Five Stars for Chop Shop Taco -- Delicious Food and Dog-Friendly Patio! Chop Shop Taco is a terrific place to enjoy delicious food in a fun, casual atmosphere! I really appreciate restaurants that combine flavorful food, a welcoming environment, and a relaxed dining experience, and Chop Shop Taco delivers. One of the best features is the dog-friendly outdoor patio! You can bring your dog along and enjoy your meal together outside. The staff even provides a plastic bowl of water for your four-legged companion, which is such a thoughtful touch. As a dog owner, I especially appreciate restaurants that make dogs feel welcome rather than merely tolerated. The taco-focused menu offers a refreshing alternative to ordinary restaurant fare, with bold flavors and satisfying combinations. The casual setting makes it a great choice whether you're stopping in for a quick meal, meeting friends, or enjoying an outing with your dog. The outdoor patio adds to the appeal, providing a pleasant place to relax and enjoy your food. It's wonderful to have a restaurant where you don't have to leave your furry companion behind. If you're looking for delicious tacos, a relaxed atmosphere, and a genuinely dog-friendly dining experience, Chop Shop Taco is definitely worth a visit! Five stars! Great food, a welcoming atmosphere, and extra points for the dog-friendly patio and water bowls. I'll happily return! read more

Highlights here are definitely the drinks and tacos, the quesadilla and churros were fairly mediocre. Special shoutout to Levi who was super attentive and personable, we didn't have to wait long for anything even when the place was busy. read more

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Nice taco joint with a good happy hour. The taco's are well made and tasty where I would describe them as pseudo authentic Mexican street taco's,. The protein in the taco is well made and tender and comes on a single flour tortilla and a sauce and some veggies. It is missing the double corn tortilla, Cilantro and and sautéed onions I associate with a authentic Mexican street taco but still is very tasty just the same and definately not one of the Americanized abominations you see at so many restaurants (: . Chips and Salsa were quite good as well and they make a nice house Margarita that was reasonably priced (Thank you Happy Hour!) that is well made with a good 100% Blue Agave tequila. To be honest with you the Margarita's and Happy hour pricing is what brought us to this restaurant and we were definately not disappointed. the restaurant itself has a nice industrial vibe to it and does not have the colorful Mexican decor many of the restaurants do that I am used to in Michigan. Having said that it is still a very casual and comfortable environment that definately adds to the overall dining experience. Staff was quite friendly with good follow up and definately a strength of the business. Overall a very enjoyable dining experience with their own unique spin on what they call a street taco. Good food, Reasonable prices and good margaritas are hard to beat making this an excellent dining spot if Mexican food is your thing. read more

Cool spot - Coolest vibe in Old Town -- great margaritas, and tacos. Off the beaten path from the frenzied tourist scene by the water. But definitely worth trying out.. Ample seating inside with a few street side seating. Awesome and friendly staff serving up delicious food and drinks. Parking over all wasn't too difficult to find. The bartenders are excellent with a full bar and a great menu of specialty cocktails. The tacos are varied between chorizo, beef.. Inventive flavoring and the guacamole is awesome! They sprinkle their chips with Tajin and drizzle chipotle crema over it. Off the beaten path from the frenzied tourist scene by the water. But definitely worth trying out. read more

Chop Shop Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Yum! We loved everything we ordered! I was so hungry & the food was so good that I forgot to take pictures of everything. The yucca fries were delicious, and I highly recommend ordering the guacamole! We tried a variety of tacos on the menu, and I have no notes for any of them; they were all amazing! Their classic margarita was also one of my favorites in the area. We'll definitely be back to try more of the menu! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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It's been a while since I did a Taco Tuesday post. So when I saw this spot on my timeline, I pulled up!! A old church, garage, & possible chop shop, this spot has been made into a bar/eatery!! Let's GO! . Where I am: @chopshoptaco . Location Reviewed: 1008 Madison Street, Alexandria VA. . Items Reviewed: STAMP!! Their Miranda's Mocktail ($5 with pineapple simple syrup, agave, & bubbles). Refreshing, & fresh!! STAMP!! Their Gasolina Margarita ($9-Happy Hour price with brandy in it). Drink responsibly!! That's it. LIKE THAT!! Their Nachos ($7-happy hour price with jalapeno, Cotija cheese, tomato, onion, aioli, & chicken). Well marinated chicken, with tasty toppings!! STAMP!! Their Frito Pie ($6.50-happy hour price with pickled onions, shredded cheese, chili beans, cilantro, salsa, aioli, & chorizo). Get this!! I'm getting this again!! That's it. STAMP!! Their Chips & Guac ($13.50 with a chipotle crema, radish, scallions, & cilantro in the guac, Tajin, & a salsa for the tortilla chips). Fresh guac, & house made chips!! DELICIOUS. Their Slow Roasted Pork Taco ($4.50 with ancho-guajillo salsa, & pineapple pico de gallo). Good, it just needed some more flavor. STAMP!! Their Braised Brisket Taco ($5.50 with radish, brisket, & salsa rosa). Tender brisket, & mild salsa!! LIKE THAT! Their Chicken Fried Steak Taco ($5.50 with red cabbage, salsa verde, red chimichurri, & scallion). Spicy hot, & tasty!! STAMP!! Their Pork Belly Taco ($5.50 with glazed pork belly, red cabbage, pickled red onions, scallion, & cilantro). Crispy, fatty, sweet, & spicy...I got 2 of these!! STAMP!! Their Fried Shrimp Taco ($5.50 with red cabbage, chipotle crema, aguacate salsa, & cilantro). Crispy, meaty, tasty!! DELICIOUS. Their California Burrito ($14.50 with carne asada, fries, guac, pico de gallo, salsa, peppers, onions, scallions, cilantro, & cotija cheese). Everything was here, I just needed some kick!! STAMP!! Their Grilled Street Corn ($3 with cotija cheese, Tajin, & an aioli). Corny, & tasty!! . Customer Service: On Point . Parking: Rough. . Recommendations: That pork belly taco is IT!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more

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Shoutout to Kayla, Alli and Miranda!! The best bartenders in the biz. Must try the Gasolina and the Ranch Water! The vibe is very chill, and everyone is super nice and warm. For food you must try the Nachos and the Frito Pie. SO MUCH FLAVOR! Tell them DJ Sprinkles sent you read more

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I decided to make a pit stop here because I was really hungry coming from another event. I was recommended to come here by a friend who went before. I wanted to keep it simple with a few tacos. I decided to order the birria tacos & the pork belly tacos. Shockingly enough, the pork belly tacos were a knockout! They were so juicy & delicious, I decided to order another. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the birria tacos. They had bell pepper & corn in them, which aren't really traditional birria toppings. The taco seems to not be corn-based. Also, their consumers was really weird; seems like it was oily & thick, which turned me off. I will definitely not order those again. Overall. I would give my experience a solid 4 out of 5, mainly because there was nowhere to really sit & dine & the birria tacos were horrible. The ambiance was pretty typical of a taco spot, but I appreciated them having some patio seating. Other than that, the service was fine. I liked that the restaurant is located in the neighborhood instead of bunched up with other restaurants in Old Towne Alexandria. read more

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I'm not sure how long Chop Shop Taco shop has been here but I'm sure I've passed it 100 times and just didn't know it was there until recently. I frequent the Charles Houston Center a ton, so I decided to walk over a try some tacos. It was a great day weather wise so what caught me was the small cozy outside area and the open bar area people were sitting at. It's much bigger inside than you would imagine and has a real laid-back style inside. I opted to try the Pork Belly taco and the Fried shrimp taco, both were decent. Out of the two I'd certainly get the pork belly again. The one thing that I liked is that they fill the whole taco with a slice of pork belly. Most places cut up the pork belly and they can usually lead to dry or tough pieces after reheating for an order, so kudos to them for the preparation. The fried shrimp taco wasn't bad, but it was just basic all around, and I felt that the shrimp batter wasn't seasoned enough. I'm sure they are careful, so it won't clash with the other ingredients, but I wish they did. The service was normal, I was greeted warmly when I walked in, I decided to sit at the bar and the bartender was cordial. My bar isn't high for exceptional social service sitting at the bar during happy hour lol, but she was on top of my order and what I needed. Overall, it was a cool experience, and I will certainly go back again to try other menu items to see it can move to a 5! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Pork Belly & Fried Shrimp Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Incredibly delicious and authentic Mexican food served in a "defunct 1970's chop shop". Service was a 10++ Split a generously sized burrito with a friend and had fried shrimp tacos + a mocktail, which was a delicous hibiscus margarita. Delish! The food was perfect to me!! Wish I would've taken pictures of my dinner, but I was too busy eating and enjoying my mocktail. Ambiance was cool, hip and festive! Will definitely be going back soon! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Friend had the gasolina margarita! He liked it a lot. Got 2! - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Excellent tacos and very good margaritas. Pleasant ambiance. First time I ever had a fried cauliflower taco - it was delicious! Highly recommend. Great place to hang out. read more

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The citrus ginger chicken tacos were a 10/10. The service was quick and it's a quirky but cute spot. read more

Chop Shop Taco - Chicken Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I just dropped 100 bucks on take out food and the orders are wrong and food is missing - having to drive back to the restaurant on a rainy night sucks, but what's worse is the lack of any management on the premises. I had to wait for new food to be made while the food at home got cold. This calls for a credit or wave of part of the bill, but nothing. This is the second or third time my order was wrong. They have lost my business. read more

Chop Shop Taco is a cool little hidden gem right around Old Town Alexandria. Real laid-back spot. The vibe was welcoming and the staff was nice. I came in with my fiancé and our one-year-old son, and while we couldn't find a table at first--since there's mostly bar seating and a few stand-up tables--two gentlemen ended up getting up and letting us have their spot, which was cool. We started off with the queso, and I'm just gonna say it... that portion size should be illegal. I'm used to queso coming in a nice big bowl, but this was giving dipping sauce energy. Teeny portion. That being said, it tasted amazing. Super creamy, well seasoned, bold flavor. On taste alone, I'd give it a 9 out of 10. If they actually filled the bowl, it would've been perfect. My son had the rice and beans, and for a one-year-old, he cleared the plate. The rice was fluffy and full of flavor, and the beans were seasoned just right. No complaints from him, so I'll say he gave that a 10. Now the tacos... I had the chicken-fried steak taco first, and let me tell you, it was packed with flavor. Crispy, juicy, spicy, with the salsa verde and chimichurri giving it that extra kick. The tortilla itself? Pretty basic. I'd give the tortilla a 5 out of 10, but the chicken-fried steak filling? Easy 9. Flavorful, crispy edges, tender inside, real satisfying bite. Then came the brisket taco, and honestly, that was probably the best brisket taco I've had. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, bold smoky flavor, salsa rosa on top taking it to another level. That taco alone might have me coming back. Only downside? The portions. The flavors were there, no doubt, but by the time we finished eating, we still had to hit another spot for more food. Overall, I'd give Chop Shop Taco an 8 out of 10. The flavor is there, the service is cool, but if they upped the portion size, this place would be a solid 9. read more

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One of my favorite local places to get a quick dinner or drink in north Alexandria. I had the California burrito for the first time and it will not be the last. They have a happy hour for apps and some drinks from 3-7 but my favorite drink in the vacationer (I think that's what its called) which is mezcal and passion fruit. It's my absolute favorite. The servers are attentive as well and vibe has sort of a dive bar but also clean and cozy read more

Food is really good "street tacos". Cost is very reasonable (low). Ambiance and atmosphere are fun. Metal trays and durable/commercial tables walls and floors. For a simple and fun "taco joint" this place rocks! read more

Food was great! Service for carry out was excellent. I had grilled shrimp tacos and guacamole and chips. It was carry out so I cannot review eating in the restaurant. But as far as takeout goes, it was delicious and a good value. read more

Tried this local spot on a week night and got 3 tacos to go: the chicken, the pork belly and the chorizo! They were some of the best tacos I've ever had if not THE best tacos. The portions, flavors and presentation were phenomenal! I also got the guacamole and chips and they were so fresh and full of color and flavor! The guac was truly very flavorful and has had me thinking about it ever since. I can't wait to start making this my new local spot whenever I'm in town! I will admit I was a bad customer who showed up right before they were closing but they served me up fresh food and made it to go for me in no time! The service was immaculate and can't wait to try them again while dining in! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Chicken Taco, Pork Taco, Chorizo Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The food was surprisingly bland. For example, the chicken in the taco supposedly had citrus on it, but it was undetectable. I had chicken, brisket, mushroom and cactus tacos, rice and a few nachos. The rice portion was small and each taco was wrapped with one corn tortilla. The nachos mainly tasted of cheese. I could not detect the jalapeños when I had some. The service was attentive. The noise level was 70-80 dB, tolerable by my standards and at the upper limit of NIOSH's. read more

The tacos here are okay. They are more infused tacos. The pork belly taco was pretty fatty and not enough flavor. The fried chicken steak taco was really spicy and kind of took over. The pineapple with Tajin was delicious. The street corn was okay. The ambiance is pretty cool industrial touch. Their drinks are good and would only go back for the drinks. read more

This was one of the most fun dining experiences I've had in a long time. It was a great environment for the whole family. The food was solid, and the gasolina margarita was quite the experience. We're looking forward to making this a regular dining spot. read more

Chop Shop Taco in Old Town Alexandria is such a vibe. The staff is super friendly, the food hits the spot (don't skip the tacos or queso), and the laid-back atmosphere makes it a great hangout. Definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

Great place. Interior gives motorcycle vibes. You sit yourself and a waiter brings you water and menus. She was polite and there were not issues today or any of the other times I've been here. The food is a bit on the pricey side but it is good. Wouldn't say they are amazing, but decent and okay for the price. The guac was delish and had a smokey kick to it. We love the thin crispy chips here. The spicy margarita was so good!!!! It is perfectly spiced. It isn't too spicy but leaves a subtle kick in the back of your throat. One of my favorite places to get spicy margs. 5 Stars because they never disappoint. read more

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The fried shrimp taco was awesome. The staff was amazing greeting you as soon as you walked in. read more

Chop Shop Taco - Fried Shrimp Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Absolutely fabulous. Wonderful food. Fantastic staff could not recommend more.. yes yes yes

I've driven down this area so many times and I never noticed it! I'm so thankful my friend invited me this afternoon. This is such a lovely and fun location that's in between Potomac Yard and Old town north. The vibes were amazing and this place was steady with customer flow on a Monday afternoon! I love that they have a variety of of alcoholic and non alcoholic options along with a wide variety of food. My friend ordered birria tacos, pork tacos, chicken tacos, and churros. We had such a fun time with margaritas and I will say they have some of the best traditional tequilas and I'm not talking about the mainstream tequila but like tequila that someone from Texas or Mexico would only recognize. 10/10! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The food is...variable, but the experience is ALWAYS good. Also, I did not know yuca fries could be so delicious. Excellent service. read more

Chop Shop Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Great lunch on a Saturday afternoon! My spicy margarita was perfect. Salsa is super tasty, and the guacamole is top notch! I got the cauliflower taco and chicken taco. Both delish! Daughter loves her brisket and pork tacos. Our server, Holly, was excellent -- the perfect combo of attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. Great vibe with good music, too. Highly recommend! read more

The tacos were very good, let' start there! Everything else was a bit less spectacular. Tried this taco spot on a Saturday evening. The inside dining portion is not huge, but I already knew that before coming and that wasn't a big deal. There are also a few seats for outdoor dining, in front of the shop. When we arrived we found seats for our party and a waitress cleaned off another table for us to have more space. After that we waited and waited and waited for someone to take our order or tell us that it would be a "few" minutes. Apparently, there was only 1 waitress working (I hope that's not their norm). There was another lady working (maybe not a waitress??) but she never said anything to us. Despite this, our waitress (I forget her name) provided good service. My pork belly taco was very good! I would definitely order that again. I also ordered the house-made guacamole. It came topped with an orange sauce, which I didn't expect, but it was ok. For $7.50, the size of the guac is barely more than what you get at Chipotle but it was fresh and tasted good. I would skip the Hibiscus Refresher next time (It's the size of a few gulps and I think I expected it to taste a bit more like sorrel). I heard the rice bowl was good and didn't hear any complaints about the other foods. If I'm in this area again and looking for tacos, I might try take out and I would definitely get the pork belly taco again. read more

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My review of Chop Shop Tacos food will be regrettably underinformed, as I arrived home to discover that for two of my three take-out tacos, there were no fillings besides dry purple cabbage that looked like it had been shredded long ago. So I can't tell you how good the fish tacos or chicken fried steak tacos are. The chorizo one was solid if cold by the time I called in my complaint. They were at least quick to reverse the charge after I'd gotten home and noticed they'd stiffed me. I take a very low view of people who don't check to see the customer has even received *food* in their order, much less the right food. They say they'll comp me next time, but I frankly prefer Don Taco on King Street. read more

Chop Shop Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Such a cute little spot!! This a great casual spot to pop in for a quick drink and some tacos. Forgot to take a picture of the street corn but it was 10/10. The tacos were a bit bland but the service was incredible and all the staff were really friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Tacos: Sweet heat, smoked cactus, fried fish, cauliflower - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great neighborhood spot! Went during Happy Hour on Thursday. Warm, welcoming staff, awesome Gasolina Margarita, tasty chips (with good seasoning), queso, great Guacamole and tacos. Crowd and vibe was very community orientated... great mix of people. Will definitely be back! read more

Interesting spot that purportedly was a chop shop back in the day. Has a great feel that reminds you of the location's history. I don't usually expect hip-hop in a taco joint, but it was okay. The service was great. I was attended to right away by the cheery staff who was quick to answer my questions about the menu, too. I had an order of chips and guac that were okay, but nothing to write home about. The brisket taco and the crispy pork belly taco were both outstanding, however! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Shredded brisket and crispy pork belly tacos. Side of guac and chips - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Everyone is so friendly here! The food and drinks are amazing! Can't say enough great things about Mary! read more

The California burrito is tasty asf and my girlfriend loved the chicken burrito! The only thing I feel I don't enough of every time I go is the habanero sauce. Make sure to stock up on that sauce it's so good Service is quick and awesome! read more

A friend suggested we meet in Alexandria for lunch when I was visiting and when I said tacos sounded good she didn't hesitate before recommending Chop Shop. The service team is lovely - kindly redirecting me to a seat when I seemed confused, answering every question with a smile, and making us feel very welcome in the unique space. The variety of choices for tacos was good, with many options but not overwhelming. And each was very tasty. I was wary off soemthing too spicy before a long day of travel ahead and their recommendations were spot on. I'm just bummed I didn't have more time to look around the very cool interior. At first I didn't realize there was inside seating since the entry is a walk up/takeout counter, but they've got a great set up with what seems like a lot of room for groups. read more

First time coming here and loved it! My boyfriend and I sat at the bar at lunch on a Friday. All of the staff were very nice and attentive. We were given water and chips and salsa and then ordered our tacos. They were excellent! My picture doesn't do it justice. The interior and history of the place is pretty cool too. I can definitely see myself getting food from here again. Another good taco option in the neighborhood! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Pork Taco on left and Roasted Mushroom Taco on right - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

My sister and I popped in here for some nachos. She stated they were some of the best nachos, and me being a nacho junky I had to try them. They were very hearty and they did not skimp on the chorizo or Guacamole that we added. I didn't find them to be spectacular or extra tasty as she did, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion right? I could not finish my whole plate, they were extremely heavy and I felt like I might be clogging my arteries in real time as I ate them lol. They had a unique and practical service method. We logged in from the table and ordered food ourselves and different people brought it to us. They brought water to the table right away which I really appreciate and we never ran out. Everyone was super friendly and it was overall a great experience! read more

Chop Shop Taco - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Came here on a day off and felt like we were back in California. The guac was more smashed avocado with seasoning on top (add your own hot sauce for spice) than I'm used to, but it was a nice change and the ambiance is very west coast. Food was good, the meats were very tender and delicious. Seemed a tad proxy for what we got but was a nice day date. We found street parking almost right in front but I imagine during the weekend this place can get incredibly busy. read more

Chop Shop Taco - Chips and guac (smashed avocado with hot sauce and seasoning) - Bars Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The ambience of the place while there was 6 great! I enjoyed the music; it was authentic! The manager wasn't that nice, but the staff was. I would come BAH for a quick drink during HH! read more

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