As the saying goes, when God closes a door, a window opens. That’s definitely been the case since Paulina’s, one of my favorite restaurants on the South Side, closed.

I was in desperate need of breakfast tacos near work, so I decided to try Eladio’s Diner, just a stone’s throw from Palo Alto College. I walked in, and one of the waitresses from Paulina’s was there, so I took it as a good sign.

I ordered four bean and cheese tacos…two for me and two for a friend…to go. It’s a shame that the staff didn’t witness my happy dance post-tacos! Eladio’s delivers the perfect blend of bean and cheese on a delicious, homemade corn tortilla.

Until 10 a.m. daily, you may mix and match two of the following tacos for $2.98: bean and cheese, chorizo and egg, potato and egg, potato and chorizo, or weenie and egg. What a deal!

On my second visit, I ordered my beloved bean and cheese, but I branched out and ordered chorizo and egg and bacon and egg, all on corn tortillas. Happy dancing again took place in my office. The chorizo and egg actually made my eyes roll back into my head. Heaven!

Besides breakfast tacos, Eladio’s also offers breakfast plates: huevos rancheros, pork chop, huevos Mexicana, chilaquiles, migas, chorizo, country sausage, ham and egg, oatmeal, pancakes, and chicken and waffle. Breakfast is served all day.

Eladio’s also has an extensive lunch menu. Daily specials include chicken mole plate, cheese enchilada plate, crispy taco plate and chicken flautas plate for $6.99.

Other lunch plates, ranging in price from $6.99 to $9.49, include carne guisada, asada, picadillo, soft tacos, puffy tacos, chalupas, gorditas, fajitas, chile relleno and mini tacos.

Burgers, nachos, tortas, menudo, fideo loco, caldo de pollo and caldo de res round out their menu.

Eladio’s, 1378 Gillette Blvd., is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays.

Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!