I recently saw a local personality complain that our area lacked good Mexican restaurants. Then in the same breath he proclaimed Taco Bell to be "awesome."? This with a straight face. He apparently should either start reading Project Taco Truck or stop talking crap.

Anyway!

Tacos el Mariachi is located in a parking lot in Hillyard. Their tacos might not be quite up there with De Leon, but the carne asadas have a great flavor to them, and the (optional) salsa complements the tacos just fine. Why they decided to include iceberg lettuce is anybody's guess, but it doesn't really take away from the taste. Just seems a bit superfluous.

The stars of the show, however, are the rice and beans. I'm not sure what they to do them, but it kind of feels like the rice might be re-fried, and then mixed with the beans. It's difficult to say, but the result is really good at least.

And seeing that you get three tacos with rice and beans for $5, you do in fact have a winner on your hands with Tacos el Mariachi.

Update: Now find El Mariachi on Hamilton St, just north of Mission.