Empellon Taqueria & Bar

This place is fire! Food felt simple but had so much flavor! Got the chicken tacos which were umame in the best way, guacamole was perfect fly balanced with salt and acid, the 7 salsas were all unique and had a heat level for all tastes. Servers and bar tenders were top tier! Great service, friendly, took great care of us and the vibes were 🤌🏼

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Guacamole & 7 Salsa, Fish Tempura Tacos 2 Per Order

Great drinks

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 4

Had a very bad experience with whom I am assuming is the manager (tall, arrogant white guy). He came up to our table and was so unnecessarily rude and unwelcoming. Food and margaritas were average, if not for him I wouldn’t have been opposed to returning in the future. to the owner: that man makes customers uncomfortable (i witnessed it with tables around me as well) and I would reconsider the management. our server was nice enough and would like to clarify this isn’t referring to her.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

First time here! Simpke things but… great cooked. I loved the fish tenpura and the shrimo tacos !!! Servers and manager suoer nice here!!&

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Friday night, before the downpour, I found refuge here at an outdoor table with an impending thunderstorm after being refused seating across the street.
We ordered and started eating, then the waitress took pre-emptive action to move us indoors. I am noticeably mobility-challenged. She handed us off to an equally kind waitress and the staff checked our comfort.
The guacamole and tacos were delicious, dripping on my sports cost with pleasure. Their kindness, the cold IPA, and excellent food quenched my annoyance at their competitor nearby. I was the oldest man in the room with an Israeli flag pin in my lapel, and no one cared.
“Kol HaKhavod” Empellon. We will be back, casual next time.

Wheelchair accessibility: Great outdoor seating under awning and sun umbrellas. Staff very helpful

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Guacamole & 7 Salsa, Classic, Shrimp Tacos 2 Per Order, Brussels Sprouts, Guacamole with Two Salsas Smoked Cashew and Arbol, Fish Tempura Tacos

Bring back the old empellón! I guess they “redesigned” the place over the winter to be “more of a bar,” but it’s not really working. This place used to be so nice and lively, and now it’s just a run-down, smelly bar with a limited menu, but still the old restaurant prices? I can’t imagine I’m the only one unimpressed with the change—the place was dead on a saturday night.

Food is ok, but has definitely gone downhill. I used to live for their carnitas, but now they’re just blah. Our server was super nice, though! One of the bartenders did seem a little “off.” He seemed to be yelling or speaking super loudly very frequently.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 3

Very good food. The menu is simple and the drinks are very good. Good price.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Bryn is the best server ever! Margaritas are to die for!

Great margaritas and tacos.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

BEST TACO BAR IN WEST

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Can't wait to come back again soon. LOVE the vibe here. Great food and service. Fish tacos + French Fries - it's like my idea of heaven. I will be back soon with a big group of friends - perfect place to hang out + toast with espresso coladas!!! Thanks Ross + Empellon team!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Fish Tempura, Guacamole with Two Salsas Smoked Cashew and Arbol, Fish Tempura Tacos, Side Cashew Salsa

Stunned at how much this place has changed. My partner and I first came to this location back in 2016. It used to be a pretty, clean and a classy place. It’s no longer any of these. Walking in you already smell and feel that it’s now like a dive bar- but with Empellón prices! I sat at the bar and the stool was actually broken. Completely broken. I thought ok, I can look past that. Then the bartender came over and treated us exactly how they treat you at a dive bar- like they’re doing you a favor. He was a big guy, sweating and not nice. What happened to this place I asked my partner. Then we saw the paper gross menus. Maybe it’s just for the holiday? We ordered a Michelada ($15!) and a margarita ($15!) it was really cheap margarita mix. These used to be artisan margaritas. We also ordered guacamole- my god, it actually was served to us IN A TIN FOIL TO GO BOTTOM (photo below). We didn’t even get a plate. Ok what the hell happened to this place? I was so mad. Then I went to the bathroom. Dirty, sticky and surprise- NO SOAP. When I told the guy he apologized but never went to get soap?? This place should be shut down. The Hispanic bartender said in December 2023 they decided to change to cater to a younger crowd and make it like this, hmm I said is it working? This is a dive bar. Empellon is known for being upscale and classy. He just said, “I know. I’ll pass it onto the owner.” The one you three just did tequila shots together with? Awful. And so we paid $50 for really terrible service and experience. Oh and to apologize they sent us cheap tequila shots. Stunned we just looked at them. No thank you. That’s not why we came here. Every other place in the neighborhood was packed with pretty people and classy clean places, not this dive bar. What a terrible fall from grace. I hope it gets shut down.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Should be probably like 4.5 or 4.6, I like the margarita margarita

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Not sure what happened to this place, but it is a dive hole. Dirty, unpleasant service and not the classy upscale place it once was. We will never return.

Stunned at how much this place has changed. My partner and I first came to this location back in 2016. It used to be a pretty, clean and a classy place. It’s no longer any of these. Walking in you already smell and feel that it’s now like a dive bar- but with Empellón prices! I sat at the bar and the stool was actually broken. Completely broken. I thought ok, I can look past that. Then the bartender came over and treated us exactly how they treat you at a dive bar- like they’re doing you a favor. He was a big guy, sweating and not nice. What happened to this place I asked my partner. Then we saw the paper gross menus. Maybe it’s just for the holiday? We ordered a Michelada ($15!) and a margarita ($15!) it was really cheap margarita mix. These used to be artisan margaritas. We also ordered guacamole- my god, it actually was served to us IN A TIN FOIL TO GO BOTTOM (photo below). We didn’t even get a plate. Ok what the hell happened to this place? I was so mad. Then I went to the bathroom. Dirty, sticky and surprise- NO SOAP. When I told the guy he apologized but never went to get soap?? This place should be shut down. The Hispanic bartender said in December 2023 they decided to change to cater to a younger crowd and make it like this, hmm I said is it working? This is a dive bar. Empellon is known for being upscale and classy. He just said, “I know. I’ll pass it onto the owner.” The one you three just did tequila shots together with? Awful. And so we paid $50 for really terrible service and experience. Oh and to apologize they sent us cheap tequila shots. Stunned we just looked at them. No thank you. That’s not why we came here. Every other place in the neighborhood was packed with pretty people and classy clean places, not this dive bar. What a terrible fall from grace. I hope it gets shut down.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1