Red Star Taco Bar — Restaurant in Tacoma

Great happy hour nachos.

Red Star's main competition would have been El Boracho, if El Boracho had never gone vegan. Red Star is all about the bar. It's not the most interesting bar, but there are several tasty margaritas to choose from. There's some intense flavor on the drink menu, but that's just like every taco place with a bar these days. They have a couple signature drinks, but they aren't surprising you with value here.

The tacos are pretty good and they have some interesting ones to choose from, but again, they're a little pricy for what they are, though the square white plates tell you just how fancy they're trying to be. Thing is, the flavors just aren't that impressive, and these don't really feel like authentic street tacos either. El Boracho had their street tacos on lock and used some exotic meats and flavorful cooking methods. Red Star is less authentic, less exotic, and less flavorful, but the price is still a bit high. The nachos are a higher value. Here's the thing though.

NEVER ORDER NACHOS ON A FIRST DATE.

for that matter, a second or third date. No one wants to watch you suck beans off your fingertips. It's off-putting.

The staff feels somewhat disinterested. They're quiet and you won't see them much. If you really need them to show up, the best way to summon them is to finish your drinks. I didn't ask the staff about how they feel about the management, but they don't exactly seem like they're overpaid. Red Star, like most restaraunts, hasn't embraced a no-tipping policy, and while understaffed and overpriced, I imagine the tips get pretty small, which may explain the staff's demeanor.

My humble advice to the management would be to breathe some life into Red Star. Try a progressive no-tipping policy, pay the staff better, and you may see people leaving happy,...

TL;DR: delicious, best tacos in the Puget Sound, not to be missed, loud (when busy).

We went to Red Star twice within twelve hours because it is that good. The service is spot on and the tacos are fresh, well-seasoned, and meticulously assembled. The flavors and textures are balanced in a way that I have only seen in the best taco stands/trucks (none of which are in the Seattle area).

I have yet to have a great taco in the Puget Sound area. There are acceptable tacos, and good tacos. I am sure there has to be other great tacos. Red Star is one of those places.

My partner had the roasted pineapple marg. This is also not to be missed. All of the cocktails we had were pleasantly strong and properly balanced. Pork adobo, carne asada, breakfast chorizo, Korean short rib, sriracha honey shrimp, Baja Sur fish... all excellent. Oh, crazy fresh tortillas. The tacos only come with one tortilla because that is all you need. The salsa that comes with the chips: eat it with a spoon, drink it straight, somebody find me a gallon of it and I will buy it off of you. The pico has a super fine dice that we have never seen elsewhere in the Puget region. This shows a definite love for flavor, care of the ingredients, and willingness to invest the extra effort to prepare it properly.

It is loud when busy; sound piles up quickly in the space and other vociferous diners can be heard very clearly. Bear that in mind when you visit. We first went when it was peak volume and got seated immediately. And the service was stellar despite how busy they were. We went the next morning and accidentally arrived a few minutes before opening. The host opened for us immediately and the experience...

Last week we went to Red Star Taco Bar for an early dinner. We arrived before 6 so HH was still happening. We ordered our drinks and an order of the chips with salsa and guacamole. We also ordered a few tacos. I got the chicken tandoori taco, Buffalo chicken and Baja fish taco all on flour tortilla. The food arrived quickly and service was great. I personally am not huge on salt but I felt like the chips and guacamole needed more salt but it was still delicious. The tacos, the tacos were the star of the night .... The red star of the night?! (Hmmm am I on to something here? ) I started with the tandoori chicken, the flavors were beyond and I was doing a happy little dance with every bite. The sauce (riata) was delicious and complemented the chicken very well. Next I tried the Buffalo chicken. The chicken was plenty and the Buffalo sauce was so delicious. Crumbles of blue cheese added an extra level of goodness to the taco. On to the Baja fish taco; the fish was crispy but juicy. The house Baja sauce was delicious too. I just wish I had the fish taco first then followed by the other 2 as the fish had gotten a little cold but that's my mistake for not having a proper plan of attack in place. All and all a great experience complemented with great service...