We ordered online and pick up was quick and easy. Although Taco Bamba was more expensive than other taco shops in the area (around $0.50 to $1 more per taco), the serving sizes were bigger than what we've seen. Our favorite taco was by far the Al Pastor. The pork was juicy with a smokey, tangy spice and the soft pineapples complimented the flavors well. We felt indifferent about the other tacos we ate. The Barbacoa tasted exactly like Chipotle's. Both the Camaron and Carne Asada were plain; the beef was cut in large chunks and too well done which made it hard to bite through. Taco Bamba, the namesake taco, was decent, but the flavor was dominated by meaty notes with little nuance beyond that. The Churros, with a doughy inside and crunchy outside, lacked cinnamon sugar but the dulce de leche was delicious. read more

I stopped in while visiting Ballston for work. I had the Taco Bamba, One night in Bangkok, and a birria taco dirty style. All were delicious. Great margaritas as well. Really great place. Super helpful staff. In today's world the prices are incredibly reasonable. I highly recommend. read more

This side street restaurant in Ballston Virginia doesn't look like much from the street but when you walk in you can smell the flavors of the amazing food they offer. Most people take out from this place and it has a small section of tables and chairs to sit in so if you want to eat in get there early. The flavors explode in your mouth with every bite. During my first time there I had the opportunity to try not only their traditional tacos but their specialty tacos. Both were absolutely amazing and you couldn't pick a wrong choice. My favorites were the Slumdog Billionaire and Signature taco Bamba. So if you want to treat and try something different I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Selection of goodness! - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This past Saturday, I had a Taco Bamba and Mexican corn at the Shirlington location. I was very disappointed in both items as well as the service. With the Taco Bamba all I could taste was the hot pepper which was burning my tongue, the carne meat had no taste and one piece was so rubbery that I kept chewy it until I had to put it in a napkin cause it was to chewy. The service was slow, but it was not that busy. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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This weekend is cinco de mayo so I was in the mood for some tacos. I ordered the birria tacos and chips and queso from here via DoorDash. It was really good! The consume was very flavorful and a great combination with the tacos. The beef in the tacos was very succulent and tender, which I highly enjoyed. I didn't experience the restaurant indoors so I can't comment on the service or ambiance. But I highly recommend them. read more

I ordered the shrimp tacos hardly any shrimp or other contents. Very disappointed. Is it too much to ask to get my money's worth? read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - I ordered the shrimp tacos. Very disappointed. Hardly any shrimp or other filling. Is it too much to ask to get my money's worth? - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Creative and unique menu choices. I tried the Taco Bamba and the Gringo both were delicious. I did a pickup order and their service was fast, they had indoor and outdoor dining both are a good atmosphere read more

Came here on a whim with a friend who raved of this place. So I decided to cave in and try it. I ordered the Carne Asada and Camaron (shrimp) tacos both ordered "dirty style". And I also ordered the queso dip with chips. The Carne Asada taco was my favorite, it was very flavorful. The Camaron taco was also very good just a little "runny/moist" probably due to the slaw mixture on top. 4 stars because do not order the queso. It was extremelyyyyyyy thick. Like a block of velvetta thick. The flavor was good but it was the consistency of hummus. They almost needed to add some milk or whatever they add to thin it out some. I love queso but this was a no go for me. Overall tacos were good I would come again as there are some other menu items I would love to try like the birria and the churros.... Yumm! Also just FYI I guess their bar is closed to they have like "premade" drinks in the fridge section. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Queso -very thick - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Well I wasn't expecting a treasure chest of tacos in Alrington, VA but man I have to say. These were spectacular. The Taco Bamba, steak and barbacoa tacos were all delicious. The jamaican beef empanada was superb. Definitely don't overlook this place. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Everytime we order Taco Bamba we are NEVER disappointed. Always fresh. & holy cow those bamba fries are a GAME CHANGER!!

We came here for a friend's birthday and Taco Bamba was nice enough to accommodate a party of 10 despite being one of the smaller locations (we did call ahead to reserve a table). All the margaritas are pretty unique and they were all really good but, the pineapple one was amazing! I got the bamba fries to start which, were the best nacho-esque fries I've ever had. The steak is cooked perfectly, the ratio of toppings to fries is on point, and the fries are crispy and not soggy at all. The only reason I'm leaving 4 stars is because, none of the actual tacos I got were amazing. Also, they are all served inside 2 corn tortillas which, made it a little too bready for me. I tried the shrimp, bamba, and el diablo. They were all ok/good but, next time I come back I might stick to the fries as my meal! read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Pineapple margarita - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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These are very authentic Mexican tacos - in particular, their tacos al pastor. My biggest compliant is that they are significantly spicier than the ones in Mexico City. I feel like they are so close to the perfect taco and they're just doing a bit too much with the pastor flavoring. I very much appreciate that they have corn tortillas because then I can find gluten free meals. I would particularly recommend this place to anyone that doesn't mind a kick. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Tacos al Pastor - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I went to Taco Bamba as a group of 5 of Cinco De Mayo. As expected - it was super crowded, but they managed to move through a long line and crowd very quickly! Really great customer management. It's first come first serve for the tables & you order at the counter to pick up your food. As for the food, I got chips & gauc, El Pollo Rico, and a Taco Bamba. By far, the Taco Bamba was the best thing I ate! The steak was super flavorful and it had a great mix of seasonings. The chorizo surprised me how much I loved it - it had a great crumbly texture and flavor! The gauc was good but not amazing - that's the only thing I probably wouldn't order again, but was good as a one time order. Overall, I would recommend for anyone looking for good food in a casual but fun setting. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Taco Bamba El Rico Pollo - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The quality has really gone down. A restaurant I used to love. Hopefully they can get back on track. All the dishes I've gotten the last three orders have been so salty as to be practically inedible. Some I threw away. It's very sad as this was one of my favorite restaurants! read more

Definitely love the tacos and have go e to the locations in Falls Church and Vienna multiple times a year over the past 10 years (and longer to FC). Do not go to Ballston - the wait is awful and if you order online, you are guaranteed your order will be wrong or very cold. If you eat in the restaurant, expect to wait forever...it's ridiculous. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston killed it today on opening day. Lines out the door by 11:15 am, everybody impatient to get a taste of these delicious tacos. The entire team did an amazing job at pushing out the onslaught of orders, with chef Victor on hand to orchestrate operations. The Salim Abu Aziz taco was so amazing that I could easily become a vegetarian if all plant-based food was so tasty. Can't wait to try out the other menu options. Congratulations!!! (no taco pics because we ate them too fast - oops) read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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what we've had and loved: Enchiladas Spicy chicharrones Lengua taco/quesadilla Fun's over Shrimp taco Service is quick and friendly. don't skip their margaritas and don't forget to tip! read more

So this is a new location that just opened up a couple weeks ago. They had this special on their opening day that anyone who made an online order would be entered to win free tacos for a year. Of course, I had to try it! I went with the Taco Bamba taco because it sounded amazing and I figured it had to be a popular one if it's named after the restaurant. It smelled soo good, I didn't have time to take pics haha I legit wolfed it down. It was one of the best tacos I've ever had. The meat was cooked well, the toppings and flavors were delicious, the tortilla wasn't too thick, etc. They also came with 4 different sauces. I'm not sure what was what, but they were all super good!! I plan on trying their Shawarma Taco the next time I go! read more

Ive ordered online from this location twice and I wasn't super impressed with the food. The inside of the location is very casual, hip vibe. They have outdoor seating available as well. Service is hit or miss, the staff are great but ordering to go has been messy with sauces on the outside of containers as if they closed the containers with food covered gloves. I ordered the carne asada tacos "dirty style" and the Camaron tacos. I thought the carne asada meat was slightly tough and the "dirty style" toppings were quite strange. They didn't mix well and kind of tasted like BBQ sauce and burnt cheese to the tortilla. I loved the Camaron tacos though, which is all I ordered the second time around. The cheese dip is just okay, nothing to write home about, just your average nacho cheese dip. Overall, I wasn't super impressed with the food, the prices are reasonable and it seems like a fun place to go relax and have a drink. I don't know if I would be back just for the food though. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - camaron - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Really good spot for unique Mexican fusion food. The menu interprets iconic dishes from popular international cuisines (ex. Larb from Thailand) and turns them into the very tacos we've grown to love. The menu is like if the show Chopped had a taco edition. I tried the shake and bake chilaquiles with the fresh churros. The chilaquiles had such a variety in flavors and textures, with subtle heat and acidic savory palates mixed with spongy, crispy, and creamy dimensions. Their choice in topping with eggs, chorizo, chihuahua cheese, and avocados created an amazing profile that I would gladly return for. The churros were hot and freshly fried, and dunked in a caramel sauce in a cup that not only felt like a street food presentation, but also tasted indulgent. The hot dough melted with each bite. I am very happy taco bamba has landed so close to my apartment, it provides the perfect fix for Mexican food that is unique, phenomenal quality, and uberly convenient. I only hope my metabolism can keep up! read more

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Amazing tacos. Really good drinks as well with a cool vibe. Wish they had a kids menu though.

I've gone to the one in Springfield and have to say this is one of the better taco chains I've been to. You just order at the counter and pick it up. Seating is limited, but they have seating outside. Ordered the birria and al pastor taco. Both were very good. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - birria and al pastor taco - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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So...WOW for sure! I was not ready really and kind of hard pressed for a joyous taco experience. Well, there I've had it to hold me over for a while! read more

Solid tacos with a great variety of options that are pretty diverse and fun, but they're admittedly pretty small and pricy for what they are. They taste awesome and it's a great restaurant, but you could definitely get a little more bang for your buck. Their sides are also great, particularly their corn elote. read more

Amazing food and (usually) worth the inconvenience! Taco Bamba has both traditional and creative tacos, as well and nachos, tortas, and bowls. (Stick to the tacos, bowls, and nachos and avoid the tortas). The signature Taco Bamba is a great place to start, and the el pastor is also excellent. As others have noted, the location is small (and usually blaring music), so it's better to get the food to go, or to eat at one of the 4 or 5 outdoor tables. Online and delivery orders can get backed up, and are often inaccurate, so you are better off ordering in person. Given that parking is a little tight around here, it can make getting your food a little inconvenient. But if you are in the area, it's the best place around for tacos - far better than nearby Bartco or El Rey. read more

I was a fan of the Falls Church Taco Bamba, and am thrilled to have one in Ballston. We ordered online around 6:45 at night, and our food wasn't ready til' 7. That said, the staff was so helpful. When I went in a few minutes before the time my food was to be done, the staff wrote down my name, and when I came back 10 min later, they remembered me and handed me my food without even going in. I'm not sure if this was a fluke, but the portions we got were huge. I swear, there was like, 1/8-1/4 lb of meat per taco. Usually tacos are like, two tiny pieces of pork, so that was great. I loved the rice part of the rice and beans (the black beans were a bit flavorless) and of the 6 different tacos we tried, all but two were super good. The two that weren't (the shrimp, and the chorizo), were just a bit flavorless, and so an excellent vehicle for the hot sauce they give you. The chicharon taco might be the most delicious taco I've had in ages. However, it's super heavy, so while you should 100% try it, don't get more than one if you are past the age of 30 or you might feel sick. The carnitas are a solid choice for a lighter taco, that also holds up well to hot sauce. Looking forward to being back! read more

Best tacos in the area. Service is consistently fast and friendly. I haven't tried other menus options but this is my go-to spot for tacos!

This was a great lunch. The portion size was great and the large menu gave me many options to choose from!!!! I definitely recommend this spot and will be back soon!!! read more

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The indoor seating is closed and there are only 4 outdoor tables so you will most likely have to take things to go. They package their famous salsas well and the people who work there are kind. However the food is just overrated. I have been to three locations and still don't understand the obsession. Pros: Tons of options for tacos so not your basic place. Their nuestro tacos are massive and I really liked the Gringa taco as it had a ton of meat (quite messy though). Their famous house salsas are as great as ever. The tinga taco was good but seemed not as saturated in flavor as it could have been. Carne asada taco was decent but the meat was really chewy. Cons: Do not get the guacamole, it was one of the worst I have had. No salt, no flavor, not even a kick from the jalapeno. I could have closed my eyes and had zero idea what I was eating. Their chips were a tad stale too which was a bummer. For $8 you get a shot worth of sangria which had a good flavor but seriously so tiny. When they put it with ice it looks bigger but the to-go amount is to tiny. Overall for the wait, lack of seating, mediocre sides, and small drinks I would rather just order from more authentic spots for cheaper. read more

I love Taco Bamba. I do not love Taco Bamba when they are busy. I would definitely recommend them, but avoid the weekend. Even ordering take out was tragic. Took an hour to even get the food. Arrived at time we were told and it still wasn't ready for another 20 mins. Opened the boxes to find a haphazard mess. I say all this to say-restaurants can have off nights. They're great, but truly hit or miss with their presentation at times. Will still always return. Our favs: Wac Arnold, El Gringo, El Diablo. The queso is my fav out of any queso anywhere. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Rush hour tacos - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Taco bamba is the absolute best. Delicious tacos made to order at a fair I used to be a regular at the falls church location, but since moving to Arlington- I've been loving the ballston location. Their spicy shroom and arabe are my absolute favorites. The arabe is very large and on a grilled pita with juicy chicken, spicy chipotle mayo and cucumber- just amazing. The spicy shroom is extremely spicy and well packed. Only complaint is that they don't have the black pearl (crispy grouper taco) available at this location. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Arabe (left) Spicy Shroom (right) - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I've never been much of a taco person, but I LOVE this place! The tacos are sooo good. I'm addicted actually, I drive from DC once a week! Can one open in SE DC soon?! I really like the spicy goat, grilled steak abs Taco Bamba taco. read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Taco Bamba Taco in middle is awesome! - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Tacos had really good flavor. Tried most of the taco joints in the vicinity and this one was the best imo. Margaritas are a little pricey though $18. Not sure it's justified because it was average and not a fan of drinking out of flower pots. read more

The food is so salty I could melt the ice on the road by throwing their al pastor on it. I could only take a couple bites before my cells shriveled up through osmosis. read more

The food was fine, but the music was unbearably loud - really uncomfortable and impossible to hold a conversation.

Honestly don't get this place. With all the amazing authentic options in the area and people overpay for this place. Had about 5 different tacos from here and all had chewy meat and the flavors all just rolled into a uniform mehw. If you are gonna get chain tacos Torchys is infinitely better. read more

A TACO BAMBA WITHIN DELIVERY RADIUS OF ME!!! AAAAAHHH!! Ok, I've calmed down. Taco bamba is just straight up my favorite taco place in the DMV and I'm delighted that they keep expanding. I love that each location has 1 or 2 unique tacos and this one has 2 i'm interested in trying if I can ever tear myself away from their tinga. They have a pork vindaloo and a lettuce wrap tuna taco that I just must try. For heat seekers, do yourself a favor and ask for habenero salsa on the side, it has fantastic flavor and packs a punch. read more

Amassing tacos, very nice workers and a fun spot for a margarita. Great spot for takeaway or sitting in. Very trendy names for the tacos and delicious nachos! read more

Previously, years ago, I went to the Falls Church location, and was dreaming about Arabe since. Arabe was amazing, as well as some other taco options, but wasn't impressed by elotes in a cup. Will be definitely coming again! read more

Taco Bamba Ballston - Tacos Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Very filling portions, great food, and very prompt when ordering online. Will definitely order again!