Taco Borracho — Restaurant in Grand Rapids

The decor and the vibe were second to none. Mixture of Latin American music flavors. Definitely had my shoulders moving to the rhythm. For starters we ordered Plátanos Maduros (fried plantain) first it came out with cheese which was very odd to me, particularly as it isn’t mentioned as an ingredient on the dish. The staff were happy to take it back and return the dish without cheese. Plantain is always delicious when done right. They did it right. We ordered a second serving. The main dishes were the Al pastor taco, Camarónes con chorizo (shrimp and chorizo) taco, and Pescado (fish) taco were on the menu for me. My favorite was the Camarónes con chorizo. Beautiful flavors that bounces around in my mouth. The fish taco was good, just needed something extra, although I can’t quite put my finger on it exactly. Just a little bland. I ordered a Dark ‘N’ Stormy. The mixture was off. Undoubtedly because it was mixed in a lowball glass aka a rocks glass, not a highball glass as the drink is intended. Additionally the brand of ginger beer used is of a lower quality and was very weak. As someone of Caribbean decent, i know a thing or two about ginger beer. I sent it back and enjoyed another drink instead. The wait staff were young, pleasant, and attentive which made the experience enough to want to come back. The food prices was fairly reasonable, the alcohol price, was at the upper end of reasonable. The food tasted as authentic as anything else around, and didn’t seem too bourgeois unlike some other places around the city. In total I spent $70. Will I return? Absolutely.

Reply to question: While eating at your establishment I noticed several Caribbean flags, stick with your restaurant theme and obtain “Goslings” or “Old Jamaica” ginger beer, after all, the drink Dark ‘n Stormy has its origins in...

So... We took a trip to Taco Borracho. It is likely to be our last trip there. Ever since they opened up we were curious about the place. The bar, tables, and the dining room all looked pretty cool. When we were greeted by our server we were informed that they were out of guacamole, chorizo, corned beef, Modelo on tap, and Bells Two Hearted on tap. After being open for this long of time they should have an idea for par levels for those items. We ordered chips and salsa to start. They arrived a little while later with plates but no napkins. Our server didn't recognize the need for the napkins until we asked for them. When we recieved our meals we had no silverware. Another server must have heard us talking about the absence of tools to eat our meals as she brought us the silverware. The silverware comprised of just a fork? My wife had the Pastor taco, took one bite, and had enough. The meat was dry and tough to use her words "it was like beef jerky". Mine was not much better. The rice was as dry as the Pastor taco too. We also made it abundantly clear that neither of us wanted onions on our meals. Yet when they arrived there were onions on our meals. While we were eating what we could of our meals there were several tables left uncleaned. If things are going uncleaned in the front of the house, what is going uncleaned in the back of the house. It also appeared that all the servers were young women with a particular body style. We hope that isn't a requirement for employment there. We had hoped that Taco Borracho could be another local restaurant we could frequent. We decided that if we want a good taco experience we will go back to...

This is a great atmosphere with thoughtful decor, tons of white marble and brass and in a perfect location. No complaints about the drinks. Service and food quality were both subpar. Our bartender/server was super nice but could've been more attentive and brought us the wrong drink several times. We waited on her 3x as much as she waited on us -- crazy but it was Friday night! As much as we loved the cocktails, The food quality did not Match the price point. The steak in the "carne asada taco" was rubbery and overcooked, it was was pretty bland. The Elote was covered in Mayo and cheese but under seasoned compared to other street corn. We loved the chicken quesadillas! It took over an hour to get the food. Unfortunately, When I got up to use the restroom, my server took all of my half eaten food away, which was a HUGE bummer and I never got a chance to talk to her about it. For $50 before tip I thought it was a little overpriced, but I was happy to support a new restaurant in the area! They were noticeably giving away free shots and drinks. *One thing worth noting is that many of the "customers" (dressed in nice street clothes) were behind the bar at one point. I'm talking girls in dresses and guys in khakis, Taking up tables, eating and drinking cocktails, and then behind the bar doing the same! (That was a little frustrating as we were waiting for a table). It seems like everybody in the place knew each other except for us. Not what you want to feel in a new place. all in all, the patio seems like a fun place for an after dinner drink. Worth stopping but I wouldn't go alone or...