By night, this auto repair shop morphs into a taco haven where locals flock for mouthwatering al pastor, served under the stars in a lively atmosphere.
Petén 248 y, Av. Universidad, Narvarte Poniente, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Get directions
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"If you come to El Vilsito for lunch, it’s going to be busy. But stop by for a midnight snack, and it’ll be like an outdoor nightclub with a taco shack. Originally—and still to this day—a car repair shop, they eventually added a taquería to the storefront, and stay open until 3am on weekdays and 5am on Saturdays and Sundays. All the tacos are excellent, but their specialty is the gringa de pastor, which tastes great with their homemade avocado salsa. And the people-watching is fun: you’ll see locals drive up and park right in front, have a waiter take their order, and deliver it right to their car. " - guillaume guevara
"Even though this famous taqueria is indeed connected to an auto repair shop and opens only at night, the setup is anything but piecemeal. There’s plenty of seating and plenty of servers, with flatscreen televisions, a roaring grill, and spinning trompos. Everyone is here for the al pastor, which features a towering stack of tender, shaved pork, sliced pineapple, and a riot of cilantro and onions. The formidable “gringas” version is deliciously messy, arriving on a flour tortilla coated with cheese." - Michelin Inspector
"If you come to El Vilsito for lunch, it’s going to be busy. But stop by for a midnight snack, and it’ll be like an outdoor nightclub with a taco shack. Originally—and still to this day—a car repair shop, they eventually added a taquería to the storefront, and stay open until 3am on weekdays and 5am on Saturdays and Sundays. All the tacos are excellent, but their specialty is the gringa de pastor, which tastes great with their homemade avocado salsa. And the people-watching is fun: you’ll see locals drive up and park right in front, have a waiter take their order, and deliver it right to their car." - Guillaume Guevara
"If you were to drive by El Vilsito during the day, you’d find mechanics working on cars. Come 8:00 p.m., however, and this humble garage becomes home to several spinning spits of some of the finest marinated meat in Mexico City. Servers wielding giant knives slice off chunks of the succulent pork and layer it onto corn tortillas, along with a flick of pineapple and a sprinkling of onions and cilantro to make stunningly sweet and savory al pastor tacos. Even though the mechanics are long gone, hints of the space’s body shop alter ego remain: a sign displaying a giant red car hovers overhead and services are emblazoned across the red-and-black exterior, offering to improve your ride’s lubricación, suspensión, or transmisión. There are several tables and chairs inside part of the garage next to the open kitchen, but it’ll be easiest to grab a standing table outside. There are other options for your taco filling, including steak and rib, but the real star here is the pastor. It’s dangerously easy to order at least four. If you find yourself in need of some lubricación, wash it all down with a cold beer or horchata." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"If you were to drive by El Vilsito during the day, you’d find mechanics working on cars. Come 8:00 p.m., however, and this humble garage becomes home to several spinning spits of some of the finest marinated meat in Mexico City. Servers wielding giant knives slice off chunks of the succulent pork and layer it onto corn tortillas, along with a flick of pineapple and a sprinkling of onions and cilantro to make stunningly sweet and savory al pastor tacos. Even though the mechanics are long gone, hints of the space’s body shop alter ego remain: a sign displaying a giant red car hovers overhead and services are emblazoned across the red-and-black exterior, offering to improve your ride’s lubricación, suspensión, or transmisión. There are several tables and chairs inside part of the garage next to the open kitchen, but it’ll be easiest to grab a standing table outside. There are other options for your taco filling, including steak and rib, but the real star here is the pastor. It’s dangerously easy to order at least four. If you find yourself in need of some lubricación, wash it all down with a cold beer or horchata." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
