Unbranded Tavern & Kitchen — Restaurant in El Paso

I can't remember where I saw the first advertisement for Unbranded, but I know it looked good so I ran my fingers as fast as I could to GOOGLE Reviews and Facebook. All but two had exceptionally positive comments. One was obviously a disgruntled customer, the other only complained about the slow service at rush hour 🤷🏻🤦🏻‍♀️ Mind you, they're brand spankin’ new. Buckle in, this is a long one... So my husband and I decided to give Unbranded Tavern & Kitchen a go for our Saturday lunch. WE WERE BEYOND PLEASANTLY SURPRISED With The Quality and Quantity Of The Food. But first Things first. The servers quickly greeted us and invited us to sit wherever we liked. The decor and atmosphere were modern but not pretentious or overly done. The temperature indoors was perfectly cool (we visited on a hot August day), not too cold or breezy from ceiling fans running on 3rd gear, LOL. The music was a tiny bit loud for a weekend midday, but nothing to complain or cringe about, we got used to it rather quickly and could carry a conversation comfortably. Paloma was our dedicated server. She was bubbly and friendly. She answered our questions, knew the menu very well and made great recommendations. We asked what she preferred between the Loaded Fries or Tots appetizer. She said she prefers the fries and went on to describe how deliciously crispy & golden the french fries are, so that's what we ordered. They Were Scrumptiously Crispy And Golden. They're like what you get when you take the time to properly make them at home (using the soak and twice fried method). Except they never became limp, even after 20 mins, the last few fries were still crispy! I can't get the ones I make at home to stay crispy once they've cooled. I wish I would've asked for the secret from their GM, Eric; a really friendly and approachable guy, BTW. ANYWHO, Back To The Food & Service... We were served complimentary chicharones with a spicy tomato salsa. They were a very nice change from the typical tostadas -n- salsa. My husband ordered the Street Tacos and I ordered Mama D’s Chicken Sandwich. Just a little side note, their plates are à la carte, so no burger baskets or beans and rice with the tacos, but you’ll still be satisfied once you've polished off your choice of entree. My husband asked for one of each of their tacos in his order, which she said is totally allowed (to mix and match tacos in your order). He was only able to eat two, the Shredded Beef and the Chorizo, because he felt full with the Loaded Fries. But he loved everything he ate. As of the time I wrote this review he had not eaten the other two tacos; the Chicken and Ground Beef, but I'm sure they'll be equally tasty. My Mama D’s Chicken Sandwich was away bigger than I expected. They use chicken thighs in their sandwiches, which I prefer, instead of breasts and it was dee-licious. I cut a fourth off to share with my husband and I put it on his plate so when I finished the rest of my sandwich and felt pleasantly plump, I was reminded that I only ate ¾ of it! I was impressed by the serving size. Not To Forget How Delicious It Was Too. The green salsa they serve with the tacos is very flavorful with just the right amount of kick to make your nose run but not your eyes water. I mixed it with the tomato salsa on my sandwich and dipped the pickle planks in it. I had to blow my nose a few times, but I'd do it again for that tasty-tasty burn! Paloma was attentive with our drinks and came by to check on us like a professional. She didn't leave us unattended but she didn't interrupt us every 5 minutes either. We Will DEFINITELY Be Back And We Strongly Suggest You Give Them A Try. I'm sure you won't regret it. In case you're wondering if it's affordable, considering it's located in the heart of the downtown office district, it is. Especially for the quality of food, drinks and service you're receiving, it is definitely worth it.

Good Luck & GOD Bless Your Business and Employees, Unbranded Tavern & Kitchen. We Hope You Stay In The Black & Surpass Your Own Expectations. Keep Up The...

Short version: We were really excited to try it based on photos and reviews, they have excellent marketing! But it tastes like a Mexican joint you'd find in Tennessee, not El Paso. I wouldn't recommend to a native. The vibe and service were great. Complimentary chicharrones and chunky red salsa (mild) were both good. Details and suggestions below.

Ordered Southwest poutine -appetizer, based on a review recommendation. We got it with tater tots per our servers recommendation, they can do fries as well. Comes with cheese curds, brown gravy, and homemade chorizo.

Carnivore burrito - server suggestion. Eggs, cheese, brisket, ham, chorizo, sausage, tater tots, and arbol crema.

Red chilaquiles - they also have green (spicier). with over medium eggs.

Rolled tacos (chicos style) - ordered the tomato sauce with cheddar cheese, came with an arbol crema drizzle. They also have green (spicy) broth and different cheeses.

Review- The poutine was the star of the meal, but was lacking flavor. The tots were crispy and well salted, and the brown gravy was pretty good. It was very light on cheese curds. The chorizo was also pretty good, but not enough to carry through the plate. 3.5 stars, was not as good as you'd expect from a Southwest dish at this price point.

The burrito was a great size, and was STUFFED. The brisket they used in the was also really good. It looked great, but I was unfortunately extremely disappointed to find the tortilla had that "factory" taste (if you know, you know). For a 13$ burrito, I'd expect much more than a store bought wrap. -2 stars, it really ruined this burrito. The burrito was also surprisingly dry given all the greasy meats, but not in a good way. Conceptually, this is great on the menu, but I can comfortably only give this 2 stars. I'd actively discourage any friends visiting from ordering any of the burritos.

The chilaquiles were pretty good, though nothing to write home about. It was a generous portion, and they were cooked very well. The sauce may have been a bit too thick for my tastes but that's ok, not a huge deal. My main issue here was that the sauce was definitely missing salt, unenjoyable until we added. Again, not a huge deal, but I'd expect the cooks to properly salt their sauces at this price point. 4 stars, and the only thing I'd reorder as-is (but I'd ask for salt)

The rolled tacos were pretty ok. After trying all their food, I'm curious to see if their green sauce topped with queso fresco would've been a better option. The red sauce with cheddar missed the mark for me. They weren't bad, but I wouldn't reorder this combination. The meat in the tacos did taste a little bit off. It had a taste that I couldn't figure out, but was a bit off-putting for this plate. Almost smoky? owners, if you read this, all-spice? Regardless, I'd still give these 3.5 stars, but I'd like to try the other sauce, perhaps it'll work better than what I tried today

Suggestions- Poutine- Adding chorizo didn't do enough for me to elevate this into a Southwest poutine. Right direction, but not enough. I'd suggest adding a generous handful of shredded cheese (below the gravy so it can melt and stick to the tots) to supplement the curds, as well as a drizzle of arbol crema (or even better, chipotle crema if you're ok with prepping an additional sauce) to provide some much needed acidity to balance out this dish.

burrito- a tortilla swap would make these so much better. The fillings have the potential to rival some of the great El Paso burrito spots (Rafa's, burritos Juarez, Ernie's). And all those spots have homemade tortillas in common for a reason. Even grabbing the tortillas they make at Vista market would largely improve. As far as dryness, I think the cooks may have been a little skimpy with the arbol crema. More fat (egg, cheese, or crema) would fix this issue.

Lastly, I'd recommend spicier salsa option to complement your meals. A red arbol salsa would work great for this style and you likely have all ingredients in stock from...

This was a terrific surprise! In town for a couple of days and noticed a new restaurant - The “un-brands Tavern & Kitchen. Arrived around 10.30a. There’s a full bar and more than a dozen chairs at the bar for those that want to eat at the bar. There’s also a mixture of high-top and regular tables throughout. There’s plenty of room! The TV’s are on sports channels and there’s also rock music playing continuously from overhead speakers. Reminds me a little of a Hard Rock Cafe.

The server, Taylor, was very pleasant and helpful. I ordered a Latte which came out popping hot and tasty. Taylor also brought me a complimentary snack of pork rinds (she correctly called them “Chicharrones” which is the term I am familiar with! Served alongside was a small bowl of homemade salsa to dip the pork rinds in. Sort of a chips and salsa deal, but much better!

The sign outside reads breakfast AND BOOZE served all day so I ordered an omelette with bacon, ham and sausage. I also ordered a side of Avocado toast.

Note: I don’t recall ever seeing a breakfast place that had an open bar like this place does, but I can see how that would appeal to some. I had a Latte and was very happy.

The food was expertly prepared and delivered hot, great presentation and beautifully garnished. The omelette was accompanied by a side of green serrano chili sauce. It was spicy and delicious on the omelette.

The Avocado toast was excellent. Nice thick bread with a proper amount of avocado spread.

Overall an amazing visit. I...