Stephanie L.

I've been meaning to try bartaco out, and we had some time to kill before our movie so we tried it out. They had plenty of seating, the restaurant seemed clean and we were seated fairly quickly upon arrival. Our waitress was nice, and did a great job going over the menu items. I got two pork belly tacos and one carne asada taco. They were okay, not the best tacos I've had and came out room temp which I didn't like. I feel like if they were hot and fresh it would have made a difference. The pork belly was a bit tough and too sweet. My son ordered the kids meal 1 cheese quesadilla and 1 chicken taco, which came with corn and pineapple. He really liked the quesadilla. I also ordered a small chips and guacamole, and that was super fresh and delicious! Price was average about 4 bucks a taco, but a good deal on the kids meal for the amount of food they get.

Cortney B.

I had Bartaco in Birkdale for the first time over the weekend. The set up was cute and there's plenty of tables. We were seated quickly without a reservation. We had guacamole & chips for an appetizer - this was fine but nothing special. The chips are tostada style so you may need to ask for extra if sharing with a group. For lunch, I got the pork belly and chicken verde tacos. The menu advises 3 bites per taco which is pretty accurate. We ordered street corn & plantains for sides, both were quite good. I got churros for dessert and they were probably the highlight of the meal.

Amy M.

First time trying bartaco. We came for a graduation celebration and the staff had a section reserved for us which was awesome. The restaurant is so nicely decorated and had a great vibe. Absolutely loved the interior. Service was friendly and fast. Drinks are on the pricey side so we got a few pitchers of sangria to share amongst the group. Sangria was great, lots of fruit, and strong. We got some taco teasers to start with and the plantains in that we're AMAZING. SO delicious. We also got the salsa verde and chips but the chips were large tostadas which was weird. For entree, I got the Korean bbq ribeye which was good, but nothing out of this world. My husband got the chicken rice bowl which looked very underwhelming. He said it was ok. For dessert I had the watermelon margarita which I definitely enjoyed. Overall, we had a great lunch and had a blast with the family.

Sandy A.

I ate here while visiting the area and it was a great experience! It was aesthetically pleasing and cozy restaurant. We were seated quickly and served in a timely manner. Our server was so sweet and she gave amazing recommendations! The drinks were tasty and the chips, guac, and salsa were delicious! My tacos were great. Bartaco is a great place to get a good bite to eat with even better company!

Michelle B.

I stopped in after being given a gift certificate. I didn't know what to expect, since I didn't want tacos. Alone, I sat at the bar and was greeted immediately. The bar staff checked on me quite often. I ordered my favorite: an Old Fashioned. It was very well prepared. Side note: There are places in the area that don't know how to make an Old Fashioned. I can tell before they set it on the table. I ordered food to go...the kale caesar salad and added chicken. The salad was delicious, and I was pleasantly surprised. Now I can stop by Bar Taco for something good to eat before heading home from Birkdale. The restaurant had a steady flow of clientele, and I expect the wait time increased as evening gave way to night. Parking, well, that's always a challenge in this area.

Christine G.

This is a lively spot in the heart of Birkdale Village. After a little shopping in the area my daughter and I decided to grab lunch here on a Saturday. It was very busy and loud. I had a very hard time hearing the server, as he had to repeat himself several times. That being said, it is an interesting way to order here. You can scan a QR code and do everything online or get a paper menu and have the server take your order. I do prefer the latter. Kinda helps to be able to hear him or her. I think if I was ordering online I would just take it to go. But that is personal preference really. So, if you don't want to try to hear a server, order online, I guess. We ordered tacos only so I can't speak to the rest of the menu. Food around all looked tasty, but the tacos were really good too. We ordered a variety of flavors since it was the first time here. I will say these are street tacos (small) so order according to your appetite. We got six tacos, and my favorite was the oyster. We tried the Baja fish, cauliflower, shrimp, ribeye, and oyster tacos. The Baja fish was a little skimpy for the price. I would like a little more fish than just one little piece. Some of the tacos were spicy, so we went for two dishes of gelato. Very good and a nice portion for the price. I probably will try to try other menu items. They have a great space here, with outdoor seating as well, but maybe the noise level could be just down a notch. But, overall a good experience.

Tyler G.

The waiter did not explain the menu well to us at all. They do family-style dining, but the portions are small and honestly would be very hard to share. Instead, we ordered individually. The guac was delicious, but my tacos were just okay. The space is obviously beautiful, and really started filling up after 6pm.

Michelle S.

Unique food items with specialty tacos small and tasty. Server was excellent and the ambiance is chill with nautical and antique decor. Great location in the shopping district of Birkdale commons. Not a mall but all shops individual with apartments and condos above. Such a fun environment the day after thanksgiving with Christmas music and ice skating and a lovely hot chocolate/coffee bar outside next to the skating rink. Any shop or restaurant you could imagine. We love Bar Taco in Raleigh and this one did not disappoint. I had the half baked chicken and a side of blackbeans and it was perfect. The quac was a bit spicy but good! My husband had the fish tacos and loved them! My son had the trio app and loved it. Great stop. Family friendly.

Mimila S.

We came to the Birkdale area in search of great desserts but ended up following our noses to this amazing establishment. When we arrived, we were placed on a waitlist, which, to be honest, took less than ten minutes. We were seated by the hostess, who was truly pleasant and even gave us some suggestions on local dessert spots she enjoyed (literally within walking distance). We were observing how adorable the restaurant looked, with beautiful artwork hung on the walls and a low-light ambiance. Alex was our server, and the service in this establishment was top-notch. She told us about the special menu item (which I was already eyeing, lol). To start, for our drinks, we ordered margaritas. I had the Dos Piñas , and my husband had the watermelon margarita. They came out fast and were super delicious. She offered water , but I was slightly picky about drinking tap (city) water, so she was sweet and gave us some filtered water instead. For appetizers, I ordered the esquites (basically elote, corn on the cob without the cob, with cotija cheese , mayonnaise, etc.). My husband had the sweet fried plantains but opted for no cayenne pepper. They came out pretty quickly, and they were good portions; the taste was perfect. The plantains were clearly picked perfectly--not too sweet or sour. We then ordered our main dishes. I had two adobo pineapple tacos . My husband had two chicken tacos. They, too, came out pretty swiftly. One of the other servers brought my tacos; I asked for a side of caramelized onions. He was really nice and brought them quickly. The tacos are smaller than your average taco, but don't let that fool you! I love the play on their food items because it isn't what you'd really expect. So, the adobo pineapple tacos--the meat (pork belly) wasn't the star. It was the pineapple, and I truly loved the play on it, plus I truly enjoy pineapple itself. My husband enjoyed his tacos as well and loved how the chicken had great flavor. Keenan (hope I spelled that correctly) came out and asked if we were enjoying the food. I told him I definitely was fond of this establishment and had no regrets. We got into talking a little about the food, and he told me his favorite tacos were the duck tacos. After we almost finished our meal, Victoria came and asked if everything was going well. I told her yes, truly, and how glad we were to come in today. She recommended their tres leches (3 milkshake cake) dessert, and I, a proud Puerto Rican , did order it. Then Keenan came out with two duck tacos and said, "Hey, I really want you to try my favorite." Super cool! Let me tell you, as he said, they really were so darn good. The meat was tender and the tamarind sauce--wow, nice! Super thanks, Keenan!!! Then the tres leches came out, and it definitely isn't your typical tres leches, but I'd enjoy this over some of the places we've been to anytime. Overall, this restaurant is perfect for a nice date, perhaps after going to the movies or shopping in the area. I'm in love and definitely rwant to return. I just might gatekeep this amazing place from friends lol.

Trevi B.

I loved this place! The service was great from our server and management making sure everything was good. We went on a Saturday one of the first warm Saturdays in spring. It was packed so food and drink came a little slower but everything was so delicious. I hada spicy mango margarita. The tajin rim was awesome. Most places just dip the tajin and it's never enough. I tried the sesame rib eye, baja fish, and pork belly. The pork belly was amazing and probably my favorite. The mix appetizer was yummy as well to taste a bit of everything. Very simple decor and just all around nice vibe. I would love to sit in the outdoor patio next time. I look forward to going back to try other items.

Jason J.

A great spot for delicious street tacos and excellent margaritas! They got us in and seated right away on a Saturday evening during the Christmas shopping season. We were totally shocked because the line can often be quite long. Service was excellent. Food came out quicker than expected and tasted delicious. We enjoyed the whole experience and will be back for more! Highly recommend!

Dan M.

The concept is one-bite tacos at a premium. Might work for many but not for me. I didn't like the taste though. Will try chicken next time. Cucumber Salad and Mojito were on the money! Ambiance is really cool, bartenders are excellent, but girl at front (hostess) when I was there a few months ago was rude and didn't want to be bothered. Overall, great vibe! Just got to figure out what order. Excellent drinks.

Juliana D.

Pretty new Mexican inspired restaurant in birkdale village. I came in for lunch and service was great! I was seated right away. Our server brought waters right away and explained how their ordering system works. I like that you have a QR code menu so you can really take your time looking at it and you can even keep going back to it to order more. They have the option to do paper menus as well. I ordered the ribeye taco and also tried the glazed pork belly taco. The tacos are nice and flavorful but very small for the price. I loved the glazed pork belly! The ribeye was just ok. I also ordered the glazed pork belly bowl. Again the pork was amazing! I didn't like the rice or veggies that much. The rice was bland and the veggies were not really cooked. I also felt that it needed a sauce. The salsas that are on the table are pretty good but I felt that they didn't go well with the bowl. I also tried a little of the chicken bowl. It was ok.