One of my favorite spots. The staff is so nice and friendly. They always have fun new taco flavors…read moreto try and the food is always great!

I believe my first Velvet Taco experience was in Houston, on Westheimer in Montrose, and since then…read moreI've visited a few locations--usually when friends insisted. It was never my idea, but I went along with the group knowing I could find something to eat, even if I had to politely deconstruct the taco and rebuild it into something recognizable. Velvet Taco calls their concept "tacos with international flavor." I get the creativity, I really do. But I'm a bit old school. Give me a simple street taco--ground beef, chicken adobo, al pastor, or carnitas--and I'm a happy person. Sometimes less really is more. Some of the flavor combinations here can feel a little... ambitious. Fish and chips in a taco. Korean-style sauces. Unexpected mashups that make you pause and ask, "Wait, what cuisine am I eating right now?" Every culture has its own version of handheld comfort food--paratha in India, bao in China, sopes in Mexico--and I sometimes wish those dishes could just be celebrated as themselves instead of being folded into a tortilla and called a taco. That said, I've tried several options over the years--the chimichurri steak, a Korean-style taco with grilled pineapple, shrimp, and a pulled pork variation. The ingredients are fresh, the presentation is fun, and the kitchen clearly puts effort into the flavors. It's just not the style of taco I naturally crave. They also rotate specialty or "FOMO" flavors that are only available for a limited time. I know that works for some people, but personally, it's not enough to get me off the couch and running through the door. I like consistency. I like knowing what I'm getting. I'm not chasing tacos like concert tickets. One thing I will absolutely give them credit for--they do have a full bar. And let me tell you, a margarita or an ice-cold beer can definitely help that taco go down a little easier. Sometimes the drink is the real MVP. Another factor is price. These tacos can add up quickly compared to a traditional taqueria, where you can eat well, eat authentically, and still have change left in your pocket. Look, Velvet Taco has a loyal following, and clearly a lot of people love the concept. It's creative, energetic, and different. It's just not my personal lane--and that's okay. Don't take my word for it. Get out there, try it for yourself, and form your own opinion. Life is too short not to eat well... so go ahead and put a taco in your face.

After a day of thrifting with some friends we worked up an appetite and stopped by Taco Boy. This…read morewas a Saturday around 2pm maybe. It was pretty quiet in there, which we were happy about considering the timing and location. We were greeted and seated pretty quickly. I ordered the taco plate that comes with 2 tacos rice and beans. I tried the fried avo taco and the beef taco.. Both were really good but that fried avo taco is a winner for sure! The beans and rice were good too, I enjoyed everything. I also tried a strawberry margarita and that was also delish! Taco Boy is cute and quick. I've been a few times now and it hasn't disappointed me!! Will be back soon.

Texadilla (4/5): I liked the different meats which provided a variety of different flavors. The…read moresalsa verde was very subtle and not my favorite. I loved how the tortilla was perfectly seared. RATING SYSTEM 5 - Great (Need to get this again) 4 - Good (Would get this again) 3 - Ok (Might give this another shot) 2 - Not Good (Won't get this again) 1 - Bad (Telling people to avoid this)

IT WAS WONDERFUL! EVERYTHING WAS WONDERFUL!…read moreI'd give it 100% on EVERYTHING! From the time we entered, ordered, sat at a table, was served our meal, ate, lingered with some conversation and laughter, as we were given take-out containers, even as we got up ready to leave and headed to the door...the CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS REMARKABLE!! Everyone was Amazing! The food was AWESOME! The ambiance was relaxing, friendly and the lighting makes bright! COMBINE ALL THAT and you've got the 'PERFECT FOOD STORM' with EMPLOYEES THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU! THANK YOU! MyName [Sharon] Be Safe and Keep Smiling

Taco Mama - Charlotte, North Carolina…read more While on a recent business trip to Charlotte, I decided to take a 25-mile drive to try Taco Mama. As the founder of Taco Masala, a taco concept with nine locations on the East Coast, I'm always curious to see how others in the space are executing their menu and customer experience. I ordered the Sizzler Tacos ($16.95), which included two tacos, a side of nachos, and another side. The food arrived impressively fast. Presentation was clean and appealing -- the tacos were well laid out, and the sides were portioned nicely. Overall, visually it was a solid plate. From a flavor standpoint, I'd like to offer a bit of constructive feedback. When something is labeled a "sizzler," there's an expectation of bold flavor -- perhaps sautéed or grilled onions, charred peppers, or some caramelization on the meat that delivers that signature sizzle experience. In this case, the steak was simply placed into the taco without that extra layer of zest or depth. I'm not complaining -- just offering positive, industry-peer feedback. A touch of sautéed onions, grilled tomatoes, or even lightly seasoned caramelized elements could elevate the dish and give customers that memorable flavor that keeps them coming back specifically for the "sizzler" experience. Wishing the team continued success. Sometimes a small tweak in flavor layering can make a good taco a truly standout one. The girls at front were exceptional and very service oriented.

A lot of delicious food and great sizes, good bang for your buck and all quite quickly. Seemed like…read moremany of these traditional Venezuelan options and had both weekday and weekend specials. Service was patient with our questions and we ended up taking a lot of food home with us. Drinks were also huge, so if you're not a big drinker, be sure to size down!

Tequeños are excellent quality Pepitos are amazing…read moreWill definitely go again Take some pabellón empanadas to go for your breakfast next day!

Very good Mexican restaurant on South Blvd. It is family owned and they are always happy to see me…read morewhen I go. They bring you fresh house made salsas and tortilla chips when you first sit down. They handle all of the basic Mexican dishes very well. They also have authentic tacos and specials as well. They have beer and a full bar to boot and even put Margaritas on special some days. I have always received fast and efficient service here. The ambiance is decent and about what you would expect from a small family owned Mexican restaurant.

shrimp tacos were calm asl service was good, lady was so…read moresweet and helpful ambiance: place had a chill vibe fr also they gave three whole salsas w their chips

It's amazing to me how consistent Sabor is across all of their locations! While their location from…read moreSouth End is far from the first, and they now have 16 locations, the nachos still hit no matter what restaurant I visit. This happens to be the closest to my office currently so it has of course become a staple in my lunch rotation. The service is always great, the food is always fresh. I have pretty much covered everything that is great about Sabor in my review of their NoDa location which has a special place in my heart because it is the first one I tried. But what's great about this local chain is that they consistently deliver no matter which restaurant you visit. I wouldn't be surprised if Sabor eventually takes off and becomes a larger brand around the country. They have expanded beyond the Charlotte metro to open locations around North Carolina, so who knows what is next?!

Taco Tuesday For the Win!!!!…read more It is soooo expensive to eat in South End when I am in the office. Luckily, I come in on Tuesday's and Sabor has cheap taco day! Service is super fast and the restaurant is always clean and well stocked. This is my Tuesday under $10 staple!

mediocre garbage, the food was cold and flavorless dont even bother with this spot unless you like…read moremid

Doesn't look like too much when you drive past this place, but if you give it a chance, you won't…read morebe disappointed. It has a big parking lot with plenty of parking spots to choose from. The place inside is quite big with an open floor plan and plenty of seating to choose from with a spacious bar. They offer a variety of Mexican dishes, cevhiche, menudo etc. I came and decided to get their menudo and 2 steak tacos. Thr food came out and was extremely hot! It's not a bad thing as that tells me that the food was freshly made and wasn't just sitting there. There is nothing worse than a cold tortilla for tacos. These tacos were hot and tasted delicious! The steak was perfectly marinated and exactly what I wanted. The menudo was extremely hot and burned my tongue a bit, but I definitely did not mind as it tasted amazing! They also bring out fresh tortillas for you to eat with it. You also get free chips and salsa. My server was extremely polite and gave great recommendations. I definitely recommend this location if you are craving some mexican. You won't be disappointed.

Came here on a Saturday night for dinner, and we were served by Savannah, who was a delight. She…read morewas funny, gave good recs and provided prompt service. They weren't very busy, only 4 other tables, so the timing of the food was perfect. The ambiance is clean and modern. Very aesthetically pleasing. We ordered the passionfruit margaritas and guacamole to start. The margaritas were delicious and became my go-to drink for the night. The guacamole was also delicious. Super flavorful and so generous in portion that we needed more chips to finish it. For entrees, we got the flautas de tinga, taco de trompa, taco de lengua and taco de carnitas. Everything was served hot and fresh and was truly flavorful. The meats were juicy and well-seasoned. Even the rice and beans that accompanied the dishes were delicious. Overall, a fabulous experience with no notes. I will certainly be back.

I'm trying to love this place but these prices and portion sizes aren't doing it for me. Stopped…read moreback again on a Tuesday for a friendsfriend's birthday. The mas marg was $14. It's just not worth it to me. Is a good yes but not worth it and no Tuesday night during specials. I got the three tacos for $10 and they were not good. The tortillas were dry and hard. The meat was dry. Some other friends needed some sauce for theirs. Since there was eight of us, we ordered an extra round of chips and salsa (which I love the homemade chips and all the sauces), and we were charged for it, plus extra sauce for the tacos and we were charged for it. I think everyone that got the tacos were dissatisfied with them. Apparently there's house margaritas, but it's not on the menu, but they are on special on Wednesdays...? I want to love this place and they have a great patio but when you're automatically highlighting the 22% box on the checkout screen with one server for the night and these prices, it's not gonna happen. So probably won't be back.