First time at this location and it didn’t disappoint. We had the huevos rancheros, taco carne asada, and chicharron tacos. Great flavors and service were top notch. They were offering discounts for Federal workers during the government shutdown. Will return for sure
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angela McCant
I gave them another chance and they were good two weeks ago we ordered today the El Guapo quesadillas they were salty burnt do you guys have angry people working there it seems like you do that seems to be the case in this area unlike the Vienna location where everyone's happy and housed properly I'll just go there when I'm in Vienna peace
Food: 2
L R
Tacos and fries were on point!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Reece
This is where I go for my torta fix. I’ve tried all the ones they have on the menu and they’re all fantastic. The salsas they have are great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Negin S.
Food is okay but the prices keep going up. $5.50 for a taco …. Not worth it
Walter Boles
The food has always been great. Portions have shrunk a little over time, but the biggest issue is the insanely loud music. The only reason I can think of for why they've refused to turn it down after all these years is that they want to discourage people from dining in.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jocelyn “Jossie” Prudencio
Do not come on a Saturday morning. It took them 20 minutes to make one taco and the restaurant was empty. Also, the cashier looked miserable. His demeanor was on the floor. I came a week before (on *Sunday* morning) and the staff could not have been more pleasant. I am not sure what happened in one week but it will be difficult for me to return after on a Saturday morning.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Tim Hoock
I usually go to the Taco Bamba in Alexandria, but I wanted to try this location in Shirlington instead. The service was OK, and the food was good as usual , but we had to move to an outside table because the music was entirely too loud and we could not even hear each other speak. They need to work on the acoustics inside because it was not uncomfortable whatsoever.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
Bennett Sanders
This is a great restaurant with many types of tacos. They have lots of unique flavors and spicy sauces that are incredibly delicious. The Taco Bamba is my favorite taco, and my favorite item is The Jeffrey, which is basically a delicious stick of meat. I love this restaurant and their food will blow your mind away.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pooja Majmundar
Wow. So good! I highly recommend. Their vegetarian options are 💯
⭐ 1 Star – There’s a reason Taco Bamba was the only empty restaurant in Shirlington on a Saturday
My friend and I visited Taco Bamba on Campbell Street in Shirlington on a very busy Saturday. Nearly every other restaurant was packed, with lines for reservations—except Taco Bamba. That should’ve been the warning sign. Walking in, there were only two customers in the entire place on a sunny afternoon, and more staff working in the kitchen than people waiting for food.
From the start, the service was dismissive and unprofessional. My friend had a few simple questions while deciding her order, including the difference between flour and corn tortillas. Instead of helping, the cashier rolled her eyes, walked away, and returned about 30 seconds later, still visibly annoyed, to show her the difference. She also seemed frustrated when my friend asked which ingredients came with different menu items, making the ordering process unnecessarily tense.
Even though the restaurant wasn’t busy, it took about 10 minutes for our food to come out. When it did, my friend—who is a vegetarian—discovered that her dish had pork in it. This was not clearly spelled out on the menu, which is a huge oversight. Pork is not a small detail—it’s something that many people avoid for health, dietary, or religious reasons. Having it hidden in a dish without being clearly listed is unacceptable. She went back to the counter, and while the staff apologized, the damage was already done.
I also noticed the same staff members apologizing to another woman sitting next to me for a mistake with her order. On top of that, when my order was called, they almost handed it to a random customer who had just walked in. They literally had the number in their hands, yet were about to give my food away before I even had the chance to stand up. The entire place felt chaotic, disorganized, and careless.
And after all of that, the food itself was nothing to write home about—completely mid at best. Not worth the wait, not worth the confusion, and certainly not worth the attitude.
Bottom line: • Service: dismissive, eye-rolling, and careless. • Food: average at best, with unclear ingredient labeling (pork hidden in a dish served to a vegetarian!). • Atmosphere: chaotic and unwelcoming, especially compared to the vibrant restaurants around it.
With so many great dining options steps away, Taco Bamba was the only one without a wait—and after this experience, I understand exactly why. I would not return and do not recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Hüseyin erhan Karabulut
We decided to eat 2 tacos at lunch time. How can we have such loud music? I don't understand if we got tacos or a beating. It's so necessary. Goodbye Taco Bamba.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 3
Joseph Davis
All good here. The spicy beef brisket is exceptional!
Speedy service, quality food. Spent $17 on a FULL bowl topped with beef brisket.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Johnny Matias
Big place with delish tacos! May not be the authentic experience, but the tacos were big and filling (normally we get 3 tacos from our taco truck, but we could probably do 2 here), and the elote. Salsa were also very flavorful but not too spicy.
Big restaurant with plenty of seating. Would check out if you're in the area!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Isa Figueroa
My favorite place to eat tacos, chicken wings, and margaritas are the best. Don’t forget tequila shots.
First time at this location and it didn’t disappoint. We had the huevos rancheros, taco carne asada, and chicharron tacos. Great flavors and service were top notch. They were offering discounts for Federal workers during the government shutdown. Will return for sure
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I gave them another chance and they were good two weeks ago we ordered today the El Guapo quesadillas they were salty burnt do you guys have angry people working there it seems like you do that seems to be the case in this area unlike the Vienna location where everyone's happy and housed properly I'll just go there when I'm in Vienna peace
Food: 2
Tacos and fries were on point!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is where I go for my torta fix. I’ve tried all the ones they have on the menu and they’re all fantastic. The salsas they have are great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food is okay but the prices keep going up. $5.50 for a taco …. Not worth it
The food has always been great. Portions have shrunk a little over time, but the biggest issue is the insanely loud music. The only reason I can think of for why they've refused to turn it down after all these years is that they want to discourage people from dining in.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Do not come on a Saturday morning. It took them 20 minutes to make one taco and the restaurant was empty. Also, the cashier looked miserable. His demeanor was on the floor. I came a week before (on *Sunday* morning) and the staff could not have been more pleasant. I am not sure what happened in one week but it will be difficult for me to return after on a Saturday morning.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
I usually go to the Taco Bamba in Alexandria, but I wanted to try this location in Shirlington instead. The service was OK, and the food was good as usual , but we had to move to an outside table because the music was entirely too loud and we could not even hear each other speak. They need to work on the acoustics inside because it was not uncomfortable whatsoever.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
This is a great restaurant with many types of tacos. They have lots of unique flavors and spicy sauces that are incredibly delicious. The Taco Bamba is my favorite taco, and my favorite item is The Jeffrey, which is basically a delicious stick of meat. I love this restaurant and their food will blow your mind away.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow. So good! I highly recommend. Their vegetarian options are 💯
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
⭐ 1 Star – There’s a reason Taco Bamba was the only empty restaurant in Shirlington on a Saturday
My friend and I visited Taco Bamba on Campbell Street in Shirlington on a very busy Saturday. Nearly every other restaurant was packed, with lines for reservations—except Taco Bamba. That should’ve been the warning sign. Walking in, there were only two customers in the entire place on a sunny afternoon, and more staff working in the kitchen than people waiting for food.
From the start, the service was dismissive and unprofessional. My friend had a few simple questions while deciding her order, including the difference between flour and corn tortillas. Instead of helping, the cashier rolled her eyes, walked away, and returned about 30 seconds later, still visibly annoyed, to show her the difference. She also seemed frustrated when my friend asked which ingredients came with different menu items, making the ordering process unnecessarily tense.
Even though the restaurant wasn’t busy, it took about 10 minutes for our food to come out. When it did, my friend—who is a vegetarian—discovered that her dish had pork in it. This was not clearly spelled out on the menu, which is a huge oversight. Pork is not a small detail—it’s something that many people avoid for health, dietary, or religious reasons. Having it hidden in a dish without being clearly listed is unacceptable. She went back to the counter, and while the staff apologized, the damage was already done.
I also noticed the same staff members apologizing to another woman sitting next to me for a mistake with her order. On top of that, when my order was called, they almost handed it to a random customer who had just walked in. They literally had the number in their hands, yet were about to give my food away before I even had the chance to stand up. The entire place felt chaotic, disorganized, and careless.
And after all of that, the food itself was nothing to write home about—completely mid at best. Not worth the wait, not worth the confusion, and certainly not worth the attitude.
Bottom line:
• Service: dismissive, eye-rolling, and careless.
• Food: average at best, with unclear ingredient labeling (pork hidden in a dish served to a vegetarian!).
• Atmosphere: chaotic and unwelcoming, especially compared to the vibrant restaurants around it.
With so many great dining options steps away, Taco Bamba was the only one without a wait—and after this experience, I understand exactly why. I would not return and do not recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
We decided to eat 2 tacos at lunch time. How can we have such loud music? I don't understand if we got tacos or a beating. It's so necessary. Goodbye Taco Bamba.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 3
All good here. The spicy beef brisket is exceptional!
Speedy service, quality food. Spent $17 on a FULL bowl topped with beef brisket.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Big place with delish tacos! May not be the authentic experience, but the tacos were big and filling (normally we get 3 tacos from our taco truck, but we could probably do 2 here), and the elote. Salsa were also very flavorful but not too spicy.
Big restaurant with plenty of seating. Would check out if you're in the area!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My favorite place to eat tacos, chicken wings, and margaritas are the best. Don’t forget tequila shots.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...