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    Taco Mama - The Waites

    4.0 (109 reviews)
    ModerateTacos

    Taco Mama - The Waites Photos

    TACO MAMA - THE WAITES ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Trendy
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    BYO Taco w/ ground beef & Mac & Cheese
    Shameka C.

    I placed my order online for the Build Your Own Tacos and decided to go with ground beef and a few other toppings. As a side, I went with the Mac & Cheese. My order was ready when I arrived, glad I didn't have to wait in the lunch line as I was ready to eat! I enjoyed the tacos and the Mac & Cheese was pretty good!

    Chips with guacamole. Bowl with Tofu
    Joanne J.

    Taco Mama is a great spot to get affordable drinks and Mexican food. They have great deals on their house margs and pitchers on Tuesdays if you want an after work treat! I had their sangrita this day, which may be a little too sweet, but really tangy and refreshing. Their Prosecco based drink is quite good too. Quality is a little hit or miss on their main food items, but the steak and burrito bowls are a good option. Service is great, they'll bring your drink straight to you even after ordering at the counter. It's always buzzing and a lively vibe at this location with it being right next to the medical center. Downside - parking can tough with it being in downtown.

    Burrito falling apart
    Kaitlyn D.

    Okay we come to taco mama weekly and this was maybe the visit that will make us stop. My husbands steak was so overcooked and his burrito was falling apart at the seams - he had to eat it with a fork just sprawled open. Both of our dishes also had missing ingredients. The service was terrible! Normally taco mama is a RELIABLE in and out - today it was empty and the food took forever. Maybe it's because it's a Saturday but not sure I'll be back to this location.

    Chicken Quesadillas with chips and salsa.
    Toni-Cyntina R.

    The service was fast and nice. The food was fresh and delicious! There were many items to choose from. I sat outside on the patio and the weather was nice for the occasion.

    Toppings
    Gabe P.

    I came here to pick up an order for my sister. When I walked in , a terrible smell hit me dead in the face! I wanted to leave it was that bad! Good grief , I have no idea what the smell was. Once I got pass the smell I was able to focus to place my to go order. I ordered the chicken quesadilla and added a few toppings. The free toppings option is cool. So many to pick from! It didn't take long for my order to come out . The box was huge and the portion size was quite generous. My sister enjoyed her food and certainly had some leftovers. Honestly, the smell inside the restaurant is very concerning and certainly would prevent me from dining in. Hopefully this isn't the norm. Overall, everything else was fine.

    Chips, salad, Mexican corn and burritos
    Matthew V.

    Found this place randomly and really enjoyed it... Street parking and small parking lot on the side is available.. Friendly service, wasn't crowded at all.. The food was really good.. I had the The Fat Boy burrito w/ a side of corn and chips and salsa.. Very good, a lot of flavor, big portions and the customer service was amazing, everybody was super friendly and helpful. Good quick lunch spot..

    Classico Beef Taco Basket with Side of Queso
    Tiffany J.

    So if you want a truly customized taco experience and a Top Notch Margarita.. This Taco Mama is the spot! The team was extremely helpful and patient as I went back and forth on what I wanted! (It's soo many topping to choose from) My margarita was hands down one of the best flavored margarita I have ever had!! Overall I enjoyed my visit today!

    Great food and service. Went there for lunch twice this week. The burrito baskets are great and only 16 bucks. The street corn in particular is really good

    Nachos

    Very good bang for your buck! So so so much food!!! And very yummy. Amazing employees and atmosphere!

    Mix & Match Taco Basket - Justice Is Served Taco and Cheezy Beef Taco
    Ciara D.

    I was visiting my best friend in Birmingham and was trying to decide what we'd have for dinner Saturday night. I went to college and lived in Bham for about 6 years, but hadn't been back to really visit and just chill almost since then. So I was looking forward to revisiting one of my faves - Taco Mama. Since I left, they built a Taco Mama downtown, which was near my friend's hotel, so we opted to visit that location. We arrived and there was a fairly long line. Luckily, it was moving very fast. I was looking at the menu trying to remember what I used to get and there it was - the Yo Mama burrito with comes with tortilla chips, a side of queso, and another side of your choice. Once I got to the register, I ordered the Yo Mama (added grilled onions) with a side of corn. We got our drinks and found a table outside near the door. Our food arrived within minutes and I was ready to dig in to my burrito! I must say, it wasn't as great as I remember but it was still delicious. However, the corn was completely new and I did not like it. It was almost elote, but not quite. Unfortunately, I gobbled my burrito up so fast I didn't get a pic lol. Overall, Taco Mama is still a hit!

    Build you own Burrito bowl
    Jasmine B.

    We went for a small dinner for my husband's birthday. The staff was very friendly. The food was wonderful. I had the build you own Burrito bowl and the watermelon margarita. My husband had the build your own Jorge's nachos. The best thing was the watermelon margarita. Really good. We enjoy Taco Mama every time we come.

    Pomegranate Frozen Margarita!
    Jada C.

    The best thing about Taco Mama are their margaritas. I can't really get down with their food because it's bland. I ordered the burrito bowl with barbacoa, lettuce, avocado, queso, grilled onions, tomatoes, and pickled jalapeños. They forgot the pickled jalapeños so I had to wait at the front for them. However the service is really good! I'm not a big fan of the seating arrangements. Not plenty of space and kind of awkward placement. I'm doing keto so I wasn't able to taste their chips but I believe I've had them once before. The queso was pretty tasteless, so I'm just here for the margaritas from now on.

    Justice is Served taco basket
    Michelle N.

    Taco Tuesday! Came in right before the dinner rush at 6pm-ish, and ordered/got my food super fast. This was my first time going to the store front; previously I had only had Taco Mama catering (which is great). Decor is cute and there's plenty of seating. I got the "Justice Is Served" taco basket with grilled flounder and a side of guac. They've got a $4 margarita special on Tuesday, which my friends happily took advantage of. My tacos were tasty, and I love Taco Mama guacamole. I usually don't even like guac, but I really enjoy it from here. It's freshly made in house every day and it's deliciously addictive. Their salsa is ok, it just needs a major kick of spice. Overall, a satisfying meal for the price. They're not the best or authentic tacos I've had, but they're a solid/standard choice if you're in the mood for Taco Tuesday

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Business owner information

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    Will H.

    Thanks, Kellie!

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    1 year ago

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    Will H.

    Great to hear, Destiny! Thanks!

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    2 years ago

    Awesome service, the pork burrito was pretty tasty and good size. I would recommend checking this location out.

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    9 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Meat on the tacos was tough, atmosphere gave popping vibes if I had come in later but the food fell short of expectations for the price

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The service was fine, but I have noticed a decline in the food quality as the years go by. Margs ARE GREAT though!

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    2 years ago

    This was the BEST meal I have ever had. Highly recommended. The burrito bowl was so good!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Taco Mama - The Waites

    Is there a gluten free menu?

    Would this be a good stop for a margarita snob?

    Yes!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    We heard lots of good things about El Barrio and since we were in the downtown area, we decided to…read morecheck it out ourselves... So glad we did! Being downtown, parking is not always the greatest, but it was a lovely evening for walking less than a block to the restaurant. It was a Saturday evening so there was a little wait, but we were able to sit outside and have a drink while we waited. Once inside, the place was dimly lit, really loud with music and very clean. And for having unisex bathrooms, those were surprisingly clean as well. Our waitress was great, I wish I could remember her name... but I do know she was from Cali. We ordered a couple of strawberry margaritas, which were just your basic drink, but still refreshing. Started off with a basket of chips, salsa and fundido. This is considered an appetizer, so no freebies here. The chips were fresh and warm, the salsa had a nice flavor and the fundido was ok according to the kiddo. We had the grilled shrimp tacos with rice and beans. You had to assemble your own tacos tonight, and order rice and beans separately as the taco plate had no sides, but all delicious.... Beans had a nice kick, the shrimp tacos were missing something in my opinion, but not sure what. We also had the best shrimp quesadilla we ever tried. It has overly stuffed and cheesy with wonderful lime cream sauce to go with it. This entree was a huge hit all around and it did come with a side, so no extra charges. To finish off dinner, we all shared the strawberry tres leches and OMG... Absolutely the best we have had in a while. Too bad it's seasonal. Over all, great experience and would definitely g

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    4.5(86 reviews)
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    Salud is a genuine treasure in the heart of downtown Birmingham. The vibes, the downright lovely…read morepeople who provide excellent customer service and the food all combine into this magic that you feel as soon as you walk in the front door and I just love it. In fact, I'm getting warm feelings right now just thinking about my time here. Their vegan option is a nopal taco (tender, marinated cactus). It's excellent, but what makes it next level is that SALSA BAR with the best salsas I've ever had. It reminds me of taquerias in California. I drowned my taco in all of the sauces. In fact, I could probably be happy eating tortillas and salsa here. Because, yes, the tortillas are that delicious. As is that guac. Again, some of the best I've ever had, gimmicky tableside guac included (never felt that was such a great thing anyway). Here, you get a generous portion of the creamiest quality guac you can imagine. I can't report on the margaritas other than to say they look gorgeous. The wine pours are also generous and the prosecco is damn good.

    I heard alot of great things about Salud…read more Salud reminds me of the taqueria's in Mexico, with the Jarrito sodas, pineapple and mandarin Try them with a tequila shot! Also the guacamole, the cheese dip and the tacos. They do have a full bar and can do frozen drinks. I loved that you can add your own toppings to your tacos. The tacos come with just meat. You can add onions, limes, cilantro and pickled onions and pickled jalapeños as well as sauce. They had a Verde sauce as well as regular salsa, and a Salsa Borachja sauce with onion, garlic and Mexican beer. It was spicy and delicious. They have plenty of counter seating, a few tables inside and several tables outside. This is a tapas bar more than a testaurant.

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    Al Pastor

    Taco Mama - The Waites - tacos - Updated May 2026

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