Otto's Tacos

Cuisine Mexican
Price $$ (16-30)
Rating 6/10
Last Visit Aug. 8, 2019
Location New York: East Village
General Notes

A simple, fast-casual restaurant for Mexican food. I primarily ordered a bunch of tacos, and it was definitely a solid option. Their corn tortillas are handcrafted in-house, and lend a great texture. They are also very heavy-handed with the salsa, which gives a nice acidic freshness to their tacos. I would recommend giving this place a try for a quick meal.

Positives

> The corn tortillas are a fantastic base for the tacos. They have a great texture and flavor, have good structural integrity. Apparently, they are handcrafted in-house!
> They are very heavy-handed with the salsa, and their salsas have an excellent acidic kick, creating both contrast and balance of flavor.
> In addition to tacos, they also have another dish called "The Gorgon", which is essentially a massive taco but with the tortilla fried. I didn't try it personally but I've heard good things about it.

Negatives

> Slightly expensive considering the fast-casual nature of the restaurant (chicken, carnitas, and veggies are $3.75, and carne asada, fish, and shrimp are $5 per taco). But perhaps this is normal by New York standards.
> Like many other East Village restaurants, the interior is very simple and unassuming. It certainly doesn't feel the most clean and isn't the most comfortable experience either.

Dishes Tasted
  • ★★☆☆ Short Rib Taco -- I was expecting something a bit more barbacoa-like, but it tasted a bit like the carne asada taco; not particularly spectacular.
  • ★★☆☆ Shrimp Taco -- Pretty nice flavor on the shrimp, but I'm not the biggest fan of this combination of shrimp in tacos. The textures don't pair the best.
  • ★★★☆ Masa Fries -- The sauce is delicious. The texture is good, right level of crispness. I would have liked the interior to be a bit softer but it still tasted great.
  • ★★★☆ Fish Taco -- Served with an avocado crema and cabbage slaw. Simple but delicious. The combnation of avocado and fish is a little strange to me, but it worked relatively well.
  • ★★☆☆ Carne Asada Taco -- Not quite as good as the others, but still decent.
  • ★★★★ Carnitas Taco -- Amazing. The carnitas are juicy and tender. The flavor of the salsa is intense and pairs well with the pork.
Tacos and Masa Fries