My visit isn't complete with the chips and guacamole and you can't beat the prices. The last time we were there, the AC was blasting, so being a sweater. The service was just okay. We walked in and the host was having a conversation with one of the wait staff and instead of greeting us and asking us to hold one for a second while they finished up, they ignored us, and continued talking for probably a full minute before acknowledging we were there. O get needing to finish a thought or tell someone something important about something going on that night, but at least greet your guests and ask them to wait a minute. Feels like common courtesy. read more

I am going to bump up a star for Red Star Taco Bar. They have the Sunday Sip here which is a drag queen show along with brunch. Sunday Sip's were previously at a different venue but just recently it started here and it's a great place for this event. I have always liked the food here and we have gone here twice now in recent times not only for the Sunday Sip but also for a meal with friends. The mixed cocktails are great as is the food which I have always been partial to. Out of the recent visits I had an amazing torta, something I haven't had in a long time and a bowl with their tequila chicken for the meat which was also excellent. The more I come here the more I like it having it come at five stars at this point and time. read more

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Came out and this place was pretty laidback even w no reservations, we were able to get a table. I opted for the 3 for 13 tacos (curried cauliflower, Nashville, and fish tacos) which were all so uniquely different from one another but so good. The margaritas were giving as well. It's a lively venue so a soft voice like mine I had to maintain lol and trivia night also made things more lively. We noticed some people got their orders before us but who were after us in order yet our waiter was able to resolve the situation promptly. read more

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What a glorious day! I am visiting Tacoma again to see my sister. I was able to get a tattoo, which will be another review in itself. My sister suggested we get something to eat post tattoo at Red Star taco bar. I always get a bit sketchy about eating tacos way up here, as I am from Austin, but I was hungry and this establishment was close to the tattoo shop. So we went. What a chill place, great music, and a very interesting menu. Blake, the bartender, was nothing short of amazing. He suggested a great beer and I began reviewing the menu. There was the usual this and that of tacos , two stood out and sounded pretty damn unusual and delicious. I ordered two, one being the sriracha honey tofu, with cabbage, cilantro and pineapple and second being the kara'age fried chicken with sesame seeds, chili garlic sauce, and cabbage. Both on homemade corn tortillas. Both were absolutely phenomenal and pretty damn unusual. We struck up a great conversation with Blake on his adventure from moving from Philly to Tacoma. What a sweet guy! When we were leaving he said we made his day, but you know what, he made ours. If you get the chance please give this place a try, you will not be disappointed! read more

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Such a cute place! Very friendly staff & they have multiple dine in events too like trivia. Food was also really good! Lots of variety in their taco meats/styles! We got the Quesadilla, 3 chicken tacos, 2 fish, and 1 karaage! All delicious! read more

Red Star Taco Bar - 3 Chicken Tacos 2 Fish Tacos 1 Karaage Taco - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Enjoyed having a couple drinks at the bar here and Sarar was a great bartender, very welcoming and very accommodating. She made me a few drinks and they were all perfect read more

Tacos were not good. Dry tortilla, bland meat, seemed to be cooked in big batches and held too long at temp. Service was slow. Dont get the hype read more

This place is nice inside and the staff are friendly. The food is well priced (especially compared to Seattle). I ordered nachos with beef. I wasn't expecting much but boy I was surprised. It was huge and delicious. Definitely coming back. read more

Red Star Taco Bar - Cute sign outside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Nice corner place downtown, just far enough from McMenamins to find parking on a Saturday afternoon. Nice staff but poorly trained. Not very attentive. It was bright and quiet, so easy to carry conversation which was nice. We tried the chips and salsa, fair. Nothing special. Tastes almost canned. The guacamole was pretty good. Very chunky and a decent portion, but a little bland to me. Carne asada tacos, fail. Big chunks of hard steak. Lots of flavor on the taco but the meat was not seasoned well and was overcooked. Carnitas taco with salsa verde, fail. Mush, goopy, soggy. Again stuff, but not a lot of meat flavor. No crispy carnitas edges. Carolina reaper taco, good! Decent spice, good flavor. More like a chicken sandwich with a tortilla instead of bread. That's a winner. Wife had shrimp elote taco, another soggy mess, not very good, shrimp way overcooked. A crème chicken lime taco (can't recall the name), another fail. Taste was fair but so goopy/saucey had to eat it with a fork. Another carne asada taco, same as mine. Decent shot supper of red star (I think?) house tequila. That was good. Menu says all their Tequilas are natural, no additives, so that's good. Waitress was as mentioned in need of product and service training. Maybe she's new, like I said, she's nice, just missed water, checking in, timing was an off, took a long time to get anything in a not busy early afternoon stop. For what it was, too expensive. I think they have a decent idea here, but they need to nail down the recipes and get some spice. Salsa should have a complete rework. I probably won't return on purpose, but if someone wanted to meet there, I'd just order carefully. read more

The service is friendly and pretty quick for how busy they get, the tacos are the best in the city in my opinion and completely fairly priced. I recommend the fish tacos. read more

We've always had amazing service but Tonight was the best we've ever had. The food is fast, quality is amazing and the staff is fantastic. Thank you Ginal! read more

Some of the best damn tacos I've had. Maybe not authentic but I love the variety or options. You have to try the catfish taco.. I know it sounds odd but you will not regret it. It's a small restaurant but it gets packed. Service can be a bit slow but food comes quick and it well worth the wait. I don't drink much tequila but they have tons of options. Red star is in my top 10 favorite restaurants in Tacoma. read more

I had the two taco plate. I ordered a fried Catfish taco on corn tortilla and the red star Philly taco on corn tortilla. All was good. The beans and rice were basic. The server was great for our 8 person party. My husband was not thrilled with his nachos, not enough cheese and he would have rather had the ground beef instead of carne asada. read more

Every so often I'll drop into Red Star with my honey, usually for Happy Hour or Taco Tuesday. The Taco Tuesday deal cannot be beat and I've never had a taco I didn't love. Even better, they've always got a few vegan taco options and they are SO GOOD I could easily eat here and skip the meat all together. Normally, I'll have a margarita but I've been cutting back on alcohol so most recently I got a nonalcoholic beverage. It was blackberry, ginger, and lime, garnished with jalapeno and spicy sugar, and it was hands down one of the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. It was so delicious that I didn't miss the alcohol -- which is a huge statement for me to make since I love good cocktails so much. So, between the incredible vegan tacos and the nonalcoholic beverages, this is a great place to go with a mixed group of carnivore/herbivores and drinkers/non-drinkers. The only downside to being here is that it tends to be very noisy and I've had to wear earplugs a couple of times. read more

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When I get the chance to be in downtown Tacoma I always want to try somewhere I hadn't been before and I had heard of Red Star before. The spot is pretty cool and the people we interacted were friendly. When the food came out it looked great... however, that's where things kinda ended for me. The shrimp taco was pretty dry and bland. The poutine taco is not what I expected and the fries tasted reheated with that sort of grainy texture. As for the fish taco, the first bite I had was the best... and it didn't have any fish in it. The fish was mushy and mealy, it was a really unpleasant texture in my mouth. It was definitely a lackluster visit for us. I've heard pretty decent reviews from friends so I was pretty bummed. I may try it again and get something different... but based on this visit alone probably not. read more

Red Star Taco Bar - Fish Taco, Poutine Taco, and Shrimp Taco - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I personally don't like huge chunks of steak in my taco 's. Didn't like their blazay salsa! I personally didn't like the place in Tacoma. Service was very slow read more

My husband and I stopped by for dinner on a Sunday evening and everything was incredible! We enjoyed the ambiance, were greeted and seated right away, and had a server checking in with us shortly after. We chose Red Star for the variety of gluten free options and they didn't disappoint. We split 6 different tacos and rice and beans. Each taco was unique and had good flavor, but I think our favorite was the catfish taco with pickles. My husband ordered a pineapple margarita, and I had the colada mocktail. Both were delicious! We ended dinner splitting a delicious rice pudding. read more

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A very nice place! It can get a little cramped if you are waiting on a table, but otherwise very cool. We ordered two cocktails which were good. Two different tacos the catfish taco was very good nice flavor, the reaper a spicy chicken taco was also good, crispy. 3/5 rating because the appetizer was just regular queso and for the Idaho taco which was a loaded baked potato, but it had no flavor even with the carne asada it just wasn't great. Overall our experience was good, great service but we probably wont rush back anytime soon. read more

Service was great, food came out fast and hot had a great time. We went for happy hour because the happy hour menu has the Mom and Dad tacos which are the best. Food, atmosphere and drinks all a plus for Red Star. Happy Hour is the best time and they do two. Can be a long wait for a table and parking can be tough but well worth it. Cheers! read more

Red Star Taco Bar - 3 tacos steak, pork and fish - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Waited a minute to be seated , but it was definitely worth it ! The server was amazing !! Enjoyed roasted pineapple marg and wowewwww this was insanely good . Ordered some chorizo and bacon queso ... best queso I've ever had ! Hits the spot on a rainy day . Clean environment, very welcoming , clean facilities great atmosphere!! read more

Red Star Taco Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

The service is top-of-line and the wait staff is moving to bring you an authentic meal. Fresh flavors and unique pairing with tequilas. I enjoyed the Baja taco's. Approximately one-ish + oz's. Be sure to check out their daily specials. Great place for adult celebrations with larger booths, or being single at the bar chatting with others, are wonderful experiences. Support our local businesses and help make Tacoma the next foodie destination. Follow me for more recommendations. read more

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We usually come in during happy hour and sit at the bar. Every bartender that has waited on us has been attentive and helpful with any questions we have. I haven't had a bad meal here, and the drinks are always delicious! read more

Stopped in for happy hour on taco Tuesday and enjoyed two Tecata tall boys, a basket of chips with nicely chunky salsa, one yo' mama's taco each (average size but fresh and tasty), and the bill came to about $20.00 before tip - cool. Pleasant service, too. Good solid place to enjoy happy hour after a matinee at the Grand. I expect we'll be back for dinner soon. read more

I am literally sitting in this restaurant right now, and this has been one of the worst dining experiences I've had. Our food arrived 50 minutes after we ordered--and when it finally came out, it was cold. Our server/bartender took our order and then completely disappeared, never once checking on our table. All we ordered were chips and salsa and six tacos. Waiting nearly an hour for such basic food is unacceptable. This level of service is ridiculous. I will never come back here and absolutely do not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Amazing!! I go all the time. Very very gluten friendly, I have celiac and have never reacted to anything. Everything in the fryer is gluten free, they're really knowledgeable about it. The food is amazing. The cocktails are amazing. It's a great vibe :) read more

Red Star Taco Bar - Idaho taco - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Usually like coming here, however... was alarmed the bartender didn't know how to make a proper Shirley Temple, simplest drink! When the drink came flat & blegh, we told him it lacked carbonation..he said it was the best that could be done with a Seattle soda company they used (made excuse to us and just lazy).. when the other female bartender was asked for a can of sprite or ginger ale for the refill, she provided a bottle of Sprite & wah-lahh! Tasted instantly better! Male bartender who's been there a while needs to learn how to make drinks or find another job if you can't follow a customer's request. Bartender oughta be embarrassed! He's lucky I didn't say something to his a** almost did, but my girl was having a rough day and we were just trying to enjoy ourselves and I didn't want to get confrontational with someone while she was just trying to enjoy herself. Really PO'ed me the guys attitude & ineptitude ~ ALSO ordered a michelada - it was michelada flavored water.. so watered down, not worth $10! Do better Red Star read more

Ordered chips, salsa, and guac. Guac was clearly very fresh and quite tasty. The salsa was very good: fresh and just a hint of spice. We followed with three Yucatán pork tacos (have to have achioti) and a plate of the $3 tacos (chicken, chorizo, and sweet potato/black bean). All on corn tortillas (of course). It's been a while since I've had a pork with achioti and this was spot on (the last was a trip to the Yucatán). The flavors of the Yucatán were all present and they very good. The chicken was very good, the chorizo was mild but tasty and, according to my partner, the vegetarian taco was a tad spicy but good. Unfortunately, it was Geeks that Drink night (a trivia game) and the emcee's mic was very loud - loud enough that I could not hear my partner across the table. Service was prompt and friendly (although it was hard to hear). Best tacos I have found in the PNW. 2023 Update: Four years on and still some of the best tacos in the PNW. The guac still tastes super fresh and the mezcal drinks are fantastic. Service remains very friendly and prompt. It can very crowded and noisy and sometimes a table can be hard to come by. Be patient, the food is worth it. Enjoy some mezcal while you wait. read more

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This is a great taco joint! We got a table right away. We had some chips, salsa, and guac. The chips and guac were great, the salsa tasted more like a tomato paste. It was a little bland. We ordered some poblano rings. These were awesome! I think they were the highlight of my meal. The margaritas were definitely strong too! I had a couple of shrimp tacos. The agave shrimp and elote taco was my favorite. The meal was very good all the way around. Great service, good food! read more

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Loved Red Star Taco Bar that I scheduled two different double dates here in a month. Everyone's favorite seems to be the kara'age fried chicken. Everyone loved it so much on the second double date that we had to order one more round of it. This is after we have had 3 different tacos. Its so crispy and the sauce with it is perfect. My personal own favorite besides the kara'age is the sriracha honey tofu. Its half sweet, half spicy, and the tofu has a good squish on the inside with a good crisp on the outside. Both times, we had different servers and both accomodated at a reasonable time. Each time we visited was on a Friday night and it tends to always be busy, no matter what time we get there. Parking is available a block away on either side of the place. One lot is free and another lot you have to pay for no matter the time. Overall, we will definitely come back here again. Found a new favorite taco place! read more

I've been here twice now and enjoy the different and unique taco options. Pretty solid tacos with good vegan options as well and cocktails. It's usually not too busy on the times I've went with good service. read more

Going for drinks, good service and vintage Lucha Libre on the tele, cause the food was sub par, edible at best. What y'all need is some Abuelitas in the back for a few cooking lessons. Not even any housemade salsas for added flavor like a typical authentic Mexican joint. Bland. Just sayin'... read more

Unfortunately this was another underwhelming visit. The chips were stale, the bean dip was mediocre, and the specialty hot sauces were empty. The crispy chicken taco was burnt and drowned in sauce--we had to send it back. The steak taco queso was gritty and unpleasant. Shrimp tacos were liked, everything else... not. The margarita was good, but this is the third time the food has been consistently mid. read more

TIP: they have a solid happy hour and Taco Tuesday!! The "Your Mom's Taco" and "Your Dad's Taco" on the HH menu had me rollin' LOL Food: I got tacos and a margarita, since this place is a taco bar. Tacos are street taco sized on a corn or flour tortilla. They have different fillings for their tacos and categorized into 3 for $9, 3 for $12, and $5/each, as well as a la carte prices. Not Mexican-authentic but still very good. Margarita selection is solid and well made. My dining buddy got the Bonfire Old Fashioned but it was rather syrupy. Service: no complaints. We were promptly greeted and our server was attentive. Ambiance: standard New American bar, not too trendy, not too divey. Noise level can get pretty loud. They also have upstairs seating for private parties. read more

Fun place, good food! Taco bar means Tacos, nachos, burritos and a few other items. Went with a group of 6, great service! We did make reservations. Parking is tricky depending on the time of day. We parked across the street at the auto museum but I don't know that it is okay to do just any time. read more

First time at Red Star and I got the tacos for take out and they came in very cool modern taco boxes which held everything together easily. My favorite tacos that we got were the Baja Fish Taco and the Hot Honey Al Pastor Taco. Everything else I got was just okay. Only one box came with labels and for the other boxes we sort of had to guess which taco is which. Would come again and try out more food. read more

The service was excellent. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful with suggestions on the menu. The four of us all had different drinks and dinners and they were fantastic. This was my first time at Red Star but it will not be my last. I would like to recommend a particular item on the menu but all of our meals were great. The amazing part was the fact that the prices were quite reasonable. Something I was not expecting at a restaurant downtown. This definitely deserves a repeat night out. read more

I came here for the first time recently. The service was great. The drinks we got were very good. The food was great - my only minor complaint was that the corn tortillas were all dried out and broke apart all the way and I just ate the taco fillings, which was so good and flavorful! I liked the ambiance of the restaurant too. I will definitely be returning. read more

Red Star Taco Bar - Front: carnitas tacos.The guacamole was good. Skillet: baked potato w/ carne asada taco filling. Left: 3 random other tacos. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Red Star Taco Bar was the date night destination a few weeks back. Cool atmosphere and really kind service. They're pretty popular, though! We came on a Friday around 8pm and had to wait half an hour, but we just put our name on a list and they gave us a call when our table was ready which gave us an excuse to checkout a nearby spot while we waited. I guess I'd say my review is more of a 3.5, but the food really missed the mark for me! I've heard great things about this place but was not blown away. I had the burrito bowl, with carne asada, and it was just okay. I do not mean this in a mean way - but I prefer Chipotle burrito bowls over Red Star. The bowls here are just a little bland, or at least the one I had was. That said, the Pepper Queso Dip?? Worth coming back for. We absolutely devoured that. It was SO good! Can't be missed - highly recommend. My boyfriend also enjoyed his margarita, and they do have a good selection of drinks with a full bar. I'd come back for a drink and that Pepper Queso Dip for sure. It's a fun atmosphere, just not my first choice for dinner (but I'll try again just to be sure!) read more

Red Star Taco Bar - Pepper Queso Dip - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Queso was GREAT! Taco's were kind of underwhelming. Great staff and atmosphere and the drinks were also very good. Would return, but probably not for the tacos. read more

Good Happy Hour options and fun non traditional and traditional taco options. Fun cocktails too.