Taqueria Orinoco Mexico City: Authentic Local Taco Spot

Your Mexico City Adventure: Finding Authentic Tacos

A Local Favorite: Taqueria Orinoco

Words & Photos by Travel Sun

During my two-week journey through Mexico, one thing I absolutely couldn't wait to try was authentic local tacos. The anticipation was real!

As luck would have it, our Mexico City accommodation was just a stone's throw away from a famous local taco joint. So, on the evening of our second day, we wasted no time in heading straight there.

Our hotel in Mexico City was the Galería Plaza Reforma, located in one of the city's safer districts.

Taqueria Orinoco is conveniently situated just one block from the Galería Plaza Reforma.

▶ Read our review of Galería Plaza Reforma, Mexico City hotel ◀

Mexico City Hotel Recommendation | Galería Plaza Reforma Hotel Stay Reviewblog.naver.com

Taqueria Orinoco (Zona Rosa)

Opening Hours

Sunday-Wednesday: 1:00 PM - 3:30 AM

Thursday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 AM

Friday, Saturday: 1:00 PM - 5:30 AM

Taqueria Orinoco boasts four locations across Mexico City. We visited one that offered both indoor and outdoor seating.

Orinoco operates from afternoon until late into the night, making it perfect for either dinner or a late-night snack in Mexico City. It's a true local hotspot!

Since it's so popular with locals, the place was packed with Mexicans during dinner hours. Many people were even enjoying their tacos right outside the restaurant.

Luckily, we found an empty table inside and were able to sit down and order without any waiting. The thought of indulging in authentic Mexican tacos, surrounded by locals, had me buzzing with excitement even before the food arrived!

As we prepared to order, the menu initially seemed a bit unique, making me wonder what to choose. However, it turned out to be quite simple: just pick your meat and your taco style.

First, you select your taco type:

SUELTOS: Tacos without cheese

COSTRA: Tacos with cheese

ESPECIALES: Larger tacos that also include cheese

Then, you choose your meat:

Trompo: Pork

Res: Beef

Chicharron: Fried pork skin, often with some meat attached

I opted for the cheese-filled tacos (COSTRA) and skipped the chicharron since I'm not a huge fan. Instead, I went with both pork (Trompo) and beef (Res).

Knowing their fries were highly recommended, I also added a 10-piece order of Papas Orinoco (potatoes).

With a variety of salsas to choose from, my excitement for Taqueria Orinoco in Mexico City only grew. I couldn't wait for the tacos to arrive!

The fries arrived first, and to be honest, they were... just fries. Nothing extraordinary, a bit like what you'd find at a roadside stop.

Next up was the beef cheese taco. It came loaded with beef, cheese, avocado, onions, and a generous amount of cilantro. If you're not a fan of cilantro, make sure to ask them to hold it, as they really pile it on! But for me, as a cilantro lover, it was perfect!

There was a surprisingly large amount of cheese, so if you're sensitive to rich flavors, you might prefer a cheese-free taco. However, adding some of the spicy salsa really cut through the richness and made it even more delicious.

The second taco to arrive was the pork taco, and what made it truly special was the grilled pineapple on top. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of cooked pineapple, but here, it was incredibly sweet and absolutely delicious!

It really showed why this is a local favorite in Mexico City – even the pineapple was amazing, and it surprisingly paired so well with the taco. Two thumbs up!

Wrapping it all up with some salsa and a squeeze of lime juice, the sweet pineapple juice blended perfectly with the other taco fillings, creating a truly delightful bite.

However, having cheese on both tacos made them a bit heavy. If I were to visit again, I'd definitely opt for a cheese-free taco next time.

The pork taco with pineapple was a game-changer, so I highly recommend trying that one!

I've never really enjoyed chicharron, which is why I skipped it when ordering this time. But I heard that Taqueria Orinoco has a unique chicharron taco that's a specialty of this Mexico City hotspot!

If you're a pork lover and on a Mexico trip, I think trying their chicharron taco would be an adventurous and rewarding experience!

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