TBT El Gallo

Excellent service, a simple and elevated menu, top notch tequila and mezcal. Highly recommend. The upstairs bar is quiet and secluded. The outside patio is high energy and spacious. Quite the place.

The birria tacos here are unique with a halo of baked/fried cheese around them. We saw a server clearing a table where the customers had removed all this and just left the beautiful crispy cheese halo pieces uneaten and on the plate to be discarded. I don’t know who these monsters are, but I assure you that you won’t want to do this. Great outside seating too

Their new spot at 2614 W Cary is cozy and cool. Art and neon and gorgeous tile work, high ceilings and good music. The services knowledgeable, friendly, cheerful and attentive, but not overly. The food! Flavors so rich, I had a moment, ok several. We had the chips and sauces, super fresh, nothing too hot, the guac chunky thick gorgeous. They give you lids so you can bring home what ya don’t finish. The birria cheese lace, chunky fried fish taco, sweet carnitas, street corn that’s good with everything. The wings… I don’t have words except that glaze… I got every bit I could without licking the plate. There’s a blend of intense flavors and no heat to overpower them. 3 dessert choices all homemade, we had the key lime pie and yeah, get it. Can’t wait to return and dig into the menu more!

Great tacos! We had the margs during happy hour but I could not imagine paying the full price for it!

So first - this location is CLOSED. Was mildly annoyed. BUT the new location (2614 w cary street) - very nice. The tacos were delish, in particular the papas bravas taco. House margarita was good too! Only complaint for the new location- their door didn’t/doesn’t close properly which made the lower level FREEZING. I was shivering trying to drink my margarita and chips and guac. I also wish they’d give you more chips - albeit, chip refills is .50 cents.

Came in on a Thursday night (tonight!) with my friend and sat upstairs in the bar area. We got the every damn dip chip sampler (you gotta!!) all the salsas are SO GOOD, even the spiciest one has an amazing flavor. Thursday meant taco special and we both got two - carnitas and one of their two veg options. All incredible. Service was excellent, staff super nice- to us and each other. Not to mention the vibes were perfect- singing along to early 2000s emo/pop punk with them? Count me in. This wasn’t my first time here, but I know I’ll be back again soon. Thank you TBT!

Best guacamole I've had in a long time. The fish tacos were some of the best tacos I have ever had. 10/10

Such a great experience! Cocktails are unique and very tasty! They have wine and the margaritas were delicious! Food is always a 10 out of 10!

The interior of the new location at 2614 W Cary (where Kreggers formerly was located) is very cute with lots of artwork and a hidden gem feeling. The tacos were incredible, and it was very nice to speak with Carlos, the owner, when he brought out our meal. I can't decide whether I loved my potato or chicken tacos more! They were fresh and flavor, and the margaritas were great as well. We learned that most of the menu is gluten-free, and they're working on getting a dedicated fryer soon so that chips and other items that are currently cross contaminated can be prepared gf. I'm excited to return again and support this wonderful, local business.

My husband and I went for lunch midweek around noon and had the whole patio to ourselves. Not many people inside either. We really like Mexican food so we're excited to try out something new. 5 stars for service : friendly and helpful 4 stars for atmosphere and outdoor patio. The fans were a bonus but they didn't keep the flies away :( 3 stars for the food: we got chips and guacamole for appetizer, special taco combo and a chicken burrito. The chips and guac were pretty good. Just felt like the guacamole needed some lime juice or seasoning. But it was very fresh. We both liked the chicken burrito and the tacos were interesting, but not anything mind blowing. The chicken Tinga toppings were very good, but I wasn't a fan of the chicken thigh flavor. A little too gamey for me. I liked the Carnitas, but it tasted much better with a little guacamole on it. The Cameron Diaz was not for me. Just not a lot of flavor. Nice to try something new but not sure we'd go back particularly because the parking is always challenging on Cary.

You raised the cost of a side of queso from $4 to $6? That's a 50% price increase. I used to be able to get a taco w/ a side of chips, and a side of queso for a somewhat reasonable price. This huge price increase has placed my local taco indulgence out of bounds. I can get much more food for the price at other local establishments. Really bummed out about this price hike, TBT.

YUM! It has been a couple years since I've been to TBT El Gallo and man I've been missing out. Their new spot is where Kregger's used to be which is a great location. I love the original brick walls. And the food was absolutely amazing. The three salsas all had great flavor; the spiciest one was my favorite. I got three 1 tacos Slam Dunk Contest, El Grill Daddy, and Dude Where's My Carnitas. All were incredible with the carnitas being my favorite. The sauce included in the taco setup added such an amazing layer.

Amazing and interesting menu items, great food and excellent cocktails. Plus extra special vibe points! Excellent and interesting options for vegetarians...great staff!

The ambiance is great. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The food is pretty good, too. A little bit on the pricier side so beware. The service was amazing. Overall a great experience.

Fun, festive, attentive, and delish! Started with the badass margarita, loaded Mexican fries and chose the loaded bowl with chicken and a salsa roja. Was very happy with everything! Staff was fantastic and the vibe was fun! Can't wait to come back.

Our favorite place!! Brunch is fantastic - you have to get the corn blueberry pancake. Happy hour is generously long and includes house made margs! Our servers have always been attentive and helpful. And the patio is really fun.

Tbt is still delicious. My go to is still the slam dunk birria tacos. They are always stuffed to the brim & flavorful. If you have yet to try it -- run, don't walk!

Tried out their West Cary location after having their food truck a few years ago and really enjoying it. The first issue we came upon was conflicting information about when they are open, they had a sign out side saying open at 12pm, it was 11:45ish and the open sign was on, their website says 11am... fine whatever... we went in and they were apparently open. The second issue was that the menu online is nothing like the menu they actually had, which was very disappointing since my husband and I had picked out what we wanted based on the online menu. I did appreciate they were able to accommodate a vegan burrito (not on menu) and my husband got something he was happy with, definitely more expensive than I wanted to pay, $18 for a vegan burrito. The seating outside is fine, but many tables wobble (a lot). Once you get your food, flies swarm out of no where, which is hard to prevent with outdoor seating but they didn't seem to have any preventative measures. I would recommend taking your food to go. The FOOD: taste is great, certainly can't fault them for that, unfortunately the mushrooms I chose for my vegan burrito were soooo tough and huge that they were not easy to chew and were not enjoyable texture-wise. Will definitely avoid the mushrooms if we ever come back, but honestly, there are better and cheaper places nearby without swarms of flies.

1000/10 for the birria tacos. I was a little worried at the color of the consomé but it was so dang good. The staff here are also some of the sweetest people to talk to. The three of us ordered 8 tacos in total and two sides of street corn. I will say, this was probably the most underwhelming but it may be because I'm not used to this type of equites. It was like drowning in what tasted like the tobasco chipotle sauce.... it was good but not the type of street corn you think of

We cannot find anything wrong with this establishment. Burrito taco water munch munch

Best tacos in RVA! Fish, shrimp, birria all crush it! Don't miss the fries either! Creative ingredients and contemporary cooking --no combo No. 2s drenched in cheese here!

My favorite tacos (and fries???) in RVA. Located dangerously close to Shyndigz, this is an amazing to-go option. As a sucker for seafood, I always end up with at least one fish taco. The protein is pretty much the size of a chicken tender and freshly fried, finished with a creamy chipotle mayo and fresh pico + radish. In a first for me, fish is not my favorite thing on the menu; as far as the tacos go I actually prefer the Tierra Santa, which is loaded up with the most flavorful veggies + two cheeses and explodes on the palate. But the best bang-for-your-buck on the entire menu is an order of the street-style fries: you'll get a massive portion of perfectly crisp, spiral-cut fries smothered with toppings. Children of the Corn comes with a huge scoop of guac that does not miss. I think about these potatoes regularly now.

unfortunately over priced and underwhelming. everything is an up charge. 50 cents for a chip refill obviously isn't the end of the world, but felt silly when they brought out an even smaller portion than the first as the "refill"....i also feel like a table spoon of sauce on my burrito shouldn't cost extra but oh well. staff was super nice though.

Best vegetarian tacos in Richmond! Excited for their new space to open. Carlos is awesome!

They were at a beer event I attended. The mushroom asada tacos were nearly inedible. Literally could bite as hard as I could through a piece of mushroom and could not break it apart. Legit bad. Then the board said $18 for 4 tacos but they charged $20. Service was not friendly. Only compliment is they were quick and the sauces I doused on were tasty - so I had a bunch of corn tortilla and hot sauce for $25 basically. Would never check out their physical location.

I haven't had better Mexican in Richmond ever, and I've lived here for 34 years. I think the secret is in the sauce - the consommé is hall of fame worthy. The poblano avocado crema, queso drizzle, and all three of their salsas are the icing on the cake. I love the creativity of the menu options. I've done takeout twice now and am forever a fan now. Wow!

Decided to stop by and try this place out! It is often on the top restaurants in Richmond lists so figured we should try. And sadly everything about it was just okay-- but bad but also not memorable either. The Birria tacos which is the star taco was mediocre at best. The aloha fluffy taste good but nothing to run back for. The street corn was solid and guacamole was overpriced for the amount you get. I really wanted to love these tacos but they were just not what I hoped to eat. Definitely worth a try but don't fall for the hype!

Great authentic food, homemade sauces, lively friendly accommodating staff. We tried chip sampler and variety of the tacos from braised ribs to chicken tinga. Each dus hot to order.

Surprised that this place is rated so highly and is raved as being super authentic. The birria tacos and consomme are just okay. The fish tacos were probably the worst. I couldn't even make out any fish flavors, it seemed like I was eating straight up fried dough with some unflavored sauce slapped on it. One of our friends ordered the street corn and it was not edible... It tasted like a pound of salt had been thrown onto it. For $5 a taco, I was expecting some amazing, authentic tacos but alas, that was not received. Still on my search to finding an authentic taco place to satisfy my cravings.

Chewy meat lukewarm tacos ordered by a machine that asks you to tip? Check. Nobody behind the counter to help you? Check. Sterile AF atmosphere and an abomination of a food court? Check. Check, please. F this place, I'm out.

Tierra Santa and El Grill Daddy were the two best of the 4 we had. Both had good flavor and I liked the crunchy shell of the El Grill Daddy. El Ricky Bravas was okay, but I was expecting the potatoes to have more seasoning/flavor. The Slam Dunk Contest was my least favorite as it seemed rather plain after the rest of it. I also ordered the Elote (street corn) and was surprised it came in a tupperware instead of on the cob. It was spicy. They have lots of salsa choices. This is a hole in the wall place with easy online and pick up (they text when it's ready).

Heard so many good things about this place and oh my it was GOOD! As soon as you walk in, the taco/meat aroma tells you you're in the right place!! I got the "Slam Dunk Contest" which was your classic beef birria taco. The meat was well-seasoned and tender, taco shell was crispy, and the consomme (the soup dip) was flavorful! Although I wished their consomme was more spicy, it definitely reminded me of my LA birria taco truck days! They also had salsa with 3 different spice levels which gives people more variety and options to mix/match. Their street corn was also delicious! Lots of cheese, jalapenos, onions, and cream. I liked how the corn was sweet and nicely chewy with a hint of that charcoal roasted flavor! Everything is packed to go and there are some tables outside. Service was quick and convenient as they text you once your order is ready. I would 120% come back!!

TBT was delicious! Super small spot with limited outdoor dining, but the food makes up for it. The Ricky Bravas was our favorite with potato and a cheesy sauce. Tierra Santa was good too, and the vegan burrito is a great option for plant-based customers - unfortunately I think the medium salsa inside it was packed with cilantro, which I can't eat and can't stand the taste of. Overall a good meal on a beautiful day!

We had TBT El Gallo cater our wedding. It's been three weeks and our guests are still commenting on how delicious the food was. Chef and the TBT Team were the absolute best to work with and made some of the most delicious tacos. Also! They have a vegan horchata that is to die for. Highly recommend using TBT for both an amazing dinner for two, or a party for 150! Thank you TBT El Gallo!

Stopped in here for lunch. Pretty solid taco spot and we sat outside under the tent in the shade. For the east coast, I would say it's pretty good. We ordered the slam dunk and the aloha. The slam dunk was really good, the meat was really juicy but we thought it was one dimensional. The aloha was REALLY good and the pork was super tender and offset by the pineapple. Still felt like it was missing something. Our son got the steak fries and it was definitely a large portion but it was a pretty basic box of steak fries, mediocre steak, and a ton of cheese. The elote corn was probably our favorite part! The spice was incredible! With all the places in RVA, probably wouldn't stop through again.

Holy crap! I am going to straight up tell you that this place has some of the absolute best tacos I've ever had in my entire life! I heard about this place from a friend of mine and it is a literal hole in the wall that is very easy to miss. There was no indoor seating that I could see and limited outdoor seating, so don't go there thinking you're gonna sit down and be waited upon. I am not a huge beef taco person, but a friend of mine told me that the Slam Dunk Contest taco was really good. I went ahead and ordered it and had a physical reaction when I tasted it, and the reaction was extraordinarily positive! I also had the Chicken Tinga so Madre taco and it was equally as tasty. I guess I'm not raving about it as much as I am used to chicken tacos. The real treat was a side of Mexican street corn. It was served up the way you would find it on the streets of Mexico, and not a corn on the cob that was thrown onto a grill and labeled as street food. Look, I'm telling you that if you are in Richmond and want a fantastic taco experience you have got to get this place up. They also have burritos which I will try next time which will also likely be very soon!

Finally tried this place! The tacos are good but not sure what the hype is about this place. I got the chips/guacamole and those were good along with 2 tacos. The birra one, which was super soggy and the other one with carne and chorizo. They were both good but nothing I would rave about. Also super expensive in my opinion. I would eat it again but I would really need to be craving it.

I've loved every taco I've tried here. Luckily I'm nearby and make them a frequent stop when I'm craving tacos. Tried the Big Papi Chulo, Aloha fluffy and my go to Chicken Tinga. Checked out the queso this time and ran out before I could get a picture! Always friendly staff and the food never disappoints.

Visited here after it was on Eater's best restaurants in Richmond. They're definitely your best choice for tacos in Richmond. You may be slightly let down if you've had tacos in any global taco hot spots, such as Texas or Mexico, but it was still delicious! The slam dunk was good, and I loved the birria, but the real star was the Aloha Fluffy - fatty, juicy pork belly, the bite of pickled pineapple...oof. Wish we had gotten more of those! Unfortunately our Electric Forest Fries were a bit too soggy to be enjoyed, but that wasn't the restaurant's fault as we did takeout. I ended up scrambling them with eggs for a morning hash the next day and they did the job. I will say that the prices were a bit much for what you got - $5 for a taco!

The tacos are amazing. Primarily a to-go place but there are a couple small tables outside if you can't wait to eat.

All around amazing. Menu is terrific and I've had most everything on it with no disappointments. A little pricey, but that's a simple data point, not a complaint, considering the quality of food and service. Make an excuse to go if you haven't been already.

Service: The person behind the counter taking orders was friendly and patient as my friend and I decided what I wanted. The food came out in 10-15 mins after ordering. Food: The food was well-flavored, even without the salsa. The cod was sizeably-portioned, and the sauce that came on it was sufficient flavor. The Slam Dunk was more typical in seasoning. I didn't try the Aloha Fluffy, so I cannot comment on it. Ambience: The workers were cheerful and engaged in lively conversation. It felt like a welcoming place. There were outdoor tables and seating but, indoor, only a bench to wait for your order. Price: At $5 per taco, it was on the expensive side for tacos. The cod seemed closer to the value, but I wouldn't say the same for the Slam Dunk.

I'm so disappointed!! I hate when I have high hope's for food that reviewer's hype up, and my experience significantly differs! My friend and I were starving, after leaving the 2nd Street festival. (food line"s were insane) I suggested El Gallo, since I'm a taco "aficionado" and the IG photos looked good. The place is located in the old Naked Onion, some of the best food I have had. I thought that was a good sign. When we arrived they were busy, but not too bad, until we placed our order. It appeared that they immediately became overwhelmed! I ordered 5 different taco's, I wanted to try them and share with my son. I ordered the big papi chulo, where is Dori, aloha fluffy, chicken tinga tu madre and the birria taco. My friend ordered three tacos similar to my order. The only changes I made to my order was no pineapple on the aloha and extra cilantro. I didn't think my request was outrageous, apparently it was, lol. I have never been to a food truck, restaurant or anywhere that it takes over an hour to make taco's ( even specialty taco's). We watched and waited as others ate and were served. Also, they are not responsible for the outdoors seating ( I didn't quite understand that). It was taking so long for our food, that I ended up going back in to get updates. (They have a wack ordering system) Finally, I get my food and if I hadn't been so hungry, ( my sugar drops) I would have asked for my money back! I have had some bad taco's in my life, but these were hands down the worse! Primarily, either they got my order wrong, or all the protein tasted dried out, overcooked and bland. When they noticed that they were running low, they should have stopped taking orders to make sure the ones that they already had were completed accordingly! These are not Five dollar taco's! The meat was over cooked, they ran out of cilantro (Mexican place really???) I hate when that happens) and not only were the shells half empty, heavily camouflaged with garnish, They got the entire order wrong!! My friends order was completed in 2 hours, after numerous requests and she choked on her's! We couldn't figure out what taco was what! The alleged pork belly in one of my taco's was just 1 small bland hard strange shaped cut of meat. My son ate what he could and discarded what he couldn't chew, or think he could digest (which was almost everything.) I bit into what I thought was the birria taco, because I was about to pass out and almost damaged my dental work. They piled a bunch of garnish sans cilantro, on the tacos to camouflage the lack of protein, oy vay! My friend threw all of her food away! The place had gotten busier and out of control, they were running out of ingredients it wasn't worth it to complain. This is a small place that is not accustomed to handling heavy traffic. Chef's and cooks, as a famous Chef Gordon Ramsay always says, "When cooking always taste your food!" When I eat any food especially ethnic food, IT MUST BE SEASONED!!! Also, don't overcook your protein, and label your containers with the order details!! Be prepared for larger crowds! Anyways, we won't be returning, I need my teeth, lol.

Not only was the food delicious, the guys working were helpful and attentive! The perfect to go order on the way to the airport!

Whattttt did I just eat?! This El Diablo Guapo torta I just crushed was the most insane bursts of flavor profiles I've ever experienced from a sandwich. Juicy, crunchy, spicy, hint of sweet, fresh, fried. Plz don't sleep on this one. My boyfriend got the Slam Dunk Contest tacos and engulfed them before I could get a picture. Absolutely insane flavors, so juicy that the perfectly marinated meat juices run down your hand as you take a bite. They may not be clean to eat but they are 10/10. Also side-note who is this guy Brad in the comments, lol. I'd hardly think that a new owner of a small business in the middle of a pandemic is lazy. Most small businesses are off on Mondays to give their staff a day to recover. Many small businesses cannot cover the overhead of keeping a restaurant open at all hours of the morning and night. Kudos to y'all for doing your thing.

Tried again - same feeling. I ordered a carne asada burrito that was good, but not worth the price tag. There is better for cheaper.

Tbt El Gallo deserves the hype! My boyfriend and I placed an online order, which was very easy. Although it took a while to get our food, it was worth the wait. We tried a mix of their specialty tacos and traditional tacos. We ordered two "slam dunk contest" (birria tacos), one "big papi chulo" (flank steak and chorizo), one "dónde es Dori" (cod), one papas bravas (spiced potatoes), and one carnitas (pork). Although the "slam dunk contest," has received the most hype, I think their classic tacos (papas bravas and carnitas) were my favorite. That said, all of the different tacos we tried were yummy, and the tortillas were by far the best I've had in Richmond. We also tried their "From Mexico with Fries," fries topped with flank steak, guacamole, Chihuahua cheese, pickled onions, and poblano crema. I didn't really know what to expect when I ordered these, but wow! They were so flavorful and delicious, and the guacamole was the best I've ever had. Tbt El Gallo is a great addition to Richmond's food scene. I will definitely be back!

Went to their brick and mortar location for the first time. Super easy! You can order online and they text you when your order is ready! We got a hangover cure burrito, two Mexican corns, from Mexico with love fries, 2 slams dunk contest tacos, an aloha fluffy, a big papi chulo taco, and a jarrito to drink. They added new menu items when they opened up their shop and OMG you do not want to miss them. Street corn hit the spot and did I mention these fries!?! Absolutely delicious. My husband said he could eat a whole order by himself they were so good. As always their burritos were packed with protein and flavor. Tacos are always on point. Love dunking in the consommé. Also, they have the friendliest crew! They make you feel like family. Check them out!!

Caught these guys outside of Star Hill Brewing on Leigh St. I ordered a specialty taco called "slam dunk contest" and a" traditional" carne asada taco. Both were full of flavor! Loved dunking the slam dunk contest taco in the consommé (broth). The carne asada was so tender! There's not much to say but go and check then out! They are currently doing "pop ups" all over Richmond to be sure to check them out on IG to stay current with their location! @tbtelgallo https://instagram.com/tbtelgallo?igshid=114j8g2lkmi7l

Yall already know what it is. Solid proteins. I wish they'd go back to the original fries! Great spot though we are spoiled having them here in the Fan.

for the price these tacos ain't even that good. tortillas are too weak and always breaking. However their guac is delicious as well as their home made salsas. I like the authenticity they bring to the taco universe in rva but they're just not giving what's supposed to give (for that specificity price point) if they were cheaper id understand and enjoy them more.

Amazing tacos ! Very friendly staff. I loved the aloha and slam dunk and the fish tacos. The Tierra Santa was also very good just a little heavy on the cheese which just hid the nopale flavor, but I still loved it.

Stopped by randomly while strolling down West Cary Street. I was drawn in by their local vibe and quaintness of the space. Although it's quaint there's an outdoor space to eat. Unfortunately my experience was deflated by all the oil drowning my shrimp taco which made it extremely messy and unsatisfactory. They do offer complimentary sauces, but with all the oil who needs sauce. I ended up only eating the fillings. Attached are photos. Did I mistakenly order soup?

Excellent street tacos!!!!!! Great variety of options-- with vegetarian substitution available by choice.

Nice dive. Friendly staff. I enjoyed my tacos but not my elote.elite. I never had authentic birria before so I was hype about that!

I highly recommend this place. I ordered the birria and the aloha. The birria was fantastic! The meat was incredibly moist throughout and when it came to the Aloha the pork belly was great. It was very moist and the flavors on both were fantastic. I have already recommended this place to several others so far and they love their tacos as well. I still haven't tried the traditional tacos as of yet because each time you go I just love the Slam Dunk to much. Don't get fooled by the outside or the inside. This little place packs one hell of a punch when it comes to their food.

I've been wanting to try this place since it opened and finally made it. The place is carry out only but they have a few tables out front if you want to eat there. I can honestly say, these were the best tacos I have ever eaten in my entire life! They're a little on the pricey side but well worth it. I had the Big Papi and the Slam Dunk. The tacos are filled with protein and toppings and they are exceptionally flavorful. I am already planning my next trip back to this place.