Perla Taqueria

I am kinda disappointed by Perla. I came here thinking it was gonna be great authentic Mexican food, but they fell short for me. I think it is over priced for a so-​so taco. Better than Taco Bell, yes, but there are a ton of great taquerias in Atlanta that have FAR BETTER tacos for less money. The staff is friendly, but I came for stellar tacos… Which I didn’t get. Maybe I’ll go back for $ 1 taco Mondays… That’s all they are really worth to me.

I love this place. And now that it’s closed I am deeply saddened :(
Perla has some authentic Mexican choices, some quirky creative choices and some choices you’re used to seeing in your standard Americanized Mexican. I almost always got the beef tongue tacos or burrito but the shrimp and fish tacos were great, service was great, everything was great! I spoke to one of their previous employees recently and he said they may be moving so there’s some hope!

This place is your best bet if you’re looking for tacos in the city. However, I still prefer basic .99 tacos in the ghetto, but this will do.
They have a large variety of tacos. The thing is, they try to kick it up and make it more trendy. The meat tends to be kind of dry for my taste
I still prefer Don Pedros.

Not the worst $ 12 I’ve ever spent (see my review for Republic lol) but I definitely could have put that money toward a more enjoyable meal.
Admittedly, about 2 years ago I would have given this place a solid 4 stars. And really only because these were the closest to being «street tacos» that I’d had since leaving California.
But sadly, Perla just doesn’t satisfy me like Don Pedro did. Don gave it me like no one has in a LONG time and, unfortunlately, Perla will just never measure up again.
I will say this: they have pleasant service! For that They get a star. But to be honest, I don’t go to real Mexican food spots for the customer service.
The food isn’t «bad», per se. It’s just not the best. I know everyone from Cali and Texas is a self-​proclaimed taco snob and blah blah blah but really, ya’ll should probably take our advice lol. The food could have used a little more flavor and yes, the salsa bar has some «bubbling» items. The horchata is too thick, and it tastes like they added unnecessary extras to whatever mix they use. It’s not horrible, but to me it’s too much to accompany a meal. Horchata should be light and refreshing! This was more like something you’d stop and get on its own. Like an iced coffee drink.
The tres leches cake was meh. It tasted fraudulent and although I finished it, it wasn’t satisfying. One thing I can’t stand is «imposter» Mexican fare. I’d only been here once before as it is, but next time I’m in the area I’ll just keep it movin’… to another eatery.

I’m giving Perla one star because at least the food didn’t make me sick.
First, the website advertised .99 tacos on Wesnesday.
When I arrived for lunch, I was informed that the price was actually 1.50 and it started after 6 pm.
Second, nothing, and I mean NOTHING had any flavor.
Not the cheese dip.
Not the tacos.
Not even the salsa or jalapeño peppers.
The Pozole was thin and lifeless, lacking all of the traditional garnishes.
The food was also served cold.
Lunch cost me $ 25 with tip.
I could have eaten much better food for half the price at any number of taquerias on Buford Highway.
This place is a turd.

I thought I had already reviewed this place…
Great Latin food for lunch. The tacos all looked good to me, but the combo gets you the best deal. I had the barbacoa and buttermilk fried chicken tacos, which both hit the spot! Very spicy (which I like) and filling. I got the spanish rice as a side, but the whole thing for around $ 9.00 was just great. Next time I’m in the area, I’ll be back!

Great mexican street food. Creative and tasty tacos. The environment is probably a few notches below your average fast food place, thus the reason for 3 stars.

I’ve given this place a few tries. I would like to give it more stars, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the tacos. On my most recent visit, I had the barbacoa taco and the shrimp taco. The barbacoa was decent. The meat was tender and had a nice flavor. The execution on both tacos left a bit to be desired. First, the tortillas were larger than the filling could fit. I’m not saying there wasn’t enough filling, only that the ratio as compared to the tortilla didn’t work. The tortilla should complement the innards, not envelop them.
The shrimp taco was far more disappointing. It arrived with three of the most anemic looking shrimp I’ve ever seen on a plate. I didn’t know what to make of it. Sure, I get it… seafood is expensive to stock. If that’s the case, simply don’t serve a shrimp taco if you can’t make it worth the cost to the consumer.
Another commonality between the tacos that could use improvement: they were both very very moist, watery. By the time I got my meal, the tortillas had begun to go soggy. Make sure the meat is drained and the sauces aren’t too runny. A soggy taco is simply no fun.
The salsa bar was also a little scary. One of the containers of salsa was bubbling. I have no idea how cold salsa can bubble. The entire bar was a little messy, and hardly inviting to fulfill my condiment needs.
On the upside, the fajita plates coming out to other customers looked amazing. I guess they know something I don’t know. But then again, why hit up a taqueria if you’re not going to have the tacos? It does appear that they offer discounted taco prices at certain times of day. If you’re planning a visit, do so to coincide with the cheap eats. I would give Perla another visit, if for nothing other than the fajitas and to try their margaritas.

After spending a lot of time in Southern California, I am on a search for the Holy Grail: The best tacos in Atlanta. Unfortunately, comparisons to SoCal maybe to big for Atlanta.
We headed to Perla today and ordered 3 tacos that I used to compare all Mexican restaurants that sell tacos: Lengua, Carne Asada (called Steak Tacos here), and Tilapia.
First, they seem to make their own corn tortillas. I am not sure that’s the best choice as their corn tortillas, while fresh, lack the buttery and fatty flavor you can find anywhere in SoCal and New Mexico.
The fillings of all of the tacos are minimal compared to what you may expect from the West Coast. The Tilapia taco is has a decent size portion of fish but has minimal toppings. (In fairness, there’s a really fresh topping bar that will allow you to put all the Cilantro and Onions to your delight.) But the flavor seemed a little light.
The Carne Asada was a little dry and light on flavor as compared to what you might expect.
The Lengua was sublime. Excellent. A little light on flavor, but the Lengua was as well cooked as you will find. A trip to the topping bar will transform this into what you might come to expect.
The Chicken Tamale, although slightly dried out, was flavorful and well executed. The filling was perfect and the outside corn was tasty. This was the star of the meal, in my mind.
As for ambiance, Perla is very nice inside. The topping bar is a great addition to any Taqueria. The folks who worked there were nice and professional. The area is a little sketchy, but that shouldn’t detract from your meal. (And it has a drive through to boot.
I suspect that in Atlanta this may be the best Taqueria that you’ll find. (I am working hard to find more.) They have a concept that emphasizes fresh food. My hope is that more of the flavor that makes those dishes so popular will make it to the plate.

Amazing tacos — great variety, good taste. The only downside is that they only have frozen margaritas.
Amazing tacos — great variety, good taste. The only downside is that they only have frozen margaritas.

My boyfriend and I went there today for a late lunch and we got the 3 taco special with a side and drink for $ 8.95. We both got shrimp, chicken, and beef tacos. He got Mexican rice and I got refried beans.
All the tacos were good but we really loved the fried chicken one, because you wouldn’t expect it to be crunchy but it was soo good.

¡Yo quiero tacos!
Having driven past this joint what seems like a million times (I volunteer across the street quite often — and no, not at the strip joint), when my cousin suggested it for lunch I jumped at the chance. And a free taco on that other app was just the icing on the cake.
We walked in and the choices were plentiful — where to begin. I wanted to try almost everything (obviously not the fish and I’m not bold enough to try the tongue). I finally decided on 3 choices that made me happy — the Puerco al Pastor, Barbacoa and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
Puerco al Pastor — Pastor style grilled pork, grilled pineapple and onions
Barbacoa — Slow cooked brisket & rib meat, tomatillo salsa, onions and cilantro
Buttermilk Fried Chicken — Fried chicken breast, caramelized onions and peppers, smoked pepper-​buttermilk sauce
All three of my tacos were positively delicious and I would to order them again and again. They were messy like tacos should be, the meat was juicy and flavorful (juice running down my arm) and the toppings were appropriate for the amount of protein (I will say the Barbacoa had a bit too much cilantro for everything else). I also got an unsweet iced tea (resisting the urge to buy a Mexican Coke), which they refilled for free.
We sat out on the patio, which except for the road noise coming from Piedmont, was quite lovely. They brought the food out rather quickly and the server checked on us a couple of times. We did have to get our own refills, but who cares.
There were a couple of other tacos I was interested in trying, so I’ll have to make a return trip soon.

What’s good is good and what’s not is not. So stick to what’s good! The soft corn tortillas are delicious and fresh and the salsa bar is definitely a plus. The inside of the restaurant is clean and seems spacious; even though it’s pretty small it never feels cramped or crowded.
The special is a great deal and the tacos are reasonably priced, but I have mixed feelings about their taste. My favorite is the BBQ style beef with the chicken tinga as a close second — these were delicious. The other ones I’ve tried, the tilapia, buttermilk chicken, and veggie, were not the best. They just tasted very bland to me.
I like the idea of the Mediterranean — Mexican combination tacos and really wanted to try them but they were out last time I was there. Once I get a chance to try the falafel and shawarma tacos I’ll be sure to update. Oh yeah, and they have a drive-​thru! Open til 11pm Tuesday — Saturday and 10pm Sunday — Monday.

I really enjoyed the food at Perla. It was Friday and the BF wanted fish tacos. I suggested Perla since I’d seen it while driving by and heard about their food.
You order at the counter and take your number sign to the table. I got:
Tilapia ($ 1.99): Crispy tilapia, mango, jicama, onions, jalapeño, cucumbers, lime and cilantro
Buttermilk fried chicken ($ 2.25): Fried chicken breast, caramelized onions and pepers, smoked pepper-​buttermilk sauce
The BF went for the 3-​taco special for $ 8.50. He chose a tilapia taco and two fried calamari tacos (this was on the specials board). You also get a choice of side, and he decided on black beans. The tacos come on corn tortillas, but you have the option of flour as well. We also split a jalapeño queso.
I thought it was interesting they had a sub-​menu offering Mediterranean inspired tacos. I saw gyro and falafel as options.
The food came out fairly quickly. Queso was delicious. I tried the chicken taco first. The sauce really made the taco. The chicken was juicy and tender. Not so much crispy, but it was good all the same. Very good taco. The tilapia taco was a bit bland for me. I added some queso to it, which improved it greatly.
We loved the pico de gallo from the salsa bar. It was very fresh and a great addition to both the tacos and the queso.
For dessert, we didn’t see any offerings on their menu, so we asked just in case. The guy told us that that day, they had tres leches cake in chocolate or vanilla. My ears perked up as we’d just been talking about that very dessert. Of course, I had to get it. It came in a to-​go box. The cake was sitting in a ton of milk… not sure if that is the norm, but I didn’t mind. The milk tasted exactly like melted vanilla ice cream. The cake itself would have been a bit dry without the milk, but I still really liked it. I am not sure if that was just a special or they have that daily. But it was reasonably priced at $ 3.
Great and friendly service. I want to come back to try the tamales and other tacos.

Perla Taqueria has been open since at least January 2011 in the old Mrs. Winner’s space on Piedmont Rd. near the intersection with Cheshire Bridge Rd. Yes, it’s in a seedy part of town. However, this taqueria is anything but.
The owners have renovated the space and have made it look nice. It’s clean, bright, colorful, and comfortable. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual with plenty of tables to go around. Order at the counter and sit where ever you want. I think it’s neat how the light fixtures are made from empty tomato cans. There are two TVs on either side of the interior. Outside, there’s covered patio seating.
Be sure to check out the specials board outside. They have some pretty good specials including:
Daily special: $ 8.50 dinner combo (3 tacos, side, drink)
Monday nights: $ 1.00 tacos (Al Pastor, Chicken Tinga, Tilapia only)
Wednesday nights: $ 0.99 tacos*
*The $ 0.99 tacos only apply to the barbacoa, BBQ beef, lengua, al pastor, chorizo, fried chicken, and tilapia tacos. Special tacos like the prime rib and falafel are not included. Also, these tacos do not come dressed. Instead, it’s just the tortilla and meat. You dress the taco yourself at the self-​serve salsa bar.
I like that they’re open later — until 11:00pm, Tuesday-​Saturday nights, and 10:00pm on Sunday and Monday nights. They have a drive-​thru too.
So far, I have tried six of the standard (non-​99 cent) tacos here. They are:
Lengua — braised beef tongue, onion, cilantro, avocado salsa
Puerco Al Pastor — grilled pork and pineapple, onion
Chicken Tinga — tomato & chipotle-​braised chicken, cilantro, queso, sour cream
Buttermilk Fried Chicken — fried chicken breast, caramelized onions and peppers, smoked pepper-​buttermilk sauce
Tilapia — tilapia, mango, jicama, onion, jalapeño, cucumber, lime, cilantro
Falafel taco — falafel, hummus, guac, cilantro
Sides I have tried include the charro bean soup (bacon, onion, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, beer) and Mexican rice.
Tacos are regularly priced anywhere from $ 1.99 to $ 2.99 per taco. The tacos are standard-​sized, authentically served open-​face (a la El Taco Veloz, Taqueria El Rey, etc.), on soft, flour tortillas. Perla is a step up from those authentic Mexican taquerias on Buford Highway and the like (e.g. Tacos La Villa in Cobb County) and is more on the same level as a place like Taqueria del Sol or Bone Garden Cantina. I do prefer Perla to those places.
All of the tacos I’ve tried are good. They do a nice job with the presentation and each taco is made-​to-​order. If I had to choose, my favorites would be the Buttermilk Fried Chicken taco and the Falafel taco. The smoked pepper-​buttermilk sauce used in the Buttermilk Fried Chicken taco is full of flavor and downright delicious. The sauce makes the taco.
The Falafel taco tastes just as described. The guac and cilantro complement the flavors of the chickpeas. The Falafel taco is part of Perla’s «Med-​Mex» section of the menu, combining Mediterranean cuisine with Mexican.
The Lengua (tongue) and Al Pastor (pork) tacos are standard, everyday tacos. Certainly satisfying and fulfilling. The Chicken Tinga is okay. It comes with both cheese and sour cream. The cream is heavy. The Tilapia taco is mild. The flavors are most subdued in this taco.
For sides, I do recommend the charro bean soup. It’s like eating a small bowl of chili. Hot and hearty.
The salsa bar is clean and typically well-​stocked, so be sure to check it out. I like that the salsa bar has a clear cover, which remains closed when the bar isn’t in use. Sanitary.
The staff is friendly and the tacos are usually served up quick.

HOLY MOLY, GUACAMOLE!
We just got back from eating here (twice in 24hrs) and I had to hop on this review before I forget how amazingly full and happy I am.
Perla at first glance seemed very run down, sketchy, dead… you get the point. If it wasn’t for their obnoxious sign that screamed «Best taco in the city & DRIVE THRU» I would have never noticed this place.
Perla operates the same way as figo, taqueria del sol, and zoe’s kitchen. First thing you do is order/​pay for your food, then you get a number and wait. What I love about the most is that the service is super quick. By the time you’re done ordering, your appetizer’s pretty much on its way. The past two nights we’ve visited, parking was fairly easy to find and we never had to wait more than 5 minutes for our food. How awesome’s that!
I consider myself pretty adventurous and the simpler/​more authentic it is, the better! Homemade corn tortilla definitely hit the spot and the barbacoa taco was definitely the best barbacoa I have ever had in atlanta.
Here’s a list of the items i’ve tried:
GOOD/​AMAZING:
Buttermilk fried chicken taco
Barbacoa taco!
Chorizo taco
BBQ Style beef!
Felafel taco
Guacamole & salsa
Rice & beans
NO ME GUSTA:
Lengua: Beef Tongue taco
Tilapia taco
Prime rib asado taco
Shrimp asado taco
Puerco al pastor: pineapple pork
For those of you that have iphones & are reading my review today… you are in luck! scoutmob currently have a 50% off discount that ENDS TOMORROW. Get on it and try the homemade corn tortilla and the barbacoa taco.
P. S. I wouldn’t get drive-​thru here unless you live super near. the corn tortilla will get soggy.

I headed here to try and let some time pass while the delicious beer from Sweetwater digested. It was a great choice. Everything’s made to order and it tastes awesome!
I had the chips & salsa and then a BBQ-​style beef taco followed by a shrimp taco, but it just didn’t fill the tummy. The salsa is quite spicy, even for my own taste. That’s not a bad thing — it might be just right for you so don’t take my word for it. After I polished off all the chips, I headed back and had two more tacos. A shredded chicken and another with some sort of beef. All were absolutely excellent.
A tip: The tortillas are made fresh and not loaded with preservatives. This means that they don’t hold together when they have sauce and stuff on them. So don’t let them sit for too long or they will fall apart.
Totally agree — this is authentic.

This is a very simple restaurant. Clean interior. Group and table seating. Counter service.
The tacos I tried were Al Pastor, Chicken Tinga and the Brisket. All were excellent.
The chips are made on site and served hot. That and the cold delicious salsa make for a tasty delicious and relatively healthy lunch.

One of my buddies and I were starving and we were driving down Piedmont.
We mutually decided on Perla. I had been here before and enjoyed it. It was nice to come in and not have too bad of a crowd…
You get a choice of about 8 or so tacos a la carte, and other options as well… They also have dessert and a salsa bar (if you like spicy, they have some goods!).
Order, take your number, and they bring your food. There are free refills; however– it is behind the counter.
The tacos were tasty although I was sick as hell at work this morning– maybe my stomach is getting weak.
If you are adventurous, try the Lengua (beef tongue).
Nice little taco shack on Piedmont!
People were very friendly as well…
Note too the lights are vintage buckets– I thought that was pretty cool décor!

After making numerous recommendations to my friends that we try this place out, I finally found a time when they were hungover enough to be bent to my wishes. So last Sunday, Scoutmob in hand, we went to Perla for lunch.
J and I got 4 tacos, guacamole, black beans, and grapefruit Jarritos. With the $ 10 off, that came to just over $ 15. It was a lot of food for $ 15, but not so much for $ 25. I think I’d have to stick to the Monday $ 1 taco specials if I were to make this a regular hangout.
The tacos:
Barbecue beef: too saucy — there was so much barbecue sauce that it felt a little like thick chili with some strings of meat in it. The flavor was decent, but the texture was not good.
Prime Rib Asado: good flavor, though the juice from the pico made the homemade corn tortilla fall apart as I was taking my one bite of J’s taco
Puerco Al Pastor: nice touch with the pineapple, though the meat was a little chewy and more fatty than I’d like
Buttermilk Chicken Taco: WINNER — so moist and flavorful. I will be getting this taco every time I go back.
Guacamole was very good for restaurant guac. And you could tell that the chips were freshly fried. The black beans were really good too with a nice amount of crumbled cheese on top to add some complexity of flavor.
I’ll be using the drive through on Monday this summer, I’m sure.
#Yelp365 — ¹⁴⁶⁄₃₆₅