Babablu is always good and pretty consistent! However, lunch always takes longer than I expect even when it isn't busy. I recommend the steak skewers! read more

We have always loved the food at Babalu. Tableside guac is excellent and so is the burger and the steak skewers. We actually ate here twice this week! My only complaint is the very weak drinks. Everyone in our party got a different margarita and everyone loved them except every person said they couldn't taste any alcohol in them. At $12-15 each we did not order a second round. We ordered different drinks on each of our 2 visits and both times felt the same way. My husband used to be a bartender and said he would just order beer or wine next time. read more

Babalu - East - Steak on a stick and rosti potatoes! - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I hadn't been to Babalu in a while but thought of it for lunch today. I was a party of 1 and sat at the bar. I ordered the Hot Honey Shrimp appetizer (really good and not overly spicy) and told the bartender I'd start with that and figure it out from there. After grazing on the fried shrimp, I wanted something lite....a salad perhaps, but nothing huge. I asked the bartender if they had a side salad of any sort. She told me they had a kids Cesar salad. PERFECT! Between that and the shrimp, it was just the lunch I needed. The reason I write this review is because of the bartender herself. I didn't get her name (unfortunately), but she was fabulous. I noticed how attentive she was to all of the customers at the bar and her fellow staff members when they needed drinks or change made. She didn't have to suggest the "kids" salad to me and could've just made me order the more expensive full salad, but she didn't and that was much appreciated! So, to whomever was working the lunch shift at the bar on 11/12/2024.....THANK YOU! I'll be back! read more

Great customer service! Food came out hot and quick! Will definitely be visiting again! read more

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Nice taco joint with a modern twist. Pretty clean and the server was friendly enough. Ingredients for the tacos seemed pretty fresh but the tortillas were undercooked and the tacos arrived cold. The rice and beans needed more seasoning too. Overall pretty good but missed the fine details for a 5th star. I get it... this seems a little critical but if tacos are Babalu's thing, they gotta be on point. Prices were fair. I'd come back. read more

Babalu - East - Fish taco (good), pork belly taco (meh), chicken taco (good). - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I love Babalu! The Baba burger is amazing. The sangira options never let me down. The guac is to die for. 10/10 recommend!

We recently celebrated my daughter's birthday and had a wonderful experience!! The steak in a stick was delicious and the guacamole was top-notch per usual. The staff was welcoming and kind and the service was exceptional. We will return. read more

Started with two margaritas which were very good. We had a wedge salad, steak on a stick, salmon & dessert sampler. All were very good. Chris was our sever he was very attentive. The atmosphere was very nice & relaxing to just sit enjoy the food and watch a basketball game on the big screen TVs read more

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Great experience! They closed the Babalu in Jxn, so while in town had to stop by. Andrew made it a great experience. Would recommend! Thanks again. read more

The entire staff was incredibly friendly, timely, and helpful...which I wish I could say for all the restaurants I visit. We ordered the guacamole to start. My previous visit the portion was rather small. However, this visit happily proved otherwise. And, the steak and pork belly tacos were excellent - great flavor and just the right amount of spice. I look forward to going back! read more

Brunch with a friend. First of all, really good coffee. Great vibe and super friendly staff. Had the breakfast burrito which was excellent.

I don't give many 5's, but this place was so close to getting it.. Yelp will not allow 1/2 star ratings, so my review is solid 4, but really a 4.5 if available. Chris (Bartender) left us here in Jackson to broaden options and continue schooling. (UOM) Drinks were on point, Sweet Tea perfect, and service most Bars could not compete with. The appetizer was different, it was like a spring/egg roll deep fried with Avocado's. Wife had the Lamb Sliders, and I had a their Signature Burger. We split a side dish, some kind of Garlic, Cheese, Potato dish. Everything was fresh, and cooked perfectly. This place was packed, the $3 Mimosas caused brunch to be on fire. Personally we witnessed 3 cases gone in a 2H time frame. That is a lot of Champagne flowing. The only reason this place does not get a 5 is parking, the lot was a zoo, at least 2 other food joints share the lot and it was like the Mall on a Black Friday. It is best to get there early. Would I go back? Yes, if Chris is there for sure. (Natalie his side kick is good as well, but he is the reason made a trip) read more

A last minute *Girls Night Out* at Babalu's was a complete waste of time and money. They have the Worst Cocktails and I mean WORST *WEAK AS SPRING WATER* Cocktails EVEEEEEER! I honestly CANNOT believe this establishment is still open for business. How? These were the WEAKEST, WATERED DOWN, JUICIEST, MOCKTAILS posing as COCKTAILS drinks I have ever sipped in my entire lifetime. This establishment is a rip off when it comes to cocktails! DO NOT go here for the Cocktails....you will be highly disappointed & feel ripped off as if you literally just spent your hard earned money on a decorated juice cocktail. The Avocado Rolls and Tacos were pretty decent in addition to, we were starving. That is the only reason I mustered up giving them a 1-Star. The highlight of the evening was this...the server actually brought a half filled "Overly Sour Pre Mixed" Margarita (as pictured) to the table and expected my Aunt to pay for it. Unbelievable to say the least. Upon asking the server how long she has worked at Babalu and if other patrons complain about their cocktails. She informed us they have received complaints in the past and patrons have sent their cocktails back. She suggested we buy additional shots to make our cocktails stronger. Lol! I presume that's their UPSELLING tactic to make a profit on liquor. In the words of my Great Wise Uncle...."I'm too big of a Cat to be fooled by a kitten." I'll gladly stopped by the Package Store and pick up a favor or 2 before I spend money on a watered down additional shot at Babalu. Once the Manager came to the table, we expressed our concerns and disappointments with our cocktails. He reluctantly took the margaritas off the bill. I rarely complain about cocktails because I'm a lightweight. However, Babalu East Memphis you guys need to be ASHAMED and shut down for serving $11 *weak as spring water cocktails*, upselling or suggesting the of purchase additional shots and a 20~25% tip and/or repeat business is INSANE! Do better BABALU East Memphis! read more

Babalu - East - Top Shelf Margarita served up - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Absolutely loved the Black Bean Burger at Bablu -- crisp on the outside, hearty inside, and perfectly seasoned. Fresh toppings and a bun that holds up. Easily my new go-to! read more

My server, James M., was great! He recommended that I try the Sunset Salad with Salmon! I had to ask for an extra serving of the dressing, but it was great! I also had the seasonal Watermelon Peach Sangria, and it was so good! All in all, it was a great lunch! I usually have great service anytime I've gone to this location! God bless you James! read more

Babalu - East - Sunset Salad w/Salmon and the Watermelon Peach Sangria - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Tacos are about 2-3 bites but delicious! If you go on Thursday they are $1 off each. Margaritas are great, but THAT GUACAMOLE! Table side guacamole is outstanding. I'm not big on the table side part, but they use 3 avocados and lots of delicious flavor. Chips served with it are BOMB. The side of corn was the only thing I wasn't a fan of. It had too much cumin and a small portion for $6. read more

Babalu - East - Ahi taco and elote - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Fast service! We tried a little bit of everything today and enjoyed it all! iron skillet queso guacamole and salsa tacos: carnitas, chicken, shrimp, steak local beer dessert trio sampler read more

Babalu - East - Celebrating a birthday! - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Last night I ordered curbside take-out. It was easy to do online, but I will say they don't tell you an estimated time of when your meal will be ready..until after you checkout and pay. Which is a bit annoying. Because what if it was an hour? or 10 mins? You have no idea. It's a gamble. Once I arrived I looked around for curbside parking and didn't see anything. Then I looked for parking in general and didn't see anything. So I called the restaurant and the lady said to park out front and we'll bring your meal right out. So parking was confusing since there isn't a designated area for curbside, but if you do order curbside just park upfront with your flashers on, call the restaurant saying you're here, and you'll be good to go! I ordered a cobb salad and it was delicious! It was fresh and flavorful and had so many things on it - onions, tomatoes, egg, bacon, and avocado. And the dressing was really good too. I think it was some sort of avocado dressing. Not spicy or anything. I do wish they gave me a little more dressing, since the salad was a pretty good portion and I did run out before I could finish eating! read more

Babalu - East - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

That is no excuse for management that she should not have been there, etc. Management should have step up to the plate by doing more than have her work. Your customer services was lacking because you didn't see the problem during her work shift from the beginning. read more

The food and service was great. I tried the different tacos, the shrimp taco was the best. Definitely will go back.

I had the opportunity to try many items here with a group of friends since we shared appetizers. I also took advantage of the "Feeling Like a Million Bucks" watermelon & vodka drink and the $5 sangria special they were running. The table side guacamole was very chunky and tasty. The baked queso was a fantastic choice too. It had great seasoning and stretch. Lastly, I had a few unnamed tacos that tasty too. Overall good choice. read more

Babalu - East - Watermelon Vodka drink - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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All food just AMAZING !!! Coming here you can be sure that no matter what you order - it will be incredibly tasty, juicy, fresh and with excellent service and very clean not broken plates, appliances and snow-white napkins! (In a restroom also very clean, what impressed ) THANK YOU! read more

BEST ENCHILADAS This place has amazing customer service. Be prepared to wait a bit but they are pretty awesome about it if you end up waiting way longer than expected (our 10 person party waited nearly two hours). I've been here with large groups multiple times, with and without Yelp, and it's always been great. Their tacos still aren't that great here, which is disappointing for a place that has tacos in its name. I was really surprised how much I loved what I did love. I mean, I like enchiladas but I LOVED mine. Also, the only other Cuban I have ever tried I hated so I figured I wouldn't like theirs either, but I couldn't get enough. The potatoes were such a random thing to like but yup they were my favorite side. I only got a few bites of the beans and rice and the shrimp and chorizo skillet but I liked what I got. To Try: Filet on a Stick Blacked Scottish Salmon Camarones Taco Tres Leches Cake Loved: - Beans and Rice - Chicken Wings: House Smoked - Drink: Island Feverita - Enchilada: Chicken (spiced chicken tomatoes, onion, peppers, mozarrella topped with a creamy creole sauce, pico and cotija) - Fries - Fries: Sweet Potato - Garlic Rosti Potatoes with Teriyaki Glaze - Grilled Chicken Satay - Guacamole - La Michoacana Ice Cream: Key Lime Pie - Shrimp and Chorizo Skillet - Torta Cuban (fav) Like: - Blackened Salmon - Creole Shrimp and Grits - Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bites - Flash Fried Calamari - Pan-Seared Crab Cakes - Taco: Cerrado Cerdo (Pork Belly) - Taco: Chicken - Queso Blanco Dip Ok: - Albondigas - Braised Beef Short Rib - Fierce Shrimp - Pan Roasted Redfish - Tamale: Braised Chicken - Taco: Pollo Frito - Taco: Pollo Grilled - Taco: Steak Disliked: - Cayenne Chocolate Truffles - Cinnamon Bread Pudding - Mexican Street Corn - Taco: Carnitas - Taco: Vegetal read more

Our server Sunshine was amazing. My friend and I didn't have a server right away and we called her over, she took care of us and turned the whole visit around. She was so kind and helpful, we will be back to ask for her again! read more

I love Babalu! The guac is to die for...I could eat it everyday! The atmosphere is always inviting and the service staff is always friendly, professional and knowledgeable about menu. I decided to try the brunch today and it didn't disappoint. I had the Crab Cake Benedict and also tried the summer cocktail...strawberry kiwi margarita! It was a nice way to cool down in this crazy heat! Babalu changes their menu and I do love the diversity of items. read more

Had a great brunch here. Came right when it opened. Took about 25 minutes to be seated outside even though it wasn't hardly anyone out there. The bar was open if we wanted to sit or get a drink really quick which we did. The monte cristo was amazing & the brunch drinks are really cheap. Service was ok. read more

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A friend and I went today for a late lunch after running errands all morning, waited a little longer than normal but Sunshine made the visit such a great experience. The food was absolutely amazing, I especially loved the short rib rolls! It was my first time back here in years and I will definitely be back soon. Sunshine you did such a great job! read more

We had a party of 8. The food was delicious! We had fresh made Guacamole, a baked cheese dip that was amazing and I had the Chicken Satay. All so good. The servers were friendly. It had a nice family feel. We really enjoyed our experience! read more

I absolutely love the food here! I have ordered take out lots of times, and I've eaten in twice now. I always get the table side guac and it is absolutely to die for! They add the perfect amounts of every ingredient! However, sometimes I do feel like they go too heavy on the salt. The chips are also very salty in my opinion. I also have had their black bean fritters a couple times now. They're delicious! I think adding pickled onions and arugula makes the dish super fresh and well balanced! The Mexican street corn was pretty weak. It didn't have that acidity that you look for in the traditional dish, and the corn wasn't very sweet, making the dish pretty dull and flat overall. The veggie taco is also great if you love veggies! It's super flavorful, and I don't ever feel like I'm compromising flavor for healthiness. Today our server was pretty standard. We also were served drinks in dirty glasses. Gross! Other than that, the restaurant is usually very clean! The tables, silverware, and bathroom were spotless! Give Babalu a try sometime! read more

My husband and I come here pretty often and LOVE IT. We visited today for a celebration. They accidentally dropped my food while bringing it to the table. I didn't complain at all (obviously they didn't mean to drop it) and we weren't in any hurry. They ended up giving us our whole meal for free. Totally unexpected but very appreciated! The food is always amazing! read more

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Do not order the calamari. 90% fried breading, 10% scrawy tidbits of squid. Complete waste of $12.

Great food, great service always! It's a great place to go with family and friends or to go on date night.

Babalu is a hidden gem!! Everything is seasoned perfectly & available for catering! It's a mind blowing experience He brought his home to us or us to our homeland! Thank you!! See you next time! read more

Service was great food was tasty , fresh , and fast . Portions are small and Guacamole made fresh also and really good , great place for happy hour . read more

Babalu - East - Short Rib Taco , small but tasty - Tacos Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Excellent atmosphere and the small plates were great to share or even enough food for yourself. Had the skewers and plenty of food for a meal. read more

Me and the Kids love this Place,My son is in love with the Brussel Sprouts.The entire Menu is good and that hard to find with Restaurants these days read more

I go to Babalu's for the guac, it's fantastic! The last 3 times I have stopped in to get an order to go, it's been brown and old. Not fresh like they make at the table. Today my tea didn't even taste like tea. Very disappointed in the East location. read more

Small bites that are fresh & tasty. Table-made guacamole that always hits the spot! And absolutely delicious cocktails with both a daily happy hour from 3-6pm and a different drink special each weekday all day long. Ordering a variety of tacos is usually my go-to, however I recently had a bite of their shrimp & grits and now I'm ordering that next time for sure! On the drinks front, I'm a big fan of sampling their seasonal sips but can always enjoy a spicy mango (or spicy pineapple) version of their Luna Rita for only $6 and be VERY happy. read more

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My hubby had never had guacamole at the table before, so Babalu was the natural and logical choice. We enjoyed guacamole, shrimp & chorizo skillet, and prime beef. And everything was AMAZING! Hubby is a fan now, so we'll definitely return together again, soon. read more

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Babalu is the real deal. I love the food, drinks, and service!!! Everything I order is amazing!!!