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When looking for the best al pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta, there’s more than just Panchos Takos. We’ve been on a mission to find the best tacos in Puerto Vallarta and this post is solely focused on the al Pastor!
I’m going to flat-out say it from the beginning, Jay and I just went to a taco shop specializing in al pastor for the sole purpose of going because other people had said it’s, “the best al pastor in Puerto Vallarta”.. and omg.. IT WAS NOT!
This is the complete list, from the hidden taco stands in the non-touristy areas to the big dog al pastor places that are well known.. here are all the stands we’ve visited, top to bottom, best al pastor taco in Puerto Vallarta to the worst.
To get the most out of this post, we recommend you download the maps.me app. It’s a free app (for up to 10 maps), and then you can use the coordinates and pin each al pastor taco location.
This basically creates your own street taco tour for al pastor tacos!
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Best Al Pastor Tacos Puerto Vallarta
Taqueria El Pastorcito PV
Coordinates | 20.656304, -105.22385
Opening Times | Every day | 1:00pm to 2:00am
Expected Price | 20 per taco
Prices at Taqueria El Pastorcito PV
- 80 pesos for 5 tacos and an agua fresca
The first time we were in Puerto Vallarta, this was the last taco stand we went to. You know the saying, saving the best for last, yep, this was it!
We tried their tortas, absolutely to die for with the al pastor! Their al pastor tacos, holy smokes – loaded and just next level! While we were there two times they sold out of the food and were absolutely swamped with togo orders!
Oh! And their burritos and tortas.. yep, you’re going to need to go back and try them too! Everything here was just phenomenal!
They really are that good!
Pancho’s Takos
The Best Al Pastor Taco in Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone
Coordinates | 20.601968, -105.237608
Opening Times | Monday – Saturday | 4:00pm-11:30pm
Expected Price | 35 MXN per taco
Prices at Pancho’s Takos
- 35 MXN pesos per taco
- 105 MXN pesos for a margarita
- 125 MXN pesos for an order of bomb guacamole
We’ve been to Pancho’s Takos more than a handful of times and every single time the portions are huge, the wait goes by quickly, and the food is amazing!
The amount of meat they load up on each al pastor taco at Pancho’s is insane. They’re easily the meatiest tacos in Puerto Vallarta. Honestly, three tacos is nearly too much here, and that’s not just for us!
The last time we were eating tacos at Pancho’s the people next to us went to order a large amount of food, and the waiter told them it was too much and took off food from their order!
We’ve only had their al pastor tacos and guacamole because both are too good to not get each time. Their margaritas are pretty good too!
There will definitely be a line at Pancho’s Takos when you visit. But trust us, it’s worth the wait! We like to grab a beer from the OXXO on the corner and drink it while we wait in line (just be sure to finish it before sitting down, as outside drinks aren’t allowed.
Taquitos Acapulco Vallarta
The Best Al Pastor Near the Malecón
Coordinates | 20.613873, -105.232066
Opening Times | Every day | 3:00PM – 1:50AM
Expected Price | 20 MXN per taco
Prices at Taquitos Acapulco Vallarta
- 80 MXN pesos for 4 tacos
- 80 MXN pesos for homemade ice cream sandwich
- 20 MXN pesos for large agua fresca
Taquitos Acapulco Vallarta is a dine in taco stand in Puerto Vallarta offering al pastor tacos and more.
This is a larger dining option for “street tacos” while having a full menu of other traditional Mexican dishes.
While you won’t find a fancy dining area here, it’s nice to be inside and at a real table and chairs while still enjoying al pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta.
The al pastor here is super flavorful, and while the meat isn’t loaded on like at other al pastor shops, their prices reflect the amount of meat you get here!
We couldn’t leave Taquitos Acapulco Vallarta without trying the homemade ice cream sandwiches — and can definitely recommend them if you have room after your tacos.
Credit cards are accepted at Taquitos Acapulco Vallarta, though there is a 3% charge for swiping. With that said, using a credit card for tacos is a rare occasion, so if you’re down on cash this is the place to go!
Pepe’s Tacos
Best Al Pastor Taco in Puerto Vallarta’s 5 de Diciembre
Coordinates | 20.618969, -105.230789
Opening Times | Every day | 1:00PM – 6:00 AM
Expected Price | 24 MXN per taco
Prices at Pepe’s Tacos
- 24 MXN pesos per taco with corn tortilla (traditional way)
- 46 MXN pesos per taco with flour tortilla
- 35-75 MXN pesos for a quesadilla
- 20 MXN pesos for large agua fresca
Pepe’s Tacos is a happening place for locals and tourist alike.
When we first went by Pepe’s Tacos we continued on past it because it was full of Gringo’s and we didn’t think it would be an authentic Puerto Vallarta taco experience.
However, when we went back late at night, this place was popular amongst the locals and we felt a bit more at ease knowing we would be getting authentic al pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta.
We both ordered al pastor tacos at Pepe’s and thought the flavor was good, but not great when compared to other al Pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta.
With that said, they were certainly not bad and we did in fact have them more than once — so that’s saying something too!
The atmosphere at Pepe’s Tacos is lively and 100 miles a minute. It’s a great option for al Pastor tacos if staying in 5 de Diciembre or Hotel Zone.
Pepe’s Tacos claims to be the best tacos in Puerto Vallarta and they’ve been around since 1987! So that’s pretty impressive!
Tacos El Gato
Coordinates | 20.617334, -105.231751
Opening Times | Wednesday – Monday | 6:00PM – 1:00 AM
Expected Price | 20 MXN per taco
Prices at Tacos el Gato
- 20 MXN pesos per taco
- 50 MXN pesos per quesadilla
- 20 MXN pesos per agua fresca
We’ll be the first to say that we’ve been by Tacos el Gato multiple times without stopping. We always get whistled or clapped at when walking by this taco stand, so it’s not one we really like.
And honestly, I wouldn’t write that if it happened just a single time.. it’s been multiple times, so it’s just a turn off for us.
With that said, that kind of stuff doesn’t bother everyone, so we’re still sharing about them!
Tacos el Gato.. no.. even though it translates to the cat taco it’s not really that!
These are pretty tasty al pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta, though they’re much smaller than all the others on this list.
They’re perfect for a late night snack, or if you just really want to try al pastor tacos, but aren’t actually that hungry.
Tacos Sonorita Olas Atlas
The Best Al Pastor Tourist Trap
Coordinates | 20.60356, -105.237201
Opening Times | Every Day | 3:00PM – 11:00 PM
Expected Price | 37 MXN per taco
Prices at Sonoritas Olas Atlas Tacos
- 110 MXN pesos per three al pastor tacos
- 160 MXN pesos for their Huero pollo (house speciality dish)
- 110 MXN pesos for half guac with Costco chips!
- 30 MXN pesos per small agua fresca
We went against our own rules when traveling and ate at a place that was fit only for the tourists. We should have known not to visit here, but after seeing this place raved about on multiple other travel blogs we had to try it for ourselves.
And shoot, what a major letdown! This is the last on our list of al pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta because they were expensive, tasteless, and truly not authentic at all. .
Okay, first things first.. we ordered guacamole to compare it to our favorite guac over at Pancho’s Takos, and oh my goodness.. it was served with Costco tortilla chips, and I’m almost certain it was the premade guac from Costco too.
To be fair, there are reviews online with other people having real, authentic tortilla chips with their guac, but still — ours wasn’t served that way, so that’s a red flag!
When our tacos came out, the chicken huero was fabulous, but definitely not worth the 160 pesos (or 10 USD), especially when you can get it elsewhere for less than half the cost.
And the tacos.. these are a hard pass. In fact, we almost didn’t finish them and that never happens! They were dry and lacked flavor, so we loaded them with salsas and all the cilantro and onion on the table, and they still were sub-par.
I think the hype at Sonorita’s is because Taco Tours in Puerto Vallarta stop here. But trust us, we’ve ate at more than 25 taco stands throughout Puerto Vallarta, and this place is about as un-authentic as you can get.
The Best Al Pastor Tacos in Puerto Vallarta
We’ve done some research on finding the best al Pastor tacos in Puerto Vallarta. But we’ve also been on the hunt for the best birria tacos, fish tacos, and regular street tacos too. All the best of the best tacos in Puerto Vallarta can be found here!
It’s been a fun time “researching” and eating our way through Puerto Vallarta!
We’re currently in Puerto Vallarta, and have a couple more stands to check out and add to this list! But if you know of one we’ve yet to visit, email us at contact (at) arboursabroad (dot) com and let us know!
If you’re not interested in finding these taco stands on your own, consider jumping in on one of the taco tours in Puerto Vallarta.
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