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A Sneak Peek at Taco Santo, Opening Saturday
Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 7:52AM The neighborhood's newest taqueria will be opening on February 1, and I had the opportunity to drop by and see what they have in store.
;)
The menu is pretty simple and straightforward (click on it for a larger image), with a handful of tacos topping out at $5, and a few additional items like quesadillas, huaraches, flan, and rice and beans. I tried the braised rabbit taco (below), a lobster taco, and mushroom, and can say that this is seriously gourmet. You'll most likely need a few of these to fill up (they're relatively small, averaging about 3 bites), but are worth the price: tortillas are made to order and only super-high quality ingredients are used. The $5 for a dozen tortillas also are a pretty good deal.
Front-of-house and bar manager Corey Lange has put together a pretty solid bar program, as well: There's a handful of beers on draft, including the Mexican Victoria, and there's a small but focused selection of mezcals and cocktails based on them.
The restaurant looks pretty much the same as it did when it was Fort Reno, but the counter, which used to be where you'd place your order and pick up your food, will now be additional seating as they've switched to table service. When they open the hours will be fairly standard, but as the goal is to be a place where you either begin or end your evening, they're planning on eventually staying open until 2 a.m.
Coming Soon in Food, Storefronts
Reader Comments (29)
Does Corey still have those killer sideburns?
@Felton, unfortunately not!
$5 mushroom tacos? Pass.
Calexico is cheaper.
So is the Tacos Moreles truck (from Jackson Heights) parked outside on Union and 5th everyday.
Calexico isn't open.
Neither is Taco Santo.
Neither is Calexico.
Looking forward to see this place get smoked by Calexico just like Fort Reno was smoked by Dinosaur and Fletchers.
@Mark If you dont want to go to a restaurant, dont go. But why would you actually look forward to it not doing well?
The neighborhood blog policeman is back.
Jesus jbob, do you have a life at all? Who care what anyone else says, give it a rest. I've seen your comments over on effedinparkslope and you call someone an idiot in nearly every single post.
Shhhh 4thstreet, it's a sign of a tiny d**k.
Jbob is a petulant little child and seems his only enjoyment in life is trolling neighborhood blogs making sure to let everyone know he's the town bully. Sad really. Make sure you say how every single place that opens in the best thing since sliced bread or you'll feel the wrath of jbob.
@Tim and 4th st I imagine trashing businesses for sport on the same neighborhood blogs is the much more noble pursuit you both enjoy. Kudos on your infantalism.
Honestly, actively hoping for someone to fail would seem to be more of being a "petulant little child."
There are only three reasons why I could imagine someone wants another to fail in an endeavor:
1. You know this person and have had a bad experience with them, thus causing you to wish them ill. (Of course, karma would dictate that, when you wish someone else ill, that the same will eventually befall you.)
2. You have so little going on in your life and/or your life is, in fact, an utter failure, that you need to schadenfreude of someone else failing to make you feel better about yourself/keep yourself from downing that bottle of pills. (If that's the case, I'm not sure you'd really be missed.)
3. You are a total and utter dick.
THE OWNERS OF PALO SANTO ACTUALLY RUN THIS BLOG. THIS IS WHY YOU SEE SO MANY POSTS ABOUT THAT CRAP PLACE. I CAN PROVE IT.
No chorizo?!
@Breaking News You can prove it? Please do! Palo Santo obviously has nothing to do with this blog, I run it by myself and always have.
The new Arctic Monkeys album is really really good.
Braising rabbit is tough, can never get those teeth tender enough.
The tacos as well as the great micro brew beer are great. My new fav spot
Ate there last night at a tasting & the tacos were amazing - my favorites were the fish, avocado & the Carne Asada. Not even in my hood but worth the trip.
I really like what the Palo Santo crew are up to. Sure there are other Taco spots, but there is a simplicity to this menu you won’t find elsewhere. I loved the fried Avocado and Fish Tacos, as well as the rustic blue corn Tortillas, sauces and the Jicama Salad.
I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the new tortillas made to order and they're next level good! Fresh tortillas with the grass-fed beef that Taco Santo is sourcing and I am in taco heaven.
Super fresh and well sourced ingredients combined with Chef Gaultier's deft hand. Looking like this place will be my go to weekly spot.
The last thing that NYC needs is another Taco place, however if you're going to do it then do it right, in comes Taco Santos. Not knowing what to expect from this place I felt like I was transported to rural Mexico, without having to leave my seat. TS makes it own tortillas from scratch,which gives it much more flavoring and authenticity to an already superb choice of rabbit, pork, carne asada and the fried avocado (only ones I tried). The Rabbit taco was absolutely my favorite and is worth the trip from Bushwick to Park Slope on a regular basis.
This will be my biking around the city pit stop once the warm weather kicks in. Excellent job to the fine folks at TS!
Clearly all you people work there.