El Nopalito, a food cart run by brothers Marco and Eduardo Ariano, was already one of Eugene’s best restaurants before it made the leap to a counter-service restaurant in 2025. Now, the destination for masa-based delights and Mexican seafood is located in a sprawling, garage-door-bedecked space off Willamette Street downtown, complete with a full bar and an expanded menu.
What to order
- The first rule of El Nopalito is always check if there’s a seafood option. The fried fish taco ($6) is pretty much a constant, but the seafood specials are where the kitchen really hits its stride. That might unfold as a spicy tuna tostada with wasabi crema, or as chile- and lime-laced shrimp aguachile ($20) that had me reaching for my melon margarita ($14) as I scooped up more of the mouth-puckering mixture with a chip.
- If it’s not a seafood day, as it (tragically) wasn’t on my most recent visit, treat yourself to a huarache ($14). Imagine a tender shoe-shaped masa pocket filled with smashed beans, and layered with a cloudlike pile of warm eggs, crema, nopales, and cheese. Eat it hot. Don’t let it sit around. Amplify the flavors with one of three salsas (grab them from the water station). My favorite was the verde, which has a bright and smoky finish, but there’s also a rioja and a habanero (the spiciest).
- The ensalada de quelites ($13) featured a heaping portion of crisp spinach dressed with a tangy mole vinaigrette and a mix of queso panela, crunchy corn, nopales, and sliced radish. It’s finished with a generous helping of crispy pepitas.
- Elotes asados ($9) is a frequent flyer on the specials menu. Two ears of grilled corn are halved, slathered in creamy, spicy jalapeño aioli, and dusted with queso fresco. Just maybe don’t order it if you’re on a first date, for the usual corn-on-the-cob reasons.
What to drink
While there is a full bar, I’m an aguas frescas stan, and El Nopalito’s are good and come in flavors like cucumber watermelon. That being said, boozy options include margaritas (in various flavors) and micheladas, which get a nice Tajín rim.
Insider tip
El Nopalito is more than just a restaurant. It’s building a community space with Latino trivia nights, lotería (a sibling to bingo) nights, and
weekend brunch. It’s also one of those rare restaurants that’s actually open on Mondays, and there’s a 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. happy hour every weekday with rotating specials on everything from tacos to tequila.
