Ok, I'll admit that I was a bit (a lot) skeptical walking into a Mexican place in Tahoe, being that I live in San Diego/20 minutes from Mexico. I'll also admit that my fears were wrong.
The food. Â Oh, the food! Â It was really quite tasty. Â My boyfriend ordered the chile verde burrito. Yum! Super flavorful. He also got a fish taco that was on par with the best fish tacos I've had. I was being a priss and ordered a salad that was pretty good. Â The carne in it was in need of some seasoning and is the only reason I didn't give this place a 5. BUT... I did get some of their homemade corn tortillas that were outstanding!
This place is full of character and a lovely example of "hole in the wall". Â It's family run and those are my fave kinds of places! (Oh, and all the people complaining about the "cleanliness" can RE. LAX. Â It's a hole in the wall, not a Michelin starred restaurant. A bottle on a table isn't going to kill you. Get out and explore the world. End rant.)
Kind of pricey for what it is but if you're in north Tahoe and craving some authentic Mexican food, eat here!
Great little hole-in-the-wall spot for tacos! Owners' sons and daughter were running the show when I visited and were super polite, attentive, and responsible. Excellent fish tacos; mediocre quesadilla and salsa. If you're off-put by sloppy decor and a "home-y" vibe, dont bother. But if you want some delicious fish tacos, this is your spot!
Review Source:I just had the most delicious mahi mahi tacos there and my tummy is still singing about it. Â It's so fresh and tender and well spiced, with lots of chopped veggies on top. Â The tortillas are hand made, too. Â You can tell. Â I have a hard time getting myself to go anywhere else when these guys are so good. Â It's run by a sweet family so it has a warm vibe. Â If you're really into healthy food and you're a pescadarian like me, Sancho's is the place.
Review Source:Love this place! We stop here every year on the annual family Tahoe trip. Yes, the decor is a little tacky, the seating is mismatched and it smells a little musty, but... It's a hole in the wall taqueria by the beach, what did you expect? It's a family-run place that consistently churns out great food. Just went there at 9:30am for breakfast and they were pretty busy. Their carnitas tacos are fabulous, and the fish tacos are among the best I've ever had. It's a perfect beach restaurant - right across from the beach, and you could walk in with a wet swimsuit on and not feel out of place. Great deal for the price, as well. Been coming here for years and it never disappoints!
Review Source:I got here at about 11am on a Tuesday, with a bit of trepidation given the uncleanliness some other Yelpers have observed, but on walking in it seemed ok so I ordered some fish tacos. Â I waited, and waited, and waited... Â Over 20 minutes! Â I don't know if they had to go out to the lake and catch the fish or what.
Why 2 stars then? Â Well I have to admit: the fish tacos were really good.
We were the only customers as roads were closed and it was snowing that day.
We had an amazing dinner with our friend. The food was fresh and prepared for us at the time of request. My husband had fish and they cooked it upon his request which is rare these days. Usually everything is precooked. Not in this place!
We were pleased with the service and food.
Yes it's sort of scary looking because we are spoiled Americans used to everything being spotlessly clean and this place certainly is not. But it's really about the food and I've never once heard of anybody getting sick here AND I've never ever ever had better fish tacos!!. They are absolutely amazing and the owner and her son are awesome. Just get fish tacos and you will not be disappointed.
Review Source:We ate here two years ago and still talk about the delicious chile verde, tacos, caldo a giant fried empanada. It was so good we ate all of our meals there in our two day stay and now we're timing our drive back from salt lake city so that we can eat here before they close. The owner was super friendly too. El Sancho here we come!
Review Source:First off, Tahoe Vista does not offer a lot of outstanding choices. I always eat at Sanchos any time I actually eat out. Nice service, but they won't give you tap water, which constantly confuses me, but that is entirely my only beef with this restaurant.
Sopas are my favorite, then the burritos (i love that they use queso frescha) Fish tacos rule.... and Menudo if you go in on the weekend!
So the 5 stars are for the food and venue! The most important factors in my book!
Fantastic taste, incredible value, awesome location. Â
Not a place to impress a first date or new inlaws; absolute standby place when you want food cooked from scratch with bushels of love at a stupidly low price. Â
Taco salads are enormous and diverse, not just shredded iceberg; tostadas and sopes are a fantastic balance of flavors and a solid meal for less than $5; combination and specialty plates offer more of the same: tasty, quality ingredients at an incredibly reasonable price, all with panoramic lakeside vistas.
All I can say is: Yikes.
We walked in at 5:45 on a Wednesday to find that the rapture had occurred. Half-eaten food, dirty plates in a bin on the floor, flies buzzing around...but no diners and no one behind the counter.
Rang the handy bell by the tip jar. Still no one. While we waited, we noticed the sticky  counter. I took a look by the cooler, thinking some one might be in back. At this point, realizing how dirty everything was, we walked out. From the state of the front room and the smell from the back, I would not recommend eating here.
Small, friendly beach-front place.
Their Chili Verde was rich and flavorful, with a pleasant spicing that highlighted the nicely-cooked pork.
The Fish Tacos were crisp and served with a simple tartar sauce; a different approach that was very tasty. Even my picky 10-year-old who normally refuses to touch fish gulped it down and asked for more. Very nice after a day in the water.
Flan was okay, but didn't stand out like the other dishes. Horchata was nicely prepared.
Don't know why others didn't like these dishes. We were looking for simple post-beach tacqueria fare and our expectations were strongly exceeded.
I have absolutely NO idea what people are pleased about.
I wish that I had taken those other negative reviews into consideration.
The fish tacos, bland.
The carne asada torta, bland.
Pinto beans, barely tolerable.
Rice, barely tolerable with a hint of burnt.
One dish can be a miss, but everything was a disappointment.
Anyone who is pleased by their food must have not spent too much time indulging in Mexican food.
I'm announcing the first Christmas Miracle of this season! I did NOT get food poisoning here. Truly, a miracle.
Don't ask me how I ended up here, or why I was forced into a situation I couldn't escape from. I had to order, and I was okay with losing 10 pounds of water over the next few days if I had to.
This place is dirty. Seriously. I was really bummed I happened to catch a peek into the kitchen. Everything is just.....unsanitary- in and out of the kitchen. I mostly stuck to the chips and salsa, but I did have a couple of tacos: carnitas and al pastore. I found both to be lacking and bland. Bits of decomposing cilantro sprinkled on the taco made it much more interesting though.
The only good thing I can say is the employees are friendly and nice. I always root for the local small guy, but this ridiculous.
I have been inside the Truckee location too, and while its newer and the employee/owner is just as friendly, it's also on its way to just as dirty. Clearly, El Sancho might (emphasis on 'might') be able to make good food based on the other Yelp reviews, but they need a serious class on food prep and hygiene.
A real kitchen nightmare. Never again. Never.
A real hole in the wall dive but the Yelp reviews about El Sancho had me craving Mexican food. The parking lot is small and limited to about four cars. Inside you'll find only a couple of tables and stools along the storefront glass which gives you a view of the lake across the street.
My order the Chili Verde with beans, rice and flour tortillas. The chili Verde was tasty - not overbearing spicy. The beans were lighter in color but tasted good and the rice was yummy. I tried a few bites of the highly rated fish tacos which were large - stuffed full of deep fried mahi, shredded cabbage, white sauce and topped with a mild salsa.
The elder cashier/waitress was friendly, although she did not speak much English but the younger lady chef was friendly and sweet. I informed them of Yelp and they had no idea what that was!
Come for the authentic food and don't let the look of the place scare you off!
Order was wrong to start with, ordered a bunch of food for the family to go. tacos enchaladas, burritos, taco salad, Â the fish tacos were ok nothing great, my kids would not eat the burrito, I have never had them turn down a burrito form anywhere. My wife said hers was nasty and also our friend. Â I eat Mexican food from several places where I live in santa cruz about twice a week, this was some of the worst mexican food I have had in a long long time.
Review Source:What a dive-y gem! This place looks run down from the outside and even worse inside. The owner was friendly and funny. His daughter was there talking to a customer about her college classes and working on becoming a doctor - they really looked like the American dream.
We ordered our food and walked it back to our hotel next door. The food looked fairly terrible when we opened up our to go boxes but the taste? FABULOUS. I highly recommend the tostada. I think they do something magical to it! Many of their dishes have a choice of vehicle for a long list of meats (including brains and head!). Tacos, burritos, tostadas, tortas and more. My husband said the chili colorado was the 2nd best he has ever had and that is saying a lot since he tries it at almost every place it is available. The guacamole was amazing... a strong lime taste, great body, full of chunks of avocado and tomatoes and spot on flavor. The chips were fantastic.
Tons of delicious food for a great price. We will definitely make this a stop on future visits to the Tahoe area.
The service is excellent. We went in 10 minutes before closing and he was still very welcoming. The fish tacos are good, but I ended up getting the burrito since I was starving. The burrito is a good size, but don't expect too much meat inside. I tried my friend's Fish Tacos and those were absolutely amazing. If I hadn't been so hungry, I would have also gotten the Fish Tacos. He gave us complimentary chips with salsa along with allowing us to stay after closing time.
TLDR; Service is great. Burrito was okay. Fish tacos are awesome. FREE anything is the best.
After an unsatisfying sack lunch on the beach, we decided to experiment with tacos at this beachside taqueria. Â Man, I am glad we did.
Service was quite slow-- possibly because the kitchen was slammed with other orders as we walked in, or possibly because that's just the way they do things in Tahoe. Â But when our tacos arrived, they were worth the wait.
The fish taco was full of big chunks of flaky, fresh fried fish, along with crema and cabbage-- just like the California fish tacos of my dreams. Â The chili verde taco was spicy and full of tender pork. Â It bears mention that both tacos were huge (spilling out of the tortilla and overfilled) and yet also cheap ($1.95 each). Â I'm surprised it wasn't far more crowded than it already was.
Go here.
I upgraded these guys this summer. We ate at an upscale (by Tahoe standards) Mexican restaurant the other night and then had lunch at El Sancho twice and dinner once. The food was actually better. Over the three visits we sampled many of the items on the menu and they were all outstanding
One of the best beef Tacos I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Amazing freshly prepared Guacamole. The best everyone had ever tasted. There was a group of us and everyone was very impressed. I would rate this as a top dive for Mexican food.
Excellent price/value relationship. Possibly the best price/value in Tahoe.
Yelp told us to drive up a mountainous dirt road to get here. Â We considered doing it and pleading stupidity so we could sue, but instead just G-mapped it and wound up in the right spot. Â And boy were we glad we did!
Most of our eating experiences in Tahoe had been ho-hum, but not El Sancho. Â The server was super friendly, and the fish tacos left me wondering why I don't only eat fish tacos at all times. Â Bonus points for sitting out on the cute patio in view of the lake, being the cheapest meal we ate over our entire Tahoe trip, and having an El Sancho post card cut out into which Oleg and Adam stuck their faces for a lovely souvenir shot.
We will be back next year!
No one goes to Tahoe for burritos.
But when the weather closes in on you and your party, and you have a burrito emergency, don't settle for mediocre 7-11 microwaveable kibble.
Go to where the good authentic Mexican food is lovingly prepared just for you. El Sancho - so good you'll drive there from the Mission.
Not only was the service horrible, the fish tacos that were "the best in Tahoe" according to a local magazine review were horrible as well. Â The sides of beans and rice were under par too. Â Maybe there are other items here that are good, but with a bad first impression, I could care less. Â Overall, I'd never go back here.
Review Source:- chorizo sopes: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/el-sancho-tahoe-vista?select=Db_XeXu39b-qXjkjGagXAA#8rFnJ6qRYyD4mZNs4o_Uaw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Excellent, great sope texture, great chroizo.
- carnitas tacos: very juicy: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/el-sancho-tahoe-vista?select=Db_XeXu39b-qXjkjGagXAA#a7S1aiAfukyMty5U7m5F6w">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Cheap, too: $2 each, which is better than most happy hour deals.
- fried tilapia fish tacos: excellent: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/el-sancho-tahoe-vista?select=Db_XeXu39b-qXjkjGagXAA#5gnETi1EWm2YNAjzw5Ry1w">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
The crispiness and fish flavor really come through.
- The flan is outstanding.  Super rich burnt caramel: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/el-sancho-tahoe-vista?select=Db_XeXu39b-qXjkjGagXAA#XSvtG3PvrzSdnApa6xwRhg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
I've had three times, and it's consistently great.
- carne asada sopes: skip it: the carne asada is low-end: stick to the carnitas or chorizo.
- chicken tamales: meh. Â skip it.
- Also a downside: they only have pinto beans, no black beans.
This place is way better that Tacos Jalisco, and I think the soft tacos are better than La Mexicana.
It's worth a drive all the way from either Truckee or Tahoe City. Â They have pozole and menudo soup on Saturday / Sunday.
My husband and were taking the scenic route back home from a trip to Reno on Halloween weekend. Â We were across the street feeding the ducks when we saw this place.
My husband is a huge fan of fish tacos, and when he saw a sign outside El Sancho proclaiming the best fish tacos, we had to try it out.
While it is tiny inside, the food is absolutely great. Â With the fish tacos, you also get beans, rice, and salad. Â The fish was a perfect, golden crispy color. Â The refried beans weren't greasy at all-- you can taste the beans cheese, and a hint of salsa. Â And I loved the rice!
Oh yeah, you can also get real Coke from Mexico with sugar instead of that fakey corn syrup stuff they give us here in America. Â : )
The next time we go back to Lake Tahoe, we will definitely stop here.
Muy bueno fish tacos! We would ordinarily have flown right by this place but saw a few people waiting outside, always a good sign.
The beer battered mahi mahi fish was seasoned perfectly. The "special sauce" tasted a lot like mayo *warning all you mayo haters*, but I LOVE mayo so was pleased at the creamy coolness on top the warm fish. The shredded cabbage on top was super fresh and beans tasted so yummy. We got the fish tacos especial. Â
My only complaint was that the portions seemed a bit small although admittedly, I was perfectly satisfied at the end of my meal. Â The fish tacos are served in corn tortillas the size of dollar coins (slightly exaggerated), but I've never seen such tiny corn torts! Â The chips - I counted maybe 7. Â For ~9/order, I expect a little mas, especially from a divey joint. I mean divey in the best way. Â We'll be back to try the other 'especiales'.
A top choice for a good cheap meal in the North Lake area. Truly great fish tacos and most everything else you would find at a *real* Mexican joint.
Reminded me of Puerto Vallarta on the inside. Small, but has four tables or so, good for a small group or take out. Not a new or shiny place - so grandma might not like, but your bros probably will love it. Great location across from the boat launch on North Lake Blvd (the Yelp map is wrong) - if you want to take some good chow out on the lake.
I gotta take a moment to defend El Sancho from the haters. Â I don't know about you, but after a hard day on the slopes I have neither the energy nor the funds left for some swanky dinner a la Spindleshanks. Â Plus, El Sancho was within walking distance of the hotel, meaning I could get there without taking the car into the blizzard of death. Â
It's a tiny little shack with colorful walls and warm lighting. Â I highly recommend the stools by the front window, where you can watch the snow fall by the neon light of the Dos Equis sign. Â
Maybe it's the post-ski hunger talking, but the fish tacos were two bites of heaven, and all too easy to devour in a flash. Â The chile verde burrito is an absurdly hefty piping-hot masterpiece made with pork and what looked like queso fresco (plus rice and beans built-in, yay!). Â A little loosely wrapped and hence messy, but still great. Â Best of all, it all came with hot, freshly cooked tortilla chips. Â Remind me never to settle for the store-bought chips again.
Indeed there can be good Mexican food in Tahoe. Â And why not? Â All you need is a good Mexican cook like the lady at El Sancho.
I really like this place as opposed to what others have said. I give it four stars not for the service, which is lacking (a young boy taking orders and his mom in the back cooking) but for the food and atmosphere.
I wouldn't recommend the burritos because they are kind of soupy like super burrito in millbrae and I prefer burritos from Pancho Villa. The carne asada tacos are pretty good, the meat is a little dry but good flavor and of course their homemade tortillas rock! what I recommend is the fish tacos. they're so good. I love rubio's fish tacos but these are a little better because they aren't so greasy and they have really fresh tomatoes on them. The sauce is really close to what rubios tastes like, the fish is good, crispy(the beer batter) and not too greasy and the best thing is the yummy homemade tortillas. the fish tacos come with rice (this time my rice was under cooked so it wasn't very good) and refried beans which were good. Very filling after a day in the snow or a day of hiking!
The place itself I think is so cute. It's very small and kind of like a hole in the wall but I love finding places like that so I personally like it. You have to sit at their window seating so you can enjoy your fish tacos while looking right at the lake. It's right across the street from the lake with nothing obstructing the view. BEAUTIFUL!
One warning, don't get chips and salsa. It was like 3 bucks, I had to ask for it twice and the salsa wasn't very flavorful and barely any chips...disappointing.
So to sum up this novel, if you like finding local yummy hole in the wall places, this is the place for you. If you want to sit in a big spacious comfy restaurant with four star service, this isn't the place for you.
The place is small, brightly colored and had a menu written in spanish on poster board. What a great start.
There are neon signs for beer, but I guess they have new owners and don't have a liquor license yet - so no points off, but really they shouldn't have the signs in the window turned on.
I orderd from a friendly gentlemen who informed me that the only "choice" of beans I could have was pinto. And then I got scared.
Then the food arrived.
I have never had a more bland and tasteless burrito. The food here is so unremarkable that I wonder if the staff even eat their own food. I understand that I'm in Lake Tahoe and not on International Blvd. in Oakland, but I have to say that I've had better mexican food in Montana.
I'll be honest: The only reason I ate at this restaurant while on vacation is because I had a BOGO coupon. Â However, I am not one to turn down possibly authentic carnitas burritos, so I decided to push the "Can there be good Mexican food in Tahoe?" thought out of my mind. Â This place is tiny, but not smaller than the 10-year old boy running the restaurant. Â He took orders and brought out the food, all the while watching The Disney Channel on full blast. Â He certainly had his own technique: he brought out the burritos one by one and then the drinks in the same fashion. Â My husband and I both ordered the aforementioned burritos, and they were decent. Â I practically rendered my coupon obselete because I placed all of my change into his tip jar. Â I like to think that I'm contributing to his college fund.
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