Tacos El Joven

Guys ... this place never disappoints. Came here on Easter after having the worst family brunch…read moreever to get a pick me up. Pictured here is the aftermath of the Carne Asada Guti Nachos. From tacos to nachos to the brunch menu, everything here is done to perfection every single time!

Surprisingly one of the best Mexican restaurants in the area, in my opinion. I didn't have high…read moreexpectations coming in and wasn't sure it would meet my standards, but this spot definitely impressed me. I got the quesabirria tacos and they were so good. They were packed with meat and cheese and had a lot of flavor. The consome was delicious too and perfect for dipping. I also got a peach mango margarita mocktail since I couldn't drink that day. It was basically a peach mango juice but really refreshing and tasty. I like that they offer different flavors that you can mix however you want. We were seated at the bar right away and the server was super friendly and helpful. The vibes were great and everyone seemed happy. Parking is street only

Decor

Guti Fries

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Street view of store front

Pata Roja Taqueria

4.3(78 reviews)

3.5 mi•Downtown

I had high hopes for this place but I probably should've looked at the more recent reviews…read more I stopped in late afternoon. I settled on the 2 taco meal with the Al pastor and chips. I added guac on. The total with a bottled water was $20 (kinda steep for me). When I got my food, it didn't look the most appetizing....I had only taken two bites and noticed a fly was mixed in my taco. I asked for a refund, which was accepted with no hesitation. The staff was nice but when I got closer up the look of the kitchen was concerning. There was grime on most of the surfaces...stainless steel should shine when it's clean but everything just looked sticky. Needless to say, the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. No pun intended.

Came in for a quick bite before an event with a friend. I got the bistec (steak) taco for $7 and it…read morewas very okay. There was a decent amount of meat in the taco which made it more filling but the meat itself was dry and chewy. My friend got the al pastor taco and she said it was so-so. Their sauces are very good however and their seasoned chips are decent. I do like that they have outdoor seating, which is nice in the downtown area.

Birria tacos

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Pata Roja's new location on Court St

Nada

4.1(1.6k reviews)

3.7 mi•Downtown

A Downtown Delight! Choosing Nada for dinner was a great…read morecall. Located right in the heart of the city's high-end dining district, this place stands out even in a super competitive market. Our server, Alaura, was fantastic--super fast, attentive, and made the evening seamless. Great atmosphere. Follow me on Instagram - @thecannyadventurist for a deeper dive into my reviews.

Your bartender saved what could have been a disastrous dining experience…read more I don't like fusion y Mexican food and I am from California, so had the bartender not listened and recommended the Al pastor tacos as the most authentic style dish I probably would have eaten something weird with corn inexplicably in it and given this a 2 star. so thank your bartender but a lot of your menu sounds gross.

Bar seating

'World Famous' Braised Chicken

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Tortilla Soup

Cantina

4.3(154 reviews)

3.7 mi•Over-the-Rhine

Crown Cantina exceeded our expectations for brunch. The Breakfast Burrito was packed with flavor,…read moregenerously portioned, and wrapped in a perfectly crisp tortilla that gave every bite great texture. It was so substantial that I only made it through half. I enjoyed it with chorizo, but for a modest surcharge, they will make it with brisket! The Al Pastor Hash was the standout. It was beautifully balanced, full of bold, authentic flavors, and expertly prepared. One of my brunch-mates spends much of the year traveling through Latin America, and he was genuinely impressed. Excellent food, generous portions, and a memorable brunch experience. We'll definitely be back and look forward to trying more of the menu! Attentive service and a beautiful location in Downtown Cincinnati's quiet Pendleton neighborhood made the morning perfect.

Surprised I've not heard of this place before my brother suggested we try it (some Bengals player…read morerecommended it on a podcast I guess). This is a solid place! I didn't think I'd find something that could compete with Bakersfield but this does. It has unique flare without being over the top like some places can. Like pairing pickled veggies with my shrimp? Yes please! Ceviche was a little on the smaller side. Its flavor was there but price to size wasn't worth it to me. Recommend the grilled esquites as a side. I can't NOT get the charro beans because they were addicting. I could live on them in the winter. Tacos were so ed how you'd expect with homemade corn tortillas. Delicious, but I'd say Bakersfield pulls ahead just a touch with the tacos. Camerones Saadi's was delicious! I'd get it again, but still want to try some of their other mains. I did try dessert. Mind you I'm not huge on tres leches as it is so it might not be surprising that it wasn't my favorite. It was a tad on the drier side and textured (this was coconut tres leches so probably where the texture came from). I'd skip dessert the next go round maybe, unless they had some other fun seasonal things to try. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails as well! Especially the mezcal-based ones.

Cute bar!

Al Pastor Hash

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Awesome margaritas

Agave & Rye - Covington

4.0(650 reviews)

4.5 mi•City West

I was in town visiting family and my brother and I picked out Agave & Rye for a quick dinner with…read moremy nephew before heading over to Madison Live for a show. What a great choice that ended up being! I love this kind of food and the menu was creative without being overwhelming. My brother and I each got three items from the Vegetarian pick-three menu and my nephew ordered from the kids' menu. Everyone was happy with their food, and the draft beers tasted excellent as well. Our server, Maya, was really helpful with the menus and checked in on us often. Her friendliness and fun conversation added to an already great time. Our stop into Covington Friday evening was a highlight of my trip to Kentucky. And I like that Agave allows dogs; there was a really cute beagle-and-husky at the table next ours.

Wow. This is our first time at this restaurant. What a cool and funky vibe inside food was so good…read moreand the service was fantastic. Will definitely be back.

Inside seating

Wing Week Wings!

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Old Fashioned

Condado Tacos

3.8(744 reviews)

4.0 mi•Downtown

I am normally not a fan of this restaurant at other locations but I will say this location might be…read morea bar above the rest. We sat at the bar and was greeted right away - they changed the way you order - the last time I was here I ordered what I wanted with a pen and paper this time I listed what I wanted to the waitress - I think I like the other way better as there is less room for error. I ordered the 1/2 order of chips with garden salsa (just a fancy way to say verde salsa) it was delicious and the chips were perfectly crisp and salty. I also got a build your own taco with the ranch seasoned shell and the chicken ( I wasn't a huge fan of the chickens texture). The price is realtivley cheap and I like how this location on the weekend has specials that cater to the crowd of the banks like 2 for 20$ margarita flights. The inside was clean enough and the bathroom wasn't the worst I have seen.

We came with a large group on a weekday lunch. At first the servers tried to get us to separate our…read moregroup into multiple tables, but we came together so we could sit together, so we waited while the reluctantly pushed together the high tops for us. Our server was friendly and attentive to our ordering needs and the drinks & food arrived promptly. Unfortunately, multiple people had issues with their food requests not being properly prepared. Thankfully, the server easily split our checks amongst all eleven of us and everyone received the proper bills. I am not a fan of Condado's food. The menu has so many different ingredients yet most of the food ends up lacking in flavor. They do make good margaritas and that's my only reason for returning!

Mexican Street Corn - Full

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Frida 602

4.0(438 reviews)

4.2 mi

The atmosphere, the decor, and the absolute best Service possible. This restaurant is sure not to…read moredisappoint. The food/cuisine top-notch. I have absolutely mad respect for this restaurant. The brussels sprouts taco is exquisite. Don't take my word for it. try it out yourself you will be amazed. Our server was top-notch professional and absolute best. You can't go wrong with Frida 602.

Tacos, queso, and spicy Margs are my three main food groups so I knew I had to check Frida's out…read morefor my birthday. The inside is so cute and fun and our server was phenomenal! She answered all our questions and kept checking on us. We started off with the queso and I have to say it is now my favorite queso I've had in the Tristate area It's not your typical queso that comes out runny. Frida's queso comes out in a mini skillet and is thick reminding me of when we lived in El Paso and had authentic Mexican food. The chips were amaziiiing too I got a shrimp taco and fish taco as my main and loved the combo of Chimichurri and pineapple salsa on the shrimp one. The fish taco was loaded with aioli which was a bit much so I couldn't really taste the fish or other toppings. I will definitely be back to try more tacos and eat my weight in queso!

Oaxaca Oaxacan Chicken Sandwhich

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Spicy Margarita

Bakersfield OTR

4.3(1.6k reviews)

3.3 mi•Over-the-Rhine

Food is great. Love the Dolly with crispy chicken. (Cesar Salad) It's fresh and the right size…read more Jake is fantastic and we will be back.

Fun to update a review that I wrote NINE years ago! How is that possible?…read more Anyway, Bakersfield still crushing it. Still love the short rib taco, but there are some amazing new items on the menu since the last time I was there. The chicken empanadas are the meatiest empanadas I've had in town, delicious and a pretty good deal at 3/$11. Perfect for sharing, on their own, it's a meal. They also now serve a basic crunchy taco, but unfortunately, they only come in orders of 4 so couldn't try those and the empanadas. I guess I'll have to come back. Oh noooo! Keep an eye on the promotions from Thunderdome around the holidays for some discount gift certificates too. Bakersfield still delivers great food at a solid value after 14 years.

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Taqueria Mercado

3.7(373 reviews)

3.6 mi•Downtown

I haven't been here in years! A bustling lunchtime crowd. Rather pleasantly noisy…read more They have a huge bar selection, and three TV's showing soccer games. As a starter we ordered the freshly made (piping hot) chips with a slightly spicy salsa. Perfect combination! The chips are paper thin and so crunchy. We ordered the shrimp fajitas. The portions are HUGE! The skillet contains shrimp, caramelized white onions, green peppers, the side platter contains ample portions of shredded lettuce, avocado, sour cream, Mexican rice, refried beans and a tomato relish. Service was prompt, knowledgeable, and well mannered. A super delicious lunch!

The food is always fresh and the service is outstanding!! I visit from out of town several times a…read moreyear, and usually visit while in Cincinnati.

Seating area

5. Two Small Quesadillas Lunch Combo

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Mango Margarita

Veracruz Mexican Grill

4.2(184 reviews)

1.5 mi•Downtown

Hidden gem in the city. Great service and very authentic Mexican food! Friendly staff and nice…read moreatmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating.

Great option in the Incline District! It's a little off the main road so it can be easy to miss…read more The chips and salsa were great, and we really liked our meals as well. They have an outdoor porch area that was very nice to enjoy if the weather is nice. I liked my Hawaiian quesadilla. Service was very good, and overall an excellent lunch spot.

Mexicana burrito

Steak Taco and Beef Enchilada Lunch

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Chips and Salsa

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Rod B.

3

45

0

9 years ago

Good tacos and snacks! I came here after I got a big bag of precious gem stones. I asked the man to heat up my emeralds and he did for me! Made my drive to Michigan a LOT more relaxed. Finally got the cd player working again too! Try the chicken and veggie quesoCRUNCH grinder sandwich and Milky Way Space Travel quesadilla. I say hey. Why Not? Get a pepsi. *ice cold* :) read more

Justin D.

0

1

0

4 years ago

Lengua tacos where the best i have ever had, amazing.

Tacos El Joven - tacos - Updated October 2026

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Tacos Locos

4.6

(84 reviews)

as my quest for the best burrito in Cincinnati continues I include my recent trip to the tacos…read morelocos food truck. Haven't heard read and seen all kinds of fantastic things I had high hopes for what they would deliver. Food up and ordered a steak burrito the Saturday before Father's day, they were running a Father's day special where you also got a free order of nachos with any order. I told them I wasn't a father and it wasn't even Father's day and they still wanted to give me free food. That's a definite plus to start! I also made a mistake when ordering my burrito and forgot to ask them to put the sour cream on the side, after I told them they said they already made it but would remake my burrito for me if I wanted, which is another big plus. Good quality customer service. so far things are looking pretty good for tacos locos, and whenever I got home the burrito look great. headset on the flat top and got in a little bit of crispiness, the cheese and probably melted all in there, they even pre-sliced it down the middle. I dug in... It wasn't amazing. It was definitely good, v steak was plentiful, and the cheese had definitely melted. However it was all kind of in with one corner of the burrito roll so it all melted into a clump. The beans inside were extremely rich, but also thin. I was absolutely happy with the purchase, and see it as a solid option. But not the best burrito in Cincinnati. Free nachos, by the way, were loaded up and solid as well.

I finally returned to Tacos Locos after quite a while. I tried to find the food truck a month ago…read moreand it was no longer at the BP station. Finally found them across the street in a parking lot just a bit further south on Montgomery Road. They are set back further than before but still visible with quite a few parking spots. I was sad that they were out of shrimp for shrimp tacos, but it was late in the day. So I went with chicken tacos. Love that they still use two corn tortillas for each taco. Each had plenty of filling and the traditional onion and cilantro with lime wedges on the side. Also enjoy the slices of fresh cucumber to munch on. I tried a quesadilla for the first time. Went with a combo of mushroom and spinach. It was good. Not sure if I'll order it again though. It doesn't travel well. So it sat in the container while I drove home, and it got a bit soggy on the bottom. Still tasty though. I also ordered a side of refried beans and chips. The chips come with salsa that I don't use. I dip the chips in the beans and enjoy them that way :). The chips could have been fresher, but overall it was a good meal.

Jorge’s Taco Food Truck

4.8

(101 reviews)

Good service, excellent food quality. Best burritos in town without doubt…read more...................... ..................................

This is my second time getting lunch from Jorge's. My work raves about this place and finally I got…read moreto try them. I can't pass up a good taco food truck opportunity. Located next to the BP station. They offer tacos (pork, steak/beef, pescatarian, etc), gorditas, burritos, quesadillas, plates, sides and catering. The first time I went, I got the chicken, birria and chorizo tacos. My friends loves the fish and shrimp tacos. The second time I got 2 chicken and one chorizo. Man... it was delish! Fresh ingredients off the grill. The chorizo has a good kick and their homemade green sauce is fire. Love it. Now if I can take my fiancée here so he can enjoy it. This place is solid and I highly recommend you pay them a visit.

Taqueria San Miguel

4.0

(40 reviews)

the best and most authentic mexican in the area. Torta is the best i've ever had. Can't sread more

My husband and I had lunch here on Sunday and thought it was delicious! We both ordered 3 tacos…read moreeach. He had the Lengua (beef tongue) and I ordered the Chorizo. The tacos were very filling and I was stuffed after having three. I also had a Mexican Coke and my husband tried a Guatemalan beer. It is a bit of a 'dive' and the bathroom could use a good cleaning. Also, the smell of sewage, likely from the improper draining of oil into the floor drains that happens in many small restaurants, was unpleasant. But the food was amazing!

Taqueria Yolandita

4.1

(13 reviews)

I have driven past this food truck for several months, and kept saying, "I'm going to try that…read moreplace one day". Well, I finally did, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed! First of all, the staff is very friendly. Second, the food is delicious! It's also in a convenient location (for me). The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is they don't accept credit cards.

When I first read Sarah P.'s update about the Taqueria Yolandita cart disappearing from its normal…read moreQueen City Avenue spot without a trace, I just about wanted to bust out crying. But some of the wife's coworkers found the cart again a couple of weeks later, so I was reassured. This weekend we went to track it down. She has moved down the hill to 1881 Westwood Avenue, in a little gravel lot at the corner of Westwood and Quebec, across the street from the UDF in Fairmount. Still excellent.

Taqueria San Marcos

4.4

(233 reviews)

Mejor vayan a Taqueria San Miguel en Covington. Las salsas no son salsas, una sabía a nada, otra…read moresabía a Chamoy, y la salsa verde sabía a puro limón. For my Mexicans out there or if you're looking for AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD, this is NOT a Mexican restaurant. I won't deny it, the meat in the tacos was really good, BUT the salsas were HORRIBLE. One of them tastes like absolutely nothing, there's another red one that tastes like straight up Chamoy, and the green salsa tastes just like straight up lime juice. I walked in and did not see my people, did not hear my people, but wanted to believe I could still taste my people. I was disappointed. I won't give them a one star review because like I said, the meat itself was good, and there are Latinos that work there, BUT if you're going to call yourself a Mexican restaurant or market yourself as one, PLEASE have spicy and flavorful salsas.

Visited here several years ago with a few friends and ordered probably four tacos ala carte. I can…read moreonly remember that I got the lengua taco and it was tender and tasty. Decided to visit again with my parents in town. Chips and salsa were complementary immediately, and the salsa had a nice kick. We ordered a couple bowls of guacamole as well, and it was just a really good, smooth, and well-seasoned guac. I was feeling a bit famished, so I ordered the Taco Loco: Deep-fried tortilla with grilled chicken, beef, shrimp, mushrooms, and tomatoes over rice topped with cheese. If that doesn't make your mouth water, I don't know what will. It was absolutely delicious. Flavorful meats, sauteed mushrooms, and the cheese was out of this world. Everyone else enjoyed their food too. Definitely my go-to Mexican restaurant in the area.

Mi Ranchito

4.4

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