Amilia Taqueria & Bar — Restaurant in Barnstable

5 stars – A Flavorful Gem in Hyannis

Amilia Taqueria & Bar is the kind of place you walk into once and immediately know you'll be coming back. You’ll find this spot right in the middle of Hyannis, and it’s totally worth a stop. This small but vibrant taquería delivers an authentic Mexican street food experience that’s rare to find on Cape Cod.

The space itself is cozy and colorful, with warm lighting and little design touches that give it a welcoming, homey vibe. It’s casual enough to pop in after a beach day but charming enough for a laid-back dinner date or hangout with friends.

Now, onto the star of the show: the food. I started with their famous birria tacos, which honestly lived up to the hype. I also tried their al pastor, which had that perfect balance of smoky-sweet flavor . The carne asada taco had beautifully seasoned steak, cooked just right with a little chew and a lot of flavor. My absolute favorites were the fish, shrimp, and chicken tacos — seriously, I’ve never had that much flavor packed into one bite. Each one was seasoned perfectly, like someone really took their time getting the balance just right. The fish was crispy and fresh, the shrimp had this juicy, slightly smoky flavor, and the chicken? Super tender and loaded with spices that hit all the right notes All the tacos came topped with finely chopped onion and cilantro, plus lime wedges and two house salsas on the side — a mild verde and a smoky red with some real heat.

What impressed me most was the quality of the ingredients — nothing tasted pre-packaged or rushed. Even the tortillas seemed freshly pressed, and the salsas tasted homemade. They also offer quesadillas, burritos, nachos, street corn, plus drinks like mocktails super refresing , until they have their licor license

The service was excellent. The staff were genuinely friendly, helpful with suggestions, and quick to serve. I appreciated how clean the space was, too — even the tables were wiped down quickly between guests.

Pricing is very fair for the quality. Taco Tuesday prices are incredible.

Everything feels like it’s made with care, and the flavors are on par with places I’ve tried in Southern California and even Mexico.

If you’re in Hyannis — whether you’re local or just visiting — don’t miss this spot. Amilia Taqueria is a true gem, and it’s the kind of place you’ll want to bring people back to. Next time, I’m definitely trying the burritos quesadilla and...

Finally, I made it to 'Amilia'.

Unfortunately for me, this past month was Holly month of Ramadan (fasting month- no food, drinks during the day), so when I would be able to eat either I would be working either it would be to late and they would close... Today was the day that I decided that I would make it no matter what.

When we walked in (6 o'clock), it was a couple of tables already taken, and just 5 minutes after we got seated, another 4-5 tables walked in as well, so it filled out the restaurant very quickly (not completely, but very decent for winter season Wednesday night). Mily and Ilija - the owners (Iliya for English speaking readers) stopped by to say hello and welcome us to their new establishment. Very nice and simple menu with pretty affordable prices. We took 'Sober Collada' - Virgin Piña Collada and 'Watermelon Lemonade', which Mily made in less than a minute and it was super delicious... homemade chips and salsa (lightly spiced up) were the perfect way to begin the dinner. We order the 'Queso-Birra' and 'Taco Plate' -chicken, carne assado and birria taco. Both dishes were served with rice and beans and delicious. Everything was so delicious that it didn't take us more than 10 minutes to finish everything on the plate. For the end part, we took a huge piece of Tre-Leche (daily creation of the chef), which was so good that I didn't even have a chance to take a picture of it.

Thank you, Mily and Ilija (Iliya) And good luck with upcoming season, We...

What a lovely surprise and outstanding experience!

Though the tacos (and MY GOD THAT SALSA) are absolutely hands down the best tacos I’ve had in Massachusetts, let alone Cape Cod, the welcoming, genuine service is what really stood out at Amilia. You feel like you’re treated like a regular on your very first visit.

We came on a relatively quiet Sunday and the vibe was still vibrant and lively, especially due to the bright smiles and friendliness of Mili behind the bar.

We were given chips and salsa immediately and it was probably the best salsa I have had since I lived in Mexico. The depth of flavor is incredible (especially for something that their giving away for free!!!)

We both ordered taco plates and were thrilled with the tacos! I ordered the shrimp and fish tacos and both were phenomenal. The generous portions of fish were succulent, crispy, and flavorful. The addition of their house made salsa took it to the next level. The shrimp taco was a big surprise— usually shrimp tacos are not my favorite because the individual shrimp just sort of fall everywhere. These tacos manages to find the holy grail of shrimp tacos. Order them. You will not regret it.

The tequila selection is also top notch.

Something about the fact that this spot is just off the beaten path makes it feel even more special. Like you’re in on a really good secret. But everyone should know how...