Review of Nopalito

I saw the reviews here and got very excited for so many options but felt disappointed when I tried to order. I should say I went to their main, dine-in restaurant on Broderick Street and not the to-go window on 18th. The menu is different at the dine-in restaurant. Many of the dishes I expected to be gluten free (because they often are naturally gf) were not. I was advised that most of them could not be made gluten free which I appreciated the waiter saying but also felt surprised because swapping out flour for corn tortillas seemed like all it would take for some of these dishes. Some of the dishes I expected to be gluten free that weren’t included mole poblano, carnitas (and all dishes containing it), some tacos, and flan. I ended up getting a quesadilla they made with a corn tortilla filled with cheese, chiles, and chicharrónes. They were the crispy kind (like the store-bought kind, fried pork rinds) rather than the Colombian style (sort of like a super thick piece of bacon that’s been fried). I’m not a big fan of crispy chicharrones. So, I didn’t love my meal either.

I had really high expectations when people said almost everything was gf. And that just wasn’t the case at the actual restaurant. Maybe it is at the to-go window. Either way, I felt disappointed.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Not Much

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Average

Other Characteristics

• Offers outdoor seating