Little Rey
Restaurant · Elliston Place ·

Little Rey

Restaurant · Elliston Place ·

Wood-fired chicken, tacos, quesadillas, and margaritas

chicken al carbon
tacos
quesadillas
chips and guac
friendly staff
great atmosphere
salsa bar
half chicken
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by Eater - Lists + Maps
Little Rey by Andrew Thomas Lee
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null
Little Rey by null

Information

2019 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203 Get directions

$10–20

Reserve a table
Restroom
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Trendy
Family friendly

Information

Static Map

2019 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203 Get directions

+1 615 455 5809
littlerey.com
@littlereyalcarbon

$10–20

Reserve a table

Features

•Restroom
•Accepts reservations
•Popular for lunch
•Popular for dinner
•Trendy
•Family friendly
•Good for groups
•Good for solo dining

Last updated

Jan 4, 2026

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@infatuation
132,817 Postcards · 3,235 Cities

Nashville’s New Restaurant Openings - Nashville - The Infatuation

"Following in the footsteps of its older sibling Superica, Little Rey comes to the West End with fast-casual Northern Mexican food and a specific focus on chicken al carbon. Expect that chicken served whole and bone-in, migas breakfast tacos, rotating flavors of soft-serve, margaritas, and agua frescas. We hear the pancakes served with buttermilk syrup on the weekends are quite popular in its other locations." - jackie gutierrez jones 2

https://www.theinfatuation.com/nashville/guides/new-nashville-restaurants-openings
Little Rey
@eater
391,495 Postcards · 10,994 Cities

Where to Eat the Best Tacos in Nashville | Eater Nashville

"Fans of the Gulch’s Tex-Mex destination, Superica, will be delighted to learn that a new restaurant from restaurateur Ford Fry has opened in town, solely dedicated to tacos, chicken al carbon, and margs. Longtime Nashvillians will recognize its new location as the former Qdoba building on West End, which has undergone quite the glow-up. It now boasts a patio with both fans and heaters, and a kitschy-cute dining room filled with neon and hand-painted lettering. Perhaps even more exciting than the red grapefruit margaritas and soft serve? Breakfast tacos filled with chorizo, bacon, and potatoes on Saturday and Sunday." - Ellen Fort

https://nashville.eater.com/maps/best-tacos-in-nashville
Eater - Lists + Maps
Little Rey
@infatuation
132,817 Postcards · 3,235 Cities

Little Rey - Review - West End - Nashville - The Infatuation

"Following in the footsteps of its older sibling Superica, Little Rey comes to the West End with fast-casual Northern Mexican food and a specific focus on chicken al carbon. Expect that chicken served whole and bone-in, migas breakfast tacos, rotating flavors of soft-serve, margaritas, and agua frescas. We hear the pancakes served with buttermilk syrup on the weekends are quite popular in its other locations. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

https://www.theinfatuation.com/nashville/reviews/little-rey-west-end-ave
Andrew Thomas Lee
Little Rey

Traci B.

Google
Visited a few months ago, and will return. The fries with the sauce very tasty. The chip/queso were great. The chicken quesadilla was ok, probably would have been better if I got it with beef or chorizo. But the service was phenomenal!! Ordered a house margarita on the rocks and it was yucky; but Farson was quick to correct the situation and the second margarita was sooo much better. The margs are on tap, so It would be great if they still gave each one a 15 second hard shake before pouring into the glass so the margs wouldn’t taste so flat.

Joshua I.

Google
This was our third time coming to Little Rey and honestly after another great meal my family and I decided this might be our favorite fast casual spot in Nashville. We're usually a chips and dip family, so we go out for Mexican a lot, and the salsa bar here is unbeatable. The first time we came we did tacos and tried a couple different things. We ended up talking with the manager and he told us to try the whole chicken next time. I have to say it's one of my favorite meals I've had in a long time. The chicken is smoked, chopped, and packed with flavor. It's served with grilled onions and jalapeños, plus rice with pico on top, beans, and fresh pressed corn tortillas right off the grill. I grew up in the southwest and this honestly tastes like home. We always grab their chips and I love that you can walk up and get free refills. The salsa bar is a whole thing on its own. Michael was the one checking on us tonight and he was awesome. Right as we were getting ready to head out he asked if we wanted to try their house made ice cream. Of course we said yes. Solid dude, solid staff, and super savory food. Little Rey keeps knocking it out of the park.

S B.

Google
Excellent ingredients make good food. A little pricey, but for in the city in Nashville, it's reasonable. Asada was delectable. Chips are light and well made. Even the tortilla was top quality. Some options on the salsa bar, and good ambience. Would definitely recommend and return.

Tiffany A.

Google
Came here for dinner and was very satisfied! I got a diablo shrimp taco and a steak taco, both were amazing! The staff was friendly and the chips and guac were awesome. Great way to end the night after a long travel day. Low key, casual but quality food!

Kevin M. P.

Google
First time at Lil Rey’s Al Carbon and everything we ordered was amazing. The wings were super crispy with great flavor, the quesadilla was cheesy and loaded just right, and the chips and salsa hit the spot. The real star, though, was the whole chicken — perfectly cooked, smoky, and super juicy. Service was quick, the staff was friendly, and the place has a great laid-back vibe. You can tell they care about doing things right. Definitely coming back soon.

Victoria B.

Google
YUMMY! This was such a hit during our trip, we dined in multiple times. Highly recommend the hotcakes and any of their tacos - so delicious! Also if you like horchata, their iced coffee with it is really good!

Raiyaan L.

Google
The food is very flavorful and delicious. I like how you can mix and match different tacos from the menu. The atmosphere within the restaurant is also very pleasant. Very sweet staff as well. Bonus good parking for a place on West End Ave.

Taylor and Rachel G.

Google
The atmosphere of Little Rey is top notch, and the food is unbeatable. Ty delivered our food in record time, and refilled our chips for us. Mike kept the mood high, and made us laugh! Strongly recommend for a good night out!
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Jeff T.

Yelp
I stopped here for lunch and tried 2 of their Chicken Al Carbon Tacos. Apparently, this place prides itself on its chicken. The flour tortillas were soft and held up well. They were also filled with pico, chicken, and smoked onions. The smoked onions were delicious! The chicken was tender but lacked seasoning. Thankfully, they have a nice salsa bar here. This is a nice place for lunch. The restaurant has lots of seating indoors and outside, and the staff keep the tables clean and sanitized. I really appreciated that. You order at the counter and they bring your food to your table. They also offer margaritas and beer. I'm planning to return on Saturday or Sunday morning to try their breakfast Tacos, served on weekends from 9A - 3P.
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Tori S.

Yelp
Immediate review at the top, rambling at the bottom. Food: I got the pollo al carbon for $18. Comes with the chicken, tortillas, a cup of rice, and a cup of beans. A good amount of chicken with great smoked flavor. My favorite part was the sauce lineup because that chipotle ranch is too good. The platter I felt was worth the price considering I had leftovers. My only "critique" is that I wish I had been given a little bit more rice. But everything was good and the workers were very sweet. I'd probably go back again to try something else. Thoughts: Honestly, I liked this place way better than I anticipated. I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews and though I can agree that the price can feel a little bit steep, I think that has to do with the fact that it's not full service in the sense that a server doesn't take your order at the table. You order at the front, are given a number, choose a table and they bring your food. Not a big deal to me but I can see it being personal preference! But while the truth is that it is higher than your average taco spot, I do think it's worth a visit if you're in the area. It's cute inside with plenty of tables. Plus free parking!
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Aura G.

Yelp
There are about 5 billion Mexican restaurants in this area and I think Little Rey is one of the better places to dine at. First off, the interior is very cute and suitable for a casual date. Secondly, the queso fries were BUSSSS I honestly would just eat that as my whole meal. My fries were literally swimming in cheese sauce. The chicken flautas were just okay. I thought the inside chicken filling was a bit dry and the texture threw me off a little. The selection of sauces at the sauce bar was insane and i baptized every bite in the jalapeño ranch. They do have a free lot but it is small and we had to find alternative parking. You order at the front and food comes out fast. Would come back!
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Antwan S.

Yelp
So I went in to this thinking this is just a run of the mill taco spot and I was completely wrong. They had smoked wings and with the ranch they come with(chef's kiss) it was really delicious,I have to order more next time. The queso was just your basic queso recipe, solid but not over the top. The rios red margarita was soooo good it was not sweet and it was very good , the casa was a bit strong for me . The ambiance and s super chill they have seating in the front and a back patio also . The series's quick and the workers were friendly. They made sure the place stayed very clean . I'm returning very soon, possibly this week lol .
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Amber B.

Yelp
Cute interior. Ample seating inside and outside. Limited free parking but it's FREE! Counter service to order. Food brought to the table. Nice sauce bar with fresh limes. You pay for quality here not necessarily quantity. And the quality and taste is great!! Had the #1 chicken taco and #5 asada taco. Chicken makes me want to go back and try a 1/2 or whole chicken!! But the real star of the show...the Rancho beans!! Holy holy holy a bucket of them please!! And some of the best salsa verde. Would buy in bottles if available.
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Robert R.

Yelp
Food was great, service was impeccable but price was a little high for what you get. I guess it is Nashville though
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Isabel S.

Yelp
Im in town for work and came here from a recommendation and I'm so glad I did! This is a fast casual restaurant where you order at the front and then they bring out your food to you. Even though you order up there, they cleaned our plates up right away as we were finishing up. The food was delicious! The guacamole could've used a bit more lemon and seasoning but it tasted so fresh! The tacos are a little pricier than I'm used to ($3 vs. $6) but I think it's worth it. It's an elevated taco that you wouldn't get from a taco truck. I got the steak al carbon and shrimp taco and loved both. They also have a parking lot here. Definitely recommend!
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Carmen A.

Yelp
The atmosphere at Little Rey is upbeat and fun! The music is a little schizophrenic, country music followed by Radiohead, followed by George Harrison. I ordered the half chicken which was some of the best chicken in Nashville. The flavor was rich and the chicken was perfectly cooked. I had encouraged my kids to order the chopped chicken off of the kids menu, thinking it would be the same chicken, but it was wildly different. Their chicken was dry and lacked flavor. That was disappointing, but I had plenty of chicken to share with them so it ended up working out. The staff did a great job checking in and picking up trash throughout the restaurant. Would come again, but wouldn't ordered off the kids menu.
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Ashley U.

Yelp
The food here was absolutely delicious! Came in the early afternoon on a Saturday so we could choose b/n brunch and lunch options and it was all great! For this restaurant you walk up to the counter to order, they give you a sign for your table, and then the food is delivered to you. They also have a self serve hot sauce and salsa bar with many different options, LOVED this. Only downfall was we did have a larger group so when food was getting delivered things were missed but they were quick to correct it when we let them know what was left out.
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Eliza H.

Yelp
They are still working out kinks from the first week of business (a bit chaotic ordering and with new employees learning input) but the food was solid and reasonably priced vs other similar restaurants (looking at you Velvet and Pancho & Lefty's). The carne portion was massive and the beef was still pink so A+. Bonus points for double wrapping the tacos. The shrimp taco and sweet potatoes were delicious but oily (leaked through paper to the table). Plantains were amazing. Elote was tasty. Partner loved the half bird but commented that you really needed wet naps because of the mess. We didn't wait but 5 min later the line was across the parking lot. Expect it to calm down once students head out for the summer.
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Jon N.

Yelp
Outstanding street tacos. Cold beer. Salsa is the bomb. Great university restaurant. Just blocks from Vanderbilt. Service and ambiance were good.
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Yvette N.

Yelp
Delicious easy fast and fun tacos . I liked how moist and smoky the chicken was. Queso and chips were so good.
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Rana M.

Yelp
Great new spot. I got some shrimp tacos and husband got a few types of chicken tacos. All really good. You order at the counter, but they serve you table side. Nice lively ambiance. A bit pricier than most taco places, but still quite good!
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Rashod D.

Yelp
I didn't get to eat it fresh so i have to give it another shot The steak taco was solid though
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Samantha C.

Yelp
Excellent. Everything, including tortillas, are made in house. The crispness of the pork belly was incredible. The char on the chicken was perfect. Loved the queso and the green salsa (very similar to Bakersfield green salsa, iykyk). Will definitely be adding this place to our Nashville rotation!
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Julia O.

Yelp
Awesome little spot! Delicious food, margaritas and chips! Super nice people at the counter! So glad it's finally open!

Amy S.

Yelp
I ordered the shrimp taco. When it arrived it was full of cabbage but I saw no shrimp. I asked the girl who brought it to the table, "isn't there supposed to be to be shrimp in the taco?" She said " I don't know....I just work here." I dug around on the bottom of the taco. There were 4 miniature shrimp in it with a ton of cabbage piled on top to make it look full.

Jimmy B.

Yelp
First it is very expensive for a taco. $6.95 for one small Beef Al Carbon taco. It arrived and was cold - very cold. A homeless guy was panhandling in the line asking everyone for a taco. They need to step up their value proposition and food quality.

Jess B. F.

Yelp
Food is definitely good. Peaking is good when people aren't parking there to go elsewhere. The reason for only 3 stars -- FIX the Air Conditioner!!

Kim C.

Yelp
Love this concept. Very family friendly. Chicken is excellent and the quesadillas are very good also. Had our puppy and they let us sit in the back where the dogs loved it.

Sofia S.

Yelp
Absolutely delicious! Their quesadillas are small be so good! The superica salad is delish! It's such a cute restaurant and has great vibes and the staff / service is amazing and so friendly
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Johnathan O.

Yelp
Love the atmosphere, the service, and the food. Pastor taco is phenomenal. I have come by heard very often since they opened. Very happy. Tacos are a little pricy but within range of other shops. O
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Katy S.

Yelp
Just left my first visit to Little Rey. We were very excited to try it so we ordered a plethora of things to try. The highs were the queso fries and flautas. I had an arroz con pollo bowl and the chicken was so good. I felt like portions and prices didn't match up very well but the bowl is huge! Bigger than a chipotle bowl so multiple meals for me especially with everything else we tried. Smoked wings were good but spicy and some had a lot more heat than others, it's not a gamble I particularly enjoy taking. Plaintains are listed as a dessert but they are one of my favorite things so I got them, great portion size but I'm not a fan of the icing they put over them so may ask for that on the side next time. Our order was rang up incorrectly but they went above and beyond to correct it. Customer service is a hit here for sure. Very attentive table runners to be a fast casual environment. I hope they stay busy though to keep that up. Our biggest negative was drink selection. There are 2 margarita options - plain (frozen or rocks) or a grapefruit. I did get the agua Fresca of the day and a shot of tequila. They can also make ranch waters. I just feel like even one more flavor option would be good. Several beers to choose from in a case but no drafts. Also have to wait in the line to order any other drinks which is slightly inconvenient. Overall we enjoyed it. Likely won't be a frequent visitor but the option before games or shows without fighting the downtown crowd is nice and we will probably be back in those circumstances.
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Michelle A.

Yelp
We drove by and decided to check it out. We were truly blown away. I got an elote and a quesadilla and my boyfriend got the half chicken. The cashier was so kind. We came back a second time, 20 minutes till closing, expecting them to turn us away but they were so friendly and welcoming! There is lots of seating inside and out. Not a lot of space for parking but we haven't had trouble getting a spot before.
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Luke B.

Yelp
My honest rating is 7.5 out of 10, the food being served here is great quality and great flavor. However it's pricey and small portions. Food did come out fast and very chill vibe. Overall not a bad spot.
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Colton V.

Yelp
Incredible service. Amazing queso. Phenomenal margarita. Great tacos. Shout out to Christian the general manager. He made our experience even better than it already was by stopping to chat with us. Will return!

M A.

Yelp
Great service and excellent food! The pork belly is fantastic and don't skip the wings. Can't say enough about the great atmosphere and the fantastic staff! Will be back again and again.

Q Q.

Yelp
They ignored my inquiry as to whether or not their scheduled event would be canceled due to inclement weather, made yet another post advertising it, and when I got there there was nobody there. If you're going to advertise an event repeatedly and then cancel it basic decency and respect for your customers requires that you make public notification of the change, or at the very least respond to a direct inquiry. Instead they chose to waste my time and gas money. Not a good way to start a relationship with the local community.

K V.

Yelp
They should change the name to Little Bite because that's all there is. Very expensive, two bite, tiny tacos. For $6 a taco they go very light on protein and not much toppings. It's a shame as the flavor is good. It's not worth the price. Rude girls at register.

Kelly R.

Yelp
10/10 La Superica salad. Great food and lots of options. Staff was very friendly and cute decor inside.
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Kristin N.

Yelp
Tried this brand new spot and I'm in love!! Tacos within walking distance! That's all I need! Great service, great food, great atmosphere!! 10/10 recommend!!

Meredith A.

Yelp
Dry tacos, overpriced, bad parking, poor flow of people in the restaurant caused a lot of bottlenecking, drinks are not fresh Good salsa, guac, chips, and plantains but otherwise will not be going back and $7 for a taco is insane. They also got our order wrong but that could just be because it just opened. Overall I will be going to the better taco shops in the area.

Topher H.

Yelp
Great little taco shop and the salsa bar really hits the spot!! I will be back soon!!

Andrew C.

Yelp
So, me and my friends decided to come to "Little Rey" and boy am I disappointed. I am an avid Atlanta little Rey enthusiast, and I wanted to test the waters with their new nashville location and boy was that a mistake. We were greeted with HORRIBLE HOSPITALITY and ANGER. I apologize you had a long night. I do not care. Queso and margs are fine

Max Y.

Yelp
World's smallest quesadilla. I've asked for the best bang for my buck. And paid $21 for maybe a 3.5 in quesadilla. False advertisement. Still hungry.

Dehler A.

Yelp
Some of the best tacos I've had in Nashville. The salsa bar has some of the best sauces. The portions are good. The ingredients are great quality. The Diablo Taco is my favorite.

Matt C.

Yelp
Half chicken, all the fixings and chips/salsa for 20 bucks. Solid meal. Good price. Friendly staff

Alastair G.

Yelp
Firstly food was good I can't argue with that. Tacos a bit dry. Not particularly helpful servers, felt railroaded into an order - didn't enjoy it, spent a small fortune and left.

Russell S.

Yelp
Much needed spot in Nashville, which has traditionally had a severe death of good tacos. Great salsa options, too! It would be nice if it were open a bit later on weekends.

Rob L.

Yelp
Friendly service, delicious tacos, reasonable price. In nearby hotel for a conference and will be back before I leave town. Recommend.

Barbara G.

Yelp
Excellent food and service. I highly recommend eating at Little Rey. I need gluten free options and it was not difficult figuring out what to eat.

Michael H.

Yelp
Food is amazing! Great service and a really cool vibe inside and out. This will definitely become a habit!

Emily L.

Yelp
Great vibes and great eats! Would definitely eat here again, I recommend the El Diablo (shrimp taco) and the elote!

Shari H.

Yelp
My new favorite casual Mexican restaurant just opened and I could not have enjoyed it more. It was my first visit to Little Rey- ever and I will be back in just a few days. I didn't plan on leaving a review so there are no photos to share. I ordered the chips and guacamole, a steak al Carbon Taco (flour tortilla) and a Pollo Taco (corn tortilla). The guacamole was fresh and tasty. Not a bunch of extras added to it so the guacamole was avocado forward. The chips were light and crisp. Definitely made in house. The Pollo Taco had grilled chicken which had a lovely fresh off the grill taste. The steak al Carbon was my favorite. The steak was grilled and not overcooked at all- nice and juicy. For this to be a new restaurant, I am impressed how good everything was. I WILL be back and I hope it's consistency amazing.