Kimberly L.
Yelp
[Review #581]
2020 Yelp 100 Challenge (92/100)
OTM Club 12/06/20-12/12/20
I was introduced to El Barrio Neighborhood Tacos from the OTM Club's curated SURF & TURF TACOS (Wagyu skirt steak & jumbo shrimp).
It was a bit of a drive from the South Bay to L.A., just north of Culver City, but this was likely my last restaurant via OTM Menu Club for 2020. And I almost drove past the restaurant because my WiFi was acting up. I tried calling en route so my order could be ready by the time I arrive, but the cashier that picked up said OTM Club orders needed to be placed in person. :-(
On the last Saturday for that week, it was quiet in the mid-afternoon with a couple of cars in their private lot. It was a bit confusing to know if the people standing outside had ordered already because they needed to stand nearby the narrow entrance to hear their name being called since they don't have a speaker system.
Once inside, I couldn't tell which side is for ordering & which is for pick-up until the cashier waved me over. I showed her my phone & "redeemed" my freebie, & added a BARRIO BOX: 2 SIGNATURE TACOS (I got the AL PASTOR: pork shoulder, avocado crema, salsa fresca, grilled pineapple, micro cilantro), CHIPS & SALSA, GUAC, 1-BITE DESSERT (2 pieces of churro bites); it supposedly comes with a soda, but the cashier didn't give it to me & I forgot about it until I was 1/2 way home. =(
The Surf & Turf Tacos were delish, especially with a little guac! :-) They had good flavor & the shrimp & steak were perfectly cooked, but on the smaller side so it was a good thing that I added the Barrio Box. I also liked the Al Pastor Tacos, & loved the avocado cream & salsa fresca condiments for additional flavor but the tacos were a bit greasy. I tried all 3 salsas with the slightly greasy chips & preferred the green salsa; there were 2 red ones, of 1 which is really hot & one only slightly milder. I saved the churro bites for the kiddos & they wondered why there isn't more (since they had churro sticks before). LOL I said this was part of my meal, & only included a couple of bites (literally). I'm not sure what kind of soft drink comes with the box since I wasn't provided with one, so I'm assuming it's either a standard fountain drink or soda can.
Their menu is condensed & expensive for premium ingredients. No bang for your buck here, but mine was a curated freebie with a slightly discounted box as part of the offer. All things considering... service is fairly quick with a miss on part of my order. The restaurant is clean, staff are wearing masks, hand sanitizer was provided as their COVID-19 measure. No outdoor dining or even a quasi-pitched tent effort but you could eat in your car on their lot should you choose.
El Barrio Neighborhood Tacos offers a concentrated menu of 8 proteins in the form of a signature taco, street taco, huarache, burrito, breakfast burrito (only on Saturdays), or bowl; with antojitos & sides. It's a bit of a drive from home, only improved slightly if I were working (in Playa del Rey). Although the menu is alluring, future return trips are TBD with such high price points. Egad! :-O And docking a star for service issue & forgetting my soda... no bueno. =(
Recommended: Surf & Turf Tacos (this really is off-the-menu so I'm not sure if they'll make it upon request), Al Pastor Signature Tacos, Guacamole, Churro Bites.