By: Leah Sycoff

After cooking numerous meals every day for several months, my family and I decided to finally leave our home and go out for dinner. We pondered on what the perfect restaurant would be and figured Dirty Taco would be the best choice since we heard so many great things about the food served at this Asian-infused Mexican establishment. I can say proudly that I agree with all of the wonderful things I have heard about this restaurant. I do have some recommendations though because with the high-quality food that this restaurant serves, comes popularity, and therefore, it can become quite crowded. After reading a review and deciding to go to this restaurant, I would say that if eating in house, one should have an earlier dinner rather than a later one because it will be very difficult to get a table later in the evening. Dirty Taco does not take reservations. Another option would be to order take out a few hours before eating so that when you are ready, dinner is served instead of having to wait. 

Now, for my opinions about the food… It is absolutely delicious, and I hear that (from the five other people in my family), if you are of age, the drinks are really good as well. My meal started off with two starters. We ordered guacamole and chips, as well as the shishito peppers. Both were exceptional! The guac was perfect with its fresh tomatoes and cilantro lime flavor while being served with Dirty Taco’s splendid salty homemade tortilla chips. My family and I are big shishito pepper connoisseurs, so you can trust that when I say they were fantastic, they really were. It is a fact that one in every ten shishito peppers is spicy, so definitely beware of the spice. They were seasoned to perfection and served with a creamy lime sauce. Just remember, they are definitely for people who appreciate some spice! 

When it comes to service, the waiters are so kind and will help customers with any questions or share their own honest opinions about the food. Our waiter recommended that each person should get two to three tacos which is what my family members did. I chose a different path, but with the same amount of food to ensure that I would be happy with my amount. I decided to pick one taco and one side! I ordered the Classic Baja taco along with the Mexican Street corn side. My taco was superb, and inside was cod, which can be ordered sauteed or beer-battered. I picked beer-battered and that was definitely the correct choice for me because it was cooked to perfection. The Classic Baja also contained avocado, cilantro, red cabbage, pico de gallo, and lime crema. Along with that was a lime on the side to squeeze on top, which I of course did! The food literally makes my mouth water just thinking about it, so you can just imagine how delectable it truly was. The Mexican Street corn was so flavorful. There was an option to order it on or off the cob, and I went with off the cob, so I wouldn’t have to worry about making a mess. The corn kernels came in little bowls beside my taco with cilantro, lime, and cotija cheese. It had some yummy seasonings on top as well. I really love corn, especially with all of the fun flavors that the Dirty Taco restaurant adds on top! My family members agree that you cannot go wrong with any of the other items on the menu.

To finish the meal off, my family and I ordered a serving of churros. It came with four long churros, so it was the perfect amount for my very full family. The churros came with a caramel sauce and some whipped cream. They were fabulous, and I would love to try some of their other desserts the next time I go!

Overall, I highly recommend Dirty Taco in Woodbury if you haven’t tried it yet! The food is delicious, the portions are just right, and they are, of course, covid compliant. 

A Korean short rib taco at Dirty Taco & Tequila. Photo courtesy of: Dirty Taco and Tequila