Tacos del Cartel Metairie — Restaurant in Louisiana

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An Unexpected Gem Near MSY — Tacos del Cartel is a Whole Vibe!

I picked up my wife from the airport and we were trying to figure out where to grab a good dinner—something unique, not a chain. It was after 9PM, and options were limited. I spotted Tacos del Cartel on the map and honestly almost skipped it, assuming it was a no-frills taqueria with fluorescent lights and plastic tables. But then—I saw their ad inside the airport. It looked legit. So we took a chance.

And WOW. We were not ready.

From the outside, it’s cute and unassuming. But the second we stepped in, it was like walking into a Vegas hotspot. Wavy ceilings, neon backlighting, bass-thumping club music—it was energizing in the best way. We were seated under a colorful Alebrije—a mythical lion-like creature straight out of Mexican folklore—and it just set the tone. The tables had built-in lights you could turn on to see your food, and the menus were glowing and backlit like some futuristic menu board. ✨

Our server kicked things off standing tableside with the menu held up like a storybook, walking us through her top recommendations while tying in folklore and flavor. It felt like a performance and dinner in one.

The drinks? Incredible. My wife had a margarita smoked right at the table, and I had the “Jaguar Dientes” — a bold mix of tequila and ginger beer, sage-smoked tableside. They weren’t just drinks, they were an experience.

Then came the food. • Birria tacos arrived hanging on a mini clothesline, yes, an actual mini clothesline with clothespins. A+ for drama and flavor. • Tacos al pastor came on a tiny tabletop rotisserie, with live fire keeping the pineapple-onion-topped pork warm. • And yes, they even have sushi. We were skeptical, but it works. We had the tuna tataki—they were out of jicama, so they subbed in crispy fried leeks. It was perfection.

Service? Top notch. The general manager came by to check on us, and everyone was warm, upbeat, and clearly proud of what they’re serving. Rightfully so.

If you’re landing in New Orleans and looking for something beyond the usual Creole/Cajun fare—or if you just love bold, beautiful, over-the-top Mexican food (with sushi!)—Tacos del Cartel is a must. It’s a whole experience. We’re already...

From the moment you walk into this restaurant you're greeted by the waiters/ bartenders and waitresses. The place is so beautifully decorated. It's a true vibe. We came for a birthday dinner and was allowed to place balloons and a few other decorations around our table area. Each day has a special and we chose the special which was the ladies night $5 Cartina- Rose- Rita! Man oh man we those were tasty frozen and on the rocks ! The bartender Caesar out did himself. For appetizers we went with the Cartelote which had a amazing mango mayonnaise sauce that was to die for! The chicken tortilla soup was flavored wonderfully. We also got the Queso and salsa. For our entrees we went with the Shrimp Fajitas that came with rice beans, and the toppings for the fajitas. I got the chicken tinga combo cartel. The waitress was so sweet she allowed me to get soft and hard shell tacos with my order. The fries were so good I ate those first ! The bean soup was delicious and full of flavor. One of our friends were so full from appetizers that she ordered one Birria taco that was also flavored very well and delicious! The waitress Carmellia was so attentive and sweet. She also gave great recommendations and worked with us. Caesar the bartender was amazing! He came to our table and told us in great detail about the different tequilas. He made us shots at our table and even tasted the tequila we gifted our friend. It was a true fiesta! To end the meal we were given churros and sang happy birthday. The entire restaurant joined us. If you live Mexican food and amazing service come and enjoy ! You won't...

The place itself is beautiful, and we came here to celebrate a birthday. Unfortunately, the service left us disappointed. We ordered appetizers, entrées, and 5 açaí bowls. We asked if it would be possible to remove one of the bowls from the bill if it hadn’t already been prepared, but our server told us it was already being made.

Everything came out at different times, which really took away from the experience. By the time my entree arrived, I was nearly finished before others at the table had their food. The açaí bowls, which we were told were already being prepared, didn’t come out until about 30 minutes later. That made it feel like we weren’t given honesty about the situation and that our request wasn’t accommodated. It also felt as though the decision may have been influenced by not wanting to lower the gratuity.

When the bowls finally arrived, every single one was missing almond butter — which is supposed to be a main component — and one was even missing apples. When we asked, the server admitted they didn’t know until after the fact. This lack of attention and knowledge was very disappointing. The server may have been not told so it’s a management issue.

We always tip generously and value when servers are honest and accommodating, but in this case our concerns were brushed aside and the food was incomplete. I would rather tip on top of gratuity then waste food. If it was already made then I understand, but it simply wasn’t. A little transparency and care could have made the experience so...