Interesting food and large portions. Some food is spicy or hits you later. Peruvian steak very good but made me sick later. My son had similar issues with noodle dish. My wife had the specialty. Pot was hot for a long time. She likes the spice. Guac and appertizer platter very good. Yelp has 10 percent discount. Worth going to. Appreciate free dessert flan for my wife's birthday. read more

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Best pad Thai in town! Drunken burrito was huge and delicious as well. Service was very good as well! Can't wait to try more menu items! read more

Lalo - Drunken Brisket - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I went to Lalo for a lunch meeting today around noon. The establishment wasn't super busy but was filled with a medium sized lunch crowd and the staff was super attentive. I was overwhelmed by all of the delicious choices on the menu and had no idea what to order! We started out with chips and salsa. The chips were deliciously fresh and the salsa was different but extremely tasty. The appetizer came with regular salsa and spicy salsa - I only tried the regular. Eventually I decided on the chicken Pad Thai and I was so happy that I did! It tasted almost exactly like it was from one of the Thai restaurants at home that I used to always get takeout from. The cilantro and lime wedge were a perfect touch to season the dish and for only $10 the portion was extremely generous and I wound up taking home half as leftovers. I will definitely be back to try Lalo tacos and burritos. (P.S. Check-in on Yelp and receive 10% off) read more

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Where to start.... the concept sounded so intriguing I knew I had to try this place. Latino food with Asian infusion, how can you go wrong? Indeed they do not disappoint we started with the "perfect magarita" and appetizer platter. Their chips are the best tortilla chips I have tried in the city, and I've tried A Lot of tortilla chips. My sister had a burrito which could have easily fed three people and I had the bibimbap which was yummy and also could have fed at least 2-4 people. The staff there are very friendly and our waitress did an excellent job with her recommendations. This is a great place to check out in the downtown area! read more

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Unfortunately, my husband and I were let down by our first experience at Lalo. Maybe my expectations were too high because of the great reviews, but I was really looking forward to it. Neither of us liked the food. First, they've done a decent job decorating a clearly very old space. The parking lot is directly across the street, which was convenient for the rainstorm we showed up in. We had made reservations online, and we were seated immediately. Yay! We started with the queso fundido. There's a layer of melted cheese on top, and a very thick dip underneath. It was the texture of warm cream cheese. And this may have just been my mind playing tricks on me, but the more I ate it, the more it started to taste like cream cheese too. My husband agreed. We stopped eating it. Also, the chips were VERY greasy, but otherwise fine. Our entrees came out about a minute after our queso, which was a bit disappointing. I ordered two different tacos, the al pastor and cochinita pibil. I order al pastor at every Mexican restaurant I go to that serves it. It's my favorite. Lalo's was fine, but nothing great. The cochinita pibil was bland and the meat was very fatty. It didn't help that my tacos were cold. My husband ordered the drunken brisket burrito. It was quite large, which is great. But overall he didn't like it. He said that the meat was extremely fatty, and the sauce on top tasted like roast beef gravy. He was a bit sick to his stomach afterwards. Because we were disappointed with the first two courses, we didn't want to take a chance on dessert. We went elsewhere instead. The service was pretty good. You could tell our server was feeling very flustered and rushing around, but he was kind and attentive. Unfortunately because of the food, we won't be back. read more

The place is really aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. Mexican Asian Fusion is one of my favorite cuisines and this place certainly did not disappoint in food quality. The Porkbelly Tacos with the squeezed lime perfectly balanced the flavor and melted in my mouth. The Chipotle udon was great and the combination of sauces was amazing. The only downside was that only one person was working in the restaurant but otherwise the vibe was popping read more

Lalo - Drunken Brisket, Fish Tempura, Pork Belly Tacos,Barbocoa Banh Mi and the Chipotle Udon - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I kept seeing Lalo pop up on delivery apps, and this place always intrigued me so I finally decided to order from them. I'm so sad I didn't try this place earlier! The drunken brisket burrito is sooo good! Brisket was so tender and flavorful. I don't even like black beans and I ate them! All the sauces made this burrito even better: the drunken sauce, queso fresco and crema made this burrito a 10/10. The empanadas were also delicious, the curry sauce was a great complement to them. read more

Lalo - Chicken and potato empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Update: I ordered another dish on their menu, the curry chicken burrito. It was pretty mild and a little bland. Once I spiced it up with my hot sauce it tasted better. I probably won't order this dish again, but I'll keep trying more things on Lalo's menu! read more

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This was a huge disappointment. Met my friend here for dinner before a show and ended up just really stressed. I got there early and was seated right away, the waitress brought over water and and asked if I wanted anything else yet, I didn't know... and then didn't see her again for a long time. Sure, I was waiting on someone to join me, but she didn't even follow up to see if I wanted an appetizer put in or a drink order. When my friend showed up, it was ten or fifteen minutes before anyone else stopped to ask if we wanted anything, so we finally put in for drinks and appetizers (the chicken and curry empanadas are fantastic, by the way). Eventually we placed our food order and were then ignored again for a really, really long time. To the point where when the tacos finally showed up we had to ask for a box and the check immediately so we could pack up and get to our show. Though we finished eating before the check got run, so I guess that was ... good? The fish tempura taco was awesome, but I found the pork and pineapple bland, and the chicken curry had almost no curry on it. The shells were soggy and falling apart, and though both my friend and I ordered three, she only got two of what she ordered. We were charged for the missing brisket taco, but didn't have time to dispute it because we were already running so late. The entire experience was a let down and very stressful. I think a lot of it had to do with understaffing- the waitress we had was also greeting people at the door and I saw her mixing drinks as well, but that's still a huge problem. Combined with food that was hit or miss, well. Not impressed. read more

Love this place music Food drinks mirrors friendly staff selection awesome like the location transit accessible the food is fresh and tastes delicious highly recommend folks get here soon read more

Lalo - Love this place music it's not too big and the mirrors are very nice friendly staff and nice drink selection too - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This place is off the beat track, but it is worth it. The food is really good, but not what you expect. I would never consider Mexican and Asian flavors to go together, but they do. Give it a try. read more

Lalo - Miso ramen and tacos - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I really enjoyed the food and drinks here. Space is kind of crowded and small, you should probably setup reservations or be prepared to sit at the bar. Either way, you'll enjoy yourself read more

Lalo - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Chips and sampler of hot/mild salsa, guacamole, queso is very good - highlight being the excellent chips. Ceviche was good but definitely strong on the citrus side as it is served in a lot of juice. Mofongo good but could have used several more shrimp to make it better than just good. Curry Chicken Burrito was not good at all. Very little sauce, extremely dry, almost all rice with very little chicken or veggies. Might have been the worst burrito I have had - at least bottom 3. read more

Stopped here on a road-trip through Ohio. Taco Tuesday was delicious. The Chicken Curry was awesome! Even with a huge party in the back room, the food was delivered quickly. Would come back! read more

The food was cold, the tortilla chips, while they tasted like they were homemade, were extremely oily, and there was an employee sleeping a few booths away from us. He had a beer next to him and was snoring loudly so it was very awkward. read more

Lalo - Chips are homemade and the salsa is super spicy!! I enjoyed the spicy salsa though. - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Huge portions, elegantly crafted menu...I know it sounds basic, but chips and salsa is amazing. Great and friendly service. Anything birria is great, but hands down must try is the mexi pad Thai!!! read more

I was here a couple weeks ago for dinner before a show. The service was... weird. Not bad, just weird. I think the guy who had the surrounding tables was actually my server, but the hostess was the one who took my order and brought my food, so I hope she was the one who got my tip. All the guy did was bring my the bill. I ordered a cocktail with my meal, and it came out at the same time as my meal, not before, which I also thought was strange. The cocktail, however, was delicious. I wish I could remember what it was called. It tasted like spring. I ordered three tacos: the grilled chicken curry, the mixed vegetables, and the fish tempura. The curry had a nice heat to it and good flavor. The fish tempura was probably the best fish taco I've ever eaten in my life. The fried fish against the slaw was amazing. I would go back for that fish taco. I love that fish taco. The mixed vegetable taco, however, was not good. The vegetables were barely cooked and had no seasoning. It was basically warm, raw veg in a corn tortilla and didn't taste of anything, not even vegetables. I don't think they had even been salted. The other two tacos were interesting and special and this one was an afterthought. I'm obviously not vegetarian, but there are vegetarians who will go to this taco as an option, and it's unacceptable. read more

Lalo - Mixed vegetables taco, fish tempura taco, grilled chicken curry taco. Two were delicious. One was underwhelming. - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Lola is a decent one for average taste. The taste and environment will not wow you. But, it is a decent setup. Personally, I think they couldn't preserve any specific taste to their dishes due to fusion. We had bibimbap (i hope I am right on the spelling) and pad thai. The bibimbal dish presentation was good. But it was difficult to eat from a stone-bowl. It was overfluous. Overall, quality is good but not spicy. The taste was kinda blunt. I really liked their margarita. It had that smoky mescal flavor. Its not like I will crave for Lola's food. But, its a good one time experience. read more

Came here on a Friday night with reservations for a large birthday celebration. At the time, it wasn't super crowded yet, but there was another very large party there as well. The biggest disappointment was the service. Our waitress was very apologetic, and I dont think it was her fault, they seemed to be way understaffed. It wasn't easy to obtain water, or refills on drinks, and it took quite a long time to get our check at the end. Luckily we at least got our food before the huge party. We got a pitcher of margaritas which were pretty good. I had the mexi pad thai for dinner, which was ok, but the chicken was so dry I didnt finish it. For our troubles we got a couple of the flan cheesecake, which honestly, was my favorite thing here... a combination of two of my fave things, YUM! read more

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Lalo is always amazing. The food is delicious and the staff is terrific! They take great care of you while you're there. Go!!

I have only had wonderful experiences here. I know no restaurant is perfect, so I'm sure they have off nights, I just haven't been there for them! I especially love to sit at the bar for the very hospitable, friendly service-- especially on slower evenings when there's time to talk with the manager who is super helpful with recommending new menu items. My husband and I were there again last night and the bibimbap with brisket was amazing. My husband had the Mofongo Al Pastor. Also, once again, the chips and guac were my favorite of, any that I have at a restaurant. read more

I dropped by today for lunch. Not only do they have a wonderfully diverse menu (with both vegetarian and keto options) but the food was really great. The guacamole tastes so fresh and the food in incredibly flavorful. I'm a fan! read more

Having dined at Lalo 2 different times now (for date night and a family meal), I can honestly say I am impressed with their flavors every time I try a new dish. I will break down the following: entrees, appetizers, and service. Entrees: 4/5 It seems as though they condensed their menu since the first time we ate at Lalo, it is now a little more simplified with dishes that represent their Latin-Asian vision more specifically. Unfortunately, the first time I came I really enjoyed a stuffed poblano pepper which was discontinued, but it was fortunate for me since it enabled me to order a new entree the second time around. I ordered the Ramen noodle soup with carnitas, and my friends, I must admit it is one of the best Ramen dishes my husband and I have had in the Cincinnati area. Seriously, this delighted me, because I have been searching high and low for Ramen that brings back memories of Japan. The broth had depth, and they did not skimp on meat, which was also very tender and flavorful. As for the rest of my family, a few ordered burritos which were absolutely huge when they came out, but the flavors were also very tasty. My husband ordered the stone bowl, and it was the only dish that disappointed a bit. He thought it was a little dry and the stone bowl was literally too hot to even touch when he tried to scoop his leftovers into a to-go container. Perhaps Korean isn't their specialty. Appetizers: 5/5 If you go during happy hour, you can get the appetizer sampler for a relatively inexpensive price, and it includes dumplings, spring rolls, empanadas, and chips and salsa. Their chips are very fresh, crispy, and our entire family kept asking for refills because we all really enjoyed them. I am somewhat obsessed with their curry dipping sauce that makes the empanadas go from standard to holy shit pretty quickly. This is a good indicator that their curry dishes would be delicious as well. Service: 4/5 I am all for giving servers a break, even if they have a bad day because I know it really isn't realistic to please everyone and I've been in their exact same situation before. However, when we had our family outing, we were the only people in the restaurant but the server never checked in on us more than he would if there were other people dining around us. I felt as though we continuously had to flag him down and ask for drink or tortilla chip refills, etc. and that took away from the attention we wanted to give to one another as we sat and talked. Being that we were the only table he had, it would have been nice if he asked us a few more times if everything was okay or if we needed something. Overall, this restaurant is one that I would happily revisit. It appears that they are new and still are working out a few kinks, but in time I think this could be a staple of the Cincinnati dining scene. read more

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This Latin Asian fusion idea is great. Two of my favorites. I will start by saying out of the 6+ items delivered to our table, only the queso (which I really enjoyed) was hot. Everything else was slightly warmed; the corn (which was tasty as well), empanadas and spring rolls seemed to not be cooked to order. I would pass on the spring rolls-very basic and flavorless, and the empanadas had good flavor once you bypassed all the dough. The brisket used for the burrito and brisket bowl were cooked well but seemed to be drowning in teriyaki and again, barely warm. If you're into condiments, they were just okay. Other than the fact that the waiter didn't remember my crema until the meal was over, I thought the customer service was okay. I would definitely try some other menu items and request the food be delivered hot. read more

This is a really cool spot for lunch or dinner! The menu and fusian style is so unique. I got the mexi bibimbap (vegan version) which was amazing. The salsa served on the side was too spicy for me but I liked everything in the bowl. It's a good mix of Asian and Mexican inspired toppings including kimchi, corn, caramelized onions, pico do gallo and so much more. I like how the rice gets extra crispy on the bottom as it continues cooking in the stone. We also started with chips and salsa which was a yummy affordable appetizer. It tasted like everything was made in house. The Lalo margarita is also great! Our server was super helpful, friendly and laid back. There are so many other things on the menu that I want to try - Pad Thai, tacos, ramen. Yum! read more

Lalo - Mexi Bibimbap* (vegan with tofu), chip and mild salsa in the background - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

YUM. I'd wanted to try this place out for a while, but I don't often venture downtown in search of food. Fusion places aren't super common in Cincinnati and Asian/Mexican is definitely my favorite type of fusion. I chose this place for my birthday dinner last night, and it's always awesome when I can deliver the expectations of a Yelper haha. Everyone enjoyed their food and were surprised at the quality and quantity for the price they paid in Downtown. I made a reservation for 10 through Yelp. It was super easy and very similar to other reservation apps. When I arrived, there were tables pushed together and a few of my friends already sitting there. I ordered the kimchi pork dumplings, the Mexi bibimbop, and a margarita with jalapeño. I was concerned about the spice level so the waiter made sure to tone the heat down a tad. It ended up being great. Not too sweet with a slight kick. My boyfriend had 3 tacos: fish tempura, pork belly, and curry chicken. I also got to sample some of my friends dishes, including the arroz chaufa, the ceviche, and the lomo saltado. I really enjoyed seeing the variety of dishes that my friends ordered. The portions were gigantic. There's no way you could walk out of there anything but full. I snapped a pic of my bibimbop, which I was convinced to order cause I saw a few passing by our tables. I really enjoyed the Latin twists on it, and that it was served on a giant hot hot molcajete. This might be one of my fav bibimbops in town to be honest. I only got through a fraction of it before I was completely full, so I had a meal and a half worth of food left. One con was that it took forever for the waiter to take our food order, close to half an hour after everyone had sat. I made a reservation for 10, so our tables had 10 place settings on 3 four-tops. Maybe the waiter thought we were still waiting on people, hopefully just a misunderstanding. However they took off 10% for everyone and graciously split the checks the way that we wanted (which is saying something for such a large party). I'll definitely be back! read more

Lalo - Mexi Bibimbap - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Everything I have here is tasty. I would definitely come back here. This is nice to have on Court st read more

Good tacos and quick service. You get a 10% discount if you give them your business card. Wouldn't make a special trip but if you're in the area, it's a nice option. read more

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I remember coming here with a big group and they had made prior reservatIons. I thought the concept of Asian and Latin fusion was very intriguing and I was really looking forward to how these flavors worked with each other. For my drink I had the Sangria which was huge and delicious (could've used more fruit) For the appetizer I had a chicken empanada filled with chicken and Asian peanut sauce. I though the sauce was delicious and complimented the dish really well. I had never heard about Bibimbap but since the idea of mixing up various things together sounded like the perfect comfort meal, so I went with that. My server was quite sweet and she substituted half of the barbacoa protein for me with shrimp. The dish came in a big mortar and pestle kind of vessel and it was exactly how I expected it to be. Pretty good!! Overall, cool concept and I can see myself coming in again to try more from the menu. read more

Today we my second time here, but it was the first for my friend. We both had the small Chili Verde, which was actually a HUGE portion. I commented on the size and the server said the large is twice the size. The small was almost a meal unto itself. I ordered two tacos-brisket and chicken curry. I prefer the chicken curry and ate it my last visit-it's delicious! My friend ordered triple fish tacos and really enjoyed them. He was impressed with the food and service. Lalo doesn't disappoint! read more

Lalo - So good, I forgot to take a pic before I started eating! - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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The portions were huge! We got 2 dumpling starters, an order of tacos, and a burrito.... wayyy to much food, but we didn't even mind, everything was delicious! Each of the dumplings could have served as a quick lunch on their own. They seemed super busy and I would advise making a reservation. read more

Lalo - Menu - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Ugh, i was really looking forward to eating here. I came late one monday night and was hungry. I ordered the veggie spring rolls and 3 tacos which were varying degrees of awful. Veggie eggrolls. First issue: they were still frozen in the middle! Clearly these came from a freezer bag. Second issue: quality, as in zero quality. I dont mind much if a restaurant doesnt make every thing in house but these was crap quality. I could barely make out a veggie inside the spring roll! It was all fried wrapper on the outside and frozen mush mess in the inside. Mushroom tacos. Practically unedible. Did anyone taste this batch?!? Tofu taco. I dont know what substance i ate, but honestly i would have to send this taco to a food crime CSI unit to figure out what was truly in this taco. It has no flavor! I ate it and sent a text to my fiance in case in case i could not be revived from passing out from the mystery substance. The bartender was nice and got my order a little off (i ordered 2 tofu and 1 mushroom but he gave me 1 tofu and 2 mushroom tacos) but no biggie since all the tacos were awful. :( read more

298. Came here with a few of my colleagues. +1 for easy reservations as our original dinner plans fell through and I was able to secure a group reservation here without any difficulties. We got some guac and chips for the group, which were pretty good. I ordered the egg fried noodles with chicken. Unfortunately, this is when it started going downhill. We had a ridiculously long wait for our food, even though the restaurant was literally occupied with only three parties. My entree ended up coming out with only veggies and noodles, no chicken. When it came time for dessert, we ordered some churros, but they didn't have any. So we decided on the coconut rice pudding. Didn't have any pudding either. Three items on the dessert menu, two of them unavailable. Then they came back and said that there was a mix up and they actually had some pudding. Get it together. Getting the bill took forever once again. It felt like we were forgotten, even though the place was practically empty. We were hosting people from out of town, so the whole experience was really embarrassing. Wish I had more good things to say. read more

I was in town to visit friends. The weather was turning awful with rain, wind and no sun for 5 days. I live in the southwest and hadn't been warm in days. A friend suggested we try Lalo's. She had eaten there before and knowing how picky I am about Mexican/South American food, she wanted me to try out Lalo's. We walked in to a very clean, quiet, modern restaurant that is in downtown Cincinnati. There were menus at the door so I scanned one of them and was immediately intrigued. The attendant took us to a booth and asked for drink orders. I ordered a domestic beer and friend ordered a Margarita. The beer wasn't as cold as I prefer but cold enough. Friend ordered the noodle soup with bisteca. I ordered the Mexi-bibimbap with bisteca. I like trying fusion food and this was a hit. The dish was served in a piping hot stone bowl. I could hear the rice sizzling which reminded me of sizzling rice soup, yet the rice was cooked Mexican style. In the bowl was the rice, bisteca, greens, Kimchi. The bisteca had a hint of adobo to it and was moist. The Kimchi was a nice contrast to the bisteca. I ate everything which I don't normally do. Friend had me try her soup and it was delicious. The noodles were slightly al dente and the broth stood up to the bisteca. This place will be on my places to eat when I return to Cincinnati. I've told other friends that if they don't get there before I return, they'll be going with me. read more

I always enjoy a meal at Lalo. Their creative "Chino-Latino" concept and menu is wonderfully executed, and the restaurant design and layout is very nice due to one of the owners having a background in interior design. I have tried lots of things and been impressed by most... the curry empanadas are very yummy... their elote is always a best seller at Asian Food Fest... tacos are on point... and the ceviche is a great size for an appetizer. Last time I got lunch here I ordered the "Arroz Chaufa" with pork carnitas which is like a Latin version of Chinese fried rice. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this dish. It was tasty on its own but the pickled carrots and cucumbers plus the Peruvian Aji Verde (green chile) sauce it came with made it even better! And the portion size was legit. It's literally enough for 3 people to share and be full. Ask for a box bc you WILL have leftovers - and ask for an extra container of the green sauce! read more

Lalo - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Lalo is a restaurant like no other. I've been twice and both times my food was EXCELLENT. My favorite dish thus far is the Ramen! It is the perfect level of spicy and adding shrimp in made it super hearty! The chilaquiles are also delicious. My one complaint is that both times that I have been I have had the same server; she is unfriendly and not attentive whatsoever. Drinks were left empty, no table checks were done and checks were dropped off and picked up by hosts both times. With better service this place would top my list as top 5 in the city! read more

Big fan of the options here! Tried the pad Thai and curry with rice and they were both delicious. Will def be coming back. Staff is also very nice, friendly, and fast! read more

Killer happy hour. I love the drunken brisket, the salsa, the guac is insane. The ramen is also excellent. Don't ask me how Asian Latin American is a thing but it works. I've been three times and loved every single thing I've gotten my hands on. read more

Been here a few times and the food is always amazing! My favorite is probably the pad thai, and love that portions are always enough to take home for another meal! read more

The fusion style sounded really interesting to try - so we venturing out to give this place a try. We got the empanadas and queso/chips for appetizers (these were great!). The queso was so warm and tasty, would def recommend it if you are wanting some quick appetizers. I got the fajitas which were a huge portion size - feel like I could've split this two people and would've been good. Not a total fan the flavor fusion actually - service seemed a bit behind unfortunately. We had to wait a while to order our food and it took a pretty long to come out, didn't even seem like they were super busy? Overall the food, specifically the appetizers were great. They are taking proper COVID precautions as well with distancing and masking wearing. read more

Lalo - Latin American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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