El Tacuba — Restaurant in Medford

After 5 long years of waiting for El Tacuba to finally open its doors, my experience can only be described via the following quote: "My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined".

Upon arriving at the restaurant, my party of 4 was informed that the wait would be around 45 minutes. Since this was opening week, we understood the situation and had absolutely no issue waiting. I asked one of the hosts if we could call ahead in the future to avoid waiting as long and I was met with a condescending reply along the lines of "The community has been waiting 5 years for us to open, so we want to make sure we can serve our community" (paraphrased). Considering that I am one of the community members who has been waiting 5 years, I was unappreciative of the reply's tone and being brushed off for asking a simple question. Information such as "We do not take reservations or call-ahead seating" would be great information to put on your website....if you actually completed your website especially now that the restaurant is finally open.

When we were seated, we were surprised to see that roughly half of the menu was seafood-based items. No one in our party consumed seafood, but we all recognized that was a personal problem and not the fault of the restaurant specializing in a cuisine that is heavily seafood-based. However, it would have been nice to be able to view a menu online beforehand so that we knew what we were getting into.

We ordered 1 empanada, 2 orders of suizas, 2 De La Casa tacos, 1 Arrachera taco, 1 Queso Fundido, 1 House Margarita, and 1 Diablo Margarita. With the quality of Tenoch's food (owned by the same individuals), we expected a delicious meal rich in flavor. Instead, we were met with bland food that was neither great nor terrible, and which could more easily than not be compared to similar offerings in the freezer section of your favorite grocery store. Additionally, the portion sizes were incredibly small even when factoring in the tapas style El Tacuba is striving for. The margaritas were also just okay. The House Margarita was nothing to write home about and the Diablo Margarita was not spicy enough to don its name. Considering the price of each menu item, we expected a lot more in terms of portion, quality, and flavor than we received.

Furthermore, we only received one order of the suizas and did not receive the Arrachera taco. As aforementioned, we were well aware that this was opening week and that mistakes were likely to occur. We didn't make a big deal about the missing items, even though our server checked-in on us several times, since the food appeared to come out in waves and we didn't want to come off as impatient or demanding.

After removing these items from our bill, our total went from roughly $90 down to $70. This price wouldn't be an issue if the meal actually filled us up. Instead, we had to stop for takeout on the way home because the portion sizes were too small and we did not want to spend another $100+ filling up the table. We've been to tapas-style restaurants in the past and have never had to stop for additional food on the way home.

The one bright spot of our evening was our server Lucio. He was friendly, attentive, helpful, and understanding.

One would think that after 5 years of preparation just about everything would be near perfect. Things like having your website up and running, having a menu accessible online, ensuring that your food is properly seasoned and not overcooked, and ensuring that food runners actually bring you the food you ordered should all be figured out after having 5 extra years of preparation. Again, I understand it is opening week and things are hectic given the amount of customers wanting to try El Tacuba. However, you've had ample time to get your ducks in a row but instead they are flying around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Overall, we were all disappointed with our experience and will likely not be returning again. Personally, I'd rather just go to Tenoch and actually be full after...

If you're looking for a restaurant that will transport your taste buds to Mexico with a side of fun, look no further. I recently dined at a new spot that serves up some seriously authentic Mexican small plates, and it’s got me dreaming of tacos in my sleep!

Let’s talk about the bar first. When you walk in, you're immediately greeted by Rael Clark, the bartender you didn’t know you needed in your life. This guy knows how to shake, stir, and pour with the best of them. His El Diablo Margarita? Absolute fire. A spicy kick that will make you forget about any troubles (or the fact that you still have work tomorrow). And if margaritas aren’t your thing, try the Fiddlehead IPA, which was so smooth it nearly convinced me I could become a beer connoisseur.

Now onto the food! I couldn’t resist diving into a plate of five tacos (because why would anyone settle for just one?). Each taco was like a mini flavor explosion. The Costilla with short rib, onions, and fresh cilantro made me wonder if I could ever eat short rib in any other form again. Then came the Barbacoa, beef and spicy goodness that whispered, “Just one more bite,” into my ear. The Cameron taco—fried shrimp, cabbage, and chipotle mayo—was basically a beach vacation for my mouth. The Suadero with beef brisket, onions, and cilantro had me questioning all my life decisions leading up to that moment. And the De La Casa with sirloin, bacon, and Chihuahua cheese? It had me sending thank-you texts to every chef in the kitchen.

But I couldn’t stop there. Oh no, I had to finish with the Beef Picadillo Empanadas. These little pockets of perfection were crispy on the outside, with a savory filling that made me briefly consider moving closer to this restaurant just for easy access.

In short, this place has it all: killer drinks, authentic flavors, and service so good you’ll be planning your next visit before you even leave. Five stars, two thumbs up, and a standing ovation for Rael...

I came in with high expectations, word of mouth commendations that weren’t delivered. Under quoted on the wait time by an hour and a half, no reservations taken but quoted 30 minutes and waited for an hour and 45 minutes. Bartenders were friendly and attentive with great recommendations. Beverages were delicious. Larger parties won’t have much luck unless you get there at 5:00.

Our wait staff member seemed inconvenienced by our questions, although the restaurant is new and will have first time guests. I understand that ordering small plates can be confusing for larger parties, but not having guidance with the process made the experience that little bit harder. Overall the food was delicious, the shrimp cocktail and elote were great, tapas style service and portioning with reasonable pricing. I wouldn’t recommend dining here with a food allergy, it seems that the kitchen is not equipped to accommodate severe allergies. When asked if the tacos can be made to accommodate a dairy allergy the waitress asked “do any of the ingredients on the menu contain the allergens?” In a rather snappy way, instead of guiding my guest’s decision to a safe dish on the menu, overall not conducive to your health if you want to stay safe.

We also did not receive a couple of the dishes we initially ordered, and were still charged for these dishes. When we went to ask about the portions to confirm our suspicions that we had been overcharged, our waitress overtly lied about what was delivered to the table versus what we had paid for in front of the dining room. My guests were very embarrassed by this experience, and left a real sour taste in our mouths.

Overall, skip El Tacuba if you are looking for friendly table service. Hit the bar, get there early, and don’t bring...