Brewers Row — Restaurant in Tacoma

As a passionate lover of Mexican food, I had high hopes for my visit to Brewers Row. With the vibrant culinary world that surrounds us, it’s often easy to get swept up in the excitement of trying new eateries. Unfortunately, my family and I quickly learned that Brewers Row is by far the worst Mexican food experience we have ever endured.

Entering the establishment, I was met with the sticky sensation of grime beneath my fingertips as I made my way to the counter to place my order. While I understand that some places carry a level of rustic charm, Brewers Row felt more like a neglected dive bar than a vibrant eatery.

I eagerly anticipated a warm, cheesy delight with my order; instead, the cold glob of cheese felt like a cruel joke. Instead of that comforting melt, I received a solid mass that resembled a sad, neglected relic from yesterday’s kitchen. This is where my dining experience took a serious downturn.

Now, let’s talk about the shrimp tacos. Oh, where do I even begin? The shrimp were farmed, which is often acceptable in casual dining, but these tasted as if they had come straight from the gutter. To say they were gross would be an understatement; they had a distinct flavor that conjured memories of dirty, smelly socks. This might be an exaggeration, but considering my full tasting experience, it felt entirely valid.

The quesadilla was another unfortunate bias of Brewers Row. It was filled with cold cheese and hardly featured a scrap of meat. I’ve indulged in many quesadillas in my life, and this one was far from worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as any of them. It was almost like they took a shortcut, throwing in whatever they had on hand rather than crafting a meal worthy of Mexican cuisine.

Let’s not forget about the nachos, which I assumed would be a guaranteed win. Instead, I was greeted by a heap of chips topped with precooked chicken that was dry and flavorless. I almost wished I had opted for the taco truck across the street, which had come highly recommended by friends and local foodies alike.

To add insult to injury, the service was painfully slow. You order at the counter, but there is no urgency in the kitchen. It felt like an eternity as we watched families at neighboring tables dash through their meals before we even received our appetizers. Perhaps they had caught on that the food would better serve as a stomach filler rather than a dining experience.

In conclusion, my experience at Brewers Row was a perfect storm of disappointment. I felt almost robbed of my enthusiasm for the flavors that genuine Mexican cuisine can offer. The lack of care in food preparation, combined with an uninviting atmosphere and slow service, secured this establishment a firmly planted spot at the bottom of my list. If you’re looking for an authentic Mexican meal, seek out the taco truck across the street—it’s a world away from the gross, dirty, smelly shrimp taco experience I had veered into at Brewers Row. Save yourself the trouble and go where they actually care about the...

Brewers Row - Mexican Restaurant, North End, Tacoma WA

First off, who would have guessed that this small appendage to the restaurant next door (Cooks Tavern), would be a Mexican style cantina and bar? From the outside, and hence the name, you would be more inclined to think it was just another local beer joint but in doing so one would make a seriously incorrect assumption. Brewers Row provides a warm cozy atmosphere where you order your food/beverage items from an array of overhead menu boards, collect any applicable self-serve beverage cups and then proceed with a numerical identifier to be placed on your open seating area of choice. With that then accomplished your food/coffee bar or adult beverage will then be delivered as freshly prepared, with emphasis on the fresh! Brewers Row menu features an amazing choice of items including Breakfast Taquitos, Biscuits, and Breakfast Burritos. If not in the mood for breakfast (which is always available), there are Tacos, Burritos, Tortas, Quesadillas, and Tamales. There are protein options for most which include traditional Pollo, Carne, Carnitas (Guajillo-tecate beer braised pork shoulder) and Al Pastor (Spit-roasted pork shoulder marinated in achiote-chipotle with pineapple). On our visit there were also Seasonal Specials one being Street Corn Tostadas, yum (3 crispy corn tortillas with black beans, jack cheese, frisee, roasted corn, heirloom tomatoes, pickled peppers and cotija) plus a unique offering of Plato de Chicharróne (Fried pork rinds with honey-chipotle crema, pickled red cabbage, cotija cheese, and cilantro). The Brewers Row menu is filled with tasty and unique offerings/combinations and the portions are an excellent value for money not to mention a full Coffee Bar in addition to Beer, Wine...

As of late the service at Brewers Row has gone severely down hill. If there at all busy the staff becomes incredibly rude and snippy. They act like your inconveniencing them by eating there. The last 4 times we have ordered to go they have messed up the order each time. They used to do delivery to the car which they recently stopped. Which is totally fine but when I didn't realize that they had discontinued this service and called in, the lady answering the phone was so unnecessary rude over it was almost laughable.

I still think they have good food ( most of the time ) but don't expect to enjoy your experience there.

Updated may 2022

My 3 starts has been moved to one star. Don't bother ordering out from here unless you love standing in line for 20 min despite the fact you already payed. When I asked if there was a line for pickup the waitress was incredibly rude. I I wish I had not tipped because there is no way I would have if I ordered it to dine in and got that attitude. Tacoma has lots of great food. In my experience if I want a enjoyable dinner I will NOT be...