Tucked into an ever-busy Campbell Avenue strip mall, its neighbors being a hair salon and a mini-postal shop, Taco Urbano could easily be missed. Cars fly by at a reckless pace. Few, if any, pedestrians are around. Competition is stiff on this long restaurant row. The only thing that brings attention to this tiny taqueria is a relatively small sandwich sign out front.
Yet people seemed to have discovered the place if our recent visits are any indication. Most of the tables (there really aren’t a lot of them) were filled at lunch and there was a steady stream of take-out orders during both visits.
One reason, no doubt, are the prices. The daily specials are $6.95 that includes rice, beans, a drink and your choice of any burro or whatever the kitchen has deemed as the entrée of the day.
The day we were there that entrée was two chicken tacos (with options for a corn tortilla, flour tortilla, or a crispy shell). Our burro, which also has beans and cabbage stuffed inside, was carne asada. We also ordered a side of guacamole ($2.50) and chips ($2.00). People will complain that charging for chips is excessive, but for such a small business that small fee is smart and avoids a lot of wasted food.
The hostess/server/owner was attentive and upbeat. Folks were keeping her busy and she was also clearing the tables, running the cash register and answering the phone. None of it seemed to faze her.
The salsa bar had about six different salsas including a house specialty made with sour cream and pico de gallo – a nice little change. There is also plenty of the usual salsa bar stuff with the grilled chiles kept warm in a mini-crock pot.
The room is cozy and comfortable decked out in bright colors with a mish mash of artwork and collectables. The paintings seemed to be done locally with the exception of the large wooden hanging of a village.
The chips and guac were at the table in no time. The portion was perfect for two people (maybe even three). Thick and creamy with a slight punch, this guacamole was most satisfying.
Soon lunch was on the table.
The beans were creamy and thick with a hint of red color which I guess comes from a little bit of chili powder or cayenne.
The soft flour tortilla was packed with nicely grilled meat, a bit of beans and just the right amount of cabbage. The burro disappeared in no time.
There were no tacos left though. While chicken tacos can be pretty ordinary these stood out. The meat had been cut into chunks and then lightly grilled but there was also a light sauce puddled at the bottom. I honestly couldn’t tell you what it was, but I liked it.
A few days later in a jumble of house repair we ran over and picked up a couple of breakfast burros: a bacon and egg burro ($3.65) with added potatoes (.75 cents) and a spinach, egg and cheese burro ($3.65). I couldn’t pass up the pan dulce that had just arrived from a Southside bakery ($1.50).
Both burros were packed to the max with the various ingredients (the eggs were especially fluffy) and the addition of spinach was a nice touch. These weren’t wow factor kind of burros, just delicious and satisfying.
Taco Urbano is a nice addition to the Campbell Avenue restaurant row. One might think that we have our fair share of taquerias but here the food is more home cooking than formulaic. The service is top-notch and caring. And while I wish they were open a little earlier, later and on weekends, I appreciate the fact that they’re not. This gives the owners some time away from the pressures of owning a restaurant and the time to concentrate on offering some really great food and service.
This article appears in Jul 17-23, 2014.
great place to eat! the food is awesome and customer service is awesome!!!
Just about any place this rag touts, is pretty much a place I will avoid (especially after that last “Best of Tucson” disaster). Thanks for your service!
“Tucked into an ever-busy Campbell Avenue strip mall”
How about a little more detail- such as mentioning a nearby cross street, or it’s x blocks north of Grant or Glenn or Fort Lowell?
Thanks!
I’m headed there right now for lunch!
mrbigshotno1: that is just a stupid attitude; like cutting your nose off to spite your face. If this rag’s reviews bother you so much, why do you read them and comment on them? Is it just so everyone can know how negative you are?
SonoranWinds: did you not notice the address listed right there in the review’s sidebar? Is looking up an address difficult for you?
Geez!
Just got back from lunch. The food was delicious! (Red chile beef burrito combo.) The service very friendly, and the atmosphere very pleasant. I’ll be going back, for sure.
It’s difficult to provide clickable links in a paper copy…but it’s kind of silly to not have links in an on-line version.
Rancho: links to what? Taco Urbano has no website. Is highlighting the address and running a Google search too much work?
I know some business might not be up to the 21st Century when it comes to having a website. However, this normally makes me not try a place. I am a vegan, so I like to be able to have a idea of what dishes a place has for me. If a Mexican place has a online menu, the most I have to do is call them to see if they use lard in their beans.
It also is unfortunate this place in on Campbell. I live pretty far on the east side and I already have a few places I like to eat on Campbell. I love going to Bentley’s, Lovin Spoonfuls, Blue Willow, and Govindas (they are close to Campbell). So, a place needs something to grab me to make me want to change my habits, especially if I am going to drive over 30 minutes to get there.
If I want Mexican food, I live closer to several more vegan friendly and tasty restaurants. I can live closer to Tucson Tamale Company. I could also go to Eclectic Cafe that has a pretty good vegetarian burro and does not use lard in their beans. I can go take the highway and get exactly what I want on my burro, larga, or torta at Mexico in Season. All three of these restaurants have online menus.
So, having at least a online menu would be a good start to expand their business to get people living on the east side to want to come eat there.
It’s 2 blocks north of Grant on the left right by Lucky Wishbone. Man, all these complaints…..it’s in the wrong place, the paper sucks, blah, blah, blah… It’s just nice to have a well reviewed and decent restaurant that I had not heard of to try. Thanks Rita!
RobG,
I was just pointed out my issue with the restaurant in the hopes if owner reads these comments he might get a website and hopefully in my case have vegan options. If the owner wants to grow his business and become known city wide, it would be good to have a website. Unless, he is happy with his local area clientele. Tucson has a lot of Mexican orientated restaurants to choose from. I just was giving some suggestions to help them compete with the rest of Tucson.
mrbigshotno1: What “Best of Tucson” disaster?
Mike, the restaurant being on Campbell isn’t unfortunate. Living pretty far on the eastside is unfortunate. Being a vegan and wanting Mexican food is unfortunate.
Also: Mike dials 300-4953.
Taco Urbano: Taco Urbano! May I help you?
Mike: I’m interested in trying your restaurant and I’m a vegan. Do you have vegan options?
Taco Urbano: Why yes! Yes we do. (Or, No we don’t)
Mike: Ok, thanks.
Dan, the BOT “disaster’ was before your time at the paper. If mrbigshotno1 is who i think he is, he hinted that the BOT is only the advertisers….
it wasn’t a disaster just his opinion.
Another new and well-worth-trying taqueria on Campbell is up on Campbell and Ft Lowell. It’s called Taqueria Pueblito and is inexpensive and delicious. Finally, good Mexican food on the North Side!
donkiyoti,
Tucson has over 1 million people that live in the metro area. When I was in the military and could count how many times I ate at a non-vegetarian restaurant that far west. So, my point was it is unfortunate for me personally, since I could go somewhere else. Luckily for me, being a vegan does not effect eating Mexican food. There are other options, many that do not just include beans and rice.
As for having an online menu, just my recommendation to the owner if by chance he reads my comment.
I understand the steps that happen when I call a restaurant. If it was not worth their time to put a menu online for me, it is not worth my time to call them. I guess you are older or you do not text, who calls people anymore?? 🙂
Well, now we got a place to go to for lunch on Friday, and not too far from our house either. Thanx Weekly.
Mike,
I do text, and I do use the internet very extensively (including looking at menus online). I am also not too lazy to pick up the phone (that device in your pocket also makes calls, just so you know). It’s not a tit-for-tat thing. You seem to take the lack of a website as a personal slight: their “lack of effort” is the reason you won’t call them? Really?
I think this review needs more comments about how people either hate Obama or hate the republicans. That is seemingly the only thing missing from a restaurant review of this importance lol. Jesus Christ people lighten up. Either try the place or don’t.
What a bunch of buzzkill complainers here. I assume y’all want free shipping on your vegan gluten free burrito, too. Chipotle is right down the street, and oh yeah, they have the all important website. Here’s the link so that you don’t have to do anything, just click and eat. http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/default.aspx…
Oh, and for the vegan, here’s the menu link if it’s too damn difficult to go through the Chipotle website. http://www.chipotle.com/en-us/menu/ingredi…
When the webmaster for Chipotle, and all the other tech workers for all the great places out there that have a budget to pay for web services, can make me up a batch of chilé colorado sauce with perfect beans, then I’ll stop supporting mom and pop startups.
I am not the one acting like a 4 year old on the internet attacking a person for making a comment. I made a comment about what I would like a restaurant to do. I do not take anything personally that is written online.
mylob,
I support mom and pop shops in Tucson, many that have a online menu. One does not have a online menu, but does have a Facebook account that has their menu. Facebook is free. You do not need to be a corporate chain to have a website. Also, Chipotle is not the only “Mexican” type restaurant that serves vegan friendly food.
People just need to calm down. It is not like I insulted the restaurant owner’s mother.
Mylob – LOL.
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=622664754480123
Why don’t you just go and eat there first, Mike, before attacking their tech department. I think if you went there you’d realize that with the iPad ordering they’ve got their shit together. Maybe they just haven’t got around to the website because they’re trying to get their food trip together first.
I’d like call a truce everyone. With Hamas and Israel firing missiles at each other for reasons that most of us don’t even understand, what if we stop firing missiles at each other, missiles that only places like leave Taco Urbano and other small family owned restaurants in the crossfire. No matter how lame the review is, we should not submit our discontent towards the review method- that is an editorial issue. We don’t want to see dismembered burritos and enchiladas buried beneath the rubble of our ideological conflict due to trivial issues like websites and online status, either. While we were arguing, the cooks at Taco Urbano probably made a fresh batch of six different salsas for the patrons.
Can the Tucson community agree that when a review is posted that we don’t post a comment until we have eaten there? I’m sorry to those who I had online conflicts with, (Mike, vegans, et al). I know that we all can do better. By even making a vegan stand I know that one is a person of conviction and a committed advocate of the Earth.
The real issue here concerns the restaurant that a real person owns. A compassionate, thinking, proactive fellow human which has poured their entire self into the creation of this restaurant. Let’s give them some room.
Mylo
Mylo, good post.
I never meant my posts to be negative towards the people or the food at Taco Urbano. I hope they succeed and prosper in this city. I am glad there are people in this city that support local restaurants over corporate own chains.
Well I also have a vegan palate and anytime I have gone to taco urbano they make me veggie tacos that have bell pepper onion tomato and potato on a cripy corn tortilla they are ao delicious♥♥♥♥