täkō

Amazing food, service, and cocktails! The atmosphere is awesome — I could hang out here for hours!

I’ve only been here once but desperately want to return! The cheese was great as an appetizer, and I feel like it’s addictive! I’ve been craving it ever since!
The bartender was friendly and wonderful and made sure to recommend items for us to try, which we greatly appreciated.
I had a nice sweet drink, but the name escapes me. If you’re a sweet drink type of girl (or man), this place is probably not for you.

OMG I love this place. The only real down side is that it is always busy and a little dark and loud, but I don’t really mind any of those things. I LOVE the street corn. For something a little different the octopus taco is great, but I think my favorite is the mushroom. Also, their daily specials are always great.
I always order too much. I can never eat 2 tacos after street corn. I wish I could, but it is not possible. The best reheated taco is the mushroom.
Drinks are great too, any of them. I haven’t had one I didn’t like.

A great place to go if you want a very nice meal and you want to impress your lady/​man.
My only recommendation is to dress nicely, they will scour at you if you don’t look businessy or at least middle class.
The tacos are absolutely amazing– but they better be for that price.
The drinks — eh– pricey for me but I’m still young.
I really wish they would have some events or music to bring in a younger crowd because I love tacos.

HOOOLLYYY. Coolest taco bar to ever exist. The ambiance is amazing. The food is amazing. The service is amazing. Their kitchen is surrounded by glass so when you walk in you can watch each individual taco being crafted by hand by one of the many workers. The music is loud but fits the environment perfectly. Please make reservations. It was packed in there and we had to wait for seats at the bar. Also, if you’re underage (like I am) and want something fun to drink, get one of their Mexican sodas (they call it something different on the menu but I’d rather not butcher the spelling). I got the pork tacos. Their guac and nachos are to die for as well. So are the churros. Can’t wait to go back.

Come here if only to have the tapioca for desert!!!
I had the taco tacos and they were perfect. I recommend this place to anyone who enjoys tequila.

This is the only place in ANY city that has been so good that I came back the very next night and ate here again. When you walk in and they are making fresh tortillas right in front of you — you know it’s a good sign.
Tako is an trendy Mexican joint that offers the essentials. Although I wouldn’t call this «traditional mexican» they take street food and elevate it. What makes this place different is the quality. Their tacos are rather large so I would suggest splitting for the table. I don’t think they let you sub orders of two. The chorizo was our favorite of them all, but the real star of the night was the queso.
My GAWD I would give my left arm for just a bite of this queso right now. It’s very thick with chorizo and spicy peppers. But here’s what’s amazing, as if you didn’t already feel disgusting enough eating a vat of cheese, they give you a BAG of fresh tortillas to rip apart and dunk into the cheese. No chips, just warm fresh tortillas. I quit counting calories after my first bite and let myself go to enjoy what is probably (still) one of my favorite appetizers in the country. And I know what you’re thinking… how can queso be this good? And I’m with you. I’m not one to even order it — but our friends as the table did and we got out own order, and came back the next night to have it again. And friends, I’m no afraid to admit that. We’re in a safe place here and I feel you have the right to know.
Aside from the REDONKULOUS food. The atmosphere is super cool. Dim lit with a cantina/​nightclub vibe. Beautiful art and lanterns light up the space. Perfect for a girls night out or date night.
Highly recommend and super jealous that we don’t have one in Cincinnati. If you’re in Pittsburgh or ever have any desire to go — bookmark this now or forever live in FOMO.

This is a hip cool trendy place that makes Mexican /​American fusion food.
It was Friday with no reservations so I had to wait an hour for a table. They have a small interior and an outdoor street bar and sidewalk tables. Make reservations on the weekend!
I sat at the bar outside which is attached to the kitchen. I got to watch the cooks making everyone’s food and got to chat with passers by telling me they liked what I ordered.
I got the tangy yummy street corn. I got the strawberry lemonade Margarita as I was hot. I got the AL Pastor pork shoulder with pineapple tacos which were good. I have a sweet tooth so I would have wanted maybe one more piece of pineapple on mine. I was still hungry and didn’t want to go so I tried the churro desert which was homemade cinnamon churros, with berries and coconut sorbet with Carmel suace. This was a light refreshing dessert, not overly heavy.
This was a cool fun place to eat. My service was a little slow because they were getting slammed but I would eat here again!

When we arrived at 545, we assumed we would have no problem getting a table. However, they *only* take reservations and have no open tables just for walkins. However, after about 30 mins we were able to get a seat at the bar.
Drinks: Ordered spicy cucumber and strawberry margaritas. If I had to choose one, it would be the spicy cucumber, but both were amazing.
Food: We got the chips and salsa for an appetizer and it was very good. They give you a huge amount of chips and the salsa is very good (the hot was meh). We ordered chicken tacos and the Korean. Both were absolutely delicious, and totally changed my idea of what a restaurant taco is.
Verdict: Would return 100x over, but would make sure I had a reservation first.

Did not have a reservation and was told the wait time would be an hour. However, the hostess did not tell us that we would be sitting outside in front of the kitchen. I would definitely recommend making reservations.
I had the baja fish tacos and thought the fish was crispy and that the slaw was nice and crunchy. It was a quality fish taco with great flavor components. My friend ordered the duck confit tacos and thought it was well made.
Since we were sitting outside on the stools, it was very quick and service was ok. It was also slightly awkward that our view was directly into the kitchen and that they also could stare at us. We will definitely be back but with reservations

Tako made my day! We visited for the first time after a Pitt football game and were so excited by the options. We had the customized guac (great options for add-​ins) and then shared both the chorizo and the pulled pork tacos. Both were great, but I went back for the pork! The meat was done very well. plenty of flavor!
I’ve since been back to share the awesomeness with my family and again everyone left pleased! They get quiet busy, but the online reservation system made it very easy to book a table for after a cultural trust show!
I’d also suggest trying to get there right as they open on a beautiful PGH day, we sat outside at the bar on the sidewalk and it was fun to watch the kitchen prep the food and feel like you could still have a conversation!

Feel: This restaurant is right opposite my workplace, and I had a chance visit to this cute, albeit crowded, taco corner. The place has a brooklyn-​esqe vibe (elegantly pretty hipster servers and pastel vintage postcards that accompany your checks) Pittsburgh truly needs more of this!
Food n Drinks: I decided to grab a drink post work. Drinking their spicy cucumber margaritas teleported me straight to the backwaters of a tropical lagoon, and suddenly I felt like my laptop transformed into a ukulele! Amazingly refreshing yet spicy drinks send your palate into a psychedelic trance. The chicken tacos had the perfect smokey crispiness to add that little zing to a perfect summer pairing (read: cucumber/​passion fruit drink)
Mahalo ~ Hubba Hubba ~ Woot Woot!
This is one of my first posts on Unilocal,but I will continue to echo the same sentiment for this amazing place!
Wow! ¹¹⁄₁₀.

This place has been so hyped for about a year now that I was so excited to finally have a reservation. Called on a Friday just to see what the deal was; surprisingly they said they could fit us in for 9:30, but scheduled for 10 days later to get a better time. Bottom line-(though I think it is a bit overhyped) if you still even have an inkling of wanting to go, make a reservation well ahead of time.
My friend arrived before me and had not been acknowledged to be seated, but once I told he host of our reservation, we were seated right away. I liked the outdoor seating, but am not sure if weather affects their reservations; there is also a small bar on the outer wall as well as an indoor bar. My major complaint was that, while it is a small place, there was only 1 bathroom, and not really a lot of room to wait around it (unless there was also 1 upstairs that the waitress I asked neglected to mention).
They have a separate drink list in addition to the margaritas and other regulars on their main menu. If for nothing else, I would definitely go back to try a few other margarita flavors, as they had a very unique selection – I got the aloe/​elderflower margarita, which I really enjoyed when comparing to the typical very sweet and fruity flavors offered at other places.
Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. For appetizers he recommended the Poke and the Street corn – we went with the street corn as a friend had also recommended this to me, and while I was not expecting the corn to come out on the cob (making it a bit difficult to eat), it was absolutely delicious, topped in cheese and other spices. As for the chips and salsa, loved the chips which seemed authentic and the right amount of saltiness, though I felt their salsas were okay.
For my entrée I had the carnitas taco, going against getting the Korean as I was recommended. They were good, juicy and flavorful, but I can’t say they were the BEST tacos I’ve ever had, which is what I was expecting from all the reviews the place gets and it being named Tako and all. If I had gone in with lower expectations maybe I would feel differently. Ultimately, I would go back; I would love to go back to the bar, I would also go back for the food, but having to wait 2 weeks to get in just doesn’t feel right.

As I walked in a server apologized for the busy environment and stated it was usually busy. They have a good amount of tables to sit at outside, as well as a out door (on the side walk) bar. We had a reservation. It was very busy, but were sat immediately… after my bud arrived (read the bottom). It took a few minutes for our server to greet us, but he was very nice and had a good sense of humor, so I’ll let that pass.
The menu was not very big, which I like, so it was easier to choose what we wanted. And the server was knowledgeable of everything we asked about the menu. We chose the street corn and the chips and salsa to start. The street corn was amazing! The sauces that drenched the corn were very tasty and had a lil kick and taste of lime to them. The corn cob itself was cooked just right. I only wish they had served them with little knobs so that it would have been easier and less messy to eat (cuz I like to be a lady). The chips were served with three salsas (a hot red pepper/​tomato, a medium/​verde (green) salsa, and a mild tomato salsa. I enjoyed the hot salsa so much, I requested a to go order of it. The chips themselves were nice and crispy and not stale. You can tell they were not store bought.
I also ordered the cucumber margarita. This is a margarita I will forever love. The tequila was not over powering, yet the cucumber stood out, giving a very refreshing taste to it. Loved this drink!
Finally, the chicken tacos (pollo asado). There were two served on a wood plank (nice touch). The chicken was not dry and was marinated well with a hard grilled taste. They were served atop of soft tortillas, covered with diced white onion, salsa verde, queso fresco, a sweet taste crema, serreno, and cilantro. It all came together very well.
Although the food was very tasty, and the atmosphere was nice and warm, and the server was very nice I will stand by my four star on simply that I did not find the bathroom situation very appealing (being that there was one and it was right next to the bar), as well as the hostess with the mostest was not so much. I was given the cold shoulder for a good 2 minutes, even after being seen by a fellow server and still not addressed until my other half arrived. Made my beginning moments of the place very skeptical. However, I will fancy myself to come back. The food was good and I enjoyed the ambiance.

Okay why didn’t I try this place earlier? This is definitely on the top of my list for favorite Pittsburgh restaurants now. Everything I tried from appetizer to main course is delicious. I ordered queso and street corn for appetizers. Umm every bite is magical haha not even kidding. For tacos, I tried three different tacos. I had duck, shrimp tempura, and baja tacos. They’re all excellent, idk how to explain but they’re all different and good in their own way. My favorite one is definitely the duck taco tho if I have to pick. Mmmm I’m definitely coming back in a week or two. My tummy is happy now.

Phenom ultra swank establishment with red mood lighting and the zhush of city nightlife and sexiness. The food, the atmosphere, the music, the cocktails, the service… it all will give you the craving to return.
I ordered the poke, duck tacos and spicy cucumber cocktail. Fresh 2 death. High grade ingredients and piled high fresh herbs. The craving is real. Highly recommended to get yourself some reservations and spend some of your money there.

I’ve been told it can get pretty difficult to get a table here so I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to snag two outside counter seats within 5 minutes on a Wednesday night! It was a gorgeous day and they have heat lamps above the counter!
Our server was incredibly witty and personable and not in an annoying way. In an awesome way. The experience of sitting outside while also watching the chefs do their thing is definitely 5 stars. The turquoise glassware our water was served in was so unique. And the MUSIC ahhhhh amazing. It was faint, but I definitely heard some of The Weeknd and Wiz.
My favorite cocktails always seem to center around cucumber… so I was really excited to try the Spicy Cucumber margarita ($ 10). It did not disappoint. The exact right combination of Espolon tequila, cucumber, lime, and Serrano… I can almost still taste it… seriously, so good.
We started with the build your own guac… what! Awesome. There are lots of add ons to select from (we opted for pineapple, goat cheese, and smoked salmon) and the portion was generous.
We split the Baja tacos ($ 12) and the special beef barbacoa tacos ($ 13) (spicy cabbage, sesame seed salsa, avocado). The tacos themselves only get a 3.5 or 4. They were good, not great… and for the price I was hoping for great. I also prefer grilled fish tacos instead of fried… but the beef was flavorful and tender.
But the tortillas definitely get a 5. I’m part Mexican and these are the first tortillas outside of my family that I have loved.
I can’t speak to what it’s like inside… but the outside experience was a blast. And I will definitely go back!

If you haven’t tried tako yet, get there soon! Of all the restaurants my friends and I have been trying on our food list this is by far the favorite. The décor is very cool. I ordered the spicy passion fruit margarita which was very interesting and different. Even the presentation of their drinks is awesome.
We started the meal off with the chips and salsa. All 3 were very good and some were a little spicy but it wasn’t overwhelming. But let’s talk about the tacos… most unique and flavorful tacos I’ve had. My friend and I ordered both the Korean tacos and the pollo asado tacos to share. The chicken tacos had great flavor and the chicken was not over cooked like chicken typically is. The Korean tacos were an interesting spin on a typical Mexican taco.
Overall I give tako a 5 star and I can’t wait to go back and try more tacos!

I was first introduced to Tako the first time on my walk to work in the morning from the T station. I would see the guys working in their kitchen, prepping for the day with sliding door open, and 90s music blasting from their work station. I would wave to the guys and receive a welcome response in return. I always thought this was interesting because I tried to get lunch here one day and to my surprise they don’t open until dinner, even though they began prep so early. Even so, I knew this was something special that I wanted to try.
My true introduction started on a weekend evening. This place looks like a hole in the wall at first glance, but it’s really an upscale fusion restaurant. Be forewarned that this one of the hottest upscale bars/​restaurants in downtown Pittsburgh right now. Crowds and a long wait should be expected.
The main seating area has a festive vibe that makes it a great group place, as well as date nights out. The drink selection is insane and full of life, with everyone imbibing.
The tacos and pairings were delicious, fresh, and well done… all two bites of them. All-​in-​all, the food is delicious and interesting, but be prepared to pay for it!

The big question is, does Tako live up to the hype? Sure. Is it the best thing I’ve ever had? Not really.
I had to make a reservation three weeks in advance, which is pretty crazy for a taco joint. I wasn’t celebrating anything special so I didn’t mind this long wait. The décor and atmosphere of Tako are quite creative which gives the space an incredibly hip feel. Ugh but it’s so dark. The lighting here is basically red light bulbs and candles at the table, which makes reading the menu and seeing what you’re eating rather difficult. Not to mention, terrible photos for Unilocal.
First thing you’ll notice is its way overpriced since orders only come with two tacos. My husband and I ordered three types of tacos to share, tako ($ 18), al pastor ($ 12) and grilled mahi mahi ($ 14), along with an aloe & elderflower margarita and funnel cake for dessert. The tako was my favorite because you don’t find octopus tacos everywhere and the octopus was prepared very well; it wasn’t tough and had a great grilled flavor. But losing $ 9 to one taco is a hard pill to swallow. The al pastor were ok; the pork seemed a bit dry. The mahi mahi was served build-​your-​own style but the fish was pretty bland. The funnel cake was ok, but the Mexican hot chocolate it was served with was the bomb. Basically, it was like drinking melted chocolate, but a little less thick. If only drinking those regularly wouldn’t give me diabetes, I would totally get one everyday.
The idea of Tako is truly brilliant, but I didn’t really fall in love with anything. If they weren’t booked for weeks, I would definitely come back. But I don’t see myself making a reservation way in advance for a visit here.

Tequila, tequila, tequila!!! Love the cocktails! Favorite would be the «el Diablo». Bartenders are fab and friendly! Tacos are really delicious! They come soooo very close to the best tacos in the ‘burgh, although I still believe El Burro holds the title of #1. Beyond the great food and drinks, the atmosphere is cool– the décor is on point!
For a great meal with friends, I recommend the queso fundido, street corn, chorizo and al pastor tacos, but honestly– you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!
So happy to have this gem in the city of Pittsburgh! I moved from NY and the Pittsburgh food scene here is –dare I say– better? I do hold a special place in my heart though for NY bagels and pizza :)
Please keep opening more great restaurants like tako, butcher and the rye, and meat and potatoes! My taste buds thank you! Well done.

So many taco places! So many up scale, Low key and homestyle locations to choose from! What a time to be alive and in Pittsburgh! We went to Tako for restaurant week recently and my knees are weak thinking about it!
Like Meat and Potatoes and Butcher and the Rye, The décor of Tako is nothing short of interesting (you should see the bathroom)! The staff is great and the food is killer! We ordered some delicious guacamole that had crab in at, along with a restaurant week special, short rib queso fondue. The fondue was tasty but I definitely preferred the guac! I want to go back and try every combination of ingredients they have!
For my entrée, I ordered the Korean tacos. Now, I am a jerk. I have a pet peeve about portions. While I want to get my money’s worth, I hate huge portions because I fear that I will either overeat or waste leftovers. These tacos are gigantic! They are basically an entire meal resting on top of a tortilla. However, these tacos were way too amazing to be upset! A mountain of crispy wagyu short ribs with peanuts, fermented cucumbers, cilantro and cabbage came together so deliciously that I have craved these tacos everyday since I ate them a month ago! Bonus? They were $ 14 for two! If you go to Smoke, a wagyu taco will set you back almost $ 10 for one and it would certainly not be as satisfying! If I had only ordered the tacos I would have been as equally satisfied.
I go to Butcher a lot for happy hour but I think I need to start switching it up and going next door every once and a while. I think my wallet and belly will thank me!

I have a serious love for tacos, so it’s a total shame that it took me so long to check out Tako. I finally made it here with a couple of friends during restaurant week. We had a great experience and I’m really looking forward to my next visit!
We started with guacamole and queso. For the guacamole, we chose from the list of offerings (but you can also build your own) and selected the variety with crab meat. It was delicious and so fresh! The queso was a special offering for restaurant week (Tako was offering a daily list of special items in place of the usual prix fixe menu). It was also tasty, though we preferred to dip the tortilla chips (that came with the guacamole) than use the flour tortillas that it was served with.
I selected the carnitas tacos for my entrée. The tacos come two per order, but they are HUGE so don’t worry about leaving hungry. A generous pile of flavorful braised pork was topped with guac, salsa verde, chicharrones, and topped with cilantro. It was a great combination of flavors.
I washed all of this down with a spicy cucumber margarita, which was cool and refreshing but had a subtle kick. Overall, this was an excellent meal in a really cool space.

This is one of my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh.
Great service ! Super tasty food! Server was very knowledgeable with their menus
I really recommend their funnel cake as a desert!
Good luck

If I could give this place 9 stars I would.
Where to begin. Cocktails. Extremely fun interpretations of classics. The «Ramon» gin fizz was such a unique version of the original I’ll spend months trying to recreate it.
The poke was the best I have had since I lived in Hawaii.
Duck confit tacos. Even better than they sound.
Eat here. Eat here now.

Wife and I had 6:00 reservations on a Sunday. We arrived early but were promptly seated. The exceptional service continued the entire meal — kudos to our server, Damian.
Food was very good on all accounts: chips and salsa, guacamole #2, tako tacos and the steak tacos (our favorite of the evening). In terms of food, beverages and service — it was a great night.
It was our experience that the restaurant was quite loud. Between the music volume and energized conversations from other diners — we could often not hear one another and frequently had to repeat ourselves. Although the lighting was fine for eating/​drinking/​conversing, it was a too dim to read the menus.
We will certainly return for a chance to explore other menu offerings.

Well, everyone… I just ate the best taco I’ve ever had in my life.
I had been looking forward to coming to tako for months. My expectations were basically through the roof by the time I got there after all the praises I had heard for the food, so I was hoping it wouldn’t disappoint. Let me tell you… it didn’t! Tako is extremely small, but the atmosphere is so, so cool. You honestly feel like you’re stepping into a different world when you enter; you completely forget that you’re in downtown Pittsburgh. The lighting is pretty dark, but it really sets the mood. There are only about seven tables on the ground floor, and then a few more tables up on a second floor loft. I love the fact that the kitchen is right at the front of the restaurant, so you can see the chefs making all the delicious food. The music is a little loud and I felt that I was almost yelling to talk to my friends, but the food was so good I didn’t even care.
We started with a round of drinks — we all got either the red or white sangria. I tasted both, and would highly recommend the red over the white, even if you’re partial to white wine. The red sangria had a lot more depth of flavor than the white. Next, we did the «build your own guac,» which was basically my dream come true as guacamole is one of my favorite foods of all time. We did the classic guacamole and added bacon to it. One of the best guacs I’ve ever had. Also, the chips were phenomenal and came out piping hot and very fresh. Next we put in an order of the famous «papas bravas,» which I noticed a few people had mentioned on Unilocal.Oh my goshhhh they were PHENOMENAL. The potatoes themselves were crispy on the outside but very soft on the inside. There was some sort of tangy sauce on the bottom of the skillet with a hint of sweetness, and the aioli on top was more salty. Top that off with some scallions, and I was in heaven. I was so happy at that point that I would have given tako five stars even before trying the tacos.
I was tempted to order the octopus taco, but I decided to try the chicken since it was my first time and I wanted to see tako’s take on the classic chicken taco. Oh man. I was already pretty full from our appetizers, but I scarfed both of my tacos down in record time. The mixture of the flavors is just amazing, and no one flavor overpowers any other. I’ve eaten a lot of tacos in my life, but these were the best tacos I’ve ever had. I am not exaggerating. If you haven’t been here yet, please make a reservation and try it out ASAP. Your tummy will thank you!

Vegetarian perspective
One liner– loud club like atmosphere with a few excellently executed vegetarian dishes paired with excellent service, skip the funnel cake
We’ve been waiting to eat here for awhile, reservations for prime time Friday and weekend need to be booked at least 2 – 3 weeks in advance.
We see immediately turned off by the extremely loud music/​they have an inhouse dj who had talent and spun some good tracks but it was too loud for me to enjoy the company I was with.
Cocktails were very enjoyable– my guava margarita was sweet but potent.
Apps/​entrees– some but not many options for veggies and probably near impossible for vegans since a lot involve cheese. We loved the street corn (perfect mild spicy with sweet corn and salty cheese) which was perfect to split between two people and wet your appetite.
They had a beet appetizer option and a special entrée that involved butternut squash — other than that there was only one veggie taco to choose from– which was sad but that one option– the mushroom tacos were very filling, the perfect flavor and texture combos and extremely enjoyable.
Dessert was a huge disappointment. We ordered the funnel cake which was bland, minimal powdered sugar and came with this caramelized apple sauce that did not make the dish any better. We took two bites and left the rest. Not worth the calories and probably the worst dessert I’ve had the past 6 months.
Service was impeccable and in many ways more than I expected for this type of atmosphere. Our waiter had a man bun and was attentive, always keeping our waters full, folding napkins, and whisking away dirty plates to keep the pace perfect. Was really impressed by the service.
Overall excellent tacos and cocktails but due to such disruptive music/​volume we will not be returning.

I’m way overdue to review tako, as we’ve been maybe 10 times since it’s opening. Each and every time we have had a wonderful experience. When friends visit from out of town, this is always at the top of our list. And now for several of them, it’s a must visit when they’re back in Pittsburgh. I personally love the sidewalk seating for the warmer months.
The margaritas are some of the best I’ve had. The grapefruit and sage, the hibiscus and the absinthe and anejo are a few of my favorites. The queso fondido and guacamole are perfect starters and you truly can’t go wrong with any of the taco options. What you wouldn’t expect is that the poke appetizer is absolutely amazing. I’ve often just ordered this as my meal. The tuna is so fresh and works perfectly with the rice chips. You must order this if you haven’t had it yet!
Service is always consistently friendly and accommodating. Overall, this is one of my favorite places in the city. Richard DeShantz and team can do no wrong! Keep up the great work!

Can’t believe it took me so long to get to Tako! It was amazing! I would definitely recommend making a reservation. On a Thursday night the place was packed even the bar!
The décor was cool and they had a DJ who was awesome!
Ordered the Brisket Queso Fundido and wings as starters. The Queso came with warm tortillas. So good! And the wings were equally as good! The wings also come with a warm wet towel for easy clean up! Ordered the Pollo Asada (chicken) and Bistec (steak) tacos. The pollo Asada was great but I didn’t care for the Bistec. Make sure you save room for the funnel cake! It was amazing!!!
I will be going back soon and often!

So here’s the deal. Book in advance to coming otherwise you’ll be at the bar or waiting for a table at the bar.
We came on a Wednesday night and found ourselves having to sit at the bar which was actually a pleasant experience, despite being a group of 3, because the waitresses were very nice! But for anything larger than 3, I would recommend calling ahead.
The atmosphere was very cool, unless you thought too hard about it because the Last Supper, the Kraken, and being locked inside a industrial freezer don’t seem to go together.
We started off with the papas bravas and the make-​your-​own-​guac. Both of which were spectacular! The papas bravas was probably my favorite thing we had ordered all night. And, if we weren’t gluttons then, we got tacos to top it off.
The Korean tacos were definitely good, spicy and tender. However, the baja tacos were awful, I couldn’t even choke it down. The tilapia, which usually has a very mild taste, stunk of a very fishy smell. Maybe it was just that batch of bad tilapia, but our tacos paid the price.
While it is a bit pricey, their prices are not outrageous for the quality (despite the baja tacos) that you get. I would definitely go back!

Ok! I finally got my Funnel Cake!!! On Friday I visited this hip and trendy atmosphere! It was a packed house and reservations are HIGHLY recommended and there’s a good reason why!
The dessert I had was outstanding and filling. The wait staff was friendly and upbeat. The establishment is small but has 2 levels and is equipped with a bar that seats about 15 comfortably.
If you are looking to experience Tako on a weekend I would strongly recommend getting their upon opening to get your preferred seating or a space at the bar.
Also on my visit the DJ was energized and amazing!
This place does not disappoint; it’s the first of many visits for me! Go! And share your experience with me!

I can’t even with Tako. I got the octopus, homemade guac, and we also shared wings. Everything, even the squid (which exceeded my expectations), was cooked to PERFECTION. We went there for my husband’s birthday and met this wonderful Italian couple from New York. (We had so much fun drinking and laughing with them, we ended up migrating to another bar… I digress).
The guacamole was «create your own» and LOADED with bacon, per our request, which the men devoured. I could not get over the tenderness of the octopus that I ordered, and also could not have been happier with the service. We have tried to go back here several times for lunch, but discovered it’s only open beginning early evening hours (maybe that’s how they reel you in!). The wings were prepared perfectly, with just the right amount of sauce on them. Another perk was being able to look into the window as the shells were being prepared. Just such a cool place to sit down and eat a great meal and enjoy some awesome company. It’s pretty small inside, so I’d definitely call ahead for a table. We would go back here in a heartbeat.

Guacamole: DELICIOUS.
Ramon’s Gin Fizz: Best drink ever. Chugged that down and served in a fun tiki cup. Feels like I’m on vacation.
Tacos: PACKED tortilla, juicy meat, full of flavor.
The menu is set up like a newspaper, it’s pretty cool. The ambiance is pretty chill and there’s like giant octopuses drawn everywhere.
I’m very impressed with the new restaurants popping up in Pittsburgh. Very good meal. Very full with two tacos.

Still my favorite restaurant in this city. Service was exceptional as usual. I also got to sit outside in December and enjoy my meal. They are always dog friendly when you can sit outside and I had my Great Dane with me this day.

The short version; hip décor and music, good staff, great food — would come back for sure.
Without reservation, was able to get seated within 5 minutes on the Wednesday before New Year’s Eve. To wait for a few here is a treat, as they have a very unique setup where 3 walls of the kitchen are behind glass (facing inside the dining room/​bar, the foyer, and the street) — always love places that expose the kitchen to the guests.
The newspaper menu is quite creative, seems to be a growing a trend which I’m a fan. I also liked how simple it is, maybe 8 or so appetizers and about the same for the tacos with some daily specials for consideration. Drinks were awesome, the oxaca old fashioned is small but packed punch and flavor, same for the Diablo margarita (bigger, 8 – 10 oz drink). We started with a recommended guacamole which had tuna and some Asian flavoring which was delicious and portion matches the price. Tacos were all good, however the house special octopus and the bistec were superior.
Only stumble was the last round of drinks came out slowly and did not seem to be a function of volume of people at the bar. Minor blemish in and otherwise very good experience.
Pittsburgh price ‘$$’ seem inconsistent to me, if it helps I got an app, 4 tacos and 5 drinks for ~$ 130.

This place is seriously AWESOME. I first heard about it when I was home and interning in NYC for the summer (I go to school in Pittsburgh) and my supervisor went to Tako while doing business in Pittsburgh. So, it’s safe to say that Tako was on the top of my list of places to try when coming back to school.
The abidance itself is a little dark, however it does remind me of something inspired by trendy NYC restaurants. The seating is a little uncomfortable– I am not a fan of seats without backings and the stools are not the most comfortable, but I digress.
The queso is a must-​try… trust me. It comes with chorizo in it and it’s just out of this world. It’s served with warm tortillas, the same ones used for their tacos, however when those run out I simply use my fork, because the queso is THAT good.
I have tried an array of the tacos, and I think my favorite is the Korean taco. The flavor and combination of ingredients just really wowed me. I also enjoyed the Tako tako (grilled octopus) and though I have to be in the mood for grilled octopus, it was very flavorful and had a slight spice factor to it. The duck taco was also good, and same with the fish taco and al pastor taco, however these were not my favorites.
The food service is speedy and the tacos are of very good quality. This is one of my favorite places to go while at school when wanting to splurge a little bit on good food. If you find yourself in Pittsburgh, Tako is a must-​try.

Tacos. It’s a need it my life. Finding a good place for tacos isn’t easy… Finding a place to replace the hole left in the heart after the closing of Verde? Impossible… until last night!
We went to the Grit and Grace late night Happy Hour for some amazing snacks and drinks and wanted to finish with an amazing meal. I’ve been dying to get in to Tako. I have seriously been waiting since the day it opened! We walked up at about 10:30 pm and they were able to seat us!
The ambience in this place is sexy and fun. The red lights and the giant cracken in the wall are so damn cool. Even though the tables were super close I had no trouble focusing on the conversation at the table. There is an upstairs that looked pretty great. I’d like to try that next time.
We ordered the quacamole with the editions of pepita, bacon, pineapple, and charred poblanos. It was perfection. The chips are thin and crispy and salty perfection.
My friend ordered the Duck Confit taco. Damn. Damn. It was so good. I was hoping he’d offer me more. But I took the liberty of sipping on his drink with out permission so… I won. He had the El Diablo. The drink was so good and fresh with ginger beer and lime that I’m dying too go back for the drinks alone!
I had the Chicken Asado. It was classic with avacodo and crema. My favorites! It was the best chicken taco I’ve ever had.
If you plan to visit Tako you have 2 choices… waaay advanced reservations or a late, late night meal. Either way DO IT!

My two friends and I made our reservation about a month in advance for 8pm on a Thursday night. We got in, and it was, as expected, really crowded. Once we were seated on the much quieter second floor overlooking downstairs, we dived straight into the menus.
A mix of good and bad, but mostly good. The apple cranberry margarita I ordered was strong, but I could not taste the apple cranberry at all. It tasted more like raspberry to me? We created our own guac to share and added smoked salmon, corn, and onion. We thought the salmon would be raw, but it wasn’t. Still good, but a little disappointing. But their chips are tasty!
My chorizo tacos (chorizo, egg, cheese, cilantro) were great other than the mysterious sweet flavor that bothered me a little, partly because I didn’t know where it was coming from. The tacos are not large, but I’d say two of them plus sharing an appetizer and dessert are perfectly enough for dinner. The churro/​funnel cake we got for dessert was not good. I wanted it to be hotter and crispier, and I didn’t think the fruitiness worked well with the rest of it.
Interesting décor, good service, and good tacos.
Taste | 4
Atmosphere | 4
Presentation | 4
Service | 4
OVERALL | 4

My friends and I casually walked into tako not knowing that reservations had to be made weeks before for a guaranteed table. Good thing the weather was nice and outdoor seating was available in 20 minutes when we got there. One word of advice, definitely go for outdoor seating if you can. The environment inside is just way too chaotic, dark and bar-​like, that you can barely hold a decent conversation with the people you’re with. I’m not too sure what vibe they are going for, but indoor seating is definitely not ideal.
As for the tacos, they are hands down one of the best I’ve tasted albeit a little pricey. If you’re planning on ordering 7 or more sets, get the combos which will save you a bit of money if you’re going for the more expensive tacos. I tried the chorizo, Korean, Baja and pork shoulder one. Each of them had just the right amount of filling and flavor. I’d recommend the Korean most, because it’s a nice twist to your regular taco. If you’re a fan of egg, go for the chorizo one.
Two tacos in a set might seem like a little, but I was stuffed after my first 2 out of 4. Will definitely come back when I get the chance too! (And hopefully get outdoor seating…)