Taco Republic

I waffle between 2 and 3 stars. The food is fine but nothing that exciting or that I would look forward to eating (and I generally love tacos, especially fish tacos). Like someone else’s review said, I would never choose to go here on my own but if someone invites me I don’t have a problem going there (though I’m never excited to return either).
Besides the food, parking is suboptimal (they have their own lot but it is small). Service has generally been pretty good whenever we’ve come. Since the building used to be a garage (I believe) it was not outfitted with central air and today it was ~100 deg. F outside and it was so. hot. inside the restaurant and very uncomfortable. Not even their margaritas cooled me down enough. I think to be in KC having air conditioning is a must. They have ceiling fans and can open the «garage doors» when it’s nice out but I feel like much of the summer is very hot and humid and then I definitely would not prefer to eat here.

The seasoned dip is my favorite not really a fan of the tacos. Not really my taste… the drinks are strong and the atmosphere is cute and fun!

This was my first time here. I really liked everything about this place. I tried the server recommend pork belly tacos, known as The Salazar. It was fantastic. I also had the Tecate Barbacoa and the Camarones, which were both good. The service was great but the sticker shock at the end was a little much. The three of us had 12 tacos total and, with drinks (no alcohol), it came to $ 55 before gratuity. I probably won’t go back based on the price alone.

I love the fact that it is a local place & is very appealing to the eye. The atmosphere is wonderful but the food was just ok to me. Chips & salsa were the best thing at the table. Fish taco tasted pretty fishy, which was a turnoff. Would I go back? Probably if a friend wanted to try it, but not on my own.

I’m torn between 3 to 4 stars on this review. I visited this place three times during our stay in KC. Mostly due to conveince it was right down the street from a house we Air BNB’d for a little over a week. My husband’s cousin suggested meeting here one Saturday for a get together. Our server was so attentive and the service rocked. I ordered the shrimp salad and it was delicious. If I only had that experience I would definitely rate 4 stars. The margaritas are so delicious I highly recommend coming here if you are in the mood for a good margarita and a taco or salad. The food was good and the chips were perfect.
2^nd visit — a 3 star experience. We had a different waiter and he wasn’t very good. We waited for a long time before he came back to take our order and he wasn’t very friendly. Our chips were good on top but the rest of the basket was just a bunch of chip crumbs and not good to dip in salsa. Instead of a salad I ordered the pork belly taco, a shrimp taco and a fish taco. The fish taco has a taste I don’t like. I’m from San Diego and fish tacos are the bomb but this one has a weird taste that is not good. The pork belly taco is too greasy for my taste but my husband liked them. He enjoyed my salad so much thats what he ordered this time but with chicken. It was a little different and was good but not great.
The third time I came in for take out. I ordered a shrimp taco and nachos. I had seen them previously and they looked delicious. When I signed my receipt I notice the waiter rung in Del Mar — not the Shrimp taco. I mentioned to him I wanted shrimp and not fish and he said oh, it will be shrimp it’s just how we ring it in under the Del Mar. I got home and unwrapped the taco and it was fish not shrimp. You know how I feel about the fish so I threw it away and I had ordered too much food. However I was irritable that I didn’t get the taco I ordered even after mentioning to the bartender to make sure I got the shrimp and not the fish. The nachos toppings are delicious and chips are great. However they made them with lots of the chip crumbs and not a good fit with the steak or for holding much so I ate my delicious nachos with a fork instead.
The patio is awesome, they even have corn hole to play, the margaritas are awesome but they could strive to do a little better with the quality of the food and hire better servers. Wish they had been as good as our first visit and I wish I had gotten his name– he is great. The other two visits the service was below standard.

Such a great lunch spot! The big patio pairs wonderfully with a margarita! The spicy mango is my new favorite. The tacos are great, tamales are killer, and queso isn’t bad. The service is hit or miss, but the pricing is very reasonable and it’s a quick place to dine!

Taco Republic is all about the atmosphere. The area is really up and coming with Joe’s KC right across the street and Gus’s chicken just beyond that. I went with my parents and boyfriend and we had the best time sitting outside in beautiful weather, watching the Royals game and drinking some margaritas.
The look of the place is extremely appealing and colorful and makes you want to stay all night!
With that said, the food is really sub par. I had been once before and the tacos were rather bland. This most recent time I decided to try out the enchiladas. The rice had little to no seasoning and the enchiladas were good but not anywhere close to the best I’ve had.
At the end of the day going to Taco Republic is all for the environment. We loved spending time there but aside from the chips and queso (which were pretty fantastic) the food just wasn’t where it should have been!

Damn. I really wanted this to be a four or five star place, but it just wasn’t.
First off, let me say that I absolutely LOVE the concept of this place. It’s cool. It has a down to earth, makes you feel like you are on vacation when you are actually still stuck in KC kind of feel to it. The patio is amazing. It feels like the perfect setting for a fun lunch or dinner.
That said, the food desperately needs some improvement. With SW Blvd close by, there are far too many incredible options for street tacos for the quality they serve here to exist. Couple that with a skinny margarita that I could only drink half of (and I’m usually not one to leave tequila on the table), and I can count this place as a disappointment.
Our waitress was nice, but we had to ask for salsa, silverware, napkins and water. So… pretty much everything on the table. The pleasant attitude she had can get you far, but I do expect the wait staff to have it a little more together than this as well.
Overall, this place would be a great stop if you want a drink on the patio for a fun vibe. But from here forward, I’ll likely be eating my street tacos elsewhere.

This place has a great patio for sitting outside and a good selection of tequilas. Can’t speak for the food but drinks were good. Went with my wife on a Saturday afternoon. We sat at the bar and right away noticed the bartender looking like he was having a really rough trip down from something. He looked like he had
not slept all night, he had a black eye, and his hands were visibly shaking. No way he should have been serving customers. He was nice enough, though. Unfortunately for us, the bar area smelled really bad and was very dirty. When I went to sit down I had to politely ask the guy sitting at the bar, who I later learned was the manager, to move a bit and he looked at me and just stared for a second without saying a word. Strange!
On a sunny day the patio will make up for the above flaws but I think this place has declined a bit since it opened and could use some professional management.

Simple and easy menu — food is delicious — and on a nice day you can’t beat being out on the patio.

Is this place absolutely incredible? No. Is it pretty ok? Yes. I would never pick to come to this place on my own, however when friends invite me I always accept… and then I am always surprised that it is better than I remember. They have a nice variety of taco creations!
I do appreciate the great outdoor seating vibe and the attentive service. It is also local & I will give them points for that. Word on the street is that they have good margaritas… I will try them next time to find out for myself.
The seating is great for large or small groups!

Two words… Feliz and Camarones! Packed with great flavors, textures, and mounds full of sauce!
Got a text from my cousin (who was visiting from Oklahoma), «let’s grab dinner!».
Me: I’m totally down, what are you in the mood for?!
Her: Tacos!
Me: Great, I know just the place, TACO REPUBLIC!
I’ve been wanting to check the restaurant out for quite some time and took this opportunity to do so. I’ve had the food truck many times before.
So we came on a Saturday evening around dinner time, as expected it was packed with a 25min wait. Totally cool with it, we were just going to wait. Alas, my quick thinking cousin saw a pretty empty bar so we decided to get a drink instead and order some tacos. Our 25min wait ended up being a no wait! I am definitely a fan! My two favorites are the Feliz and Camarones. The Feliz has shredded chicken, jalapeño purée, mushrooms, cheese, cilantro, and onions. Everything about this taco goes so well. The Camarones were some delicious shrimp tacos I tell ya… fried shrimp with that cilantro aioli… friggin’ good! My cousin ordered a carnes asada tostada, the Papi and also the Camarones. She enjoyed her meal as well! Price wise, it’s comparable to other taco joints. Now I wouldn’t say these are authentic, but they are delicious. I do wish that my corn tortillas were a bit toastier, something I can easily ask to be fixed for next time.
Loved the atmosphere, it was very casual and chill with a mix crowd. Parking can be a bit scarce as their parking lot in the back is small. The outdoor seating seems like a great dining experience during spring/​summer nights… will have to come back to check it out!

I’m not sure what took me so long to go here, considering I love tacos and live less than 10 minutes away, but these are the best tacos I’ve had in KC.
Just, fantastic. The Pork Belly taco. OMG. You aren’t really living until you’ve tried this taco.
The décor was clean, vibrant colors, and a tv in the bar. Margaritas were delicious and pretty strong. Go. here. now.

You may notice a response from «Chris S. of Taco Republic
Business Manager» below my review. What he doesn’t mention is that they had my original review removed. Just a really slimy way to do business.
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REVIEW:
Ate here again (unwillingly) this past week and, nothing has changed from when they first opened. Prices are insane, service a bit slow and inconstancy on the chips. Some were stale, some were soft. I have to say, I am biased because I do eat real street taco’s from real authentic Mexican restaurants here in Kansas City such as Bonito Michoacan. So eating real street taco’s that are priced correctly then coming to a place like this that I consider corporate and soulless just doesn’t do it for me.

I’ll never forget my very first Mexican street tacos. I was helping to build a parsonage in Piedras Negras on a church mission trip, and our sponsor brought back a basket full of simple, rich, mouth-​watering tacos from a REAL street vendor a block away.
They were incredible. The stole my heart. And they murdered my digestive system. I’ve been in love ever since.
While I disagree with it being voted «Best Taco in KC» for the past two years, I would readily give it runner up, and it would be close. Top Taco in Town honors for me go to Bonito Michoacan.
That nitpick aside, I will say you really cannot go wrong on this menu. I’ve had all the tacos, including the veggie option, and they’re all fantastic. Highlights are the Salazar, the Papi, the Feliz, the Camarones, and the Del Mar. Yes, I realize that’s most of them, but you get the point. Outside of tacos, the tamales are fantastic.
Lastly, and I cannot underscore this point strongly enough: leave a little room for the churros. They are not the foamy, airy cinnamon nastiness that you normally get at the amusement park. These puppies are L.E.G.I.T. They’re incredible. Oh, and they’re served with a big cup of chocolate dipping sauce. Even if you’re too full, do it. Get them. You’ll thank me.
The location is across the street from the universally-​famous barbecue-​joint-​in-​a-​gas-​station that we all know and love. The building has been rehabbed well and has a fun interior. My only gripe is the red, metal excuse for chairs TR employs. Yes, they’re cute and go well with the décor. Practically speaking though, they’re insulting. Good thing the tacos and churros are good enough to make up for it.
Food = ⁴⁄₅
Facility = ⁴⁄₅
Service = ³⁄₅
Ambiance = ²⁄₅
Value = ³⁄₅

My only complaint is that the chips at the bottom of the bowl were all crumbs/​tiny pieces. Knocked a star off for that. Otherwise, service was great and freaky fast. We got seated immediately around 1 on a Sunday afternoon. Food came out only minutes after ordering. The salsa was very fresh and delicious!
Our tacos were really good! We both loved the Del Mar. I really loved the shrimp tacos. Cups for water and soft drinks are huge, never even needed a refill. For a soft drink, 1 margarita, 2 del mar tacos, 1 papi, 1 camarones (shrimp), and a small queso dip came out to ~$ 28 before tip. We will be back!

Ok, for a hipster, au currant venue, this place really turned out to be a lot of fun. They greeted Aunt Cha Cha and I and seated us immediately indoors (it was a bit warm that day for these two Southern Belles and I didn’t want to melt). The chips and salsa were great. Plenty of servers and attention. Crowded but no long waits. A had a combination plate with several different enchiladas which were all well prepared and very tasty. I would definitely come back and it actually turned out to be quite fun and a great place to people watch while chatting and supping with good company.

Very fresh and authentic, reasonably priced. Craft beers and margaritas. Yum. I would go here every day, it’s just that good. I had the Camarones Tostadas, with pineapple and avocado salsa. So fresh.
If you’re stuck in line at Joe’s BBQ, walk across the street, it’s worth it!

Wait, how have I not written a review for here yet?
The tacos are great, the margarita is the best I’ve had in town, and I love that you can sit outside! KC does not have a lot of places with a decent amount of outdoor seating, so even though you’re staring at a gas station and a relatively busy intersection, I’ll take it!
Oh, and the bill is always surprisingly cheaper than I expect it to be!

Taco Republic is tough to pin down. The tacos are good. I’ve been a handful of times now and will keep going. But are the tacos amazing? Not really. The restaurant itself is like a trendy cool concept out of Austin TX that was dropped across from Joe’s KC, and it has a fantastic patio to kick back with a cold one. I think the appearance, vibe and food truck portion of Taco Republic cause people’s expectations to go up and then not allow for a little letdown factor.
I’m a big fan of their chips and queso, and I’m not proud to say that I’ve had these for dinner before. I also like the Ortiz taco (chicken, chimichurri, grilled corn, caramelized onions, peppers, queso fresco) topped with some of the hot table sauce.
While these are not the most amazing tacos ever (still searching for those), I have to say that I enjoy coming here, love the local ownership factor, and you can’t go wrong with a little queso on the patio on a sunny afternoon.