Finally!!! Real Mexican food!!! Having lived inFort Lauderdale for four years, we have constantly tried to find a good Mexican restaurant (like we were used to in Colorado). We were always disappointed and decided that Taco Bell was probably as good as it got here. Weird that Taco Bell is your favorite Mexican food place... but that was the case. Finally tripped over Taqueria Dona Raquel as we were leaving A Shade Better (see earlier review). It certainly seemed to look authentic. Quick look up the Yelp reviews. The Yelp reviews were favorable so in we went. The corn chips were the thickest I have ever encountered but they were good. Loved the two salsas... one a spicy tomato based and the other a spicy avocado based. We had the carnitas taco, and the rojo tamale. Both had a good flavor but blossomed after salting. The tamale was fatter than most tamales I have had in the past. But the key thing was the amount of meat in the tamale. I have never had a tamale with so much meat. They have always been way more cornmeal and a string of meat. Not in this case. The meat was a generous portion that actually occupied an entire side of the tamale. Easily, three times the amount of meat than I am used to seeing... and eating. I didn't notice if smothering the tamale was an option. If it is , I would suggest doing that. I will next time. Thank you, Taqueria Dona Raquel. It is great to have authentic Mexican food, again.
(4)
Elisabeth C.
I came to this place because of the great reviews. I had a mixed experience. Food was great. It's definitely authentic mexican food, but the service was horrible. I'm traveling alone so I was asked to sit at the bar. Which I understand. But they completely forgot about me. It took a while for someone to ask if someone had taken my order. I told her, not yet. She yelled over the bar and asked the person arranging the silverware to take my order. Someone walked by with my order twice and finally I hear her saying, I don't know who this belongs to. I realized it was my food. I've been waiting for my check so I decided to yelp while I wait. No, the check isn't here yet. :/ this is quite annoying. I will definitely not come back. It's too bad because the food is so good.
(2)
Rita M.
The tacos al pastor were very good. Tacos with Carnitas have a lot of gristle and hard pieces in the meat, so I was put off by that. The chips were really greasy. Really, all the food was pretty fatty, and I felt a little queasy by the end of the meal. If I came here again, I would stick with the tacos al pastor. The decor is basic, but it looked very clean. The service was good.
(3)
Cecily V.
I used to think Homestead Florida City had the best Mexican food. Not anymore. This place exceeded my expectations. I judge taquerias by their choice of meats. Al Pastor, carnitas, been there. Goat, tripe, pork skins? You had me at goat (they didn't have it). What's more, everything was fresh and homemade. The rice was flavorful and hot out of the pot. Even the pink beans--not mushy refried--was delish. The guacamole was chunky the way I like it. 3 tacos - al Pastor, carnitas con cueritas, de Suadero Sunday dinner was sublime.
(5)
MICHELLE C.
Wanting a quick simple fast lunch, we found this place from yelp app. Nice medium size restaurant with an open kitchen, Mexican flair decor, simple and casual. Waitress came over and took our drink order, she was very friendly. This place is so inexpensive. The selection of taco's on their menu was fierce having about twelve different types for $1.99. Chips and two different salsa arrive at the table. Chips were heavy, thick, fried to a dark brown. Way to overcooked for me, and thick. The salsa was the dark brown kind of like a mole sauce, then the green tomatillo sauce was good. We ordered a small guacamole to sample and it was very good, again wish I had better chips though. As I looked over the menu so excited to see "Tongue" taco's. Forgot what they call them in Spanish, but I grew up in Chicago with many of my friends mom's making this. So I ordered one to try and a steak taco. Hubby ordered a steak burrito. Order arrived quickly, the taco's are made with the little corn tortilla's wrapped within two with cilantro, onion and lime. The tongue taco was good, not quite what I remembered but good. It has a very distinct taste to it. It was a bit dry. The steak taco was good, hubby enjoyed his burrito. I thought the food was good, the prices were very reasonable. For a good lunch or quick meal yes I would stop here again. Many different items to try. Service was good.
(3)
John B.
We came here with great expectations, but after two visits we definitely won't be returning. It would seem to have everything going for it and really looks the part. But the food just doesn't cut it, and from one visit to the next they had reprinted their menu and raised prices--these are not taqueria prices (especially a taqueria located in an industrial ghetto)!--$2.39 for a single taco, $10 for a Mex. plate, such as enchiladas. The chips and salsas were some of the worst I've ever eaten. The meat--carne asada and barbacoa--was flavorless. (Al pastor was good, lengua okay but not great.) Chicken soup was served almost cold and was nothing but chicken with some large chunks of carrot. A burrito was served wrapped in paper, instead of foil, and it fell apart as you tried to remove the paper to eat it. It, too, was flavorless. I think I'm convinced that South Florida isn't the place for respectable and inexpensive Mexican food.
(1)
Sueann W.
Note: You are not going here for Ritz Carlton Service, just the terrific food! After reading many reviews about the not so good service, I thought I should mention, the food makes up for a few little problems in the service. Everything amazing about the food has already been mentioned, but I wanted to add... Check out what the Mexican clientele are eating as you walk to your table, you may learn something new. They have specials everyday that are not on the menu and they don't tell you about. Ask to see them, just walk up to the counter and the food is under those metal lids. I've had some of my best meals from the specials!
(5)
Madison C.
Hard to find authentic Mexican food! Salsa / Tomatillo sauce is spicy!! I love this place.. a hole in the wall but great food!!!!!!!! I enjoyed their grilled steak taco and tongue taco (very tender) I highly recommend this place!!
(5)
John B.
I got 5 tacos for dinner. Pork, pork with pineapple, steak, chorizo, and tripe. I was the only English speaking customer in the restaurant...probably a good sign that I found something awesome. The tripe tacos were out of this world! Amazingly tender and flavorful. They were about $2 each. I haven't had better tacos in a long time. The place is a bit out of the way; but it was definitely worth the trip.
(5)
Amanda F.
Whenever you go to a Mexican restaurant and you are the only gringo in there, then you know the food is going to be great! And it was! We were super hungry and with all the food we ordered the bill was under $20!
(5)
Surf W.
What a disappointment I was really looking forward to this place. Service was horrible ! The chile relleno was cold and the cheese not even melted. There server messed up my order twice. Maybe she was new but what a real mess! Sorry guys, dont like writing these types of reviews
(1)
Cena H.
Truly authentic, rustic Mexican food. My son thought the steak was to well-done for his taste, but I feel that is the way it is cooked in this style of cooking. I am looking forward to trying the pork and chicken. Salsas were great
(4)
Shelly B.
OMG! Awesome authentic Mexican Food in South Florida! I almost can't believe it! Me and BF went last weekend because we were in the area. The service was quick and pretty good. I am not sure if the waitresses speak English tho, so be prepared. The waitress brought out chips, which were a little too thick, but were ok and the salsa was good and spicy :) Especially the green one. I ordered a chile relleno ($8) which was served with beans and rice, and it was authentic - down to the crema which was homemade! My BF had tacos($2) - also just like the kind you get in Mexico, cut up meat and onions and cilantro piled on soft corn tortillas. He also had a gordita ($4), which he said was good, but not great. Lastly (he was hungry) he got the sweet tamale ($2), which he thought would be like the elote tamales in mexico, but it was a pink tamale with raisins in it...kinda weird unless your into that... Also the Horchata ($2) is fresh and yummy!! All in all, its the most authentic Mexican food Ive had since moving here from L.A.... Its not L.A. food, but honestly, really really good. I recommend it.
(4)
Craig B.
This place is way too ethnic for my tastes. I was the only European type there. I like to see more of a mixed culture of customers. Yes it's authentic and they appear to have good food. However this is not a good part of town, the parking is difficult, the seating is awkward and dinerish. I did not enjoy the experience. Don't even think about taking a date here if she is used to nice places.
(2)
Steve S.
this is the most authentic mexican food i've found in south florida. i've tried numerous things on the menu besides the tacos, including quesadillas, sopes, and tamales. but i keep coming back for the tacos. i've had most of them, and they are all wonderful. i especially love the al pastor and lengua (tongue). the patrons here are mostly mexican-american locals, but the waitresses all speak english. so don't hesitate to go even if you're a gringo like me.
(5)
Mark S.
Went there a few weeks ago for dinner while the wifey working late and this place is awesome authentic Mexican. Tried a variety of tacos which were all excellent as was the the service and pricing. Loved the salsa for the chips. Definitely made me feel like I was back on a Mexican road trip. Don't let the outside of the building scare you off.
(5)
Damon D.
This taquerÃa is definitely as good as it gets in this area. It's so good, it could even stay in business in Southern California. Just note the number of actual Mexicans who frequent this restaurant if you need convincing. They do all the tacos, including the ones that make most Americans squeamish: beef tongue, pork skins. They also serve menudo and pozole on weekends. I haven't had anything I didn't like. If you're a beginner, try the the enchiladas.
(5)
Shandi B.
After a day of bellydancing, you work up an appetite. Wanting to try somewhere new, we of course consulted Yelp, and found this taqueria. And just like that - a delicious lunch was had by all! This restaurant has a lot going for it - firstly the size. Most taco shops are on the small size, with limited seating options. The Doña is large in comparison, so there are plenty of tables and plenty of space to spread out. The food is good, cheap and fast. If that's not the holy trinity of what lunch should be, then I don't know what is. The carne asada was on point, and they have sopes, so bam! It's not very fancy, but the people are nice, the food is good, and it gets the job done.
(4)
Don M.
I eat in many mexican restaurats and I found the the menudo here was very good the babacoa tacos we're very tasty I love the old Coke recipie I will be back I thought everything was fresh and delicious
(4)
Mike C.
This place was recommended by some Mexican friends. They said that it alleviates the nostalgia for Mexican home cooking. The place is very simple, not fancy at all. However, the food is delicious. You order tacos individually. The tacos are small and filled with you choice of meat, onions and cilantro. These are fairly small so I recommend trying different ones. I've been to the place twice and had mainly tacos. I want to try the tamales next time. Horchata is very good too! One more thing, there is a little convenience store next to the place. Get yourself a bag of corn tortillas, they have them in the fridge. These are the best corn tortillas I've tried.
(5)
Justin W.
Came here looking for a recreation of the magical experiences I've had eating street tacos south of the border, but instead left feeling rather slighted. Across a massive sample of tacos flavors were mild if not altogether homogeneous: pollo, cabeza, lengua, carnita, barbacoa - all lacked character. A smothering of cilantro ensured standardization across the tacos. Just a pinch would have done. Sliced radish next time, please. The highlight of the meal was free chips and salsa appetizer. Fresh cut and fried tortillas were made right next door, and the wholesome corn flour was excellent. Salsa Verde and a smokey habanero sauce came with the chips, both were lovely.
(2)
AR J.
Really good food! Authentic Mexican cuisine! Fresh salsa and amazing selection of meats for tacos!
(5)
Candice M.
Real authentic Mexican food. This is real Mexican flavor. I love the fried quesadillas. They are juicy and hot. Their horchata is also delicious. Everytime we go there, we order everything, from tacos, sopes, and gorditas. Yummy!!!
(5)
Bri A.
Not just the tacos are amazing! Wanted to update my review since we went back and ordered more than tacos - and to say still the best Mexican we've come across in South Florida. We had the Chile Rellenos - amazing! The sauce was great, the pepper not over fried, and the cheese was excellent. Definitely one of the best Rellenos I've had! We also tried the Quesadilla's and Sopa's - will for sure order the Quesadilla's again. The tortilla was nice and thick, perfect texture and flavor - we had the steak which was good, but would try the others as well. The Sopa was okay - but would order the other items first. One thing I didn't notice before about the tacos - and not necessarily a bad thing. But, they don't double the tortillas. I think I only noticed this time because I ordered Chorizo and it was really greasy - so the taco fell apart before I could finish it. But I still cleaned my plate :)
(4)
Charmie P.
So I have now tried Taqueria Dona Raquel twice, both times ordering the tacos and although yes they are fresh and very inexpensive they were just ok. The restaurant wasn't busy, it was past regular lunch time and there were several tables taken, most of which appeared to be Mexican clientele, a good sign right? I tried the Carnitas, Carne Asada and the Al Pastor, and well, the meat quality wasn't great (I found a big bone in my carnitas taco). The Al Pastor taco had a nice big juicy chunk of fresh pineapple, the tacos are served in 2 soft tortillas with cilantro, onions and a nice slice of lime, the seasoning is nice however the meat quality on all of the tacos I tried wasn't very good, the meat didn't look great but I was hoping it tasted better than it looked, it didn't. I have also tried the guac and wasn't impressed, and the accompanying chips were thick and hard. As soon as we sat down we were promptly served chips with 2 sauces, one slightly spicier than the other, after several minutes I had to waive one of the servers to have water served since no one was coming around to take our drink order. My sister ordered a tortilla and requested it with out tomatoes but it came with tomatoes, she politely asked if they could make her a new one what did she get a few minutes later, the same tortilla with the tomatoes picked out which was very evident by the ones that remained, she was disappointed. Also, I had to again waive someone down to get a water re-fill, service overall was slow and not too friendly which surprised me as most Mexican restaurants tend to be overly welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is located in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood just south of Atlantic on Dixie, the restaurant itself is clean and fairly large with several tables and an open kitchen. There are many more items on the menu than just tacos so maybe I will go back and try some of their other specialties, but after my last experience I am in no rush. To sum it up, not terrible, not great, cheap.
(3)
Shaun Y.
Went here because because of the ratings and reveiws. It's clear to me that the ratings were influenced by there family and friends. The food was your average and typical mexican fare. A very loud and a very bad Mexican band was playing over a loud restraunt and a screaming baby. I ordered two tacos with a side of rice and beans. The soft tortillas were so small it was comical. About 4" round. I had never seen tacos that small at full price?? 4 bites and they were gone! Service was slow and difficult to understand, unless your fluent in spanish? Don't be fooled by the ratings this place is not worth the drive.
(2)
Stephen T.
The other reviews (all of them) give you an idea of the decor, neighborhood etc. athe chips and salsa were fantastic and really fresh. The guacamole was outstanding. Between my wife and I had tacos, 6 varieties in all. The highlights were the Al Pastor, Barbacoa, Lengua, Cabeza, Ribs and steak/sausage. The sausage had a slightly sweet or cinnamon spice to it that didn't really work for me but the other 5 were far and away the best Mexican I've had in So Fla. The only 2 criticisms I have concern the side dishes that came with my daughter's tacos dorados. The rice was clearly flavored with instant soup mix. The pork and beans were definitely straight out of a can as well. Other than that this place is a gem and I will definitely be back.
(4)
Tanya L.
Trying to find an authentic Mexican place is difficult. I read the reviews on here about Taqueria Dona Raquel and I was beyond excited to come here. When we entered we were a little confused since there was no one to assist us. We were not sure if we seated ourselves or if we had to wait so after a few minutes we just decided to choose our own table and take a seat. Immediately, the waitress brought over chips and salsa. The chips were a bit too hard and the salsas a little too spicy. I love spicy food but these salsas were too spicy for me. I was super happy they had Mexican soda. I ordered Jarritos de Pina. This soda is the best. I was a little let down when I ordered Tamales for appetizer but they do not make them during the week. Only on Sundays. I think this should be stated in their menus. For entrees I decided to stick with Mexican tacos. I ordered 1 taco al carbon and 2 carne asada tacos with a side order of rice and beans. The tacos were just ok. The meat was a bit dry. I tried my boyfriend shredded beef taco and I have to say that was my favorite. I like how they add a slice of pina on the Tacos Al Carbon. Gives it a sweet taste. The place is cute and nicely decorated. There was a huge fly that was beyond annoying flying around they place. Price is very reasonable. For 6 tacos, 2 drinks, and side orders. Total was $30bucks. I will have to be back for tamales and barbacoa tacos on Sunday those were the two things I was looking forward to try. Overall, this place was just okay for me and my boyfriend.
(3)
Joseph M.
Authentic and very good. Excellent guacamole. Tacos are great - the lengua (tongue) and al pastor were delicious. Tacos were on flour tortilla rather than corn, which I prefer. But no complaints, we'll be back.
(4)
Caryn B.
Authentic Mexican! Gave it a try after seeing it on Check Please (if you don't watch that show, check it out in your PBS local listings). At first, it's a little daunting if you do not speak Spanish. Although, most customers and servers are helpful if you want to know what to order. They provide great crispy tortilla chips and salsa for the table when you arrive. There are limited choices for vegetarians, but I make out just fine with beans, cheese, tortillas, and veggies. My party ordered everything from a whole fried fish, to chicken and beef tacos/tamales. Definitely try it if you want a little trip out of the normal Tex Mex around town!
(4)
Luis S.
Love this place. Feels and taste just like being in Mexico. On Sunday at 3PM every table was full. This is the only place in South Florida where you can have real tacos al Pastor.
(5)
Matt D.
This place is legit! Every time I come here, the food is great. It's inexpensive and better than places that charge a ridiculous amount for tacos, like Rocco's. I just had, two different types of fresh made salsa, 2 tacos, a true gordita, and a small guacamole, that was not small at all, for under $15. I highly suggest this place to anyone looking for real good food
(5)
Thomas L.
I quicly became addicted to this place the food is just delicious. I always have any kind of taco (the cabeza and tripa are my favourite), if you come on weekends they have wonderful specials. Last time I went I had a Torta de pata de puerco and it was heaven!!!!
(5)
Evan S.
Little bit a hole in the wall off Dixie but well worth it for lunch if you work in the area or are heading to the Isle and want good legit Mexican food. Get a few different tacos (they're $2!) And try the Gordita! Very pleased.
(4)
Jose V.
Great authentic Mexican dishes! The tacos and gorditas were awesome, great food at a great price.
(4)
Rafael V.
Pretty good to be in Florida. The food is nothing like real Mexico but has a good feel of authentic. They take way too long for everything.
(2)
Y J.
Delicious and authentic median food. Tastes like its direct from Mexico. They were out of Mexican beer when we were there. Friendly service. Was not that busy when we went.
(5)
Peter C.
Whenever I travel in the U.S. I look for tacos. Not just any tacos, but the tacos I ate when I was young in the slums of the Distrito Federal, Mexico City. Those tacos were made of mysterious meats roasted over roaring fires, surrounded by yelling men, calling out their commands. While the scene is never like what I experienced then, the taste is sometimes at least reminiscent of those wonderful and strange savors. Wonderful tacos can appear in strange places, Newark Delaware! Not surprisingly, in San Diego. I was sure though that Broward County FL, Cuban country, home of the popular La Bamba restaurant chain, was not Mexican country, not a place for the real thing. However Doña Raquel's IS the real thing. Could tacos here be better than the taco shacks of San Diego? Definitely so! Not only were the tacos delicious, but the variety was dazzling. We also are a delicious and cheap guacamole of Florida avocados. The salsa was spicy and full of flavor (chiles and cilantro). There is also a long menu of other Mexican dishes that I pine for: mole! And many others. Warning, while the interior of the restaurant is pleasant and also a bit of a trip to old Mexico, the neighborhood is not too inviting. Many cops, Mexican construction workers and other genuine articles were eating there as well.
(5)
Marc P.
This place was brought to my attention by Check Please on PBS. I have to confirm: it is the best Mexican in Broward. My party of 3 got an assortment of things from across the menu. Everything was great. The tacos al pastor and de lengua were fantastic. I've never had tongue that good (that's what she said). Next up: tacos dorados, with chicken. All I can say is: Mang, that was some good cheat mayne. The chilles rellenos were also great. The cheese has body and bite, not like the snotty mess you get at the more texmex/non-authentic places. Speaking of cheese, it was SO NICE to have mexican that wasn't drowning in melted gubmint cheese. The sopes (especially the sopes) and the other appetizers are mad filling. Be careful with how much you order. We only got $30 bucks worth of food and drink among us, but we were so stuffed I thought I was going to roll out of there like a giant gringo beach ball. Best of all: It's great to eat mexican and experience absolutely no indigestion. You don't need a bomb shelter to use the bathroom after eating here. No more flame and groans.... leave "Fire and Blood" in Game of Thrones. I digress... The staff was very nice and laid back. They will attend to you if you need something but otherwise they pretty much leave you alone. I love that. Just keep that in mind before you try something spicy and are low on water. (Did I mention that the water is super good? Some places have that nasty tap taste-- not this one.) The PBS show said you might have a hard time if you don't know spanish. This is not true. The staff knows english-- they're not stupid. It might help to have a smart phone to look up some things if you're too shy to ask about them, but otherwise there shouldn't really be an issue. The only complaint I have is that the rice was a bit too salty and was therefore only good for a few bites. To its credit, it tasted rather like it was made with some kind of salty broth instead of just with salt for the sake of salt. So, ojo if you're on a low-sodium diet... but why the hell would you be eating Mexican in the first place? Again, this is probably the best mexican place in the whole county, if not all of South Florida. It's certainly the best I've had so far. If there are better taquerias, I'd love to know because to be as good as Dona Raquel means you must be special.
(5)
Carlo B.
Real deal !!! No joking around. Real Mexican food in the middle of industrial Pompano (pompton!!). The tacos are amazing, lots of variety ( try the Carnitas ) - friendly wait staff and very reasonable in price. The Shrimp Cocktail is one of a kind. Try that along with Tripe Taquito !! Will be a main staple for me and my mates for lunch
(5)
Rosita S.
We were looking for authentic tacos and found them!! Ordered the tacos al pastor, they were delicious. The tacos are good and affordable. Service wasn't amazing, but it was good enough. Definitely coming back.
(4)
Sherry W.
Chips and salsa are excellent. Just enough spice. Real chips from a fresh tortilla. Steak and chicken tacos were dry. The chorizo and al pastor were juicy and well flavored. Too many opinion on top. Fresh cilantro added great flavor. Refrained beans were runny and flavorful. Service was ok. We had to request refills on water.
(4)
V C.
This places is great! Salsa verde tasty ( a little spicy) I love it. Tacos are awesome real Mexican tacos. I highly recommend to be open to taste the ( tripe, head, tongue). The Aguas are good the Jamaica is my favorite. I have a friend I took here he love the horchata ( he cant pronounce it but he still like it ) Quesadilla are the real deal. If you looking the American version this is not for you. the tortas ( sandwich) are huge, cheap, and good soooo try it I been coming here for a longtime, and try almost the whole menu. I never review this place but after a bad experience at another Mexican restaurant make me appreciate this place better. Staff are great
(5)
Dan R.
Me and my wives favorite place for some authentic Mexican food! I highly recommend this little gem. It is in one of the rougher parts of town and the building doesn't look appealing but don't let that scare you away. Tacos are amazing here, I defiantly recommend the Al Pastor. Also the Torta's (Sandwiches) are as big as a football for the hungry person. On the weekends they have Tamales and Sopila (soup) but get there before noon otherwise they will run out!!!! Enjoy
(5)
Susan J.
Had to try this place after seeing it on PBS' "Check Please, South Florida." Didn't find it inexpensive. But yes, authentic Mexican dishes that are on target. Paid $9 for the weekend special, chicken mole. I thought it was high for two chicken legs, and the mole was overly done in cocoa and one-dimensional. My partner had beef enchiladas. Made authentically with tough beef bits; could have used more sauce, but they offer good bottled hot sauces. Stop by the great Mexican market next door for a good range of paletas, meat, and groceries, including those hot sauces.
(3)
Gabriela G.
You might feel back in Mexico when you enter Doña Raquel. The taqueria style decor, the smell of the food and the friendly mexican staff. But wait until you try the food... you'll feel in heaven! I am mexican and is hard to find "authentic" mexican food but Doña Raquel makes it happen. I love their tacos, tamales and their grilled quesadillas. They also have the food that your mom would make at home like carne asada with beans and rice, pozole, chiles rellenos... I could go on forever. I just say you have to go and try it. On top of the good food, they have a little grocery store right next door and you can find lots of mexican stuff, fresh meat, chicken, cheese and tortillas to take home. Great prices too.
(5)
Miranda P.
The best, most authentic Mexican food I've found in Ft. Lauderdale. At least it seems authentic to this Gringa. It's cheap but delicious and you can wave to the cooks in the kitchen. Boyfriend had a chicken burrito and a horchata, I had two vegetarian tostadas and we split a guacamole for under 20 bucks. The salsas are different every day and the chips are home made. We went on a not-so-busy weeknight and the service was slow enough for me to knock off a star. We had to ask for everything from refills to the guac we ordered to the bill. It's like that old adage that you can have two out of three when it comes to wanting something good, fast and cheap. But two outta three ain't bad. BOTTOM LINE: Bueno y barato.
(4)
Jim J.
An authentic Mexican restaurant in every way. The two salsas they serve with the complementary chips have distinct favors. The mild is the green, rich with the zesty, slightly bitter tomatillo offset by avocado and jalapeño. The red - the hot - is a roasted tomato, garlic, and chili de Arbol sauce. Both were way above average. We tried the tacos de cecina (say-SEE-na). Two corn tortillas lay flat with thin slices of salt-cured beef topped with cilantro and onions. The sauces kicked this flavorful dish up a notch. The Tacos al Pastor were identical to what you'd find in Mexico. A vertical spit is stacked with heavily marinated pork collar meat sliced thin, sliced onions mixed in, and fully cooked. The only difference is that, in Mexico and Central America, they fire up the Gyro-style grill and finish cooking the Pork for each order. This means that the meat, while heavily marinated in adobo, achieve, and vinegar, is still raw underneath. They would never let a restaurant go that authentic in the US, but Dona Raquel has managed to do the next best thing. And the spiced pork, the onions, the cilantro, onion, and pineapple slices came together very well in the tacos al Pastor. Then we shared a serving of Enchiladas Michoacanas; four tortillas dipped in Salsa Roja (tomato based sauce), folded over and filled with ample amounts of fresh Cotija cheese, onions, topped with Crema Mejicana, more Cotija, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Two chicken legs barbecued with the Salsa Roja were laid to one side of the dish. We took them home to the suegra. The Jamaica and Horchata were superb. Jamaica (huh-MY-kah) is a drink made from boiling hibiscus flowers for hours with lots of sugar. It's an anti-oxidant rich beverage - very healthy. Horchata is a drink made from chopped rice, cinnamon, and sugar very much like the typical "chicha" beverage from Latin America. On a previous visit, I ordered the Huarache (Wa-RAH-chay), a flat, fried sandal-shaped homemade corn tortilla topped with meat, sauces, lettuce and that amazing Cotija cheese. For $7.99, you can't beat that. Taqueria Dona Raquel is authentic, and tonight while we were there, two Mexican or Central American men sat nearby, drinking beer, and cursing up a storm in Spanish. If you don't speak Spanish, you're OK. No big deal. It's a public place and in the end it's what you mean more than what you say. Just don't expect a Las Olas crowd. All in all, this is real Mexican food; Tacos al Pastor, Cecina, Enchiladas Michoacanas, Mole, Huaraches, Sopes, Gorditas, Tortas, etc., etc. The only thing missing are the Tacos de Chapulin (Grasshoppers). But we didn't miss that.
(4)
Keana B.
While vacationing in Florida we had looked up this place on yelp and decided to check it out. Firstly, this seems like a place that only locals know about, it's not fancy or flashy, they have "Mexican styled" decorations all over the place though and you also order takeout. When I went there was two people in the kitchen cooking everything, I had a gordita which was very good, food is greasy but very enjoyable, it's real authentic, not your taco bell type place. My sister had the steak fajita's and it was beautifully seasoned. Also I got a giant cup of horchata to go for only like 2 dollars! unfortunately I didn't get to try the taco's maybe next time I'm in Florida. Also like the previously review please beware when you order, you will fill up fast, I ordered two gorditas thinking they wouldn't fill me and I ended up being stuffed after just one!
(5)
Carlos L.
Great seeing an undertoned Mexican place with true home made food, yummy, fresh and affordable. Kitchen is open, you can see what they are doing. The tables scare me, i feel like I can break them. Tamal verde was great and spicy, chicken tacos were great too. You know this place its authentic because there is a statue of the Virgin Mary on an altar outside, that's like 120% authentic Mejico!
(4)
Sumair V.
After trying the authentic tacos in Mexico City , district federal , ...this was the closest authentic Mexican food I have tried in fort laurradale area...me and my wife love it..chips and salsa just great!!
(5)
Allison S.
We are so happy to finally find authentic Mexican food, cooked and served by Mexicans, here in South Florida. We had tacos, menudo, enchiladas and tamales and all were very good/great. Very friendly service too. From ex-Californians, this is high praise! We'll be back.
(4)
C S.
I've never had real authentic Mexican food until now. It was delicious!!! I can't wait to eat there again!!
(5)
Paul D.
Reminds me of the great mexican food I used to get back in the midwest. Everything you get here is made to order and delicious. Tongue tacos being my favorite. You will not be disappointed. Wait staff is friendly and a good place to take clients for a quick, tasty lunch.
(4)
Selenie O.
The location of this place made me apprehensive, especially going at night.....The sauces are on Point, YOU CAN TELL WHEN THINGS ARE MADE FRESH. Horchata was absolutely delicious (MEXICAN DRINK). Next time I am going to go for tacos. I liked the chips they served at the table, a very nice touch. Went there on karaoke night for the first time.
(4)
Daniel K.
Taquera was recommended by a friend who generally doesn't like many restaurants. With that in mind we decided to try it for lunch yesterday......, today we were there again.... It's a bit hard to figure out the menu as the dishes read pretty much the same in the Engilsh translations. However be adventurous and try it. Everything tasted very fresh and seemed to be "home made" (authentic...??) I'll definitely have lunch here at least once a week......and the price is right... (as for the people who gave this place one star, maybe they weren't actually HERE)
(4)
Vain E.
Finding this place was a little bit of a challenge, but I'm glad we did. It's in a pretty sketchy area, but the place is surprisingly clean & well lit. The staff was warm & friendly and very attentive. I immediately felt comfortable. Believe the reviews you've read - this place is the real-deal and fantastic. I tried a cross section of the taco menu and was very pleased. My friend had a chicken burrito and was also very pleased. If you're looking for no-bullshit Mexican that is extremely authentic this is the place. It's worth checking out, I'm glad I did. I'll be back to try the rest of the menu.
(5)
Caio M.
I saw a program on PBS about this place and I had to come. I love Mexican food and this restaurant did not disappoint. The location is off the beaten path as far as restaurants go. It's a simple and humble environment inside but the food is made fresh and served to satisfy. Very fair prices, Mexican cokes (I never pass on one of those) and a wide variety of meat choices. Put it this way, they have tongue, tripe, goat meat and pork skins as taco options. Do I need to continue any further on the authenticity of the food? The location isn't great but its worth the trip. The prices are cheap. The decor is average at best. Service was great and speedy.
(5)
Charles L.
Great authentic Mexican food! Personally, I'm always a fan of places where the servers speak Spanish and the menu reads in Spanish. The horchata was delicious and the enchiladas fantastic. And best of all...it's super cheap! Great place!
(4)
John S.
the most authentic mexican restaurant in town. A large open kitchen that was SPOTLESS !
(5)
Jeanne M.
YAY! A real Mexican tamale!! We've been all over the area trying to find legitimate Mexican food and there was none to be had. We found that virtually all the restaurants that weren't fast food chains said "Mexican/Spanish." I've got a bulletin for them - they aren't the same thing. The two cuisines have practically nothing in common other than a similar language. Every time I ordered a tamale, I cringed when they asked me what kind of meat I wanted "on" it. A Mexican tamale has the meat IN it! When we stumbled across this taqueria by pure coincidence at lunch time, we started by reading the Yelp reviews. We found that, across the board, it was labeled as real Mexican food. While I won't say it's the best Mexican food I've had, it's certainly the best I've had in So. FL. The tacos Al Pastor were very good, and I loved the fresh pineapple spear. The carne asada taco was a bit dry. Next time, we'll try the enchiladas. I wish they'd had some combo plates that came with sides, but no such luck. Also, the tacos were bare, they needed something for moisture. The salsa that came with the chips (which needed to be warm, saltier and considerably thinner) wasn't the right fit for the tacos. Also, if you don't like cilantro - be sure to say something. The only thing on the taco was a mountain of cilantro and I'm talking Pikes Peak. None of us like cilantro and spent the first 10 min. laboriously picking it off the tacos and mounding it up on the plate. But overall, I like this little place and we'll be back to sample some of the other fare.
(4)
Johnny H.
I went here based on a recommendation of friend. It's a bit of a hike for me to get there, but well worth it. We tried to order the tamales, based on the reviews on Yelp, but they were unfortunately out. So, we tried the tacos (chicken & al pastor), the sopes, and gorditas. All came to our table quickly and piping hot. Each was extremely tasty. The bill for dinner for two plus four beers was only $30 -- you can't beat that. I will definitely be back.
(5)
T T.
This is excellent authentic Mexican food. I rank it right up there with El Guanaco. The clientele is mostly Mexican which is a good sign. The salsas are crazy good. The chips are on the thick side like you find in many restaurants in Mexico. I'm glad they haven't Americanized their food. If you like thinner chips then bring some Doritos with you or better yet just go to Taco Bell.
(5)
Alicia P.
(Mexican perspective) Authentic Mexican Food! Very good, best I have found in Fort Lauderdale Area. Owners are from Mexico City and fans of America, woo hoo!! Stop by, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)
Sean L.
Place is horrible dont go! Guacamole was good but it's hard to mess that up! The chips even sucked!
(1)
JL Q.
After seeing this local Pompano Beach establishment profiled on Check Please South Florida recently, we decided to try it out. Each time we've visited a profiled restaurant from this popular PBS program, we have never been disappointed. Taqueria Dona Raquel is located in a area most people probably don't frequent unless they've had their auto repaired at one of the local garages. But if you did, you might have had the opportunity to visit this colorful business. Very easy to find on Dixie Highway, just two blocks or so south of Atlantic Blvd in the southbound lanes, there is a small parking lot at the building. When we pulled into the lot and got out of our car, we noticed a large prayer fountain with the Virgin Mary. Entering the restaurant, seating is amply available and you can decide where you want to sit. Our waitress was very prompt, bringing us menus and taking our drink orders. The menu items are described in spanish with an english translation beneath them. Some items were foreign to us, even though my partner is Mexican but he found items he remembered from a recent trip to central Mexico with his parents, Huraches. We also were served complimentary chips and salsa, and the chips were WONDERFUL, thick and hard-fried flour tortillas with a delicious and robust, but not too spicey, red sauce as well as a fresh tasting green sauce. I ordered enchiladas with mole sauce and am still raving about them! The mole was the best I can remember since leaving Chicago, and the rice and refried beans accompanying them took on the most wonder flavors I've ever had. And since I learned to prepare mexican rice from a mexican cook, I thought mine was great, but this put it to shame. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. One diner ordered a burrito that was wrapped and served like a traditional wrap sandwich, cut in half and room temperature which was certainly untraditional but he reported it was delicious. We were all too full to try dessert and decided on our next trip we wouldn't fill up so much on chips and salsa so we could try some. Weekends there is barbacoa available, and if you are from Chicago, south Texas or Mexico, you know what a treat this is! In fact, there is an entire page of items that are only prepared on weekends and we could see an entire additional kitchen that seemed dedicated to that effort. A quick check of recent food inspections didn't find anything I thought I feared like insect or rodent droppings or contamination. Put it this way, I've eaten in places with MUCH worse violations. I think the ones they've had make it more than a safe bet to add this place to your repetoire of businesses to visit!
(5)
Al P.
I've been there several times. It's like my "must go" when I'm in the area. The tacos options are wide, including tripe, tong and other options you don't find in other Mexican restaurants in the area. The salsas, especially tomatillo, red and mole are delicious and the prices are really low. The place is not the best option for a saturday night date but it's definitely worth the visit or the trip. Service is good, friendly and fast even when the place is packed. If you love real mexican flavors, this is your place to go.
(5)
Quang P.
GO! You will not be sorry. The food is as authentic as I can tell (compares favorably to taco stands in Baja and mom/pop joint in Demming, New Mexico). Taco al pastor is excellent, suadero (rib tips) taco phenomenal, lengua was good. Good sopas, menudo and pozoles(sp?), some available only on weekend. Full selection of diabetes inducing Mexican juices/sodas. Prices may have increased after TV appearance but still pretty cheap. Working class/industrial neighborhood not aesthetically pleasing but never felt unsafe, I've taken my wife here multiple times. Restaurant is clean and staff is friendly. Highly recommend going here!
(5)
Frank B.
AMAZING! Start anywhere; virtually everything is good, from tender chicken enrobed in a perfectly balanced mole and vibrantly flavorful fajitas served with fresh tortillas made in-house to an aromatic bowl of pozole on weekends. The tacos are excellent, with fillings from grilled carnitas and a spindle of al pastor to steamed pork skin, tripe, and cabeza (tender, rich meat from the cow's head). Their two hot sauces are fresh and homemade and the chips are thick and golden brown. I also love their freshly made "aguas frescas", the pineapple drink is the best in town. Top it off with there Flan, thick and rich with a chocolate syrup dripped along with the carmel sauce Yummy!
(4)
Harry S.
I was just here for lunch .. very disappointing first of all 3 different people took my order. It took for ever just to bring out half my order even though they had just 2 tables to deal with. I had ordered the al Pastor tacos they were very sweet tasting which I found strange and then about 15 minutes later the chorizo quesadilla I had ordered came out had the only flavor of cinnamon. I am not sure if I was to a tanqueria or a Dunkin Donuts ... I have no idea what went wrong here but I have no plans to go back.
(1)
Vanessa P.
My coworker and I came here after I came across a review from the New Times. We came during lunch and shared two tacos Al Pastor and two gorditas (beef and chicken). The cheese and sauce mixture in the gorditas were delicious. The beef gordita somewhat resembled a hamburger in taste and surprisingly it was my favorite from the items we shared. They also give complimentary chips and two different salsa varieties. The green salsa-like concoction was my favorite since it had a lot of bite. Service was also prompt and pleasant. I guess I was surprised at how big the restaurant was since I was expecting it to be very small. And there were definitely regulars dining while we were here, which gave it a comfortable and friendly feel. In short, I felt the food was quite good and had exceptionally reasonable prices. I'm no expert on authentic Mexican cuisine, I just know that I enjoyed it and would like to come back and try other menu options.
(3)
Mike M.
The service I received was so bad I will never be back. I had to ask for multiple things, never got checked on and waited 15 min for my check until I just left money on the table and left!!!
(1)
juan a.
wow...the only authentic Mexican food place i have found in South Florida. Everything else I've found is the regular Tex Mex stuff, which I also like, but is not as good as the authentic mexican stuff. One of my old customers (I work for a foodservice company and worked in the midwest mainly with mexican restaurants for a couple of years) used to tell his customers: "Rethink what you know of mexican food. Burritos, chimichangas, chalupas, and all that crap...that's tex-mex. If it has a flour tortilla: that crap isnt mexican, that's tex mex....if it has yellow cheese: that crap isn't mexican. If you want that type of stuff...do you see out the window there?? Yes, it's Taco bell, they sell that crap, I don't." Taqueria Dona Raquel reminded me of him. Yes, they still have the burritos on the menu, but you don't go there for the burritos. You go for the real stuff. The real tacos, sopes, tostadas. The really good stuff. I decided to try it when I saw it on "Check, Please- South Florida", the Michelle Bernstein show. Pompano is quite the drive for me that live in Brickell, but i figured i'd make a day of it. Boy was that good. The Pastor Tacos were the unanimous favorite in our table of 6. I also had the chiles rellenos. Spectacular The pricing is great, and the service was also very good. I will make the drive again soon and stop to say hi to Dona Raquel
(5)
Asif W.
Proven best authentic Mexican food in South Florida by the AS IF-Index. From Rocco's Tacos on Las Olas to Zona Fresco this place is #1 in delivering an authentic Mexican fare at a VERY, VERY reasonable price. My personal suggestion is the a la cart Al Pastor tacos in the corn tortilla.
(5)
Wendy E.
Superb! This restaurant may be considered a "hole-in-the-wall" but if you know good food, the best food comes from small businesses like this. All orders are made upon ordering and the tacos are authentic and super cheap ($1.25). Love how the "al pastor" (pork) tacos come with grilled pineapple while the others just cilantro and onion and limes on the side. Their two hot sauces are fresh and homemade, the green avocado sauce is the best. We've gotten the enchiladas and the sauce is freshly ground sauce, not the canned stuff, so if you're not used to that you won't like it. Also, the enchiladas are super spicy. I ordered my toddler a Tostada for around $2 (crispy tortilla with cheese, beans, meat and lettuce) and he loved it! I always get carry-out and never had a problem. We dined-in once and the service is friendly but very relaxed. They bring you the food and wait for you to call them if needed. Good for some people but if you're in a hurry, just get carry-out. I also love their fresh fruit drinks "Aguas" the pineapple drink is the best and there is real bits of pineapple in it! - Love this place!
(5)
Manville S.
This is the real deal if you love real Mexican food. The Caldo de Camarones (Shrimp Soup) that they serve on the weekends is absolutely amazing. It has huge shrimp and crab meat in a beautifully seasoned broth. They serve it with various condiments that you can add to taste to make it as spicy as you can handle.
(5)
Michael y.
I never knew I could be south of the border living in pompano beach. The tacos al pastor and chorizo tacos were autentico delicioso! The setting very clean, espanol is optional. The beer cold and 4 types of Mexican beer. The chips and fresh salsa were feshly homemade. Reminded me of baja. Muy bien.
(3)
Denise R.
This place is legit Mexican. The food gets a 5, but the place is simple so it keeps me from giving me a 5. But who cares! Food is great, the real deal, you will not be disappointed.
(4)
Jackie M.
i've had authentic tacos, and i must say this is as authentic as we can get in so.fl food is pretty good. they do have specialty tacos such as goat and tongue, but they only make those on the weekend. tacos al pastor is the best and has lots of flavor.
This is the real deal. I'm not a fan of Americanized Mexican food -- think hard tacos with cheese, lettuce and sour cream (ew!). Which is why I was stoked that Dona Raquel is totally legit. The soft chicken tacos I had were delightful -- with light seasoning and cilantro. Like another reviewer mentioned, you know it's good when you're the only gringo there. :)
(5)
Kerstin G.
we love this place and come back every time we are in Fort Lauderdale. The food is authentic Mexican, prepared fresh in an open kitchen.
(5)
Smith J.
Finally a place that reminds me of good ol' Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where you can get cheap, amazingly delicious tacos on any corner. I've been so disappointed lately by the quality of mexican food here in SoFla, and was really about to give up until I discovered Dona Raquel. The tacos al pastor were delish with a nice chunk of pineapple, the guacamole is made fresh while you wait. The atmosphere is very nice and pleasant, and I can't wait to go back for breakfast on the weekend! Price was spot on for the area (though compared to back home it's still a little high). I've been to other taco joints where the price was much higher for worse food, so this place is definitely a welcome change!!
(4)
Jasmine B.
I enjoy this place and it's my staple fall-back when I want Mexican in Pompano; I have been here twice and I have been satisfied both times. Will you be the only one who is a native English speaker? yes. Do they have the rotating shish-kabob like rotating juicy stack of delicious meat complete with a pineapple on top to further juicify the meat? check. Do the tortillas appear homemade? yes, they seem to be to my liking. I love ordering the tacos al pastor (although they have 8 different types, including one from Campeche), kick back with an el jarrito drink with the straw in the bottle and munch. On my second visit, I went on the weekend with the expanded menu, which includes mole (rojo y verde), pozole, and some sort of lamb dish. I came back because I have been a die-hard mole hunter ever since a small-town Mexican place in my one gas station hometown closed. I did catch them at the end of the Sunday, which would explain a bit the quality. The mole is gently spicy, leaving your mouth enjoying the spice but not reeling from it. however, the mole was way too greasy for me - the grease got on everything, all over my hands, and it did not want to come off. but the portions are generous (a quarter chicken, swimming in mole sauce, 8 totillas, rice and beans) for about $10 if you get it to go. not a bad deal, great to get with guac and sit on the beach with.
(4)
Aaron N.
Amazing enchiladas, tacos, eggs, homemade tortillas and chips, guacamole, mole and you feel like you have stepped into Mexico! The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the steak as it really isn't their specialty.
(4)
Raul R.
Truly authentic Mexican food. The tacos and gordita I tried were great. Can't wait to go back and try more from their menu.
(5)
Erika K.
Great genuine mexican food. I was so happy to come down from Boston and have some of that mexican food i have been craving. The chalupas are great. The tostadas are awesome. The chile rellenos GREAT! My favorite thing here is the salsa and the guacamole. a really great place to go.
(5)
Erik B.
Yum! Was excited to find this after a Yelp seach for taquerias near my mother's house. It's in a basic strip mall, but is pleasantly decorated and staffed by friendly folks. Knowing Spanish will go a long way here, but everyone speaks English too. We had huaraches de chorizo, which were delicious and were topped with nopales (cactus pads). So good! The tamales were also great and my kids devoured them. The quesadillas are fantastic... deep fried and resemble more of a deep-fried popover than a traditional American-style quesadilla. Really, really good! The proprietor asked us how we found the place, I guess bc they don't get gringo families with toddlers coming in very often. We told him about the Yelp listing and I showed it to him on my phone... he was surprised to see all the reviews! This place is a keeper, we'll definitely be back!
(4)
Chris R.
Yea I was the only white guy in the place. Friendly service. AUTHENTIC.
(3)
Sloania H.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I was so happy to see them features in Check Please! They truly deserve it. I have been coming to this place over the past 7 years. Their food is outstanding and a great authentic Mexican restaurant. If you are looking for texmex food this is not the place for you. Their Aguas are always fresh and delicious and their tacos are outstanding! They used to have a second location in west broward off Pine Island and McNab Rd but they no longer have it. Anytime I have a craving for authentic Mexican food this is the place I go to. My wife and I recently took 4 of our friend here for the first time and they also loved this place and they are very hard to impress. Please visit you will truly enjoy it!
(5)
Juan R.
If you are looking for great authentic Mexican food this is you place. Don't expect anything fancy or gourmet, Doña Raquel serves it down and you will not be disappointed. And please remember it is authentic Mexican not Texmex. My sister in law was surprised when she did not get cheese, tomato, lettuce, and sour cream with her taco. Nope this is again authentic. You will not get your tacos crunchy with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, a sophisticated cilantro sauce or unsophisticated hot sauce with a punch line on the package. What you will get is warm soft corn tortillas (normally they double up but you can just have one, it will be lighter so you will be able to eat a lot more), and the usual topping suspect duo: cilantro and onions on top of your meat of choice. I recommend the Tacos al Pastor. These are tacos made with shaved pork that is slowly cooked on a vertical rotisserie. You can see the rotisserie since their kitchen is open. They add some pineapple as a topping along with your cilantro, and onions. I have had these while eating with cab drivers in Mexico and Doña Raquel does them much justice. They also have chicken and steak tacos for the non-adventurers and a bunch of organs, different body parts, and animals (tongue, head, cheek, goat, tripe, to name a few) for the adventurers. I recommend being an adventurer, it's cheap in case you don't like it and you may just find your favorite taco. Lastly, if your into hot sauces like me, you will be disappointed to know Doña Raquel does not have a large variety. They actually only have two or three and they are not hot at all. What you can do is step over to the market next door where you will find a good variety of hot sauces and then bring your own hot sauce.
(5)
Melisa L.
I love Mexican food, so when my friend at work said she knew of a place close by, I was all for it. This is about as authentic as you can get in South Florida. The restaurant is in a tiny shopping plaza-all of the other businesses are Mexican. The local Mexican population eats here, so that is always a good sign! The menu is in both English and Spanish so gringos and gringas alike can order with confidence! We started off with chips and salsa--but this is NOT a chain restaurant-salsa is homemade. There were 2 different salsas- a traditional tomato based salsa with onions and cilantro. My favorite was the green salsa-awesome! It was served with homemade tortilla chips-yum! I ordered the Chicken Enchilladas with Mole Sauce. They were topped with fresh cheese and came with rice and beans, but not the ordinary crappy refried beans you get in most restaurants. These were served in a little bowl. They were a little watery, but the taste made up for it. They were very flavorful. I poured them over the rice and snarfed them right down! I cannot wait to go back and take my husband. I highly recommend this place if you want authentic Mexican without all of the frills.
(5)
Bernardo A.
Will go again this weekend, for sure. From the food to the open kitchen, this taqueria is as good as it gets. The tacos are amazing. Served on small corn tortillas with fresh onion, cilantro and a lime wedge, they are the perfect snack food. If you stay and eat your tacos sitting at a table, then the two tortillas that come with each taco are not necessary. I am looking forward to trying their pozole and chilaquiles. Aparently there is an actual Doña Raquel who owns the place. I want to meet her.
(4)
Carol M.
Great, Genuine Mexico Food Beware all you gringos who think Chili's and La Bamba is Mexican cuisine. You won't find any cheese, sour cream, or lettuce on these tacos, but you won't miss it. All these have are meat, cilantro, onion, yet they are delish!! Check out the guacamole, it's a must for your chips and salsa.
(4)
Jeremy B.
Authentic Mexican tacos in Pompano? My coworker turned me on to this place and we ate there recently. The tacos Al Pastor (with marinated pork) are fantastic and they come in a soft, flour tortilla with a slice of pineapple. All tacos are garnished with lime and tons of cilantro. The chips were crispy and salsa was spicy good. Had the carne asada taco which was also great. Everyone loved their food, service was excellent and prices are decent (tacos around $2.50 or $3 apiece). I plan to return soon...
(4)
Juan Jose D.
Ok guys, I am going to reveal a secret, this hidden gem in Pompano Beach is THE REAL THING, I am Mexican living over 7 years in Miami and for the first time I found a Mexican place that completely tastes like home, they have absolutely EVERYTHING on the menu, they also have Tacos al Pastor (a Mexican favorite) served the original way (like Gyros). On Sundays they have Mexican brunch specials like Barbacoa, and special plates like Pozole and Birria, it definitely worth's the trip if you know authentic and can tell the difference between a nacho and a totopo or a huarache and a crispy taco.
(5)
Kimmie N.
I rated this place as Ive experienced better not because of the food (the food is really good) but because of the service. I ordered the El pastor (that I had been craving for two weeks) and got the taco to go. When I got home there was no pineapple AT ALL on the taco. If youve ever had this taco you know the pineapple really makes the taco special.anyway, I called the number on the reciept. (not a good number) so I had to look up their number and when I got through the guy offered to let me come back and give me the pineapple, lets be clear, I drove 20 mintes to get this damn taco. i wanted a complete taco the way it was supposed to be, and I was not going back in the rain 20 min away for a taco. I asked if i could come get my taco done right the next day and he offered me the pineapple that was missing the next day (sin taco). Tell me what Im supposed to do with that. Needless to say I told him if thats their attitude then I will not come back. Ill go get my other fav (pupusa)at la costa instead until I can find someplace else that makes an el pastor, theyre much more customer friendly. I refuse to give my money to people who dont care about customer satifaction ever again.
(2)
Aaron V.
I originally heard about this place from friends. There are not a lot of good Mexican restaurants in SoFlo, and so I was dubious. I've been a bit disenchanted with Yelp of late. But now, I'll just go ahead and say it....Taqueria Dona Raquel has brought me out of "Yelp retirement". It's good, and it needs to be known. I will say the food here is a little different from what I am used to...my favorite places are in CA, NM, and TX...but this place rates right up there with the best out west. You won't find some of the traditional fare such at chile rellenos, but you'll find tacos, burritos, quesadillas... And, you'll find them with with interesting fillings in addition to the usual - tongue and pork skin to name a couple. You MUST try them. I would have ordinarily skipped the pork skins (they look a little funky and they just can't be good for you), but the flavor is amazing! I've never liked lettuce in burrito because it gets squished and wilts to a nasty mess...usually. But not here. The burritos are not so tightly rolled, so the lettuce keeps it's shape...and crispness. The burritos are a great price at $5.99, tacos are $1.99! The quesadillas are fried, but not greasy. The tamales are among the very best I've ever had. The only "negative" comment I have is for the chips...they're too thick for my taste, but this is a completely personal preference, so I'm not deducting anything for that. We've been here 3 times...it has already become a staple in our restaurant repertoire. I do have do address some comments in another review of Taqueria Dona Raquel. I'm glad the person didn't like it, the one who wrote "...way too ethnic for my tastes. I was the only European type there. I like to see more of a mixed culture of customers...". I don't want to dine amongst people of that mentality. And he can keep his snobby dates with him.
(5)
Michelle M.
Wow, I really appreciate good, authentic Mexican food and this place has it. It's all homemade and delicious. Service was decent though the only Spanish I know is "gracias."
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Gary M.
Finally!!! Real Mexican food!!! Having lived inFort Lauderdale for four years, we have constantly tried to find a good Mexican restaurant (like we were used to in Colorado). We were always disappointed and decided that Taco Bell was probably as good as it got here. Weird that Taco Bell is your favorite Mexican food place... but that was the case. Finally tripped over Taqueria Dona Raquel as we were leaving A Shade Better (see earlier review). It certainly seemed to look authentic. Quick look up the Yelp reviews. The Yelp reviews were favorable so in we went. The corn chips were the thickest I have ever encountered but they were good. Loved the two salsas... one a spicy tomato based and the other a spicy avocado based. We had the carnitas taco, and the rojo tamale. Both had a good flavor but blossomed after salting. The tamale was fatter than most tamales I have had in the past. But the key thing was the amount of meat in the tamale. I have never had a tamale with so much meat. They have always been way more cornmeal and a string of meat. Not in this case. The meat was a generous portion that actually occupied an entire side of the tamale. Easily, three times the amount of meat than I am used to seeing... and eating. I didn't notice if smothering the tamale was an option. If it is , I would suggest doing that. I will next time. Thank you, Taqueria Dona Raquel. It is great to have authentic Mexican food, again.
(4)Elisabeth C.
I came to this place because of the great reviews. I had a mixed experience. Food was great. It's definitely authentic mexican food, but the service was horrible. I'm traveling alone so I was asked to sit at the bar. Which I understand. But they completely forgot about me. It took a while for someone to ask if someone had taken my order. I told her, not yet. She yelled over the bar and asked the person arranging the silverware to take my order. Someone walked by with my order twice and finally I hear her saying, I don't know who this belongs to. I realized it was my food. I've been waiting for my check so I decided to yelp while I wait. No, the check isn't here yet. :/ this is quite annoying. I will definitely not come back. It's too bad because the food is so good.
(2)Rita M.
The tacos al pastor were very good. Tacos with Carnitas have a lot of gristle and hard pieces in the meat, so I was put off by that. The chips were really greasy. Really, all the food was pretty fatty, and I felt a little queasy by the end of the meal. If I came here again, I would stick with the tacos al pastor. The decor is basic, but it looked very clean. The service was good.
(3)Cecily V.
I used to think Homestead Florida City had the best Mexican food. Not anymore. This place exceeded my expectations. I judge taquerias by their choice of meats. Al Pastor, carnitas, been there. Goat, tripe, pork skins? You had me at goat (they didn't have it). What's more, everything was fresh and homemade. The rice was flavorful and hot out of the pot. Even the pink beans--not mushy refried--was delish. The guacamole was chunky the way I like it. 3 tacos - al Pastor, carnitas con cueritas, de Suadero Sunday dinner was sublime.
(5)MICHELLE C.
Wanting a quick simple fast lunch, we found this place from yelp app. Nice medium size restaurant with an open kitchen, Mexican flair decor, simple and casual. Waitress came over and took our drink order, she was very friendly. This place is so inexpensive. The selection of taco's on their menu was fierce having about twelve different types for $1.99. Chips and two different salsa arrive at the table. Chips were heavy, thick, fried to a dark brown. Way to overcooked for me, and thick. The salsa was the dark brown kind of like a mole sauce, then the green tomatillo sauce was good. We ordered a small guacamole to sample and it was very good, again wish I had better chips though. As I looked over the menu so excited to see "Tongue" taco's. Forgot what they call them in Spanish, but I grew up in Chicago with many of my friends mom's making this. So I ordered one to try and a steak taco. Hubby ordered a steak burrito. Order arrived quickly, the taco's are made with the little corn tortilla's wrapped within two with cilantro, onion and lime. The tongue taco was good, not quite what I remembered but good. It has a very distinct taste to it. It was a bit dry. The steak taco was good, hubby enjoyed his burrito. I thought the food was good, the prices were very reasonable. For a good lunch or quick meal yes I would stop here again. Many different items to try. Service was good.
(3)John B.
We came here with great expectations, but after two visits we definitely won't be returning. It would seem to have everything going for it and really looks the part. But the food just doesn't cut it, and from one visit to the next they had reprinted their menu and raised prices--these are not taqueria prices (especially a taqueria located in an industrial ghetto)!--$2.39 for a single taco, $10 for a Mex. plate, such as enchiladas. The chips and salsas were some of the worst I've ever eaten. The meat--carne asada and barbacoa--was flavorless. (Al pastor was good, lengua okay but not great.) Chicken soup was served almost cold and was nothing but chicken with some large chunks of carrot. A burrito was served wrapped in paper, instead of foil, and it fell apart as you tried to remove the paper to eat it. It, too, was flavorless. I think I'm convinced that South Florida isn't the place for respectable and inexpensive Mexican food.
(1)Sueann W.
Note: You are not going here for Ritz Carlton Service, just the terrific food! After reading many reviews about the not so good service, I thought I should mention, the food makes up for a few little problems in the service. Everything amazing about the food has already been mentioned, but I wanted to add... Check out what the Mexican clientele are eating as you walk to your table, you may learn something new. They have specials everyday that are not on the menu and they don't tell you about. Ask to see them, just walk up to the counter and the food is under those metal lids. I've had some of my best meals from the specials!
(5)Madison C.
Hard to find authentic Mexican food! Salsa / Tomatillo sauce is spicy!! I love this place.. a hole in the wall but great food!!!!!!!! I enjoyed their grilled steak taco and tongue taco (very tender) I highly recommend this place!!
(5)John B.
I got 5 tacos for dinner. Pork, pork with pineapple, steak, chorizo, and tripe. I was the only English speaking customer in the restaurant...probably a good sign that I found something awesome. The tripe tacos were out of this world! Amazingly tender and flavorful. They were about $2 each. I haven't had better tacos in a long time. The place is a bit out of the way; but it was definitely worth the trip.
(5)Amanda F.
Whenever you go to a Mexican restaurant and you are the only gringo in there, then you know the food is going to be great! And it was! We were super hungry and with all the food we ordered the bill was under $20!
(5)Surf W.
What a disappointment I was really looking forward to this place. Service was horrible ! The chile relleno was cold and the cheese not even melted. There server messed up my order twice. Maybe she was new but what a real mess! Sorry guys, dont like writing these types of reviews
(1)Cena H.
Truly authentic, rustic Mexican food. My son thought the steak was to well-done for his taste, but I feel that is the way it is cooked in this style of cooking. I am looking forward to trying the pork and chicken. Salsas were great
(4)Shelly B.
OMG! Awesome authentic Mexican Food in South Florida! I almost can't believe it! Me and BF went last weekend because we were in the area. The service was quick and pretty good. I am not sure if the waitresses speak English tho, so be prepared. The waitress brought out chips, which were a little too thick, but were ok and the salsa was good and spicy :) Especially the green one. I ordered a chile relleno ($8) which was served with beans and rice, and it was authentic - down to the crema which was homemade! My BF had tacos($2) - also just like the kind you get in Mexico, cut up meat and onions and cilantro piled on soft corn tortillas. He also had a gordita ($4), which he said was good, but not great. Lastly (he was hungry) he got the sweet tamale ($2), which he thought would be like the elote tamales in mexico, but it was a pink tamale with raisins in it...kinda weird unless your into that... Also the Horchata ($2) is fresh and yummy!! All in all, its the most authentic Mexican food Ive had since moving here from L.A.... Its not L.A. food, but honestly, really really good. I recommend it.
(4)Craig B.
This place is way too ethnic for my tastes. I was the only European type there. I like to see more of a mixed culture of customers. Yes it's authentic and they appear to have good food. However this is not a good part of town, the parking is difficult, the seating is awkward and dinerish. I did not enjoy the experience. Don't even think about taking a date here if she is used to nice places.
(2)Steve S.
this is the most authentic mexican food i've found in south florida. i've tried numerous things on the menu besides the tacos, including quesadillas, sopes, and tamales. but i keep coming back for the tacos. i've had most of them, and they are all wonderful. i especially love the al pastor and lengua (tongue). the patrons here are mostly mexican-american locals, but the waitresses all speak english. so don't hesitate to go even if you're a gringo like me.
(5)Mark S.
Went there a few weeks ago for dinner while the wifey working late and this place is awesome authentic Mexican. Tried a variety of tacos which were all excellent as was the the service and pricing. Loved the salsa for the chips. Definitely made me feel like I was back on a Mexican road trip. Don't let the outside of the building scare you off.
(5)Damon D.
This taquerÃa is definitely as good as it gets in this area. It's so good, it could even stay in business in Southern California. Just note the number of actual Mexicans who frequent this restaurant if you need convincing. They do all the tacos, including the ones that make most Americans squeamish: beef tongue, pork skins. They also serve menudo and pozole on weekends. I haven't had anything I didn't like. If you're a beginner, try the the enchiladas.
(5)Shandi B.
After a day of bellydancing, you work up an appetite. Wanting to try somewhere new, we of course consulted Yelp, and found this taqueria. And just like that - a delicious lunch was had by all! This restaurant has a lot going for it - firstly the size. Most taco shops are on the small size, with limited seating options. The Doña is large in comparison, so there are plenty of tables and plenty of space to spread out. The food is good, cheap and fast. If that's not the holy trinity of what lunch should be, then I don't know what is. The carne asada was on point, and they have sopes, so bam! It's not very fancy, but the people are nice, the food is good, and it gets the job done.
(4)Don M.
I eat in many mexican restaurats and I found the the menudo here was very good the babacoa tacos we're very tasty I love the old Coke recipie I will be back I thought everything was fresh and delicious
(4)Mike C.
This place was recommended by some Mexican friends. They said that it alleviates the nostalgia for Mexican home cooking. The place is very simple, not fancy at all. However, the food is delicious. You order tacos individually. The tacos are small and filled with you choice of meat, onions and cilantro. These are fairly small so I recommend trying different ones. I've been to the place twice and had mainly tacos. I want to try the tamales next time. Horchata is very good too! One more thing, there is a little convenience store next to the place. Get yourself a bag of corn tortillas, they have them in the fridge. These are the best corn tortillas I've tried.
(5)Justin W.
Came here looking for a recreation of the magical experiences I've had eating street tacos south of the border, but instead left feeling rather slighted. Across a massive sample of tacos flavors were mild if not altogether homogeneous: pollo, cabeza, lengua, carnita, barbacoa - all lacked character. A smothering of cilantro ensured standardization across the tacos. Just a pinch would have done. Sliced radish next time, please. The highlight of the meal was free chips and salsa appetizer. Fresh cut and fried tortillas were made right next door, and the wholesome corn flour was excellent. Salsa Verde and a smokey habanero sauce came with the chips, both were lovely.
(2)AR J.
Really good food! Authentic Mexican cuisine! Fresh salsa and amazing selection of meats for tacos!
(5)Candice M.
Real authentic Mexican food. This is real Mexican flavor. I love the fried quesadillas. They are juicy and hot. Their horchata is also delicious. Everytime we go there, we order everything, from tacos, sopes, and gorditas. Yummy!!!
(5)Bri A.
Not just the tacos are amazing! Wanted to update my review since we went back and ordered more than tacos - and to say still the best Mexican we've come across in South Florida. We had the Chile Rellenos - amazing! The sauce was great, the pepper not over fried, and the cheese was excellent. Definitely one of the best Rellenos I've had! We also tried the Quesadilla's and Sopa's - will for sure order the Quesadilla's again. The tortilla was nice and thick, perfect texture and flavor - we had the steak which was good, but would try the others as well. The Sopa was okay - but would order the other items first. One thing I didn't notice before about the tacos - and not necessarily a bad thing. But, they don't double the tortillas. I think I only noticed this time because I ordered Chorizo and it was really greasy - so the taco fell apart before I could finish it. But I still cleaned my plate :)
(4)Charmie P.
So I have now tried Taqueria Dona Raquel twice, both times ordering the tacos and although yes they are fresh and very inexpensive they were just ok. The restaurant wasn't busy, it was past regular lunch time and there were several tables taken, most of which appeared to be Mexican clientele, a good sign right? I tried the Carnitas, Carne Asada and the Al Pastor, and well, the meat quality wasn't great (I found a big bone in my carnitas taco). The Al Pastor taco had a nice big juicy chunk of fresh pineapple, the tacos are served in 2 soft tortillas with cilantro, onions and a nice slice of lime, the seasoning is nice however the meat quality on all of the tacos I tried wasn't very good, the meat didn't look great but I was hoping it tasted better than it looked, it didn't. I have also tried the guac and wasn't impressed, and the accompanying chips were thick and hard. As soon as we sat down we were promptly served chips with 2 sauces, one slightly spicier than the other, after several minutes I had to waive one of the servers to have water served since no one was coming around to take our drink order. My sister ordered a tortilla and requested it with out tomatoes but it came with tomatoes, she politely asked if they could make her a new one what did she get a few minutes later, the same tortilla with the tomatoes picked out which was very evident by the ones that remained, she was disappointed. Also, I had to again waive someone down to get a water re-fill, service overall was slow and not too friendly which surprised me as most Mexican restaurants tend to be overly welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is located in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood just south of Atlantic on Dixie, the restaurant itself is clean and fairly large with several tables and an open kitchen. There are many more items on the menu than just tacos so maybe I will go back and try some of their other specialties, but after my last experience I am in no rush. To sum it up, not terrible, not great, cheap.
(3)Shaun Y.
Went here because because of the ratings and reveiws. It's clear to me that the ratings were influenced by there family and friends. The food was your average and typical mexican fare. A very loud and a very bad Mexican band was playing over a loud restraunt and a screaming baby. I ordered two tacos with a side of rice and beans. The soft tortillas were so small it was comical. About 4" round. I had never seen tacos that small at full price?? 4 bites and they were gone! Service was slow and difficult to understand, unless your fluent in spanish? Don't be fooled by the ratings this place is not worth the drive.
(2)Stephen T.
The other reviews (all of them) give you an idea of the decor, neighborhood etc. athe chips and salsa were fantastic and really fresh. The guacamole was outstanding. Between my wife and I had tacos, 6 varieties in all. The highlights were the Al Pastor, Barbacoa, Lengua, Cabeza, Ribs and steak/sausage. The sausage had a slightly sweet or cinnamon spice to it that didn't really work for me but the other 5 were far and away the best Mexican I've had in So Fla. The only 2 criticisms I have concern the side dishes that came with my daughter's tacos dorados. The rice was clearly flavored with instant soup mix. The pork and beans were definitely straight out of a can as well. Other than that this place is a gem and I will definitely be back.
(4)Tanya L.
Trying to find an authentic Mexican place is difficult. I read the reviews on here about Taqueria Dona Raquel and I was beyond excited to come here. When we entered we were a little confused since there was no one to assist us. We were not sure if we seated ourselves or if we had to wait so after a few minutes we just decided to choose our own table and take a seat. Immediately, the waitress brought over chips and salsa. The chips were a bit too hard and the salsas a little too spicy. I love spicy food but these salsas were too spicy for me. I was super happy they had Mexican soda. I ordered Jarritos de Pina. This soda is the best. I was a little let down when I ordered Tamales for appetizer but they do not make them during the week. Only on Sundays. I think this should be stated in their menus. For entrees I decided to stick with Mexican tacos. I ordered 1 taco al carbon and 2 carne asada tacos with a side order of rice and beans. The tacos were just ok. The meat was a bit dry. I tried my boyfriend shredded beef taco and I have to say that was my favorite. I like how they add a slice of pina on the Tacos Al Carbon. Gives it a sweet taste. The place is cute and nicely decorated. There was a huge fly that was beyond annoying flying around they place. Price is very reasonable. For 6 tacos, 2 drinks, and side orders. Total was $30bucks. I will have to be back for tamales and barbacoa tacos on Sunday those were the two things I was looking forward to try. Overall, this place was just okay for me and my boyfriend.
(3)Joseph M.
Authentic and very good. Excellent guacamole. Tacos are great - the lengua (tongue) and al pastor were delicious. Tacos were on flour tortilla rather than corn, which I prefer. But no complaints, we'll be back.
(4)Caryn B.
Authentic Mexican! Gave it a try after seeing it on Check Please (if you don't watch that show, check it out in your PBS local listings). At first, it's a little daunting if you do not speak Spanish. Although, most customers and servers are helpful if you want to know what to order. They provide great crispy tortilla chips and salsa for the table when you arrive. There are limited choices for vegetarians, but I make out just fine with beans, cheese, tortillas, and veggies. My party ordered everything from a whole fried fish, to chicken and beef tacos/tamales. Definitely try it if you want a little trip out of the normal Tex Mex around town!
(4)Luis S.
Love this place. Feels and taste just like being in Mexico. On Sunday at 3PM every table was full. This is the only place in South Florida where you can have real tacos al Pastor.
(5)Matt D.
This place is legit! Every time I come here, the food is great. It's inexpensive and better than places that charge a ridiculous amount for tacos, like Rocco's. I just had, two different types of fresh made salsa, 2 tacos, a true gordita, and a small guacamole, that was not small at all, for under $15. I highly suggest this place to anyone looking for real good food
(5)Thomas L.
I quicly became addicted to this place the food is just delicious. I always have any kind of taco (the cabeza and tripa are my favourite), if you come on weekends they have wonderful specials. Last time I went I had a Torta de pata de puerco and it was heaven!!!!
(5)Evan S.
Little bit a hole in the wall off Dixie but well worth it for lunch if you work in the area or are heading to the Isle and want good legit Mexican food. Get a few different tacos (they're $2!) And try the Gordita! Very pleased.
(4)Jose V.
Great authentic Mexican dishes! The tacos and gorditas were awesome, great food at a great price.
(4)Rafael V.
Pretty good to be in Florida. The food is nothing like real Mexico but has a good feel of authentic. They take way too long for everything.
(2)Y J.
Delicious and authentic median food. Tastes like its direct from Mexico. They were out of Mexican beer when we were there. Friendly service. Was not that busy when we went.
(5)Peter C.
Whenever I travel in the U.S. I look for tacos. Not just any tacos, but the tacos I ate when I was young in the slums of the Distrito Federal, Mexico City. Those tacos were made of mysterious meats roasted over roaring fires, surrounded by yelling men, calling out their commands. While the scene is never like what I experienced then, the taste is sometimes at least reminiscent of those wonderful and strange savors. Wonderful tacos can appear in strange places, Newark Delaware! Not surprisingly, in San Diego. I was sure though that Broward County FL, Cuban country, home of the popular La Bamba restaurant chain, was not Mexican country, not a place for the real thing. However Doña Raquel's IS the real thing. Could tacos here be better than the taco shacks of San Diego? Definitely so! Not only were the tacos delicious, but the variety was dazzling. We also are a delicious and cheap guacamole of Florida avocados. The salsa was spicy and full of flavor (chiles and cilantro). There is also a long menu of other Mexican dishes that I pine for: mole! And many others. Warning, while the interior of the restaurant is pleasant and also a bit of a trip to old Mexico, the neighborhood is not too inviting. Many cops, Mexican construction workers and other genuine articles were eating there as well.
(5)Marc P.
This place was brought to my attention by Check Please on PBS. I have to confirm: it is the best Mexican in Broward. My party of 3 got an assortment of things from across the menu. Everything was great. The tacos al pastor and de lengua were fantastic. I've never had tongue that good (that's what she said). Next up: tacos dorados, with chicken. All I can say is: Mang, that was some good cheat mayne. The chilles rellenos were also great. The cheese has body and bite, not like the snotty mess you get at the more texmex/non-authentic places. Speaking of cheese, it was SO NICE to have mexican that wasn't drowning in melted gubmint cheese. The sopes (especially the sopes) and the other appetizers are mad filling. Be careful with how much you order. We only got $30 bucks worth of food and drink among us, but we were so stuffed I thought I was going to roll out of there like a giant gringo beach ball. Best of all: It's great to eat mexican and experience absolutely no indigestion. You don't need a bomb shelter to use the bathroom after eating here. No more flame and groans.... leave "Fire and Blood" in Game of Thrones. I digress... The staff was very nice and laid back. They will attend to you if you need something but otherwise they pretty much leave you alone. I love that. Just keep that in mind before you try something spicy and are low on water. (Did I mention that the water is super good? Some places have that nasty tap taste-- not this one.) The PBS show said you might have a hard time if you don't know spanish. This is not true. The staff knows english-- they're not stupid. It might help to have a smart phone to look up some things if you're too shy to ask about them, but otherwise there shouldn't really be an issue. The only complaint I have is that the rice was a bit too salty and was therefore only good for a few bites. To its credit, it tasted rather like it was made with some kind of salty broth instead of just with salt for the sake of salt. So, ojo if you're on a low-sodium diet... but why the hell would you be eating Mexican in the first place? Again, this is probably the best mexican place in the whole county, if not all of South Florida. It's certainly the best I've had so far. If there are better taquerias, I'd love to know because to be as good as Dona Raquel means you must be special.
(5)Carlo B.
Real deal !!! No joking around. Real Mexican food in the middle of industrial Pompano (pompton!!). The tacos are amazing, lots of variety ( try the Carnitas ) - friendly wait staff and very reasonable in price. The Shrimp Cocktail is one of a kind. Try that along with Tripe Taquito !! Will be a main staple for me and my mates for lunch
(5)Rosita S.
We were looking for authentic tacos and found them!! Ordered the tacos al pastor, they were delicious. The tacos are good and affordable. Service wasn't amazing, but it was good enough. Definitely coming back.
(4)Sherry W.
Chips and salsa are excellent. Just enough spice. Real chips from a fresh tortilla. Steak and chicken tacos were dry. The chorizo and al pastor were juicy and well flavored. Too many opinion on top. Fresh cilantro added great flavor. Refrained beans were runny and flavorful. Service was ok. We had to request refills on water.
(4)V C.
This places is great! Salsa verde tasty ( a little spicy) I love it. Tacos are awesome real Mexican tacos. I highly recommend to be open to taste the ( tripe, head, tongue). The Aguas are good the Jamaica is my favorite. I have a friend I took here he love the horchata ( he cant pronounce it but he still like it ) Quesadilla are the real deal. If you looking the American version this is not for you. the tortas ( sandwich) are huge, cheap, and good soooo try it I been coming here for a longtime, and try almost the whole menu. I never review this place but after a bad experience at another Mexican restaurant make me appreciate this place better. Staff are great
(5)Dan R.
Me and my wives favorite place for some authentic Mexican food! I highly recommend this little gem. It is in one of the rougher parts of town and the building doesn't look appealing but don't let that scare you away. Tacos are amazing here, I defiantly recommend the Al Pastor. Also the Torta's (Sandwiches) are as big as a football for the hungry person. On the weekends they have Tamales and Sopila (soup) but get there before noon otherwise they will run out!!!! Enjoy
(5)Susan J.
Had to try this place after seeing it on PBS' "Check Please, South Florida." Didn't find it inexpensive. But yes, authentic Mexican dishes that are on target. Paid $9 for the weekend special, chicken mole. I thought it was high for two chicken legs, and the mole was overly done in cocoa and one-dimensional. My partner had beef enchiladas. Made authentically with tough beef bits; could have used more sauce, but they offer good bottled hot sauces. Stop by the great Mexican market next door for a good range of paletas, meat, and groceries, including those hot sauces.
(3)Gabriela G.
You might feel back in Mexico when you enter Doña Raquel. The taqueria style decor, the smell of the food and the friendly mexican staff. But wait until you try the food... you'll feel in heaven! I am mexican and is hard to find "authentic" mexican food but Doña Raquel makes it happen. I love their tacos, tamales and their grilled quesadillas. They also have the food that your mom would make at home like carne asada with beans and rice, pozole, chiles rellenos... I could go on forever. I just say you have to go and try it. On top of the good food, they have a little grocery store right next door and you can find lots of mexican stuff, fresh meat, chicken, cheese and tortillas to take home. Great prices too.
(5)Miranda P.
The best, most authentic Mexican food I've found in Ft. Lauderdale. At least it seems authentic to this Gringa. It's cheap but delicious and you can wave to the cooks in the kitchen. Boyfriend had a chicken burrito and a horchata, I had two vegetarian tostadas and we split a guacamole for under 20 bucks. The salsas are different every day and the chips are home made. We went on a not-so-busy weeknight and the service was slow enough for me to knock off a star. We had to ask for everything from refills to the guac we ordered to the bill. It's like that old adage that you can have two out of three when it comes to wanting something good, fast and cheap. But two outta three ain't bad. BOTTOM LINE: Bueno y barato.
(4)Jim J.
An authentic Mexican restaurant in every way. The two salsas they serve with the complementary chips have distinct favors. The mild is the green, rich with the zesty, slightly bitter tomatillo offset by avocado and jalapeño. The red - the hot - is a roasted tomato, garlic, and chili de Arbol sauce. Both were way above average. We tried the tacos de cecina (say-SEE-na). Two corn tortillas lay flat with thin slices of salt-cured beef topped with cilantro and onions. The sauces kicked this flavorful dish up a notch. The Tacos al Pastor were identical to what you'd find in Mexico. A vertical spit is stacked with heavily marinated pork collar meat sliced thin, sliced onions mixed in, and fully cooked. The only difference is that, in Mexico and Central America, they fire up the Gyro-style grill and finish cooking the Pork for each order. This means that the meat, while heavily marinated in adobo, achieve, and vinegar, is still raw underneath. They would never let a restaurant go that authentic in the US, but Dona Raquel has managed to do the next best thing. And the spiced pork, the onions, the cilantro, onion, and pineapple slices came together very well in the tacos al Pastor. Then we shared a serving of Enchiladas Michoacanas; four tortillas dipped in Salsa Roja (tomato based sauce), folded over and filled with ample amounts of fresh Cotija cheese, onions, topped with Crema Mejicana, more Cotija, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Two chicken legs barbecued with the Salsa Roja were laid to one side of the dish. We took them home to the suegra. The Jamaica and Horchata were superb. Jamaica (huh-MY-kah) is a drink made from boiling hibiscus flowers for hours with lots of sugar. It's an anti-oxidant rich beverage - very healthy. Horchata is a drink made from chopped rice, cinnamon, and sugar very much like the typical "chicha" beverage from Latin America. On a previous visit, I ordered the Huarache (Wa-RAH-chay), a flat, fried sandal-shaped homemade corn tortilla topped with meat, sauces, lettuce and that amazing Cotija cheese. For $7.99, you can't beat that. Taqueria Dona Raquel is authentic, and tonight while we were there, two Mexican or Central American men sat nearby, drinking beer, and cursing up a storm in Spanish. If you don't speak Spanish, you're OK. No big deal. It's a public place and in the end it's what you mean more than what you say. Just don't expect a Las Olas crowd. All in all, this is real Mexican food; Tacos al Pastor, Cecina, Enchiladas Michoacanas, Mole, Huaraches, Sopes, Gorditas, Tortas, etc., etc. The only thing missing are the Tacos de Chapulin (Grasshoppers). But we didn't miss that.
(4)Keana B.
While vacationing in Florida we had looked up this place on yelp and decided to check it out. Firstly, this seems like a place that only locals know about, it's not fancy or flashy, they have "Mexican styled" decorations all over the place though and you also order takeout. When I went there was two people in the kitchen cooking everything, I had a gordita which was very good, food is greasy but very enjoyable, it's real authentic, not your taco bell type place. My sister had the steak fajita's and it was beautifully seasoned. Also I got a giant cup of horchata to go for only like 2 dollars! unfortunately I didn't get to try the taco's maybe next time I'm in Florida. Also like the previously review please beware when you order, you will fill up fast, I ordered two gorditas thinking they wouldn't fill me and I ended up being stuffed after just one!
(5)Carlos L.
Great seeing an undertoned Mexican place with true home made food, yummy, fresh and affordable. Kitchen is open, you can see what they are doing. The tables scare me, i feel like I can break them. Tamal verde was great and spicy, chicken tacos were great too. You know this place its authentic because there is a statue of the Virgin Mary on an altar outside, that's like 120% authentic Mejico!
(4)Sumair V.
After trying the authentic tacos in Mexico City , district federal , ...this was the closest authentic Mexican food I have tried in fort laurradale area...me and my wife love it..chips and salsa just great!!
(5)Allison S.
We are so happy to finally find authentic Mexican food, cooked and served by Mexicans, here in South Florida. We had tacos, menudo, enchiladas and tamales and all were very good/great. Very friendly service too. From ex-Californians, this is high praise! We'll be back.
(4)C S.
I've never had real authentic Mexican food until now. It was delicious!!! I can't wait to eat there again!!
(5)Paul D.
Reminds me of the great mexican food I used to get back in the midwest. Everything you get here is made to order and delicious. Tongue tacos being my favorite. You will not be disappointed. Wait staff is friendly and a good place to take clients for a quick, tasty lunch.
(4)Selenie O.
The location of this place made me apprehensive, especially going at night.....The sauces are on Point, YOU CAN TELL WHEN THINGS ARE MADE FRESH. Horchata was absolutely delicious (MEXICAN DRINK). Next time I am going to go for tacos. I liked the chips they served at the table, a very nice touch. Went there on karaoke night for the first time.
(4)Daniel K.
Taquera was recommended by a friend who generally doesn't like many restaurants. With that in mind we decided to try it for lunch yesterday......, today we were there again.... It's a bit hard to figure out the menu as the dishes read pretty much the same in the Engilsh translations. However be adventurous and try it. Everything tasted very fresh and seemed to be "home made" (authentic...??) I'll definitely have lunch here at least once a week......and the price is right... (as for the people who gave this place one star, maybe they weren't actually HERE)
(4)Vain E.
Finding this place was a little bit of a challenge, but I'm glad we did. It's in a pretty sketchy area, but the place is surprisingly clean & well lit. The staff was warm & friendly and very attentive. I immediately felt comfortable. Believe the reviews you've read - this place is the real-deal and fantastic. I tried a cross section of the taco menu and was very pleased. My friend had a chicken burrito and was also very pleased. If you're looking for no-bullshit Mexican that is extremely authentic this is the place. It's worth checking out, I'm glad I did. I'll be back to try the rest of the menu.
(5)Caio M.
I saw a program on PBS about this place and I had to come. I love Mexican food and this restaurant did not disappoint. The location is off the beaten path as far as restaurants go. It's a simple and humble environment inside but the food is made fresh and served to satisfy. Very fair prices, Mexican cokes (I never pass on one of those) and a wide variety of meat choices. Put it this way, they have tongue, tripe, goat meat and pork skins as taco options. Do I need to continue any further on the authenticity of the food? The location isn't great but its worth the trip. The prices are cheap. The decor is average at best. Service was great and speedy.
(5)Charles L.
Great authentic Mexican food! Personally, I'm always a fan of places where the servers speak Spanish and the menu reads in Spanish. The horchata was delicious and the enchiladas fantastic. And best of all...it's super cheap! Great place!
(4)John S.
the most authentic mexican restaurant in town. A large open kitchen that was SPOTLESS !
(5)Jeanne M.
YAY! A real Mexican tamale!! We've been all over the area trying to find legitimate Mexican food and there was none to be had. We found that virtually all the restaurants that weren't fast food chains said "Mexican/Spanish." I've got a bulletin for them - they aren't the same thing. The two cuisines have practically nothing in common other than a similar language. Every time I ordered a tamale, I cringed when they asked me what kind of meat I wanted "on" it. A Mexican tamale has the meat IN it! When we stumbled across this taqueria by pure coincidence at lunch time, we started by reading the Yelp reviews. We found that, across the board, it was labeled as real Mexican food. While I won't say it's the best Mexican food I've had, it's certainly the best I've had in So. FL. The tacos Al Pastor were very good, and I loved the fresh pineapple spear. The carne asada taco was a bit dry. Next time, we'll try the enchiladas. I wish they'd had some combo plates that came with sides, but no such luck. Also, the tacos were bare, they needed something for moisture. The salsa that came with the chips (which needed to be warm, saltier and considerably thinner) wasn't the right fit for the tacos. Also, if you don't like cilantro - be sure to say something. The only thing on the taco was a mountain of cilantro and I'm talking Pikes Peak. None of us like cilantro and spent the first 10 min. laboriously picking it off the tacos and mounding it up on the plate. But overall, I like this little place and we'll be back to sample some of the other fare.
(4)Johnny H.
I went here based on a recommendation of friend. It's a bit of a hike for me to get there, but well worth it. We tried to order the tamales, based on the reviews on Yelp, but they were unfortunately out. So, we tried the tacos (chicken & al pastor), the sopes, and gorditas. All came to our table quickly and piping hot. Each was extremely tasty. The bill for dinner for two plus four beers was only $30 -- you can't beat that. I will definitely be back.
(5)T T.
This is excellent authentic Mexican food. I rank it right up there with El Guanaco. The clientele is mostly Mexican which is a good sign. The salsas are crazy good. The chips are on the thick side like you find in many restaurants in Mexico. I'm glad they haven't Americanized their food. If you like thinner chips then bring some Doritos with you or better yet just go to Taco Bell.
(5)Alicia P.
(Mexican perspective) Authentic Mexican Food! Very good, best I have found in Fort Lauderdale Area. Owners are from Mexico City and fans of America, woo hoo!! Stop by, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)Sean L.
Place is horrible dont go! Guacamole was good but it's hard to mess that up! The chips even sucked!
(1)JL Q.
After seeing this local Pompano Beach establishment profiled on Check Please South Florida recently, we decided to try it out. Each time we've visited a profiled restaurant from this popular PBS program, we have never been disappointed. Taqueria Dona Raquel is located in a area most people probably don't frequent unless they've had their auto repaired at one of the local garages. But if you did, you might have had the opportunity to visit this colorful business. Very easy to find on Dixie Highway, just two blocks or so south of Atlantic Blvd in the southbound lanes, there is a small parking lot at the building. When we pulled into the lot and got out of our car, we noticed a large prayer fountain with the Virgin Mary. Entering the restaurant, seating is amply available and you can decide where you want to sit. Our waitress was very prompt, bringing us menus and taking our drink orders. The menu items are described in spanish with an english translation beneath them. Some items were foreign to us, even though my partner is Mexican but he found items he remembered from a recent trip to central Mexico with his parents, Huraches. We also were served complimentary chips and salsa, and the chips were WONDERFUL, thick and hard-fried flour tortillas with a delicious and robust, but not too spicey, red sauce as well as a fresh tasting green sauce. I ordered enchiladas with mole sauce and am still raving about them! The mole was the best I can remember since leaving Chicago, and the rice and refried beans accompanying them took on the most wonder flavors I've ever had. And since I learned to prepare mexican rice from a mexican cook, I thought mine was great, but this put it to shame. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. One diner ordered a burrito that was wrapped and served like a traditional wrap sandwich, cut in half and room temperature which was certainly untraditional but he reported it was delicious. We were all too full to try dessert and decided on our next trip we wouldn't fill up so much on chips and salsa so we could try some. Weekends there is barbacoa available, and if you are from Chicago, south Texas or Mexico, you know what a treat this is! In fact, there is an entire page of items that are only prepared on weekends and we could see an entire additional kitchen that seemed dedicated to that effort. A quick check of recent food inspections didn't find anything I thought I feared like insect or rodent droppings or contamination. Put it this way, I've eaten in places with MUCH worse violations. I think the ones they've had make it more than a safe bet to add this place to your repetoire of businesses to visit!
(5)Al P.
I've been there several times. It's like my "must go" when I'm in the area. The tacos options are wide, including tripe, tong and other options you don't find in other Mexican restaurants in the area. The salsas, especially tomatillo, red and mole are delicious and the prices are really low. The place is not the best option for a saturday night date but it's definitely worth the visit or the trip. Service is good, friendly and fast even when the place is packed. If you love real mexican flavors, this is your place to go.
(5)Quang P.
GO! You will not be sorry. The food is as authentic as I can tell (compares favorably to taco stands in Baja and mom/pop joint in Demming, New Mexico). Taco al pastor is excellent, suadero (rib tips) taco phenomenal, lengua was good. Good sopas, menudo and pozoles(sp?), some available only on weekend. Full selection of diabetes inducing Mexican juices/sodas. Prices may have increased after TV appearance but still pretty cheap. Working class/industrial neighborhood not aesthetically pleasing but never felt unsafe, I've taken my wife here multiple times. Restaurant is clean and staff is friendly. Highly recommend going here!
(5)Frank B.
AMAZING! Start anywhere; virtually everything is good, from tender chicken enrobed in a perfectly balanced mole and vibrantly flavorful fajitas served with fresh tortillas made in-house to an aromatic bowl of pozole on weekends. The tacos are excellent, with fillings from grilled carnitas and a spindle of al pastor to steamed pork skin, tripe, and cabeza (tender, rich meat from the cow's head). Their two hot sauces are fresh and homemade and the chips are thick and golden brown. I also love their freshly made "aguas frescas", the pineapple drink is the best in town. Top it off with there Flan, thick and rich with a chocolate syrup dripped along with the carmel sauce Yummy!
(4)Harry S.
I was just here for lunch .. very disappointing first of all 3 different people took my order. It took for ever just to bring out half my order even though they had just 2 tables to deal with. I had ordered the al Pastor tacos they were very sweet tasting which I found strange and then about 15 minutes later the chorizo quesadilla I had ordered came out had the only flavor of cinnamon. I am not sure if I was to a tanqueria or a Dunkin Donuts ... I have no idea what went wrong here but I have no plans to go back.
(1)Vanessa P.
My coworker and I came here after I came across a review from the New Times. We came during lunch and shared two tacos Al Pastor and two gorditas (beef and chicken). The cheese and sauce mixture in the gorditas were delicious. The beef gordita somewhat resembled a hamburger in taste and surprisingly it was my favorite from the items we shared. They also give complimentary chips and two different salsa varieties. The green salsa-like concoction was my favorite since it had a lot of bite. Service was also prompt and pleasant. I guess I was surprised at how big the restaurant was since I was expecting it to be very small. And there were definitely regulars dining while we were here, which gave it a comfortable and friendly feel. In short, I felt the food was quite good and had exceptionally reasonable prices. I'm no expert on authentic Mexican cuisine, I just know that I enjoyed it and would like to come back and try other menu options.
(3)Mike M.
The service I received was so bad I will never be back. I had to ask for multiple things, never got checked on and waited 15 min for my check until I just left money on the table and left!!!
(1)juan a.
wow...the only authentic Mexican food place i have found in South Florida. Everything else I've found is the regular Tex Mex stuff, which I also like, but is not as good as the authentic mexican stuff. One of my old customers (I work for a foodservice company and worked in the midwest mainly with mexican restaurants for a couple of years) used to tell his customers: "Rethink what you know of mexican food. Burritos, chimichangas, chalupas, and all that crap...that's tex-mex. If it has a flour tortilla: that crap isnt mexican, that's tex mex....if it has yellow cheese: that crap isn't mexican. If you want that type of stuff...do you see out the window there?? Yes, it's Taco bell, they sell that crap, I don't." Taqueria Dona Raquel reminded me of him. Yes, they still have the burritos on the menu, but you don't go there for the burritos. You go for the real stuff. The real tacos, sopes, tostadas. The really good stuff. I decided to try it when I saw it on "Check, Please- South Florida", the Michelle Bernstein show. Pompano is quite the drive for me that live in Brickell, but i figured i'd make a day of it. Boy was that good. The Pastor Tacos were the unanimous favorite in our table of 6. I also had the chiles rellenos. Spectacular The pricing is great, and the service was also very good. I will make the drive again soon and stop to say hi to Dona Raquel
(5)Asif W.
Proven best authentic Mexican food in South Florida by the AS IF-Index. From Rocco's Tacos on Las Olas to Zona Fresco this place is #1 in delivering an authentic Mexican fare at a VERY, VERY reasonable price. My personal suggestion is the a la cart Al Pastor tacos in the corn tortilla.
(5)Wendy E.
Superb! This restaurant may be considered a "hole-in-the-wall" but if you know good food, the best food comes from small businesses like this. All orders are made upon ordering and the tacos are authentic and super cheap ($1.25). Love how the "al pastor" (pork) tacos come with grilled pineapple while the others just cilantro and onion and limes on the side. Their two hot sauces are fresh and homemade, the green avocado sauce is the best. We've gotten the enchiladas and the sauce is freshly ground sauce, not the canned stuff, so if you're not used to that you won't like it. Also, the enchiladas are super spicy. I ordered my toddler a Tostada for around $2 (crispy tortilla with cheese, beans, meat and lettuce) and he loved it! I always get carry-out and never had a problem. We dined-in once and the service is friendly but very relaxed. They bring you the food and wait for you to call them if needed. Good for some people but if you're in a hurry, just get carry-out. I also love their fresh fruit drinks "Aguas" the pineapple drink is the best and there is real bits of pineapple in it! - Love this place!
(5)Manville S.
This is the real deal if you love real Mexican food. The Caldo de Camarones (Shrimp Soup) that they serve on the weekends is absolutely amazing. It has huge shrimp and crab meat in a beautifully seasoned broth. They serve it with various condiments that you can add to taste to make it as spicy as you can handle.
(5)Michael y.
I never knew I could be south of the border living in pompano beach. The tacos al pastor and chorizo tacos were autentico delicioso! The setting very clean, espanol is optional. The beer cold and 4 types of Mexican beer. The chips and fresh salsa were feshly homemade. Reminded me of baja. Muy bien.
(3)Denise R.
This place is legit Mexican. The food gets a 5, but the place is simple so it keeps me from giving me a 5. But who cares! Food is great, the real deal, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Jackie M.
i've had authentic tacos, and i must say this is as authentic as we can get in so.fl food is pretty good. they do have specialty tacos such as goat and tongue, but they only make those on the weekend. tacos al pastor is the best and has lots of flavor.
(4)Marqus R.
I'm not sure. Maybe this place is the real Mexican thing. It's certainly not just a taco hut. It's a full fledged restaurant with 25 tables, a complete breakfast, lunch and dinner menu along with a seating capacity of 97. Add to that the fact that I was obviously the only non-Mexican present, has to say a lot about the place. The food was good, tacos nicely varied with everything from tongue to their own special marinated meats. They have a nice Mexican beer selection, but like low budget restaurants in Mexico, don't expect them to serve it along with a drinking glass. The interior décor is OK and you also have a clear view of the kitchen, which sort of sits right out there in the midst of everything. Of good note, there is a Mexican specialty food store which is a part of the same building and appearing to be under the same management, so everything not only tasted fresh but probably was fresh. The real downside, at least for me, were all the children running around generally raising complete chaos, but I suppose such is within the Mexican "La Familia" traditions of having huge families. So, in those respects, I have to confess that it was just a touch too ethnic for me and for my tastes in Mexican food, as distorted as my tastes may be. In the future, I'll stick to places in the area more to my liking such as Rocco's, The Whole Enchilada & etc.
(3)Meg L.
This is the real deal. I'm not a fan of Americanized Mexican food -- think hard tacos with cheese, lettuce and sour cream (ew!). Which is why I was stoked that Dona Raquel is totally legit. The soft chicken tacos I had were delightful -- with light seasoning and cilantro. Like another reviewer mentioned, you know it's good when you're the only gringo there. :)
(5)Kerstin G.
we love this place and come back every time we are in Fort Lauderdale. The food is authentic Mexican, prepared fresh in an open kitchen.
(5)Smith J.
Finally a place that reminds me of good ol' Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where you can get cheap, amazingly delicious tacos on any corner. I've been so disappointed lately by the quality of mexican food here in SoFla, and was really about to give up until I discovered Dona Raquel. The tacos al pastor were delish with a nice chunk of pineapple, the guacamole is made fresh while you wait. The atmosphere is very nice and pleasant, and I can't wait to go back for breakfast on the weekend! Price was spot on for the area (though compared to back home it's still a little high). I've been to other taco joints where the price was much higher for worse food, so this place is definitely a welcome change!!
(4)Jasmine B.
I enjoy this place and it's my staple fall-back when I want Mexican in Pompano; I have been here twice and I have been satisfied both times. Will you be the only one who is a native English speaker? yes. Do they have the rotating shish-kabob like rotating juicy stack of delicious meat complete with a pineapple on top to further juicify the meat? check. Do the tortillas appear homemade? yes, they seem to be to my liking. I love ordering the tacos al pastor (although they have 8 different types, including one from Campeche), kick back with an el jarrito drink with the straw in the bottle and munch. On my second visit, I went on the weekend with the expanded menu, which includes mole (rojo y verde), pozole, and some sort of lamb dish. I came back because I have been a die-hard mole hunter ever since a small-town Mexican place in my one gas station hometown closed. I did catch them at the end of the Sunday, which would explain a bit the quality. The mole is gently spicy, leaving your mouth enjoying the spice but not reeling from it. however, the mole was way too greasy for me - the grease got on everything, all over my hands, and it did not want to come off. but the portions are generous (a quarter chicken, swimming in mole sauce, 8 totillas, rice and beans) for about $10 if you get it to go. not a bad deal, great to get with guac and sit on the beach with.
(4)Aaron N.
Amazing enchiladas, tacos, eggs, homemade tortillas and chips, guacamole, mole and you feel like you have stepped into Mexico! The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the steak as it really isn't their specialty.
(4)Raul R.
Truly authentic Mexican food. The tacos and gordita I tried were great. Can't wait to go back and try more from their menu.
(5)Erika K.
Great genuine mexican food. I was so happy to come down from Boston and have some of that mexican food i have been craving. The chalupas are great. The tostadas are awesome. The chile rellenos GREAT! My favorite thing here is the salsa and the guacamole. a really great place to go.
(5)Erik B.
Yum! Was excited to find this after a Yelp seach for taquerias near my mother's house. It's in a basic strip mall, but is pleasantly decorated and staffed by friendly folks. Knowing Spanish will go a long way here, but everyone speaks English too. We had huaraches de chorizo, which were delicious and were topped with nopales (cactus pads). So good! The tamales were also great and my kids devoured them. The quesadillas are fantastic... deep fried and resemble more of a deep-fried popover than a traditional American-style quesadilla. Really, really good! The proprietor asked us how we found the place, I guess bc they don't get gringo families with toddlers coming in very often. We told him about the Yelp listing and I showed it to him on my phone... he was surprised to see all the reviews! This place is a keeper, we'll definitely be back!
(4)Chris R.
Yea I was the only white guy in the place. Friendly service. AUTHENTIC.
(3)Sloania H.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I was so happy to see them features in Check Please! They truly deserve it. I have been coming to this place over the past 7 years. Their food is outstanding and a great authentic Mexican restaurant. If you are looking for texmex food this is not the place for you. Their Aguas are always fresh and delicious and their tacos are outstanding! They used to have a second location in west broward off Pine Island and McNab Rd but they no longer have it. Anytime I have a craving for authentic Mexican food this is the place I go to. My wife and I recently took 4 of our friend here for the first time and they also loved this place and they are very hard to impress. Please visit you will truly enjoy it!
(5)Juan R.
If you are looking for great authentic Mexican food this is you place. Don't expect anything fancy or gourmet, Doña Raquel serves it down and you will not be disappointed. And please remember it is authentic Mexican not Texmex. My sister in law was surprised when she did not get cheese, tomato, lettuce, and sour cream with her taco. Nope this is again authentic. You will not get your tacos crunchy with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, a sophisticated cilantro sauce or unsophisticated hot sauce with a punch line on the package. What you will get is warm soft corn tortillas (normally they double up but you can just have one, it will be lighter so you will be able to eat a lot more), and the usual topping suspect duo: cilantro and onions on top of your meat of choice. I recommend the Tacos al Pastor. These are tacos made with shaved pork that is slowly cooked on a vertical rotisserie. You can see the rotisserie since their kitchen is open. They add some pineapple as a topping along with your cilantro, and onions. I have had these while eating with cab drivers in Mexico and Doña Raquel does them much justice. They also have chicken and steak tacos for the non-adventurers and a bunch of organs, different body parts, and animals (tongue, head, cheek, goat, tripe, to name a few) for the adventurers. I recommend being an adventurer, it's cheap in case you don't like it and you may just find your favorite taco. Lastly, if your into hot sauces like me, you will be disappointed to know Doña Raquel does not have a large variety. They actually only have two or three and they are not hot at all. What you can do is step over to the market next door where you will find a good variety of hot sauces and then bring your own hot sauce.
(5)Melisa L.
I love Mexican food, so when my friend at work said she knew of a place close by, I was all for it. This is about as authentic as you can get in South Florida. The restaurant is in a tiny shopping plaza-all of the other businesses are Mexican. The local Mexican population eats here, so that is always a good sign! The menu is in both English and Spanish so gringos and gringas alike can order with confidence! We started off with chips and salsa--but this is NOT a chain restaurant-salsa is homemade. There were 2 different salsas- a traditional tomato based salsa with onions and cilantro. My favorite was the green salsa-awesome! It was served with homemade tortilla chips-yum! I ordered the Chicken Enchilladas with Mole Sauce. They were topped with fresh cheese and came with rice and beans, but not the ordinary crappy refried beans you get in most restaurants. These were served in a little bowl. They were a little watery, but the taste made up for it. They were very flavorful. I poured them over the rice and snarfed them right down! I cannot wait to go back and take my husband. I highly recommend this place if you want authentic Mexican without all of the frills.
(5)Bernardo A.
Will go again this weekend, for sure. From the food to the open kitchen, this taqueria is as good as it gets. The tacos are amazing. Served on small corn tortillas with fresh onion, cilantro and a lime wedge, they are the perfect snack food. If you stay and eat your tacos sitting at a table, then the two tortillas that come with each taco are not necessary. I am looking forward to trying their pozole and chilaquiles. Aparently there is an actual Doña Raquel who owns the place. I want to meet her.
(4)Carol M.
Great, Genuine Mexico Food Beware all you gringos who think Chili's and La Bamba is Mexican cuisine. You won't find any cheese, sour cream, or lettuce on these tacos, but you won't miss it. All these have are meat, cilantro, onion, yet they are delish!! Check out the guacamole, it's a must for your chips and salsa.
(4)Jeremy B.
Authentic Mexican tacos in Pompano? My coworker turned me on to this place and we ate there recently. The tacos Al Pastor (with marinated pork) are fantastic and they come in a soft, flour tortilla with a slice of pineapple. All tacos are garnished with lime and tons of cilantro. The chips were crispy and salsa was spicy good. Had the carne asada taco which was also great. Everyone loved their food, service was excellent and prices are decent (tacos around $2.50 or $3 apiece). I plan to return soon...
(4)Juan Jose D.
Ok guys, I am going to reveal a secret, this hidden gem in Pompano Beach is THE REAL THING, I am Mexican living over 7 years in Miami and for the first time I found a Mexican place that completely tastes like home, they have absolutely EVERYTHING on the menu, they also have Tacos al Pastor (a Mexican favorite) served the original way (like Gyros). On Sundays they have Mexican brunch specials like Barbacoa, and special plates like Pozole and Birria, it definitely worth's the trip if you know authentic and can tell the difference between a nacho and a totopo or a huarache and a crispy taco.
(5)Kimmie N.
I rated this place as Ive experienced better not because of the food (the food is really good) but because of the service. I ordered the El pastor (that I had been craving for two weeks) and got the taco to go. When I got home there was no pineapple AT ALL on the taco. If youve ever had this taco you know the pineapple really makes the taco special.anyway, I called the number on the reciept. (not a good number) so I had to look up their number and when I got through the guy offered to let me come back and give me the pineapple, lets be clear, I drove 20 mintes to get this damn taco. i wanted a complete taco the way it was supposed to be, and I was not going back in the rain 20 min away for a taco. I asked if i could come get my taco done right the next day and he offered me the pineapple that was missing the next day (sin taco). Tell me what Im supposed to do with that. Needless to say I told him if thats their attitude then I will not come back. Ill go get my other fav (pupusa)at la costa instead until I can find someplace else that makes an el pastor, theyre much more customer friendly. I refuse to give my money to people who dont care about customer satifaction ever again.
(2)Aaron V.
I originally heard about this place from friends. There are not a lot of good Mexican restaurants in SoFlo, and so I was dubious. I've been a bit disenchanted with Yelp of late. But now, I'll just go ahead and say it....Taqueria Dona Raquel has brought me out of "Yelp retirement". It's good, and it needs to be known. I will say the food here is a little different from what I am used to...my favorite places are in CA, NM, and TX...but this place rates right up there with the best out west. You won't find some of the traditional fare such at chile rellenos, but you'll find tacos, burritos, quesadillas... And, you'll find them with with interesting fillings in addition to the usual - tongue and pork skin to name a couple. You MUST try them. I would have ordinarily skipped the pork skins (they look a little funky and they just can't be good for you), but the flavor is amazing! I've never liked lettuce in burrito because it gets squished and wilts to a nasty mess...usually. But not here. The burritos are not so tightly rolled, so the lettuce keeps it's shape...and crispness. The burritos are a great price at $5.99, tacos are $1.99! The quesadillas are fried, but not greasy. The tamales are among the very best I've ever had. The only "negative" comment I have is for the chips...they're too thick for my taste, but this is a completely personal preference, so I'm not deducting anything for that. We've been here 3 times...it has already become a staple in our restaurant repertoire. I do have do address some comments in another review of Taqueria Dona Raquel. I'm glad the person didn't like it, the one who wrote "...way too ethnic for my tastes. I was the only European type there. I like to see more of a mixed culture of customers...". I don't want to dine amongst people of that mentality. And he can keep his snobby dates with him.
(5)Michelle M.
Wow, I really appreciate good, authentic Mexican food and this place has it. It's all homemade and delicious. Service was decent though the only Spanish I know is "gracias."
(5)