I saw the great reviews of this place, especially for the birria tacos, which are one of my…read morefavorite dishes, and knew I wanted to try it out. This restaurant started as a food truck but saw enough success that it's now opened two brick and mortar locations, one in Decatur and the other in Priceville, so that seemed like a good indicator. I went for a late lunch after work around 2 PM a few weeks ago.
The restaurant has a small, slightly bumpy/torn up parking lot and a curiously large step up into the restaurant -- watch your footing, as I almost fell forward trying to walk inside. The restaurant is small. You enter and are greeted by a nice bar area; go down the hall and it has maybe 5 tables at the end, along with restrooms.
It did take me a while for anyone to offer me seating. It seemed like only one person was waiting tables. Though he made eye contact with me a few times from the serving area down the hall, he didn't acknowledge me until I walked down the hall to look around and see if anyone was available to help me. He then asked if I had a carryout order (I think -- pretty limited English on his part and even more limited Spanish on mine), and I said no but that I'd like to sit and eat. After that, he promptly seated me and took my drink order. Chips and salsa came out after that, and my food order and eventual check were timely, though I'd never really describe his demeanor as particularly friendly. Not the end of the world, but I wish I'd felt more welcome.
The chips were solid - warm and fresh - but the salsa wasn't especially flavorful but for a strong cilantro vibe. I was starving, though, so I munched happily enough until my order arrived. I got the quesabirria combo, which comes with two quesabirria tacos and rice and beans. These tacos tend to be filling and many combos elsewhere come with three; personally, I think two is plenty, though I'd say the price is a little higher here than comparable spots I've tried.
The rice and beans were exactly average...or, they averaged out to average, lol. Rice slightly below average (low flavor, a few slightly undercooked/crunchy bits), beans slightly above (pleasantly smoky), and so on and so forth. I was primarily here for the main event: birria tacos. And unfortunately, despite the rave reviews I read, I thought these were really disappointing.
They didn't skimp on meat, at least, but...despite being generously portioned, the meat didn't have a ton of flavor. It was a little chewier than the silky, melting beef I've had at other places. But the worst part was they were overwhelmingly - OVERWHELMINGLY - greasy.
Don't get me wrong, birria is by nature a rich dish and I wasn't expecting to get up and skip away home after a light meal, but...
It was so greasy that the taco shells, which are usually pleasantly crispy after grilling, were for the most part sopping wet, even on my first bite. Every time I picked a taco up, fatty juices/grease spilled from the edges. And when I squeezed, a stream practically ran onto the plate. You'd think at least with this much fat/grease they'd be more flavorful, but they really were not a flavor bomb.
They weren't inedible, but I must admit I left feeling disappointed and having not adequately fulfilled my craving. I know there are lots of well-regarded Mexican spots in Decatur, so I suppose I'll keep trying. Hopefully, I came on an off day. I wish this restaurant the best and I hope their success continues; even though it was not for me on this visit, it's clearly popular with others.
