Taco Tragedy on 24th: Decorative Pigeons Shutter Vallarta

September was supposed to be a good month for the people at Vallarta, who recently expanded to take over at El Maya Yucatan at 16th St.  Instead, their signature pigeons and a fistful of other health violations shut them down.

The last few weeks have been difficult for taco lovers on 24th.  Since September 8th, we've had to go without the $1.75-per-hit greasy crack rocks of Taqueria Vallarta.  And in a twist that's sure to surprise no one, it was the indoor pigeon mascots that shut them down.  According to the SF Appeal, a pair of patrons were “chowing down on their favorite Mission District Mexican food selections” when they noticed the pigeons in the dining area and their nest in the rafters.  

First of all, there's no way that Vallarta is one of your 'favorite Mission selections' or whatever, if pigeons flying around and nesting inside the dining room is a new or shocking revelation to you.  There are definitely a lot of gnarly issues that Vallarta needs to fix (renovations have began and they should be allowed to re-open in the next week or so according to an employee we spoke with last weekend), but you probably shouldn't be selecting the taqueria with after-market car speakers mounted on the walls (just below the pigeon nests) when selecting your next purveyor of strange meats grilled on top of what looks like an overturned oil drum attached to a food cart if these sorts of things bother you.

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one would have thought they’d have stepped up their efforts in compliance w/ health standards, yet i saw dogs in their 16th street location yesterday….