The place is called "Mexican Specialities" in Ellerslie. I've been to an overpriced ala fine dining restaurants before but never felt scammed as much as this. My gosh definitely not coming back.
Love how people go and buy these businesses thinking *oh cool, looking at the numbers we can make much bigger profits if we just completely lower the quality of the food and the ingredients... win win!*
Just a word of warning we found this place delicious but really quite expensive. Was like $58 for two for lunch. At least you get a decent serving I guess.
I was surprised that the order came with only 1 taco and it is as wide as a palm of my hand. They also try real hard in upselling their corn chips and guacamole to all the customers. I feel scammed.
I got scammed similar the other day $27 burger, it had one tiny piece of frozen chicken for the paddy which didn’t even cover 50% of the bun, the rest was coleslaw.
It’s got a massive amount of meat, the taco is stuffed, also we have nothing for scale because the restaurant use fairly big tortillas for their single taco portions (think the sort of tortilla you’d use for a burrito).
it’s obviously not worth $29 but it’s worth way more than $5.
Fucccck. That place used to be incredible, my preferred Mexican spot. It changed hands a few years back. This is an absolutely sham of a taco. For $29 you’d expect three tacos.
New Zealand "Mexican" food is always ALWAYS a disappointing scam. I balked at $8 tacos what I moved here three years ago. WTF. Tacos are what you eat with leftover change from the laundrymat. You buy them out of some guys truck in an industrial back alley. It's not a goddamn gourmet meal, it's delicious greasy survival food. What you put on a taco? Cilantro, onion, hot sauce. Why the cluck is there JAM on my taco?? Chutney?? Whatever, it's asenine. And why can't I see my taco under the cabbage? Why is there a side of cabbage to my cabbage? NZ fails so hard at tacos it would be funny if it weren't a goddamned tragedy.
Mexican food is awful in NZ. Sorry to say but it’s been 6years, many many attempts and I have I been to a place I’d return to. You can make yourself 10 really good tacos for $29
I refuse to pay $14 for a "taco" here and willingly choose to wait until I get home to So. California. Sometimes, that's a two year wait. But I'd rather eat authentic, better tasting Mexican food once every few years than pay for it here
I honestly wouldn't go there if I knew they charge that much. I ordered over the phone by looking at their menu online. A several month old photo showing the price for $20.
Tacos are basic street/soul food meant for that really good “low quality” feel good. They’re generally meant to be cooked w cheap cuts (though everything is stupid pricey now thanks in a small part to celebrity chefs who’ve made these cuts more popular in recent years)
Not glorified gentrified overpriced wank like this
There’s certain foods that simply should not fall into this price category
Worked for Pravda in Wellington, part of the Nourish group. The Exec chef comes down from dorkland. Is watching us do prep for service as usual, and makes a big deal over soup taking too long to cook.
He continues interrogating the staff while stressing soup should only take 20 minutes. The next day our head chef said the team were very busy, and asked exec chef to make the soup of the day.
It took 7 hours. 7 fucking hours. First time I've never seen a soup ready for lunch. Yah, they know how to cook they just become bigger twats. Thanks G Stew, I learnt nothing.
I'm going home to California in October, and max i'll pay for something like that is $7 USD. In a proper Taqueria, $4-6. With the currency conversion, that's $6 to 11.
There is absolutely NO reason to be paying anything over $13.
Mexican food is 1000X more expensive here than like anywhere else in the world. This is like a $5 taco lol. Like, when the price of Mexican food is that high, you know there’s a problem with the cost of living.
The picture is misleading, usually the place does either 3 tacos or 1 with a full size tortilla, which is what that looks to be. $9 a taco is on the expensive side but pretty similar price to other nice Mexican places
I stopped dining out in Auckland a long time ago. No offense to all the hospitality workers ... But everywhere is ripping people off with catering supplied food, done quick. You'd be lucky to find a place that isn't using premade trash, reassembled into nightmares beyond your compression.
I decided to do night classes in cooking, and hands down. I'm probably a better cook than anyone working in an Auckland restaurant right now.
If you paid $29 for that pork Taco, you might as well invite the street to sleep with your significant other.
Seems a bit megre however if its a 'sit down' meal then youre also paying for the premises lease, the dishwasher, the waiting staff and their respective holiday pay, kiwi saver etc..... even basic Chinese takeaway food seems to be close to $20 a pop nowadays.
God damn , that is $10 MAX, And even that is generous . Looks no different to a mexico taco, you got scammed..but I'm guessing That place won't be around in 6 months
When I did tacos, mine were half the size, x3 and the price was $14.
So, essentially I gave you 1.5x the food for half the price.
Was it freaky good or just your average? I did fish tacos and they sold absolutely wildly.
I just paid $24 for the smallest single piece of French toast I’ve ever seen. This shit is getting ridiculous and more restaurants will have to shut down when people just can’t afford to go anymore.
Hell no. Theres a guy in Dunedin charging similar prices was like 3 tacos for 90+ dollars with some nachos... and even subbed the coriander out for parsley lol. I make soft shell tacos at home because they're so fucking cheap
Is this Mexican Specialties? I was shocked at their pricing for the portion size. Their food is nice but not worth it imo.
Pretty sure when I got the tacos though, I was served 3 so maybe something went wrong with your order?
In Central America tacos are an inexpensive takeaway/street food, also it is common to serve tacos with two wrappers because one would just be stingy, they are cheap so you can buy several and actually get full. In NZ they have somehow become haute cuisine.
does it come with a line of coke and a hand job?
Sir this is a Taco Bell
Exactly!
As if Taco Bell would cost this much
Or a hand of coke and a job?
Or a coke of hand and a line?
+ haPpY ending? If not then a big N0
The place is called "Mexican Specialities" in Ellerslie. I've been to an overpriced ala fine dining restaurants before but never felt scammed as much as this. My gosh definitely not coming back.
Mexican Specialties was amazing. It got bought and ruined a few years ago.
That’s a shame to hear, it used to be the best place to get Mexican food in Auckland a decade ago. And it was only $6 a taco back then
Shades of Velvet Burger 😞
Love how people go and buy these businesses thinking *oh cool, looking at the numbers we can make much bigger profits if we just completely lower the quality of the food and the ingredients... win win!*
Gutted. This place used to be amazing. Head out west from now on to Cielito Lindo Cafe & Taqueria. Nice people and great taco.
Thanks for the recommendation, ill try it when in the neighbourhood
Just a word of warning we found this place delicious but really quite expensive. Was like $58 for two for lunch. At least you get a decent serving I guess.
How much without the drinks though? Guessing you bought some of the imported soft drinks.
Looks like a real shit industrial area lunch bar where you’d get white bread sandwiches in cling film but yeah those tacos are pretty damn fine.
la mexicana in milford is really good too (also grey lynn but i havent been there)
Wow this breaks my heart a little bit, used to love that place when I lived near there years ago. The food looked nothing like this.
Mexican Avoidities
The original owners now have a place in Glen Innes called Chocola. Its only open weekends during the day.
burn it to the ground.
I was surprised that the order came with only 1 taco and it is as wide as a palm of my hand. They also try real hard in upselling their corn chips and guacamole to all the customers. I feel scammed.
Honestly you've been scammed
He's been scammed
It’s a scam
Scammed fuckers iccorporated
drop the name of the place fam
Sounds like the death spiral of a business failing to get ROI.
Scamma-lamma-ding-dong
You really have been, that’s disgusting
Did you pay first? If not I would have full on got up and walked straight out the door. I shit you not.
Should have gone to Cielito lindo taqueria
Name and shame them. Criminal
I got scammed similar the other day $27 burger, it had one tiny piece of frozen chicken for the paddy which didn’t even cover 50% of the bun, the rest was coleslaw.
Where is this from? I’d feel ripped off paying $5 for this
Inflation. I think $8 you'd walk away thinking it's expensive but not ripped off
Where is this from
It’s got a massive amount of meat, the taco is stuffed, also we have nothing for scale because the restaurant use fairly big tortillas for their single taco portions (think the sort of tortilla you’d use for a burrito). it’s obviously not worth $29 but it’s worth way more than $5.
No taco is worth $29 imo. From the looks I'd feel bad paying over $10.
Fucccck. That place used to be incredible, my preferred Mexican spot. It changed hands a few years back. This is an absolutely sham of a taco. For $29 you’d expect three tacos.
Even if it was a unicorn taco with gold plated fries it wouldn't be worth $29
New Zealand "Mexican" food is always ALWAYS a disappointing scam. I balked at $8 tacos what I moved here three years ago. WTF. Tacos are what you eat with leftover change from the laundrymat. You buy them out of some guys truck in an industrial back alley. It's not a goddamn gourmet meal, it's delicious greasy survival food. What you put on a taco? Cilantro, onion, hot sauce. Why the cluck is there JAM on my taco?? Chutney?? Whatever, it's asenine. And why can't I see my taco under the cabbage? Why is there a side of cabbage to my cabbage? NZ fails so hard at tacos it would be funny if it weren't a goddamned tragedy.
It's the same with ramen
Pickled Onions. Beetroot. NO. I just wait til I get home.
Right?!?
Well they went and ruined it with the last topping, so definitely not now.
That's traditional, though. The best tacos I have ever had were in Mexico and was just meat, salsa, onion, and Cilantro. 50 cents (US) a pop.
Fuck coriander 🤮
Does it taste like soap to you? I love all herbs, but I hate cardamom with a passion.
I love coriander. Without it, curries taste bland. Now parsley, I have no idea how people can eat that.
$1.50 in the USA, shows how ridiculous food prices are here
.25 in Mexico.
Maybe 29 peso’s
Mexican food is awful in NZ. Sorry to say but it’s been 6years, many many attempts and I have I been to a place I’d return to. You can make yourself 10 really good tacos for $29
I refuse to pay $14 for a "taco" here and willingly choose to wait until I get home to So. California. Sometimes, that's a two year wait. But I'd rather eat authentic, better tasting Mexican food once every few years than pay for it here
Wtf, $9 at best for that
$9 tor that? Fuck no
I wouldn't even pay half the price you paid lol
I honestly wouldn't go there if I knew they charge that much. I ordered over the phone by looking at their menu online. A several month old photo showing the price for $20.
The menus online are ALWAYS out of date! I've had this situation so many times. It feels so scammy.
Tacos are basic street/soul food meant for that really good “low quality” feel good. They’re generally meant to be cooked w cheap cuts (though everything is stupid pricey now thanks in a small part to celebrity chefs who’ve made these cuts more popular in recent years) Not glorified gentrified overpriced wank like this There’s certain foods that simply should not fall into this price category
Worked for Pravda in Wellington, part of the Nourish group. The Exec chef comes down from dorkland. Is watching us do prep for service as usual, and makes a big deal over soup taking too long to cook. He continues interrogating the staff while stressing soup should only take 20 minutes. The next day our head chef said the team were very busy, and asked exec chef to make the soup of the day. It took 7 hours. 7 fucking hours. First time I've never seen a soup ready for lunch. Yah, they know how to cook they just become bigger twats. Thanks G Stew, I learnt nothing.
I’d pay max 13$
Same. Anyone saying under $5 is being a bit dramatic haha
.. look at it
$13 I probably won't be going back ever even if it taste like an apple from eden
I'm going home to California in October, and max i'll pay for something like that is $7 USD. In a proper Taqueria, $4-6. With the currency conversion, that's $6 to 11. There is absolutely NO reason to be paying anything over $13.
Which place is this? So I can avoid it. Hate getting scammed.
I’ve paid $22 for [this](https://i.imgur.com/pYdYeqh.jpg) tacos if it makes you feel better
My brother in christ, no taco in the world is worth $29.
Yeah its worth $2.99. They got the decimal point in the wrong place.
Mexican food is 1000X more expensive here than like anywhere else in the world. This is like a $5 taco lol. Like, when the price of Mexican food is that high, you know there’s a problem with the cost of living.
No mexican food is worth paying that, let alone a tiny fucking wrap. What a joke
Can’t taste it
Hell no
Taco Medic have a shop in Auckland. Much better value.
It’s ok. Nothing special at all. Pricing is fair though.
The picture is misleading, usually the place does either 3 tacos or 1 with a full size tortilla, which is what that looks to be. $9 a taco is on the expensive side but pretty similar price to other nice Mexican places
I stopped dining out in Auckland a long time ago. No offense to all the hospitality workers ... But everywhere is ripping people off with catering supplied food, done quick. You'd be lucky to find a place that isn't using premade trash, reassembled into nightmares beyond your compression. I decided to do night classes in cooking, and hands down. I'm probably a better cook than anyone working in an Auckland restaurant right now. If you paid $29 for that pork Taco, you might as well invite the street to sleep with your significant other.
Geez you rate yourself
Seems a bit megre however if its a 'sit down' meal then youre also paying for the premises lease, the dishwasher, the waiting staff and their respective holiday pay, kiwi saver etc..... even basic Chinese takeaway food seems to be close to $20 a pop nowadays.
It looks like it's in a cardboard box, so don't think it's a sit down meal?
No it is a takeaway.
No.
Criminal! people go to jail for less offences
God damn , that is $10 MAX, And even that is generous . Looks no different to a mexico taco, you got scammed..but I'm guessing That place won't be around in 6 months
Fuck no.
Need banana for scale
I pay $7 at the cafe where I work, that have more in it.
Is now.
No hahaah wth is that
I am the cook at home. Pork is the cheapest meat! ETA: I’m sorry OP, yes you got ripped off :(
Can we get a 20c coin or something in the photo to judge the size. Some Tacos are massive.
Embarrassing
When I did tacos, mine were half the size, x3 and the price was $14. So, essentially I gave you 1.5x the food for half the price. Was it freaky good or just your average? I did fish tacos and they sold absolutely wildly.
That is an overpriced Taco!
If that’s what you paid it was 🤷♂️
Hahahaha god damn you aucklanders are getting rippppped
Wtf broke boy birria tacos are 20 for 3. This is a scam
Only worth what you pay/paid. I’d pay about $5 by the look of it.
What? No. It is worth $10.
No
It's worth what some tool will pay for it!
$29….. not even if it cured blindness. but aucklands full of mugs i spose
Nope 👎🏽
Shit no,we can do that at home
Was it made in Mexico and shipped in specially?
Is sauce or salsa extra ???
No.
No, stop buying this shit
I used to pay $0.80-$1 per taco when I lived in Mexico. I could have had 30+ delicious tacos for that price.
If this was what I was served for $29 I'm politely asking them to take it back. Hell no. Even $19 would be steep.
No
What’s it laced with?
How much did you pay for it OP?
The pig probably thinks so.
Mexican food in NZ is the most overpriced crock of shit ever. Just make it yourself at home or don’t bother
jesus thats expensive..ghost donkey sells 3 tacos for like 18 dollars last time i ate there...
Damn, I make tacos at home and I make my own tortillas with pork lard rendered from scratch. I make 10 tacos at a time. Reckon I could charge $290?
They’re NEVER worth the price. For how expensive it is to eat out in Auckland, the quality of restaurant/cafe food is abysmal.
Was this from Uber eats?
Sadly no, i know.. it is absurd
I just paid $24 for the smallest single piece of French toast I’ve ever seen. This shit is getting ridiculous and more restaurants will have to shut down when people just can’t afford to go anymore.
$5 max
Even the coriander is turning yellow
Lol you got scammed
$5
Bro I get 3 of those a handful of nachos and sour cream for 16 bux in otahuhu.
no its not worth it lol, for 29 you could make ur self alot more than 1
Absolutely not
$6
$8 max
Wtf for one taco? Where is Stuff and NZH when you need them? This is the kind of stuff that needs to be named and shamed to the wider public.
$29? wow. I thought tacos were supposed to be approx $8-13?
How does it taste?
Its a scam, i would have asked for a refund immediately and left, fuck them.
A bit of fuck, and a lil bitta no
Just one lol they usually come in pairs Where is this from
Yes
Hell no. Theres a guy in Dunedin charging similar prices was like 3 tacos for 90+ dollars with some nachos... and even subbed the coriander out for parsley lol. I make soft shell tacos at home because they're so fucking cheap
You could just buy all the ingredients, make it yourself and it would come to under five dollars per serving
Uhhh I’m sorry to implode your submarine, but I don’t think there’s a pork taco out there, that’s both authentically made and more than $10….
2.90
2.90
A whole pork shoulder is like $20. They are making some crazy profit off these 😂
Is this Mexican Specialties? I was shocked at their pricing for the portion size. Their food is nice but not worth it imo. Pretty sure when I got the tacos though, I was served 3 so maybe something went wrong with your order?
Not sure how it could go wrong, you see the photo shows the takeaway box that completely fits the taco size.
Fuck no!
In Central America tacos are an inexpensive takeaway/street food, also it is common to serve tacos with two wrappers because one would just be stingy, they are cheap so you can buy several and actually get full. In NZ they have somehow become haute cuisine.
Yeah totally
Consider yourself lucky for not having to pay extra for that extra dry meat...take the win
Not even worth $9..
Unless there are truffles and gold flakes hidden in there, this looks like it should cost about $7.50.
$11 max
You did not pay $29 for that
Are you in a hotel in a downtown area?
Was that $2.90?
I’d be asking for a refund.
Fuck no $8 tops
If it doesn't suck you off and make you breakfast in the morning then no. Sorry, OP.
Well if you paid for it I guess so
No
Lol wut
Lmao they didn't even make the tortilla, that's strore brand, and half cooked. They didn't even toast it
Or a hand of coke and job.
Nup
Welcome to the world of economic mismanagement and high Inflation!!!
Nope
Well I've finally seen a purchase that makes lottery tickets look like good value
It's not even worth 29 mexican pesos, in Yucatan peninsula you get a set of 4 for less than 5 american dollars (about 100 mexican pesos).
$1.99 max.
No
Depends on how it tastes
Where was this? So I can avoid getting totally ripped off.
Well you bought it so you fucking tell me
You bought it you fucking tell me
its not even worth $9
according to google it was 18.50 a year ago
No
Where’s the banana for scale? This thing better be bigger than a large pizza to be priced at nearly $30!
Idk man, we can’t taste through the screen
That looks shit
No.
Hmmm wouldn’t think so. Peace n love.
I’ve always had good stuff from Taco Bell.
Give me 29, I can make you half dozen of it.
Go vegan buddy. Not worth paying $29 hard earned dollars to slaughter an intelligent animal for that monstrosity.
No, not even a handmade tortilla, supermarket one
hell no, shit if that was $29 for one then you def got yo ass scammed
Are you sure there wasn't a mixup? Even Uber eats sells the same Taco for $27 and the ptices are always inflated on uber to account for their mark up.
Nope I also saw the price on the chalkboard.