I drove past Taqueria Gonzalez on West 12th for months before I finally pulled in — one of those moments where you realize the best food in town doesn't always announce itself with a massive sign or a patio full of brunch crowds.
The space is small, genuinely small, not "cozy" in the real estate listing sense. Maybe ten tables. But the kitchen moves like they're feeding a wedding, and the smells hit you the second you walk through the door — cilantro, lime, char from the grill. I've eaten at plenty of Sioux Falls Mexican spots that feel engineered for the Minnehaha County palate, but Gonzalez doesn't hedge. The salsa has actual heat. The carnitas have that pull-apart texture that only happens when someone's been tending a pot for hours.
I always get the tacos — corn tortillas, double-stacked the way they should be, with onion and cilantro and a wedge of lime that actually matters. The al pastor has that sweet-savory thing going, pineapple caramelized on the edges. My friend ordered the torta last time and I watched her go quiet for three bites straight, which is the highest compliment she gives.
The counter service means you order, grab your own napkins, fill your own water — it's not the spot if you need someone checking on you every six minutes. And yeah, the dining room can feel a little worn, the kind of space that's seen a decade of Friday nights and hasn't gotten a refresh. But I don't think that's the point. The point is the food, which tastes like someone's abuela is in the back making sure you eat properly.
It's the kind of place that makes Phillips Avenue feel a little further away than it actually is. A small room on West 12th where the food does all the talking.
— Grace
My friend ordered the torta last time and I watched her go quiet for three bites straight, which is the highest compliment she gives.