It's Hard To Argue With El Paisa's 75 Cent Taco

Categories: Food News

El Paisa Sign.jpeg
Don't drive through for booze and miss out on the tacos inside.
The best part of researching Soleo, the subject of this week's review, was ducking into El Paisa, the tiny taqueria tucked into the back of a liquor store next to the Harry Hines Bazaar. This is where Maria and Roberto Velasquez started their first restaurant. Nine locations later they made their move on Preston Hollow and opened what they hope will become the center of their catering business.

See Also:
Soleo Steps Up

Back on Harry Hines, not much has changed at the original El Paisa. A lunch rush obliterates the steam tray full of rustic meat stews, rice and beans, and on the weekends the small counter serves up plate after plate of tacos 24 hours a day. For 75 cents, their mini version is hard to beat.

Thumbnail image for El Paisa Tacos.jpeg
There's more than cheap perfume and cheap women along this strand of Harry Hines.
Avoid the chicken, which is tough and dry, and opt for the barbacoa and pastor instead. For the barbacoa, the kitchen braises beef cheek with ancho chili garlic and other spices until it falls apart into a thick and fatty stew that makes a perfect taco filling. They're especially good after you hit each shell with a little of that bright green salsa served next to the cash register.

The steam tray is worth your attention too. For five dollars you get a few heaping spoonfuls of asado de puerco with rice and beans. The meat is fatty, but very tender and robustly seasoned with guajillo chili. There are a number of other stews including a green costillas de puerco that ran out just as I got to the front of the line. I've got to get back there and try it.

El Paisa Interior.jpeg
Nothing says "makes your mouth happy" like a dancing jalapeno.

El Paisa.jpeg

El Paisa Tacos.jpeg

El Paisa pork stew.jpeg
Rice, beef and potato stew, asado de puerco, and beans (clockwise from top)


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El Paisa

10091 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX

Category: Restaurant

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6 comments
JaniceA
JaniceA

Mmmm I love cheap good eats

J Michael1
J Michael1

El Paisa is the bomb. I totally gagree on the chicken as it always has been that way. The menu varies slightly in some locations yet if you find the full menu...get the fajita nachos. $4 and change will feed almost three people.

todd
todd

Is it me or do those tortillas appear to be absurdly thick?

scott.reitz
scott.reitz moderator

@todd No it's their diameter. They're absurdly small. Look at the size of that lime wedge.

CitizenKane
CitizenKane

More "working man" joints please...thanks for a great post !

Mervis
Mervis

Loved El Paisa when I worked over that way about 3-4 years ago. Thankfullythey took over the shuttered Dairy Queen here in Bedford so now I have thosetasty tacos and delicious Asada de Puerco just minutes from my door. $5-6 with some extra tortillas and you can make two meals out it.The breakfast tacos are also the best ever.

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