Paloma Tequila and Tacos — Restaurant in Woodstock

Starting this review out by saying, "give this place a chance!" They just opened this past week and I have no doubt they will improve over time. I will update this review after I have the chance to dine in-person and try more menu items.

This fun new taco joint is sort of exactly what DT Woodstock needs. Pure Taqueria has become an unnecessarily loud spot run by college students with diminishing food quality, so I was ecstatic to see another option walking distance from my house. I have high hopes this place addresses their shortcomings and becomes a new watering hole for the neighborhood.

Food Quality: Starting with the good, the food is actually fantastic. I ordered 3 menu items to-go and I honestly dont have a complaint about the taste, temperature, doneness, seasoning for any of them. It was just plain delicious. The food was great, which is why I know this place has potential. I just wish the experience lasted longer, which brings me to my next point.

Portions: Man, this is probably the biggest disappointment of all. Im not a particularly large person nor do I have unreasonable expectations around portion size, but with two orders of tacos (plus rice and beans which is an extra $5 per order) and an appetizer that I shared with my 2 year old (who probably ate a handful of bites) I was still sort of hungry. My to-go order was over $50 and if we were two adults sharing the meal, we both would still be hungry. I would so much rather they charge a few more dollars and give a reasonable portion. For example, I paid something like $24 for fish tacos w/rice+beans and the amount of fish on the actual tacos was criminally stingy. To put that in perspective, each taco was about the price of a chipotle burrito. If you are hungry, this isn't the place for you. If you graze like a bird or prefer to fill up on chips+salsa (which costs extra btw) then you might be fine. This is probably the single thing I hope changes the most.

Price: Eh, it's pretty typical suburban middle-class Mexican food which is comparatively pricey, but I dont really care that much. In fact, if they increased their portion size, Id be happy paying more. Its fine, but you aren't going to run to this place because its cheap.

Atmosphere: Seems decent at first glance. The bar was packed so I am going to assume they make killer drinks, but alas, as a takeaway order(er) I am yet to experience that. I will definitely update the review once I partake considering tequila comes before tacos in their name. Which is a little off since they didn't have any particularly unique or hard-to-find tequilas on the menu (coming for someone with a case of fortaleza in my basement)

Service: The people I encountered were overwhelmed, but kind and friendly. They just opened so being overwhelmed is expected. But the owners (or perhaps managers, im not sure) were walking around and never welcomed us which I find really odd. They walk around looking busy but they have new customers standing there right in front of them and even a simple "welcome in" would just go a long way.

I will absolutely be back and I am expecting improvement across the board. The portion issue is annoying and is probably the only reason I will stop going there if they...

I’ll start by saying the people working here are incredibly nice and the facility is very nice. We were less impressed with the food and drinks. I had the blueberry and kiwi margarita and carnitas tacos, my husband had enchiladas and cheese dip, and our friends had the fajitas and kid fish sticks.

My drink had interesting flavors and was sweet. It did not have any strength to it at all (there were only maybe two or three swallows that had a hint of tequila). The carnitas tacos had fantastic homemade looking corn tortillas; however, there wasn’t much to fill them (half of it was mashed beans and like a tablespoon of pork so you didn’t get much flavor).

The cheese dip was some sort of different cheese; our friend’s son who only eats cheese dip at other places refused to eat it. More chunky and Parmesan tasting than typical, not necessarily bad, just different. The chips were really greasy. Salsa is a green salsa with mild spice. The enchiladas were fine but smaller than you’d find at other places, the rice was good, and the black beans had a bit of a different taste.

Our friends said the fajitas were just ok, they wouldn’t get them again. Their daughter said the fish sticks tasted weird. I personally felt like maybe they use some interesting oil or something.

As another person noted, I think most places have huge portions that are too much for a person and I don’t need huge portions (after chips I personally could barely eat two tacos). But there is a perception that’s not matched when the prices are the same as the places with large portions and you get the three tiny street tacos with no sides. The portions seem right for what we should be eating, but it’s different...

We came in Tuesday evening as a party of four, and wow, what an experience. From the moment we sat down to the very last bite, everything was top-notch. The food was incredible. We ordered just about the whole menu, and every single dish was a hit.

I did see a previous review mention that the salsa isn’t complimentary, but I think that might’ve been a mix-up. The regular chips and salsa absolutely are complimentary, and they’re delicious. The specialty salsa verde is just an optional add-on and totally worth trying if you like a little extra kick.

Our server, Morgan, was amazing, super kind, attentive, and clearly knew the menu inside and out. The owner and management stopped by to check in and were just as friendly and welcoming. You can tell the team really cares about making this place special.

The decor and atmosphere make you feel like you’ve been transported straight to Mexico. It’s colorful, cozy, and full of life. I went with a tequila soda this time, but next visit I’m diving into their margarita list because it looks incredible.

Adair Park seriously lucked out with Paloma’s. It’s vibrant, delicious, and full of good energy. Easily a 12 out of 10 experience. Can’t...