Watsonville’s El Frijolito adds takeout-only taco spot near Highway 1

One of Watsonville’s longest-standing Mexican restaurants has opened a second location with a focus on takeout.

The owners of El Frijolito, lovingly nicknamed “The Bean,” opened Tacos El Frijolito in a shopping center at the corner of Green Valley Road and Main Street in Watsonville in early April. While the original location on Alexander Street in downtown Watsonville offers both a sit-down experience and a takeout counter, the new spot serves only food to go and doesn’t have inside seating. Tacos El Frijolito is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closed on Sundays. 

The menu, written by hand on a white board, includes around 20 Mexican classics, including tacos, burritos, chilaquiles and sopes, as well as breakfast burritos and carne fries loaded with jack cheese, guacamole, jalapeños and salsas, with 12 choices for meat fillings, such as chorizo, chile verde and carnitas. 

The lengua tacos, served on double corn tortillas and topped with chopped onion and cilantro, are meltingly tender. A regular burrito filled with refried beans and camarones a la diabla – an El Frijolito speciality – was substantial and spicy. 

Co-owner Sergio Carrera’s parents founded El Frijolito in 1985. He runs the restaurants with his mother, Elena Vega, sister Yadira Vega and uncle Salvatore Vega. The expansion follows an extensive remodel to the original location that doubled the size of the dining room and expanded the kitchen, among other improvements. It reopened in November 2024 after a closure that lasted nearly two years. 

Located near Highway 1, it’s possible that the owners aim to capture commuter traffic on the busy corridor and become a lunchtime spot for workers in nearby office buildings. Carrera did not return several calls and text messages.

1058 S. Green Valley Rd., Watsonville.

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