A few weeks ago, Aura and I had to make a run down south to Columbia for a couple of errands. It was a beautiful early fall Saturday – the weather was just starting to cool off, some of the leaves were starting to turn, and though it was still quite warm outside, there was a cool breeze that reminded us fall was just around the corner. It was the perfect day to get out and ride around. She had been telling me about this place called The Local Taco in Brentwood that she had been wanting to try out for quite awhile. We figured, “hell – it’s a beautiful day and nothing marks a beautiful day like enjoying a good plate of tacos.” So, on our trek down to Columbia, we decided to hop off the Old Hickory Blvd exist of I-65 and give this popular taco spot a try. For more on The Local Taco, go like their page on Facebook, or check out their menu on their website.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 7.2348/10 – Really good quality tacos, and a really interesting and creative menu. If you know me, my favorite spot, overall, in the Nashville area right now is Nectar: Urban Cantina out in Donelson. Their menu is super creative, and Local Taco’s reminded me of it in that regard. I went with two Nashville hot chicken tacos, a Korean BBQ taco (I’m sorry, WHAT?!?!), and a fried avocado taco. The Korean BBQ was true to the Korean BBQ flavor, and made for an interesting texture wrapped up in a soft taco shell. They went a little heavy on the black beans on the fried avocado taco, but the crema was fantastic and the avocado was fried to perfection – crisp exterior with a creamy interior, and a nice variety of flavors. I loved the flavor of the hot chicken on the Nashville hot chicken taco, and it wasn’t really all that hot. I told Aura that this would be a good dish to get if you want to experience the flavor of Nashville hot chicken without getting all of that blinding heat. I’m a slaw fan, and I absolutely love it paired with Nashville hot chicken. So, I had no problem with them lumping a heaping portion of it onto each taco, but I understand that might be a turnoff for some so be advised. I wasn’t a fan of the cilantro – the flavors between it and the hot chicken/slaw/pickle combo just clashed too much, and felt a little weird to me. So, I’ll order those without the cilantro next time. The fried avocado and the Nashville hot chicken tacos were both solid, but the Korean BBQ taco was the show stealer for me. Very different. Very good.
Booze: 5/10 – I’m reserving full judgment for when I go back to try some margs. But, I’m a firm believer in beers and/or margs going with a plate of tacos. I think that’s all you need, and Local Taco has a pretty solid bar.
Value: 5.87/10 – I’m not going to scream about the value of this meal from the mountaintops, but I will remind you guys of something I say quite a bit in my ‘Nashville Reviews’ pieces: “you get what you pay for.” Six tacos, a side, an order of queso, and a couple of Dos Equis Ambers ran us just under $50 (tip included). That’s about standard issue for a date for two around Nashville these days, so no complaints from me. If you’re going to pay that, the quality of the meal damn well better correspond, and if you couldn’t tell from my food grade, Local Taco absolutely delivers in that regard.
Atmosphere: 8/10 – Such a cool, fun, laid back feeling spot. I’ll let my fiancé handle this one: “they get points for the vibe – the open doors, good bar, and outside seating. It feels kinda like a treehouse.” -Aura
Overall: 6.53/10 – There’s no other way to put it – I was instantly vibing with this place. The food was outstanding, and the atmosphere made me feel like I was on vacation pounding Dos Equis Amber and getting ready to stumble out onto the beach and watch the sunset. That Korean BBQ taco is one of the most different and fun dishes I’ve tried while writing ‘Nashville Reviews,’ but that Nashville hot chicken taco is one I’ll keep going back to. It’s a shame I’m east of town in Mount Juliet and hardly ever leave the house, but Local Taco is worth the drive.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- Barcelona Wine Bar (8.23/10)
- M.L.Rose (8.19/10)
- Von Elrod’s (8.17/10)
I’m always looking for new spots to try – don’t be afraid to hit the comments with suggestions!
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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