Yellow Door Taqueria
Mexican restaurant · South End ·
Creative cocktails, seasonal tacos, and antique decor for dates
![Yellow Door Taqueria by Lion’s Tail [Official Photo]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65195149/Lions_Tail_Frozen_Cocktails.0.jpg "Yellow Door Taqueria by Lion’s Tail [Official Photo]")
Creative cocktails, seasonal tacos, and antique decor for dates
"Aptly named for its cheery exterior, this upscale Mexican restaurant opened its Mission Hill location just last year. With creative cocktails, moody lighting and elegant decor, this is a great spot for a date night or special occasion. The menu rotates based on seasonal availability but always includes an inventive assortment of tacos, such as carnitas, birria, chili duck, and charred broccoli. For appetizers, the elote is a must-try." - Maya Homan
"A South End expansion of a beloved Dorchester taqueria serving 12 seasonal tacos on house-made masa tortillas plus empanadas, pupusas, elote, crudo, and salads; the drinks program leans into tequila and mezcal with inventive cocktails, mocktails, and sangrias, and the location offers two exclusive cocktail recipes alongside house-made tortillas to-go." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal
"A South End outpost of a Dorchester taco spot offering a similar vibe to its original location, with tacos, crudos, and cocktails and plans for music and DJ programming to cultivate a lively neighborhood presence." - Terrence Doyle
"Opening in the South End at 354 Harrison Ave., this small-but-mighty Dorchester transplant brings its Cali-Mex menu and powerhouse cocktails to a reworked Lion’s Tail space. Co-owners Brian O’Donnell and Ken Casey, along with GM and beverage director Jarek Mountain, worked with designer Taniya Nayak to create rustic, antique-washed accents with pops of teal, rose, and yellow; tin ceiling tiles, exposed brick, patterned tile flooring, and banquette seating upholstered in vegan leather and crushed velvet; a Frida Kahlo mural; tufted barstools and ambient lighting behind a curved wooden bar; beaded chandeliers, retro neon signs, and decorative frames; and accordion windows that open to patio dining in season. Executive chef Carolina Curtin leads a menu of more than a dozen seasonal tacos (meat, seafood, vegetable, and some gluten-free options) with in-house masa tortillas, empanadas sourced from Buenas in Somerville, plus pupusas, elote, crudo, and salads; the restaurant also carries over the “Buy the Kitchen a Six-Pack” option from Dorchester and will sell house-made tortillas to go. The bar emphasizes tequila and mezcal alongside cocktails, mocktails, sangria, beer, wine, and fruit-flavored margaritas (winterberry, prickly pear, guava, and more); two South End exclusives are the Road to Jalisco (blanco tequila infused with strawberry and vanilla beans, mezcal washed with olive oil, amontillado sherry, banana, black pepper, and cinnamon tincture) and the Mucho Guapo (reposado tequila with green chartreuse, pistachio, lime cordial, lemon juice, egg white, apple bitters, and sea salt tincture). Dinner service begins at 4 p.m. (debuting Wednesday, February 12), with hours into the late night and reservations to be added on OpenTable within the first week." - Dana Hatic
"I report that the South End cocktail bar (354 Harrison Ave.) will close on December 30 to make way for a new location of Yellow Door Taqueria; Lion’s Tail opened three years ago with cocktails by partner Jarek Mountain and food by Diego Orsono, and Mountain will remain to oversee drinks at the incoming Yellow Door." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal