Vatos Tacos + Tequila at The Foundry — Restaurant in Loveland

We visited Vatos tacos for lunch on May 15, 2021 and enjoyed a large part of their menu for this review.

The classic margarita was OK; it needed a little bit more lime juice and perhaps a tequila that either amped up the drink by providing some pepper notes or a much milder tequila which would have improved their Marg.

The Vato macho margarita which includes jalapeño infused tequila was a much better option. The jalapeño provided that extra kick and a little bit of tang needed to bring the margarita to the forefront of ones’ pallet which make it very enjoyable. This tequila is definitely their bar’s greatest strength and something that they do not take enough advantage of.

The mango blended margarita which was on special was in fact, sadly, nothing special. It was nice because they seem to use a mango purée which provides a very rich fruity note. However, the sugar rimmed glass and otherwise overly sweet drink might be something that your average high school girl would like, but not something I enjoy today. The drink lacks balance, which is disappointing because of what their bar has in stock. When we asked if we could get a drink made with the jalapeño infused tequila they simply told us no it was only used for the one margarita: disappointing.

Tacos were a mixed bag.

The Carne Asada taco had a great flavor but ended up being somewhat chewy. Would not be our favorite and may or may not order again.

The chicken taco was well done; however, it really wasn’t anything special.

The Carnitas taco was overall pretty good; however, it was a little salty and a little cumin heavy. It was paired with a very nice salsa Verde which we both enjoyed.

The pork belly street taco was ultimately the star of the show. They did a fantastic job with this one by capturing the savory and creamy aspect of the pork belly and putting a wonderful texture on the outside. Then, along with the sauce and accoutrement that they provided, it made for a wonderful tasting experience. I would recommend this taco above all others and fact, it would even make a trip to Vatos tacos worthwhile just to taste this alone. Very, very good, highly recommend.

The beef Barbacoa taco was pretty good, it had a nice pairing within it; however, it was a little bit dry. Served with the corn tortilla, I would’ve recommended some kind of salsa to go along with it—even just more of the salsa Verde. On the lettuce Barbacoa was ok.

The jackfruit taco was a complete disaster. Even if you have some type of dietary restriction, I would recommend anything, like the fried avocado, before trying to jackfruit. It was oily, unflavored full, and the texture was really bad. It had a similar texture to that of applesauce. Compared to other jackfruit offerings we’ve had in the wide world, this one was worse than disappointing. While it is amazing that they have an offering that is both gluten free and vegetarian, this one is just somewhat lacking.

The shrimp taco was memorably good. The cooked to order shrimp were plump, juicy, and had a great flavor and texture. On the taco, the shrimp was paired with a crisp coleslaw. The pico that topped the entire taco provided a nice sweet, spicy, and juicy tang. I would definitely recommend the shrimp tacos to anyone.

This location in Loveland is new and feels like a fun new part of a greater Loveland downtown rehabilitation project. The decor includes elements of exposed plywood, graffiti on concrete, and Edison bulb-based lighting fixtures. The contrasting color scheme between the black booths, red tile work, and metal chairs makes the whole place feel industrial and chic inner-city.

Their staff was not super friendly to order from. It was a lot like ordering from McDonald’s but they did not understand their POS system.

This place could be well on its way to something great; however, my total take away with all things considered leaves me content with a three star review. Certainly they could gain one additional star from me if they were to up their drinks game in the bar and also fix some of their...

After 258 reviews of restaurants in north Colorado, this is the WORST customer service I have ever experienced. I am cancelling my former 4 star review and giving Vatos a one star review for the following reasons. We went in and were told we could only order breakfast burritos because we were too early. I don't know why if they have an active kitchen they can't do a full menu....but ok we ordered two breakfast burritos and a couple of drinks. We had them in under two minutes...we were the only ones there except two older men. We ate the (small) burritos and the two drinks and we were still hungry. About this time one of the older men was standing up without a mask sneezed VERY loud and the manager yelled "Bless you" from across the room. Wow! Then I went back and ordered a duplicate of our first order and sat down with my wife and waited and waited for a long time. During that time several of the kitchen help came in and sat with the manager and talked joked around and had THEIR breakfast. Then the manager went back to sit down with the two old men and was talking to them...one of the men was standing up without a mask talking to her (manager). I finally asked the water where our food was and she said there was a long line. When I ordered there was no line and I stood up (with mask) and looked and there was no one in the front or behind the front order desk and cash register. I waked around the corner and told the manager we were getting poor service and she said that that they ran out of burrito mix! That is why it was taking so long. I said why weren't we told that? She looked said that it had been 12 minutes since our order. Well, it to 2 minutes for the first one...and even it it was we were one of 4 people in the restaurant. She finally said that she would refund our second purchase. So we did that. She brought our credit slip back and proceeded to tell us that the old man was seated the whole time. Well I looked at him for at least 5 minutes while she was seated at his table and he was standing. They not only have the worst customer service, but lied about her not complying with COVID regulations. Needless to say we will...

This was one trip, maybe yours was/will be better. Don't let some random internet stranger taint your own experience. That being said, here's my take:

Underwhelming food, insanely loud restaurant.

My wife and I love Mexican food, so there was excitement in the air when we walked in to Vato's tacos. We both ordered the nachos and in the end I felt it lacked in size and flavor. There were 8 chips on my plate, some hard melted cheese, a small scattered nest of lettuce, about 5 jalapeno slices, and a glob of guacamole in the center. Couldn't dip the chips in the guac because they explode on impact and you only have 8 of them so you have to play it safe. So ProTip: you have to individually spread the guac on each chip. There was chicken on most chips (6 out of 8), but I really couldn't taste it due to how bland everything was, which is why I had to gingerly spread the guac on each chip. Not the greatest meal I've ever had. If one of my children served me that I'd say "Aww how cute, he's playing chef." Then pat him on the head and patronizingly tell him he's a good boy. We'd let him make dinner every now and then, but never for company that we wanted to impress.

If you go, think of the nachos as an appetizer, or save them for the friend who's really only there for the tequila. You know who they are.

Also, this place is LOUD. I couldn't hear my wife across the table from me, there's something seriously wrong with the acoustics in that building. Probably not Vato's fault, but it definitely hurts...