As I walked into Torchy’s Tacos, the first thing that caught my eye was a massive sign, which stated “DAMN GOOD”. However, after trying their food, I wouldn’t describe it with that much praise.
Torchy’s Tacos is located on Rockville Pike and sells primarily tacos as well as other Mexican plates. Torchy’s originated in Austin, Texas, and opened their first Maryland location on Oct. 2. There are 130 other locations throughout the country.
Torchy’s is a fast casual restaurant and does not require a long wait. Their tacos are sold individually, with each taco costing around $5. Despite the high cost, each taco is well portioned and filling.
When entering the restaurant on a Saturday night, I was shocked to see that the line to order was out the door. Knowing that the restaurant opened recently, my expectations rose to a high degree and I was excited to try their tacos.
While waiting in line, I noticed that the clientele was mostly young adults and a few families. Some young adults sat at the bar, enjoying the evening slate of college football with a drink in hand.
Despite the restaurant serving at their busiest hours, the service was exceedingly hospitable. The cashier was very open to guide me through the complex menu, showing me their most popular choices. After our food was served, the manager circled the seating area and checked in with us on our dining experience.
Something unique about Torchy’s is their odd and distinctive taco names. For example, some of their taco titles included “Tipsy Chicken” and the “Brushfire.”
Thanks to the cashier’s guidance, I tried a variety of different dishes, including chicken, beef and vegetarian tacos. I also tried one of their burritos and a mixture of their chips and dips.
Two tacos that really caught my attention were the “Democrat” and the “Republican.” Without getting too political, but sheerly based on gastronomy, I found the “Republican” to be significantly better than the “Democrat.” The “Republican” has a really flavorful beef BBQ flavor while the “Democrat” is a very basic beef taco with chopped onion.
The food quality of the rest of the dishes were mostly mediocre and had a mushy consistency. Some items were really delicious while others seemed to falter. My favorite dish, “Trailer Park,” is known to be the most popular selection at Torchy’s. This taco had very well seasoned chicken along with veggies to enhance its flavor. As a result, each bite was most delectable.
Another taco I tried, “Fo Sho,” a vegetarian taco that contains avocado, had a bland and dull taste. The combination of avocado and hot sauce was not an enjoyable mixture and felt inedible. Unfortunately, the majority of the myriad of dishes I tasted were likewise not flavorful; resulting in a disappointing review.
One thing I did really enjoy were the chips with the dips that Torchy’s had to offer. The chips had a divine salty and savory taste along with a pleasant crunch. The guacamole had a perfect texture and a luscious flavour. The queso had a smokey taste that complemented really well with the chips.
While dining at Torchy’s, I compared the food and atmosphere to Taco Bamba, a similar restaurant located in Rockville. Taco Bamba has a similar hip and lively vibe found at Torchy’s. Taco Bamba is also known for their exotic tacos. The only difference is that Taco Bamba serves astronomically better tacos than Torchy’s.
If you were to stop by Torchy’s Tacos, I would suggest trying “Trailer Park” and the “Republican,” both of which are meat tacos. If you are vegetarian, I would encourage eating at another Mexican restaurant, such as Taco Bamba. In my opinion, Torchy’s Tacos is a really fun place to hangout, but due to the food quality, the restaurant does not have my recommendation.
