This is the new spot on the SE corner of 30th & Walker, which was partitioned off from the existing convenience store.

I stopped to check on progress and met the owner Emilio who was there doing a bunch of the work himself. Little hard to tell but there is a bunch of really mice Mexican tile throughout.

It will be Mexican food featuring authentic el pastor and other fresh items.

They hope to be open in about a month.



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Neat art

really cool! Will fit in with the neighborhood very nicely.

Took this picture yesterday.

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Thanks!

Here's a cropped and enhanced version:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/elfog082817.jpg

I was just told by neighborhood security (Edgemere Park) that El Fogoncito opened yesterday. Going for lunch and will report back.

Went for lunch and everything was excellent.... Had guacamole and queso appetizers and both were great.

Went with the taco lunch (4 tacos for $7.50). Had picadillo, chorizo, pastor, and carnitas and enjoyed all of them very much. I also thought both of the sauces were really good too.... Will definitely be going back regularly!

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I went for lunch today as well.

See the post above for the full menu.

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They just opened yesterday (Monday). Hours are 10:30 to 10 M-TH, 10:30 to 1AM FR-SA and 10:30 to 7PM on Sundays.

For now they are only selling low-point beer but hope to get a full liquor license later.

Their specialty is al pastor, which you see in the last picture; it's the traditional shawarma spit-grilled meat.

I had the 4-taco dinner, with 2 al pastor, 1 carnitas and 1 picadillo (ground beef).

All were very, very good and absolute ton of food for $7.50. I loved the al pastor, which is closest to the camera in the 2nd photo below. It came with little chunks of pineapple and the meat was wonderfully tender and flavorful.

In addition to the complimentary chips and salsa (also very good) they provide 3 different squeeze bottles of different hot sauces: red was the spiciest, orange-ish had a peanut flavor, and green was more mild. Loved both the red and orange and didn't even try the green because I was too hooked on those.

The 3rd photo is of the Queso Fundido which I didn't try but looked fantastic.

The proprietor Emilio is just the friendliest, kindest guy; had met him once before while he was doing the build-out, mostly by himself.

Great little spot and that al pastor is legit.

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Hmmmm... I was only served the rojo and verde sauces.

Al Pastor........ So Hungry now

Al Pastor........ So Hungry now

Best tacos I've had in OKC and by a good margin.

oh man.... that pastor looks amazing. thought about going here today but we settled on hobbie's hoagies!

Best tacos I've had in OKC and by a good margin.

The chorizo was some of the best I've eaten. I've never seen picadillo anywhere else I frequent... The carnitas had great flavor but was just a slight bit dry. The pastor was tasty and the bits of pineapple really took it over the top flavor wise.

That 4 taco lunch special is a pretty good deal too... Comes to $1.88 a taco and all my tacos were stacked high with filling.... Granted I shared some queso and guacamole too but I was stuffed when we left.

I was thinking that taco lunch special isn't bad when you consider they're normally 3.25 a piece!

It's a lot of food, especially when you throw in the chips and salsa.

It's a lot of food, especially when you throw in the chips and salsa.

Nice to see them do al pastor the traditional way. I was told (incorrectly, I guess) that Oklahoma State Health Dept. rules forbade the use of the doner to make pastor in Oklahoma. Good to see that was a false alarm.

Looking forward to checking this place out.

after seeing the pics, i had to try this place out... so our office went today.

i tried a plate of tacos: pastor x 2, chicken, and asada... everything was amazing and 4 for $7.50 is a steal, especially since chips and salsa are included. loved the artwork, the big windows and the overall atmosphere of the place. it's definitely going on rotation in the 'taqueria' lineup.

it's definitely going on rotation in the 'taqueria' lineup.

Yep.... It's not going to replace Hugo's for me on Tuesdays (Can't beat $1 tacos and they have chicharrone tacos) but it's going to cut into my Rafita's trips for sure.

The chips and salsa were NOT included, at least for me. They charged me around $6 for them. The $7.50 taco platter ended up costing me $15.00 with a soft drink. I was not happy, and won't be back.

Are you an owner, Pete? Why are you censoring my posts?

I had the al pastor and asada tacos. Super delicious, but tiny at $3.75 per after 4:00pm. Is there anywhere else in the metro doing al pastor on a trompo (vertical spit)?

Are you an owner, Pete? Why are you censoring my posts?

No, not an owner.

All people new to the site have their first 3 posts moderated and I just saw yours and approved them.

The chips and salsa were NOT included, at least for me. They charged me around $6 for them. The $7.50 taco platter ended up costing me $15.00 with a soft drink. I was not happy, and won't be back.

I'm betting you were there after 4:00 pm. The chips and salsa were complimentary and the tacos were $3.25-3.75 each as individually listed on the menu. Although it isn't stated on the menu, the lunch special 4/$7.50 ends at 4:00 (they told me when I tried to order it). I won't be going back after 4:00 unless I'm prepared to drop $20 on one of their dinners and a drink.

No, not an owner.

All people new to the site have their first 3 posts moderated and I just saw yours and approved them.

OK, sorry.

I'm betting you were there after 4:00 pm. The chips and salsa were complimentary and the tacos were $3.25-3.50 each as individually listed on the menu. Although it isn't stated on the menu, the lunch special 4/$7.50 ends at 4:00 (they told me when I tried to order it). I won't be going back after 4:00 unless I'm prepared to drop $20 on one of their dinners and a drink.
Nope, about 12:30 p.m

Well, OK. I went for the first time after 4:00 and it was delicious, but way overpriced. Today I got three tacos the same size with beans and rice for $4.50 at El Taco Loco in the Angles parking lot near NW 39th and Penn. Wonderful, but the al pastor didn't hold a candle to what they served me at Fogoncito. For that matter, the asada was good, but again didn't meet the mark. I will occasionally go to Fogoncito before 4:00 and press the point on price. That stuff is good. Notwithstanding, I think they will have to change the price point to survive; especially in that neighborhood.

I tried to go here on Saturday night with some friends, but they had closed early! We got there at 9, the signs and google said they were open til 11, but this was not the case. There was not a sign saying why they closed early, so I'm pretty disappointed, but am hoping it just has to do with them being so new. Maybe they ran out of food or some other good reason to close early that I can't think of.

Went the 2nd or 3rd day they were open for lunch and had a fine experience. Salsa was complimentary and the tacos were good. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the meal, but not good enough to pull me away from my favorite taco joints. However, if I lived in the Paseo I'm sure I would frequent the place.

I had the al pastor and asada tacos. Super delicious, but tiny at $3.75 per after 4:00pm. Is there anywhere else in the metro doing al pastor on a trompo (vertical spit)?

Abel's on NW 50th and MacArthur is the only other place I've seen do al pastor tacos de trompo.

Abel's on NW 50th and MacArthur is the only other place I've seen do al pastor tacos de trompo.

Thanks! But that s pretty sad. It really adds to the character of the dish. I got curious and looked up al pastor on Wikipedia, only to find that the technique was brought and adapted by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico not that long ago (comparatively speaking).

I went for lunch today and had a great experience. I had 2 pastor, 1 chorizo and 1 carnitas for $7.50 with complimentary chips and salsa (in addition to the 3 bottles of sauce for the tacos). The owner is extremely friendly and helpful making selections. The barbacoa wasn't ready yet as it takes 6 hours to make and they were behind this morning, but I am going to make a point to get back and try those as he said they are probably his favorite. Ton of food for the price, will definitely go back soon.

Finally got to try this place out last night. I ordered the Asada and Chorizo tacos. Both were very good, especially the chorizo. In fact, their chorizo is some of the best I have ever had.

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I thought I had commented here before, but I agree on the chorizo. Hands down, best I've had.

I thought I had commented here before, but I agree on the chorizo. Hands down, best I've had.

It's so good! I have had a lot around town and it's the best I have had.

How can you order tacos there and *not* have the al pastor??? Sooo good.

The chorizo is made in house too.

Pete, I’ll agree the al pastor is delicious but I like the chorizo and picadillo better.

The chorizo is made in house too.

Pete, I’ll agree the al pastor is delicious but I like the chorizo and picadillo better.

Pastor was by far my favorite (but I'm not a huge chorizo fan). The one time I went for lunch the owner was incredibly nice and the price for 4 tacos (under $7 I believe?) for their lunch special is an absolute steal. I am not well versed with the south side taco / Mexican restaurants, but this place hits the spot for me for a quick, relatively cheap taco spot that i can pop in and out of in under 20-30 min.

Went yesterday at lunch and yeah, al pastor - yummy! Also got a complimentary cup of meatball soup, which was really good - nice and hot and greasy. Forgot to get the picadillo taco, but that's next time, and wife wants to try the enchiladas next time, it'll be in our regular-ish rotation now for Mexican (along with Abel's), I'm guessing, instead of Casa Perico.

I finally checked this place out this week and I'm really glad I did. The pastor was incredible, but i liked all of the tacos I tried: Al Pastor, Barbacoa, Carnitas, and Chicken. I also thought all three of their sauces were excellent, particularly the orange (which contains peanut butter and is a great fit with the Al Pastor) as well as the ancho-chile Roja. It was excellent and I thought the prices were very reasonable considering the quality of the food.

How can you order tacos there and *not* have the al pastor??? Sooo good.

Total fail on my part. Looks like I have to go back!

Went there for the lunch taco special a few weeks back, had the pastor, carnitas, barbacoa, and asada. All pretty damn tasty, forgot to try the picadillo, will do that next time along with the enchiladas. So glad we moved and Casa Perico isn't our go-to Mexican place anymore (Abel's, Birrieria Diaz, and El Fogoncito are our regulars now), more on that in that thread.

I have some friends that live nearby and walked by here last Tuesday at approximately 7 pm. While I wouldn't expect an average restaurant to do a booming dinner service on a Tuesday night, it was dark looking and completely empty of patrons. It was open however, and one of the cooks was sitting at the bar on his phone. Enjoyed it the one time I went and hopefully this was an anomaly - would like to see this restaurant stick around.

I went here for dinner on Wednesday. It was empty when we arrived, but several other patrons arrived soon after. The food, service, and prices were really good. I got three tacos, beans and rice, and two beers for $10.50 on a happy hour/special. Highly recommend giving them a try.

Not sure what is going on here, but this place has been closed for maintenance for a week or two now.

Not sure what is going on here, but this place has been closed for maintenance for a week or two now.

They painted the exterior recently and added "Mexican Restaurant" (which looks pretty sloppy). I haven't been in since it opened, I thought it was good but nothing that had me rushing back in.

It looks like a child painted the exterior. I don't understand why they would accept that level of work. It's embarrassing.

They painted the exterior recently and added "Mexican Restaurant" (which looks pretty sloppy). I haven't been in since it opened, I thought it was good but nothing that had me rushing back in.

Same. It wasn't awful but nothing that I really crave going back for.

This is one of those places that I really don't see making it. It's a great location and I think that intersection has a lot of potential. It just needs the right mix of tenants to create synergy. Does anybody know how the Root is doing?

Just took this. They are still closed.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/elfogoncito100518.jpg

Hadn't been since shortly after they opened, up until maybe three weeks ago. Went in and the place was pretty empty (we were the only two by the time I left). The food was OK but not as good as the couple of times I went last year. There was also a smoke alarm low battery alert beeping, or something else of the like, that was like nails on a chalk board, and nobody seemed at all concerned.

My guess on the repaint was that it was either a desperation move by the originator of the idea or more likely a partner takeover of some sort (divorce, equity partner takeover, etc.) because the original murals seemed like a big part of their identity and this seems like a half-a**ed attempt by someone who was never that enthralled with the original vision to right a sinking ship by making it more obviously a "Mexican restaurant." Problem is, OKC has PLENTY of "Mexican restaurants" and what set this apart from them was how different it was.

Same. It wasn't awful but nothing that I really crave going back for.

This is one of those places that I really don't see making it. It's a great location and I think that intersection has a lot of potential. It just needs the right mix of tenants to create synergy. Does anybody know how the Root is doing?

The Root had an ownership change back in May and lost their high-point license in the process, which really hurt their business. They just got their high-point license back last week (along with wine), so I am hoping business picks back up, as the people who run it are absolutely amazing, and it's a great supporter of the local music, comedy, and art scene. There's usually a concert or some other event going on most nights, and in general I think of it as sort of a meeting room for people who live in the surrounding neighborhoods.

New sign in the window says Under New Management:

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New sign in the window says Under New Management:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/elfogoncito101418.jpg

The last time I visited, in August, it was already under new management, and sadly not as good. Maybe it's under new new management, and will now be better than the old new management.

This place needs to get it together or it won't last. I think it already may be too late unless they try a serious rebranding.

This place needs to get it together or it won't last. I think it already may be too late unless they try a serious rebranding.

The quality of the new "Mexican Restaurant" stenciling certainly doesn't lend much room for optimism, but this place is within walking distance of me so I will probably give them another chance once they reopen. Honestly I thought the food was pretty good (besides the free complementary salsa which I did not enjoy), the problem with this place for me has always been the lack of good service. I'm not as big a stickler on service level as some but it has been noticeably poor the few times I've eaten here before.

Also, from what I can tell, another big problem for this place (and The Root) is the lack of parking. There is some additional parking available across the street for now, but it's not obvious and will also be going away once the Rooster reopens sometime in 2019. There are no pedestrian-friendly options for walking over from the main Paseo area or the surrounding neighborhoods either, due to the lack of sidewalks on Walker.

Looks like this place may be rebranding as "The Mayan", if the new mural is any indication.

As of two weeks ago, officially open as Mayan.

It's completely new ownership although the interior looks the same. They said the menu was similar but they had pared down the # of items and added a few more taco options. They have applied for a full liquor license and are open 11A-11P every day.

I had the quesadillas with pastor. Really good and flavorful and the larger red sauce had a nice bite. I look forward to trying more.

https://www.facebook.com/themayanokc/?__tn__=%2Cdk%2CP-R&eid=ARDxWTHXulJ9S-gk55fB-D02ADxrepAIXas8V68ESVEQ0_Ww3txweHONKyIZ5JDJh_WasrC SoSZBcMi6

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From Bottom right counter clockwise
Carnitas
Pastor
Asada
Cochinita Pibull
Barbacoa
Chorizo

I've been here two times, and really enjoyed them both. They have weekly specials that I believe are the following
Tuesdays - All tacos (except Shrimp) are 2.50
Wednesday - $8 burritos
Thursday - BOGO pastor tacos

From the Gazette:

Mayan tacos
The Mayan Taqueria & Cantina lives up to its top billing status on Yelp.
BY JACOB THREADGILL

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Al pastor, nopales and shrimp tacos at The Mayan Taqueria & Cantina - JACOB THREADGILL


The Mayan Taqueria & Cantina
3020 N. Walker Ave., Suite A

What works:Each taco gets its own treatment, and honey with shrimp works well.
What needs work:The chicken in the enchilada was a little dry.
Tip:Be on the lookout for new cocktails in early 2020.

In late October, Yelp released its ranking of top 50 restaurants in the Oklahoma City metro, taking into account both the total number of reviews on the social media app, and overall rating and health scores.

The same month it celebrated its one-year anniversary, The Mayan Taqueria & Cantina, 3020 N. Walker Ave., Suite A, also celebrated reaching the No. 1 overall spot on Yelp’s ranked list of local restaurants.

“We really care about our customers and want anyone who comes in here to enjoy authentic Mexican food and find comfort in the flavors,” said Mayan owner Tania Perez. “We’ll take care of them from the time they come in until they leave. We take pride in making sure everyone is OK. If the food is good but the service is bad, people won’t come back.”

Perez and her husband Ulysses took the experience they got turning tickets while running the Taco Box food truck on SW 59th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and applied to the restaurant that formerly served The Paseo Arts District as El Fogoncito.

Perez, who has a background in finance, has also worked in the restaurant industry. She worked for Heartland Financial, running payroll and credit card services for clients, which included El Fogoncito. The restaurant’s previous owner told her they wanted to sell, and originally Perez worked to find another owner.

“That night, I was going through my contacts, and my husband asked what I was doing. I told him I was looking for a buyer for one of my clients, and he asked which one, and I told him El Fogoncito. He said, ‘Why don’t we buy it?’ Hold on; I’m 8 months pregnant and he wants to buy a whole restaurant? We talked about it and said, ‘Hey, why not?’ We’re the kind of people that are like, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ So we jumped in and bought the place.”

The couple made the decision to rebrand after El Fogoncito dealt with inconsistency under two different owners and focus the concept on a taco-centric menu that fits on a single page. They kept the restaurant’s main mural on the south wall but called in its artist Sergio “Tank” Ramirez to add some new murals to the bar and bathrooms.

“We wanted a name that would stick with people,” Perez said. “We want people to see Mayan and think tacos.”

The Mayan offers 11 types of taco, and every choice of filling gets a different treatment. Perez said they’re serving a higher level of taco than what they dished when they ran the Taco Box food truck, as prices run $2.75-$4 per taco.

Carnitas is paired with tomatillo salsa while the grilled chicken gets a topping of ranch. Asada is topped with avocado and pico de gallo while the barbacoa is garnished with the traditional cilantro, onions and radish. The menu also features burritos, flautas and a pair of enchilada preparations.

Perez said that al pastor, which is topped with fresh pineapple, is the most popular taco. It’s followed closely by conchita pibil, which is similar to al pastor in that they’re both marinated pork, but it has less heat and more citrus in the marinade.

“A lot of people think it’s going to be spicy, but once they order it, they come back for it,” Perez said.

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Chicken enchiladas with a poblano and sour cream sauce - JACOB THREADGILL


I was intrigued when I saw The Mayan atop Yelp’s ranking. I covered El Fogoncito in the review section for Oklahoma Gazette in June 2018, and thought it had some hits and misses. My biggest memory of the meal was my disappointment around its signature appetizer, the queso fundido, in which the cheese cooled within minutes and became an inedible block within minutes after arriving at the table.

Perez said they heard similar complaints from customers, who thought they were the same ownership when they opened as The Mayan. The mixture of asada, al pastor and melted cheese remains on The Mayan menu—where Perez said it is the most popular appetizer—after they made a tweak to how the item arrives from the kitchen to the table.

“We took [the complaints] into consideration so that it doesn’t happen as it stays on the table,” she said. “It’s a timing thing; if you don’t time it right, the skillet gets cool too quickly.”

Next time I dine at The Mayan, I will definitely give the queso another shot. Before speaking with Perez, I kept it safe by starting the meal off with chips and guacamole, which hit the spot. For tacos, I ordered al pastor, nopales and shrimp. The al pastor is served on fresh corn tortillas and had some heat. The grilled shrimp is served over spinach with a little drizzle of honey, which complemented a nice dollop of bottled tomatillo salsa nicely. The nopales taco is the only vegetarian taco, and it’s piled high with the cactus strips that have a nice smoky flavor.

My wife ordered the enchiladas verde, which is chicken topped with a poblano and sour cream sauce. I’m so used to getting enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce that the poblano threw me for a moment, as the char from the peppers gave a depth to the sauce. I would’ve preferred the tortillas to be drenched in the sauce before rolled around the chicken, as the chicken was a little dry, but they were more than satisfactory.

For the cooler months, The Mayan is offering three soups: pozole, chicken and meatball. Perez said the bar is focused on Mexican beer, tequila and mescal and will roll out a Mexican-inspired cocktail menu in early 2020. Margaritas are only served on the rocks; nothing from a machine.

I think the overall rebrand of The Mayan has worked. It has benefitted from streamlining the menu, and the items are served fresh in a relaxed and friendly environment.

The Mayan is just down the street from our house so we go there fairly often. I have gotten to know the Tania and Ulysses Perez from a business standpoint as well as personal. Their food and staff is on point. If you have not been there yet, you should give it a try. I wish them all the luck.