You Can Get Married At This Pompano Beach Taqueria
Serve wedding food people actually want
Wedding food, as a general rule, is awful. Your choices are usually a prime rib ripped straight from the buffet at Circus Circus, or a chicken breast someone cruelly named “airline,” just so everyone knows to expect the kind of food they served on Braniff. For all this gourmet mediocrity, the lucky couple gets to shell out $175 a plate, $250 with an open bar.
But ask the guests, and everyone would be happier with tacos.
Well, what if I told you there’s a magical place just south of the Pompano Beach harness track, where instead of bland, overpriced wedding food your guests can feast on guacamole and authentic carne asada? It’s called Tacos el Papi, and when it’s not filled with hungry locals cooling off with margaritas, it doubles as a wedding venue where the food is all stuff people actually like.
Is this like Broward’s version of the Taco Bell Cantina with a wedding chapel in Vegas?
Not quite. Can the bridal party pregame with margaritas before the ceremony? Absolutely. Will you be married by a Mexican Elvis impersonator? Not unless you fly one in. Also, the tacos here aren’t fast food mystery meat. They’re created by a chef who worked with his father in Mexico City for decades before coming to South Florida. So you should also stop in and enjoy the tacos even if you’re not getting married.
The scene: It’s a big, Mexican ranch house, done up in Mexican flags, old arcade games, and pitched ceilings. Think neighborhood taqueria – but super-sized – with a big bar and plenty of space. That’s why it’s perfect for weddings, as half the place can be turned into a dance floor/bridal party table, and guests can use the booths. There’s a bakery onsite, too, where they make a big assortment of Mexican desserts - and wedding cakes.
What to eat and drink: The tacos, obviously, are the big draw. Papi worked in Mexico city for years and learned how to make all kinds of exotic meats you usually don’t see on taqueria menus. He told us his favorite is the lengua, which if you don’t habla Espanol, is tongue. He also readily admitted tongue, brains, and eyeball tacos aren’t everyone’s jam, and the most popular are the carne asada and the trompo – both of which we tried and concurred. The birria taco also impressed.
The pozole was also a standout, somehow warm and comforting despite the 96 degree temperature outside. The margaritas do the job, but aren’t necessarily the draw. I’d recommend stopping in, trying a sampling of the tacos, and seeing which ones you’d come back for.
Don’t miss: The arcade games in the corner. Nothing burns off a big, Mexican lunch like a few rousing games of Galaga.
Perfect for: Third weddings.
Expect to pay: $15-$20.
How’s the parking? Suburban-strip mall bliss. Sometimes I think it would be nice to live in Central Broward and literally never have to even think about this question.
@tacoselpapi.fl // 1160 S. Powerline Road, Pompano Beach