Bakersfield OTR — Restaurant in Cincinnati

I’ve always had really wonderful experiences here leading up to this one. Food has been great, servers are friendly, and atmosphere is fun. Tuesdays are great because tacos are $3 each. This particular evening was a birthday celebration, so my friend and I decided to go with some tacos and 2 dips. After looking at the menu, we decided that the meal for 2 sounded like the best deal as it included 1 dip, 2 appetizers, and 6 tacos. At this point we had already put in the order for both queso and guac, so we asked our server if we could count this toward our one dip and the other toward an appetizer because both of these items were listed under the appetizer section. She said that it was in their policy that this wouldn’t be possible, which is not at all her fault and understood, although I do think the organization of the menu causes some confusion in this area and felt a little misleading. I also do think it’s worth noting that we had told our server how great of a deal it was that we only had to spend $26 and nothing was said to correct us. Our bill came for over $70 and we were shocked because we were under the impression it would be $26 total plus the price of the extra dip. It was our fault for not reading the fine print of the menu, however I do just think it’s worth it for the managers to see that your menu is quite misleading!! The meal for 2 is for 2 people and listed for $26 per person, but why would you not just list it as $52 total? If this specific menu item is for 2x the listed price, it would be easier to just list the total so that it’s more straightforward. I also was wildly disappointed that our server had countless opportunities to let us know the total especially after we had explained that we appreciated the price and are very obviously college students who came on the day the menu is cheapest. Our server had no empathy for our situation and though we did not complain, we were very obviously shocked by the bill and there was no care to explain or clarify prices. I have only had good experiences at Bakersfield but this past evening just really left me upset...

A superb establishment with incredible food and service in the bustling OTR district.

As a first time visitor to Cincinnati my hosts took me by because of the (well deserved) award-winning guacamole and tacos.

Upon arrival (just after 9PM on Saturday night) the place was clearly wildly popular. The hostesses were prompt and polite in informing us that with a party of 10 we would need to wait up to 45 minutes for seating which is entirely understandable. They were incredibly accommodating in offering us space to enjoy the streetside views on their gated patio. While not a massive space, it was perfect for us to relax and have drinks. Due to the circumstance of our group size and the wait time they were even so kind as to send a server out to take care of us. The staff truly shines in their dedication to service.

Alex was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and he had several recommendations for the pork taco, the Pastor taco and (of course) the guacamole.

He advised us not to order too many tacos as they are 4" around (open-faced) and it was solid advice. I ordered 1 of each that he recommended. As I enjoyed a Yuengling (not available back home!) and the company of my friends, our food arrived quickly and with gorgeous presentation.

These were some of the most spectacular and delicious tacos I've had while traveling. I cannot say that I've ever had guacamole as smooth, creamy and consistent. Truly complex flavor combinations and delicious spices sang with the fresh fruits and vegetables without becoming overpowering. My only regret is not having a photo to share with anyone wondering.

Hands down, if you find yourself in OTR,...

I start with the positives, the male server we had was great. Asked questions gave recommendations we had someone at our table who was vegan and he made sure to tell her if there was food that would fried in the same fryer as meat ( which wasn’t a problem for her) but still very kind to go the extra mile. Food was given at good timing quickly and that’s always appreciated. The margaritas they had are also very good and are strong so take that as you will. Going to food we started out with the chips and salsa which I will say positive with that they had nice chips. The salsa is very bland and lacking in flavor and salt. The green salsa was like cilantro water, with the red being a smoky flavor which would have tasted amazing if there was a build of flavors outside of that. I personally had the short rib tacos, and fish tacos. The fish tacos I loved the slaw on top but that’s about the only flavor on that taco. The fish was crispy with no real detectable seasoning. There was nothing for the slaw to balance with flavor wise which was kinda disappointing. My friends who came also got the fish tacos so I know it wasn’t just mine because we all agreed. The short rib tacos I would say was the worst. It was just watery it tasted like it had no flavor whatsoever. I took bite’s waiting for something to hit me but I would say it was lacking in flavor outside of the beef flavor it’s self. For $4.50 a taco I expected at least salt on the meats. I enjoyed the dark ambience of the place but wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone...