Paco’s Tacos

First of all the staff are lovely, and first. one the food is amazing! Tacos, great, tick. Corn, the best this side of café habana in NYC tick, go you will not regret!

I had lunch here with a group of friends. I had heard mixed reviews. Mostly positive but nothing amazing. I am relatively new to Mexican food when it does not involve the boxed stuff you buy from the supermarket. I ordered some nachos and it was quite yummy and good value as well. Next time I venture I will dabble in some tacos.

This establishment can not be categorized as Mexican or any iteration of Mexican (fresh, fusion, etc.) With such an accessibility to fresh and local ingredients in Melbourne, one would think you could construct a decent taco.
In southern California, beyond the backyard, we’re fortunate to have a landscape dotted with great taco trucks and taquerias. LA tacos that are not only stellar in their own right, but so fantastic that we would drive clear across town for them.
This establishment is not one of those worth venturing out of town for. The flavoring of the protein is flat, taco proportions of protein to tortilla are off, marinade lacked the heat, salsa offerings are limited, overall experience was lacking.

Paco’s Tacos was a great little spot out the back of my work to go sit on a sunny day. I went up there one day to have some of the tacos and they were tasty, but a little on the pricey side! They also sell this funky hibiscus flavoured soft drink which is worth a try!

Paco’s was directly at the rear of an apartment I was staying in for work so I went along twice.
This is essentially street food to sit or stand and enjoy with a drink or two for an hour, hour and a half max and then move on, it’s not an all night spot. It should also be said that most of the area is exposed to weather, so avoid on stormy or particularly warm nights.
The tacos are priced reasonably. If you’re looking for a fill budget 5 – 6, quick snack go for 2 or 3. Ingredients are fresh and sometimes messy to handle, so go for a seat to juggle all the taco baskets if you’re ordering up big.
Alcohol selection is pretty good but on the pricier side.
I don’t have anything spectacular or particularly bad to say about Paco’s. I used it as a meet-​up point once, and as a quick catch-​up with a friend another time. Hit the spot on both occasions.

Arrive 10.30 on Friday night only told be told they closed.
Either you’re open until 11.30pm or you’re not.
Disappointing.
Apart from that the nachos are great, tacos are tasty but they never prep enough as I haven’t seen the fish taco in a couple of weeks n always sold out.

I checked out Paco’s Tacos last Friday night for a late dinner.
The tacos are weren’t very impressive. $ 6 for a small taco is fine… if the taco is amazing. But the quality and size of PTs’ tacos didn’t win me over. Don’t get me wrong; they’re certainly not bad to eat in a pinch, but it pains my wallet to pay $ 6 for each morsel.
I tried the chicken, fish, and shrimp ones. The chicken had some mole coming through which was ok. I wanted to like the shrimp but somehow wasn’t a fan of the crumbed texture. And the fish didn’t have enough punchy flavor for my tastes.
Part of me is somewhat more critical of Mexican food than most Melbournites given my roots growing up, but authenticity didn’t come into my rating. It just wasn’t good value for food.
A couple positives: The al fresco venue was lovely on a cool autumn night. Just upstairs from Little Bourke St., it probably works better as a pre-​drinks place on the weekends. The girls taking orders were friendly, however the girl doing table service was not thrilled to be there.
In summary, the food is another addition to the overpriced mediocre taco trend, but it could work as a solid pre-​drinks spot in the city. I can’t speak for the drinks, but It looks like there’s other reviews that say good things about the libations.

Dinner venue number two for Thursday night.
So it’s part of Movida’s, but it’s not Movida. A very important distinction to make clear from the get go.
It’s clearly a really popular place for after work drinks and a quick bite — especially for the suits in the area (either from the banking world, or lawyer world). Great vibes for spring /​summer evenings, and it was actually surprising how many people I ran into there.
In terms of food, the tacos weren’t great and I’ve never had hot sauce that water-​y before. The guac was a little too cream heavy, the flavours a little too bland.
On the overall, it was probably trying to be that little bit too cool when it didn’t have to try.

Having visited Mexico multiple times and becoming accustomed to dirty street «authentic» food, I always visit new Mexican-​inspired eateries with both trepidation and anxiety. When I learned that Movida was launching Paco’s Tacos in the forecourt outside of their Movida Aqui restaurant I was hopeful that they would get it right and I would have a place where I could easily wander to from Southbank and enjoy comfort food in a relaxed outdoor area on demand.
When I first wrote a review about Paco’s Tacos, I was indifferent to the experience but after revisiting it another two times over the last three months, my perception has changed. During the lunch time rush at 500 Bourke Street, the office workers inundate this place, smoke the dreaded cancer sticks and no doubt ponder their forthcoming urgent meetings whilst enjoying $ 6 tacos. I have come to enjoy the Carnitas (pulled pork with pineapple sauce) along with the Carne Asada (braised beef, chipotle and carne asada) however have taken a recent fancy to the Pescado (marinated fish, chipotle and radish) however at times I have found the fish to be very moist and the taco to be very messy so if you are wearing your best Armani suit, beware.
The biggest drawback to this place that I have found is that there never seems to be enough staff working behind the counter to meet the demand. In this brave new world where everyone pays with a plastic card and only one register can accommodate this payment method, every time I have frequented this place this shortcoming to their infrastructure has caused some massive bottlenecks and queues. The staff also must endure special requests to modify the $ 6 tacos (hold the salsa, hold the rice, hold the shell, etc) whilst organising beverages and dealing with the register. Once they streamline the service counter, this place will rock.
As we move from spring to summer, I am finding the forecourt where Paco’s Tacos to be located (outside of MoVida Aqui) to be a very relaxed and convenient location. They do have a good selection of Mexican beer and not just the piss that is known as Corona and also sangria available however personally I do not like the recipe that they use.

There are most definitely better places to go for Mexican in Melbourne, but if you’re after a very quick, cheap feed in the CBD then Paco’s isn’t a bad option. The tacos and nachos are decent.
Just don’t ask for ANY alteration to the menu. Apparently that’s against the rules. I’m lactose intolerant and asked for no sour cream on my nachos and copped grief for it. They eventually agreed that it wouldn’t kill them to just not put it on, but warned me that it was only allowed because they were quieter than usual. Off-​putting.

I’ve always thought Mexican in Melbourne is either overpriced and overly fancy, or cheap and dirty with a free sombrero for downing a giant cocktail. But Pacos Tacos breaks out of these molds. The food is very tasty, inexpensive and reasonably authentic. The atmosphere on a warm summer evening is fantastic. And while I opted for a Corona, my friends report the drinks are good as well. I’m pleased to see a casual, tasty mexican option in the city for a quick alfresco bite to eat.

This place isn’t true Mexican, but then again what is. What I can say is that is is good. Very good.
I had the Beef Taco, the Fish Taco and the Nachos.
Beef Taco — Great Sauce, tender beef, spring onions and lime. The tortilla is different to what I’m used to, however it does remind me of my last trip to Mexico. Overall good value and a unique twist. Be sure to add some green pepper sauce.
Fish Taco — At first I thought it was «flavourless» however my brain was geared for the full on flavours of Mexican, and this was much more subtle. Squeeze some lime on, and it is like a fresh salad with fish wrapped in tortilla.
Nachos — These were the standout. A whole combination of flavours and everything in the right proportions. If I had just eaten the Nachos I probably would given this a five stars.
This isn’t mammasita, this isn’t fancy pancy, this is simple outdoor food that is fresh and tasty.

Wowsers. Movida closes Terraza for a new fit out and reopens as Paco’s Tacos serving something so on trend that the venue could be termed #Occupyhipsters. The words of one of our favourite commenters ‘Mel’ sums up the situation perfectly: «I have the feeling that they were just like ‘hey Mexican is cool, let’s open a Mexican place without bothering to learn how to cook Mexican food from professionals elsewhere’». Don’t waste your hard earned time and money here — head down to the newly opened Fonda on Swan Street where they outshine Frank Commora’s Movida offshoot by a Mexican mile.

Despite reading some very mixed reviews, I was prepared to give Paco’s Tacos the benefit of the doubt and went there with an open mind and low expectations — I wanted to see for myself what all the fuss (and lack of) was all about.
Frankly, I’m disappointed. The tacos were expensive ($ 6 for a small taco that could easily be eaten in 4 or 5 bites) and nothing special (if anything, sub-​par). The tortilla, in particular, was a let-​down — grainy, bland, and fell apart way too easily. The cheesy grilled corn on the cob (elote callejero) was better — the chipotle mayonnaise was a good touch, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the queso fresco/​grated cheddar cheese mixture (Mamacita’s version is definitely better). My friend tells me that the chicarrones were also a bit tasteless and average. Frank Camorra himself was manning the stoves that night, so we couldn’t even try to excuse the poor food that came out of the kitchen.
Such promise, but failed to deliver. Sorry Paco, I won’t be returning.

A great little Mexican cantina to enjoy sangria, Mexican snacks and the warm weather. Paco’s Tacos is an outdoor dining and drinking experience. The bar itself is a self contained kiosk at which you order your drinks and food from. This idea is similar to some other bars in Melbourne, think Seciton 8 bar.
The food at Paco’s Taco reeks of Mexican authenticity as does the drinks menu. The sangria is full of flavour. If ordering a jug of sangria, make sure you ask for some extra ice to serve..

Paco’s Tacos has taken up residence where MoVida Terraza once resided. And frankly it brings with it a much needed appreciation for Mexican cuisine. On offer is a range of tacos — duck, pulled pork (I was happy to see this on the menu), braised beef, prawn, fish, and a vegetarian option. There’s also the whole grilled corn thing sprinkled with cheese and spices, sangria, and tequila cocktails. But the cherry on top (or should that be apple on top?) is Paco’s has cider on tap. And what goes down well with a cold, crisp cider? A basket of Chicharonnes. What are they? Crispy pork crackling with salsa verde, chipotle and lime. Goodness me!