Don Pepe's Taqueria

Don Pepe's Taqueria is an excellent place for a dirt cheap and delicious meal. I had four different tacos: cabeza (beef head meat), lengua (beef tongue), barbacoa (barbecued beef with the meat usually from the head), and al pastor. Al pastor is made by taking marinated pork and putting it on a vertical spit with a pineapple at the top of the spit. As the spit slowly turns and cooks, the pineapple juices run down the pork. An enzyme in the pineapple helps to break down the protein and produces tender meat. Each taco consists of two tortillas, the meat, onion, and cilantro. I love warm corn tortillas. They have a delicious sweet, earthy taste. Fresh lime slices are provided and then squeezed over top of the tacos.

The al pastor is in the top left of the picture and the bottom right is the lengua.

All of the tacos were delicious. The al pastor was particularly delicious. We also had a lime Jarritos with our tacos. Jarritos are a popular Mexican soft drink. The lime Jarritos tastes like a slightly less carbonated and slightly less syrupy version of a Seven Up. The fact that it is less syrupy and sweet makes it much better in my opinion and makes it an excellent accompaniment to the spicy and salty tacos. You can see one of the lime Jarritos in the picture of the tacos below.

In the above picture you can also see the free side of pickled jalapenos, carrots, and onions that come with any order. The carrots and onions were delicious, but the jalapenos were fiery hot. I can handle hot foods. I eat hot sauce on practically everything except dessert, and I order the fresh sliced jalapenos on my banh mi. But Don Pepe's jalapenos were too hot for me to handle.

My wife ordered a taco combo which consisted of two tacos, beans, and rice. She said that the beans were not the best she ever had, but she thoroughly enjoyed her meal. A friend accompanying us who also ordered the combo enjoyed her meal as well. Three out of three approving indicates this is a great spot. The combo meal is pictured below. The taco on the left is the al pastor and the taco on the right is pollo (chicken).

Each taco costs $.99. That is my kind of price. The lengua tacos are a whooping $1.50. That extra $.51 really breaks the bank!

The staff at Don Pepe's speaks a sufficient level of English to make ordering easy or manageable. Once again we were the only non-Hispanics in the restaurant and the only people speaking English. That is a sure sign of good, authentic food.

While Don Pepe's food is excellent, the price is just right, and the food is super fast, this is no fine dining establishment. It is essentially the Mexican version of fast food. The place even has a drive-through window. Orders are placed at the counter and you have to pick up your own food and throw away your trash. The tables have small stools to sit at. The door to the restaurant is a sliding glass door which was a first for me. The restaurant is situated in the middle of a strip mall parking lot.

But you don't go to Don Pepe's for the fine dining experience. You go to Don Pepe's for dirt cheap tacos served fast. You should go to Don Pepe's Taqueria. It is worth the fortune you will spend on tacos.

Don Pepe's Taqueria
5215 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30340