Torchy’s Tacos

Unfortunately, this location is now closed. The sign out front is gone, and the Torchy’s Web site has removed all references.

I love the location on this Torchy’s. I have to say, honestly, the first time I tried these, I was not expecting them to be particularly tasty. However, they were vending food at a
event during SXSW and I wound up giving them a try. I’ve since been back to this location many many times and I can’t get enough Torchy’s! Cooked fresh, so tasty.

158 combined reviews…
32 different lists ranging from:
–Best Mexican and Tex-​Mex
–Liquid Gold
— Hungover and hungry
–Veg-​Friendly
— A place that floats someones big straight boat
and even a «you suck» list.
Torchy’s this, Torchy’s that…
Makes me wonder if other restaurants on Unilocal feel at all like Jan Brady…
” Torchy’s, Torchy’s, Torchy’s!“
Well, I can now proudly add a Torchy’s patch to my Unilocal sash.
As an avocado-​FREAK (and lemme be honest, an all things fried-​freak), I ordered the fried avo taco, and like others was slightly let down by it. I’ll keep my wonderful avocados un-​fried from now on…
Lucky for me, I have friends who share and my taco was the only let down. (and even it was good, just not great)
The green chili queso was to-​die-​for.
The meat on the beef fajita taco was soo tender and yummy.
My friends trashy trailer park was Deeeeee-​lish.
And all the salsas and classic Coke made my mouth happy.
The food, plus the very friendly bald guy (I’m sure he has a better name and/​or nick name than bald guy, but I was too busy eating my friends food to get it) working made me a happy girl.
Driving home, stuffed and dazed I almost wrecked my car… why?
Just as we pass the blockbuster at the end of the drag someone says «hey look»
In front of what once was Dog Almighty was a sign:
«Coming soon: Torchy’s Tacos.»
:)

If you don’t like Torchy’s Taco’s you’re either in the burn unit or you don’t have a pulse. That being said… this Torchy’s Taco’s is not so bueno.
They close at 10pm on weeknight… on 6^th street… why would you move to 6^th and then close you’re doors at 10pm? What is this… Luby’s?
They have limited indoor seating. So, most likely you will be standing on 6^th, getting bumped into by drunk frat boys and being asked for money by every homeless person in the Austin area. Not to mention the fowl odor that seems to move through 6Th street.
I don’t know… somehow food cooked on 6Th street doesn’t seem sanitary… I could see into the kitchen and it just looked nasty.
Oh… and even if you happen to get their before 10pm you will have a limited «Late Night» menu. Since when is 9:30 «Late Night»?
Just stick to the Torchy’s at Woodrows and on South 1^st.

I really really wanted to buy into the hype of Torchy’s but everytime I’ve gone here I’ve been underwhelmed. The taco’s just aren’t that good and they are pretty expensive for how small they are. My fried avocado taco, which I’ve heard raves about, was really plain. After munching it down, I felt like the money and my appetite could have been better spent at Best Wurst. so thats what I did.

So I’ve been to this torchy’s a few times but never actually sat inside until yesterday where I was meeting Don and also ran into Jill and Jonathan W… this couple gives me hope that I too can look like a personal trainer by going on the Torchy’s diet! Torchy’s is the new Wheaties.
So I had the Dirty Sanchez taco, which was disappointingly lame, and so far the only taco here I don’t like. And the cashier was cool but the other staff was a little rude. But no love lost. This location has barstools right against the kitchen, an open-​air feel, with people watching on sixth. And classic coke bottles. I was diggin’ it.

I love Torchy’s. Rave about it. I stop people on the street just so that I can tell them to eat Torchy’s and see my knee doctor (I love him as well).
But this is the worst Torchy’s experience I’ve ever had. They didn’t have queso or chips when I ordered it… had to make it. But they didn’t tell me this until after I had ordered and paid. So I got the queso and chips after I finished my two tacos (which were awesome) and the chips were literally swimming in grease. And one of the staff was rude… like we were bothering him.
Honestly, it was the type of experience that makes me want to never again visit a Torchy’s. And if it was my first experience, I’d probably not go back.
But two bonus stars because it IS Torchy’s and they have the best tacos in town.
This location needs work. But the tacos are still awesome.

I just witnessed, like, at least, five health code violations while I was waiting for my tacos. I mean, I don’t know if they are supposed to be using their bare hands while handling both raw eggs and cooked meats. Srrrrrsly.
That said, my burrito was delicious, even if the dude put pico on the thing and then picked it all off when he realized I didn’t want pico. Weird.

It’s my lucky day! There I was, enjoying my «Trailer Park» taco which consisted of fried chicken and queso ($ 3), when who did I see but Don P, followed a few minutes later by Jon S! The taco was excellent, but I should have ordered more than one; I could have definitely finished at least two tacos here. I think they offer a good value though, because the ingredients were fresh and they made the taco while I watched. My taco, the service, and the company were all excellent. I’ll definitely return to Torchy’s to try some of the other tasty menu items. Maybe I’ll even go back for breakfast tomorrow…
******UPDATE 5/​6/​08******
I went back, but it wasn’t for breakfast. I stopped by after work, around 6pm, and got a pork and green chile taco as well as a chicken fajita taco. Both were extremely meaty and super tasty. Remember what I said about definitely being able to eat two tacos? Well, that was only sort of true. I ate them, but it was way too much. I feel a little bit ill now.
I do see some room for improvement here. Friendlier employees or a clearer procedure for where to place your order would definitely make this place more efficient. Also, salsa recommendations would be appreciated. When my tacos came out, they didn’t have any sauce on them (despite what it said on the menu), and I didn’t know which ones to ask for. The dude just gave me 2 random sauces and I had to apply them myself. They were ok, but I’m fairly certain they weren’t the advertised salsas meant to best compliment my tasty tacos.
And another thing – people making my food should have their armpits covered. Come on. No tank tops in the food prep-​area, man.

the food is great — when it’s right. i work down the street and eat here often, and about half the time what i get is exactly what i ordered. that aside, what i get is always pretty tasty! i am a big fan of the democrat (barbacoa) and the ranch hand (egg cheese and beef fajita) and the sanchez (a veggie taco with a fried poblano pepper, guac and pickled carrots which is really good but whose full name is really pretty disgusting and i don’t know why you would name a food item after a fecally involved sexual act, but whatever — i refuse to call it that). regardless of the lack of taste in their menu item naming, the food is good and fairly cheap ($ 3 – 4 per taco, and two will be more than enough for lunch, and one enough for a quick mid-​drinking re-​fuel). the staff is always friendly, if not a little 4:20ed.

Torchy’s doesn’t exactly need me to pimp on its behalf. I feel compelled to do so, nonetheless. These are seriously good tacos. I mean it. Purely on the merits of taste and uniqueness, I would actually say they’re the best in town. Their queso, as noted by others, is quite good. So, why only 4 stars?
Well, for one, they seem to run out of ingredients on a regular basis. Sure, you could say that this is due to their deliciously good tacos and overwhelming demand… but the fact is that a restaurant (any restaurant) can’t be running out of MAIN ingredients by dinner time. That’s no way to do business. Whether it’s the slow-​cooked pork or the barbacoa or whatever, you’ve just go to stock enough to at least get through the dinner hour. This is worth a star, by the way, because you’re gonna want to try out the Green Chile Pork Taco, for example. You’re gonna think about the tender, moist pork all day long. Then, you’re gonna show up and find out that they’re out of pork! You’re gonna be pissed, but not as much as you’d be if I didn’t warn you about this.
The second reason for the 4 star review instead of 5 is the price of the tacos. As much as I love tacos, I’m not such a sucker for them that I don’t know what simple food it is. It’s not really fancy or difficult to prepare. With that in mind, they do charge more for their tacos than most places. $ 3 — $ 4 for a taco is not cheap. It won’t break the bank, either, but when you can get a taco plate w/​3 tacos, rice, and beans for $ 6 at some other places… well, enough of that. I’m, of course, willing to pay their price because it’s so good, but their price puts a slight damper on the otherwise blissful experience.

ok i don’t think i need to say much about this place b/​c their tagline speaks for itself. it’s some damn good tacos. funny sexual innuendos in their taco names and employees make it a fun place to eat. it’s small but if you can get a seat at the bar, go for it. it’s entertaining.
the tacos are awesome and the chips and queso are … drool … so good. they add some guac in it. you can never have too much guac.
there was a line but it went by fairly quickly. i ordered the green chili pork taco and the democrat. i think that was the one w/​shredded beef and avocado. shoot i can’t remember… but ya know what, everything is good! i wish they had one in OC. i would love to go back and try more of their tacos.

Yes, all those tacos are for me!
I was so excited to see another Torchy’s Tacos right down the street from us that when no one was looking I ran down there and ordered almost $ 20 worth of tacos.
As usual, the pork tacos were phenomenal, the queso should be eaten with a spoon, and the guacamole is the stuff dreams are made of, seriously, I dream about good avocados. The chips are a little greasy and the taco of the month, a tuna concoction, was not so good… I guess that they did name it the «Mr. Pink» so that was fair warning.
For those of you who understand that the tacos at Torchy’s are really cheap and did the math… I did end up sharing the tacos. Against my better judgment.

Torchy’s Tacos has a new location on EAST 6^th Street! It’s right down from Casino el Camino in the former Rio Colorado location and is open pretty much any time you would want a taco. It opens at 7:00 AM Monday-​Friday, 8:00 AM Saturday-​Sunday and closes at 12:00 AM Sunday-​Wednesday, 3:00 AM Thursday-​Saturday. And the best part is that they now deliver! So if you live or work in or near downtown, you can get «Damn Good Tacos» delivered right to your door!