Tacos El Tucan

Tacos El Tucan has two locations in the Bay Area with their first in Richmond and this newer one in San Francisco. It's located near the corner of a busy intersection in the Castro district with lots of other restaurants and bars.I know it's more of a SoCal thing but while in San Francisco I was looking for a California burrito and carne asada fries. Based on my research of restaurants they aren't as much of a staple in Mexican restaurants here as I'm accustomed to, but I found Tacos El Tucan and decided to give it a try. It's a small restaurant with mostly indoor seating and you order at the counter.CALI BURRITO ($13.95) - I ordered this with adobada which was really crispy. The fries were not your typical fries but were well-seasoned which I hadn't seen before. It was packed with flavor and was delicious! 5/5TUCAN FRIES ($14.95) - these fries were made using the same seasoned fries as the Cali burrito and was great. I ordered this with carne asada which was also really flavorful. My only complaint is that I wish there was more cheese but still great. 5/5BIRRIA RAMEN ($12.95) - I wasn't planning on ordering this but it was too intriguing not to try it. The broth was really flavorful and the beef was tender. The ramen noodles were just okay but they were instant noodles so what can you really say. They have other birria options and I would lean towards those instead. 3.5/5They had a salsa station with three different kinds at various spice levels. The service was also really friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. I didn't have high expectations but was very surprised by the flavors. I'll definitely be back!

The tacos craving HIT and this was one of the spots I was told to visit.Adobada (Marinated Pork) Tacos - These were MINDBLOWING, especially after adding all the sauces and veggies Tuscan Nachos - Your standard nachos, the only difference is they don't use the nacho cheese, instead they use cheddar Anyways, I defintely recommend y'all stop by when you're in the area

I was really excited to try out Tacos El Tucan because I LOVE a Birria taco. Unfortunately, I think the Quesabirria lacked some flavor. Of course I had to get a side of their consume for dipping. The carne asada nachos and Mango Marg were just okay.While the food didn't blow my mind, I really enjoyed sitting on their front patio. Order your tacos inside and grab a table outside! Staff were great too!

Tacos El Tucan in the Castro offers a fantastic taste of LA-Tijuana street tacos, with standout options like flavorful chorizo. The vibrant ambience, featuring Frida Kahlo paintings and quotes, adds a unique cultural touch. Coupled with top-notch customer service, it's a must-visit for taco lovers seeking both great food and an inviting atmosphere.

tldr - decent and convenient taco spot for a quick bite near the busy part of the castro - reasonable price and plenty of seating The tacos came out real quick and they did not skimp on the protein. My biggest critique is the tacos were lukewarm and didn't taste like it was just cooked! classic adobada/al pastor (4.5/5) - the meat was marinated well + a nice grilled crunch, topped with some juicy pineapple and creamy green crema on top. it was a great bite! carne quesotaco (3.5/5) - the meat itself was a bit dry but the cheesy corn tortilla was great - kind of wish the green crema from the al pastor was on the carne taco my fav part of this place was the salsa bar (4/5)- they had several salsas at different spice levels and had some pickled veggies, which went perfectly with the meaty tacos staff were pretty friendly and tables + bathroom were clean! the interior was pretty well decorated. they have ample outdoor seating for those rare warm sf days Food 4/5Service 3.5/5Ambiance 4/5Value 4/5

This is a fairly new taqueria in the Castro and they do not disappoint. Their menu is quite extensive and I will say, I have always been pleased with everything I've tried. We have had the birria tacos, carne asada nachos, quesadilla, street carne asada tacos, horchata, and super carne asada and camaron super burrito. Everything always smacks! They give out salsa, just let them know how many you need.

Heard about Tacos El Tucan from friends who have been to their Richmond location and are huge fans. Located on the prime corner of Market and 16th Street, the restaurant has both indoor and outdoor sidewalk seating. When you enter, they have the menu with names, photos and price so big it covers an entire wall. You order at the counter and they'll call your name when your order is ready and bring the food to you. There's a salsa bar to the right of the counter (with 3 salsas and pickled vegetables), and water station. I recommend grabbing an aguas frescas.I had the Quesabirria Combo that came with 3 tacos, consommé and we had shared some nachos. I don't usually order birria tacos so I don't have much to compare them to, but what I can say was the shell was so crispy, and the flavors were delicious even without the consommé. The staff were nice and it wasn't too busy when we went. Can't wait to go back!

Oh, you don't have to tell me about El Tucan. I've been to the one in Richmond a few times (review: https://yelp.to/6WBHs2lmIc). I wasn't exactly a fan until I got the inevitable munchies from having one too many at The Factory Bar a few feet away. That's when I discovered the Mulita, a Mexican-style grilled cheese sandwich made with tortillas. Yum. Well, I was gobsmacked to see this new one.In the Castro and right next to the Lookout. How convenient because coincidentally I had one too many boozy slushies at the Lookout. Like clockwork, I was in the mood for a Mulita, and sure enough, they had them on the menu. I ordered two. Don't you judge me. I needed a lot to absorb those slushies. I got the $7.95 Shrimp (Camaron) Mulita, and it was delish with plenty of prawns stuffed between two grilled tortillas Melted cheese, onions, pico de gallo, and guacamole completed the picture (photo: https://yelp.to/alZ-eKcfYC). Not one to repeat myself since the mulita will do that for me (if you know what I mean), I also ordered the $5.95 Grilled Chicken (Pollo Asada) Mulita which also hit the spot (photo: https://yelp.to/6OJkaHO5pS). Because I'm a sloppy taco eater, there's something satisfying about holding it like a sandwich. What can I say? I'm a man of simple tastes.FOOD - 4 stars...satisfying "sandwiches" that hit the spot after a little tipplingAMBIANCE - 4 stars...still the same inviting space it was as Squat & GobbleSERVICE - 4.5 stars...very friendly and pretty fastTOTAL - 4 stars...gimme a mulita when I need oneRELATED - Exploring the Castro? Here's my collection of places l've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HrpFPC

Craving Birria tacos in the Castro, found this spot and it will now be my go to spot for future Birria cravings. Order at the counter, grab a table on the cute front patio and wait for the magic to arrive. Flavor and meat was super good. Shrimp tacos were also very tasty. Prices were also fairly reasonable. Sat down outside at 5:30pm on a Thursday and by the time we left the place was packed. Also bonus points for cute bathroom and authentic Mexican hipster vibes throughout. Definitely add this spot to your taco rotation

I got the 3 quesabirrias and my gf got 3 different types of tacos and I can confidently say that we gave this place a rare 10/10, we're visiting from socal and we were devasted when we came back the next day only to find out they were closed due to a holiday:( best tacos/quesabirrias we've ever had