perfect for a stop off when tackling the wine trail. All I can vouch for is the taco and the tamales. But that is all you need to worry about. The pork and steak tacos are seriously perfect, with the pork being just a tad bit more flawless. The tamales are great too. You can get a dozen for pretty cheap. Everything is pretty cheap. See if she has the "hot ones" with the spicy green sauce, if she doesn't its all good though cause they are all amazing. Go to here. Seek it out. These tacos are worth the drive and this is just the type of little gem that people should try hard to support.

Love this little gem. We took the whole famdamily, and even the pickiest of eaters were happy. Good flavors, great prices, nice people. Was definitely worth the trip.

I always thought I knew what Mexican food was. You know, Taco Bell. Then we discovered this place and now make regular trips from Carbondale to eat authentic tacos and tamales. You order at a window and wait a bit, then get your fresh, soft, savory delights individually wrapped in what's probably biodegradable aluminum foil. Don't forget the red and/green sauce, which doesn't come out of squeeze packets. Three soft tacos and three tamales feeds both my wife and me, as long as she gets her own food. I can't help myself. This is a colorful little place with delicious, authentic Mexican food--there's really nothing else like it around here. NOTE: This is take-away only, but there are places to sit outside.

I have been coming here since I was young. Cobden is definitely worth the drive and consists of cute antique stores and yummy places like this! There tamales are to die for!!! It's a small place and consists of limited indoor seating and a few picnic tables outside. If you want tamales make sure you cal ahead (they run out fast). I love this place.

Delicious food! The taco shack is one of my favorite places and to eat and is always spot on! Best place in Cobden for sure!

Tried this place out today as we live in Carbondale and were in town today for the river to river relay and decided to check it out after hearing so many great things. I ordered tamales and tacos and everything was pristine! They have the option to eat outdoor as well on a picnic table. The lady saw that I didn't finish my last taco and tamale and offered a bag before I even had to ask for it. We will definitely support this small business in the future.

Went there with my wife and a friend. The prices are great we spent like 25 on 6 tacos 3 tamales and something my wife got. To start the pork tacos and tamales where wonderful . The steak was dry had to use a lot of hot sauce to get it down. The flavor was not even that good. Then there was a none food item the had the Mexican flag flying higher and in front of the United States flag. I know it's not food and some people don't know the laws but if you are here you should be informed.

Amazing food, definitely won't regret stopping by this place in Cobden. I always get the tacos and cheese quesadilla... absolutely delicious!

If you are looking for a place to grab a delicious made to order fresh lunch, this is it. The tamales are a family fave and I love their steak tacos. Only downside is sometimes I have to wait because this place gets super busy...

This taqueria is as good as anything I've had inordinate Mexico and the the tamales are almost the best I've ever had. (The only better ones are made by my dear friend Raquel). The hours are erratic and sometimes they close for a week or even a month for vacation. A true Southern Illinois gem!

In case the other reviews aren't convincing enough... Tamales are outstanding!! Recommend calling ahead with your order because this place does get busy. I always make sure we get take-out from here at least once when visiting my in-laws. FYI - some of the pictures are misleading because they are in a new building now compared to 5 years ago. Have an eat-in area as well as outdoor seating with umbrellas.

Really good, authentic Mexican food. Worth the trip. It's about 20 minutes from Carbondale. I haven't found anything in town as good. Don't look for ambiance or decor, just legit tacos and tamales. My favorite is the pork taco. Combine this with the west side of the wine trail and you've got yourself a nice day!

Good authentic food. Low prices. Quaint atmosphere. If it is a nice day, the patio seating is the way to go.

We stop here every year while on the wine trail. Best tamales I've ever had. Authentic!

Great, authentic food, a plus for the area. They do not accept credit cards but a U S Bank is across the street. You walk up, place your order, and can eat it there at one of the picnic tables or get it to go. A handy place to get some really good eats for a VERY reasonable price while touring the wine trail.

Seriously the best tacos in Southern Illinois! So worth the drive. I stop any time I'm even remotely close. I like the steak tacos

Great little place that you walk up to. There is a sit down area outside and inside but most people were getting lunch to go. Filling tasty food available quickly at a good price. We got the chili relleno, a few tacos, and a few tamales. Everything they make themselves. Good salsa. Drinks come in the old style glass bottles and there are many choices.

This shack is perfection. Very good tacos and very nice service. I would recommend either the taco salad or just regular steak tacos. This is a family friendly restaurant and a perfect place to eat lunch or dinner. 10/10 Would recommend.

I can't stress enough what a hidden gem this place is. I come down to Carbondale once a year. I'd never ever miss out on hitting this place up. Great tacos & outstanding tamales...made authentic. They could do the nachos a solid by frying up their home made tortillas instead of using the ballpark-esque style store bought stuff...but, that's the only complaint I could even dream up. They don't take credit cards, FYI. The pork taco's alone are worth the 10 minute drive from SIU. Best taco's within a 30 mile radius... I challenge anyone to try to prove me wrong. :)

A truly special spot in the small town of Cobden, in southern Illinois. A small, family-owned business that is sure to impress. A great piece of the community that serves delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine. Some of the best tacos and tamales I've tried. Try for yourself!

Glad to find good Mexican food near Carbondale. I had the carnitas taco and a chile relleno. Both were very good. The chile relleno was served with out any sauce, which I thought was kind of strange. I did order just a chile relleno, so maybe if you order the chile relleno dinner, sauce comes on that. My parents enjoyed their carne asada torta and burrito. I did notice other people at other tables ordered nachos, and they were the type of nachos you'd get at a 711 or a gas station. But overall, the food I had was great!

Good food. Very authentic. However, it can be very slow during lunch time. Call ahead to pick up your food rather than waiting for extended times.

My fiance and I were taken here by a friend that lives down here. I had the carnita and chorizo taco and a spicy tamale AMAZING authentic Mexican food. My fiance had the steak and chrizo taco and spicy tamale all the food was fantastic. I've had Mexican in del Rio Texas that wasn't this good. Highly recommend stopping by here.

The tacos here are as good as the best we've had in Los Angeles or even Mexico! I love the pork/carnitas the most. And at least once a month I buy two dozen tamales, eat some that night and freeze the rest. They are in the old C-Infinity Center behind the laundromat. Their interiors are nice and the place is extremely clean. Try it!

Just a little taco stand on the side of the road with a small indoor eating area but the food is sooo good. Just simple tacos, tamales, burritos and a few other Mexican staples but everything that I have ever eaten is delicious and priced so good for what you get. You can always drive down to Flamms Orchard for peach, strawberry or apple desserts after a great little lunch or dinner.

Taqueria Pequena moved to the west side of Old Highway 51, almost directly across the tracks from the old location and added an enclosed dining area. The food is still fantastic. This is where my family goes for Mexican soul food. In addition to the excellent tacos, try the torta with pork or chicken. It is a work of art. Her beans and rice, so often an afterthought at other restaurants, are homey and delicious. And the homemade salsa comes from peppers she grows in the little garden in the back.

The tacos served here are so delicious they just make you want to cry. Truly phenomenal.

Authentic, fresh and inexpensive Mexican, the old ladies that run this taqueria are the real thing. I could eat the handmade spicy tamales until I make myself sick. Pick up a bag of them before your next hike or ride, they carry well.

Not fancy but simple, polite and very good, we drive 40 miles to get here once a month.

I'm from Cobden, and am proud to have such a hidden gem in our little town. I live out of town now, and I crave their tamales and pork tacos often. I frequently go there for a meal when I'm home visiting. The staff is friendly, and the food is amazing and reasonably priced. The green salsa that is served on the side is delicious, and they have a red salsa available upon request that is equally yummy. The tacos come with onion and cilantro on them, which is more authentic, but people can request sour cream and cheese to make them more "American." I recommend just the onion and cilantro though. I've eaten tamales from many different restaurants, and the pork tamales are the best I've ever had. The food is fresh, good quality, and served hot. You seriously can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. I've even tried the beef tongue tacos, and they were also delicious! They're a family-run business, so don't be discouraged if they close for vacations. They have a Facebook page, and try to keep people updated with closings on there. Definitely worth a stop next time you're in the area for the wine trail or specialty shops!

I love this place and eat there often, every week. I am happy they moved to a new little shack across the tracks, it has more of an Old Mexico feel, with a covered dining area but you can move your picnic table to the sun on a bright fall or winter day. I love the flowers, and the squash and pepper garden out back. The steak tacos are the best, with the chili relleno running a close second. If you are vegetarian, they will custom make something for you, and you can even order vegetarian tamales a few days ahead, to pick up and have in your freezer. I wish they were open on Sundays, but I guess they need a rest, because they seem to be pretty busy at lunchtime during the week. People will drive for a half hour to come here for lunch. I like to pick up a bag of food and drive to one of the local parks or scenic areas close by for a mexican picnic. The food here is better than much of the mexican food I have eaten in the southwest US. Its like some of the food I ate in Mexico. The real deal. It's not too spicy, if you don't want it to be, but not at all "gringo-ized". I recommended the homemade red sauce, instead of the green tomatillo sauce that normallly comes with your food. You have to ask for the red.... PS the photos on this page/site are of the OLD shack. the new one is much better and bigger, with bathrooms.