I've been looking for a place like Happy Burger the entire time I've been in El Paso. It's an unassuming, family operated, no frills with delicious inexpensive food kind of place. As a matter of fact, those hole in the wall places are my favorite places to eat from.
I was driving to KLAQ's Halloween parade at 2pm and figured I should get some food to tide me over as it was our first Halloween parade and they're usually hard to get in and out of. I felt like gorditas or tacos since they're good handheld food. The kids already had Sonic $0.50 corndogs so this was strictly for me.
I saw that this place had a drive thru and once I saw the pictures of the deshebrada tacos I was sold. I wanted the gorditas as well but the tacos were a must have. The pricing was amazing as well. I was used to paying $3 for Rivas tacos (even though they're worth it) the family meal deal was a STEAL in comparison…$17+tax for 12 hard tacos with all the fixings and rice and beans. It came out to be $20.
Now, the restaurant only operates their drive thru and no inside dining at this time, which kinda sucks because it made the lines longer and the all you can eat menudo is intriguing and only dine in. Bring your patience because everything is made fresh so it took 15-20 mins from ordering with 2 cars ahead of me.
When I opened the tacos at the parade, everyone gawked at me. Yes I was going to try to stuff 12 tacos down my gullet. Well that was the plan but I got distracted, so only had 3 there to tide my hunger pains.
It was glorious, the tacos had a corn meal texture, which reminded me of gorditas, so it was the best of both of my choices, the texture of a gorditas, but the crispness and thickness of a fried taco shell. The beef inside was plentiful and the shredded lettuce, wedge of tomato (genius) and melted government cheese was divine. The salsa wasn't the best (Rivas still is king) but it was just enough to help the tacos slide down easily.
I didn't end up finishing until much later after the parade was done at 3pm, and I originally ordered them at 1pm, so it was cold, and a little soggy, but the cheese had hardened and made it hold it's shape and it was still delicious! I ate 4 more and when I got home at 6pm after not only doing the parade, but also the Park and Recs event, AND the Game Vault Halloween/Pokemon party, hubby finished everything and declared it yummy.
I'm both sad and happy it's far from me. Sad because I know I'll crave it and it's so inexpensive I'll probably put it on my rotation weekly. Happy because it probably is better for me healthwise not to eat greasy tacos weekly, meh, but I do anyways. For my East friends, you lucky ducks, go check them out if you haven't and if you already knew about them and didn't tell me, shame!
Happy Burger
(915) 595-4243
3375 N Yarbrough Dr, El Paso, TX 79925
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QvCRprvAk17fV4q8A
