Down and Dirty Tacos Review

Wednesday night called for tacos and margaritas. I decided to take my hunger and thirst down to one of South Beach’s most colorful Mexican restaurants, Down and Dirty Tacos. The first thing I noticed about the restaurant is their decor. It was very much reminiscent of the famous Mexican Day of the Dead holiday, with skulls and bones everywhere. A very lively atmosphere to say the least! The staff was awesome as well, very attentive and friendly.

We were greeted with an enormous drink menu. I got to try the Chipotle pineapple margarita and the tropical mojito. The chipotle pineapple glaze in my margarita wasn’t as spicy as I had hoped BUT it was delicious nonetheless. Not to mention the generous amount of blanco tequila it had. The tropical mojito was also amazing! The mixture of dark rum with tropical fruit flavors made for a sweet drink. Again, the bartender at Down and Dirty Tacos was very generous with the alcohol.

Several sips into my margarita the manager brought out several dishes from the appetizer menu. Some of the items included chicken taquitos, coconut shrimp, Mexican sliders, Down and Dirty chicken wings, and guacamole with chips. The chicken taquitos and coconut shrimp were by far my favorite of the night. The taquitos had shredded chicken, refried beans, gooey melted aged white cheddar, and cilantro. They sat atop a coleslaw-like salad and came with a side of pico de gallo, guacamole, and a white sauce. I highly recommend using the sides and don’t be shy with the sauce. Pour that baby all over those taquitos! My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

The coconut shrimp! Oh so gooood! These fried little shrimp were amazing by themselves but when I added the jalapeños and drizzled the sweet chili sauce over them… Well…. that just took them to a whole different level! I wanted to take that sauce home with me. I’ll be having an extra order of these next time I go.

The Mexican sliders were not only cute to look at but tasted amazing. The slow braised short rib was tender and so flavorful. There was a generous portion of short rib in between each bun. Together with the cotija cheese, cilantro, and pickled red onions, these little burgers came out perfect.

The staple to every party… Guacamole and chips! This simple yet delicious appetizer is always in demand and so was the case with my belly. The chips were nicely salted, the way all chips should be, and perfectly crunchy. The guacamole and salsa were perfectly seasoned.

Next were the Down and Dirty chicken wings. These babies were amazing! And I’m usually not a fan of chicken wings. They were dry rubbed and came tossed in a chipotle-chili glaze, with cotija cheese sprinkled on top. The presentation in itself was beautiful. I would definitely order these chicken wings again.

From the fajitas menu I ordered the char-grilled skirt steak fajitas. The skirt steak was so deliciousoh juicy and tender, and came mixed with grilled peppers and red onions. The dish came with a side of refried beans, yellow rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and of course soft flour tortillas. Can’t go wrong with a classic dish like this.

From the taco menu I ordered the Southwest skirt steak tacos. Again, the skirt steak was juicy and tender. So good! They came inside of corn tortillas and were mixed with cabbage, onions, cilantro and chipotle crema. The dish also came with guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream.

And if that wasn’t enough…. The tacos came with a side of refried beans and yellow rice.

Just when I thought I was done the server brings over a mixed platter of deliciousness. More food to stuff my face. The platter included sliders, cheese quesadillas, grilled corn on the cob, and fried chimichangas. All with a side of guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and chimichurri sauce.

To fill up my dessert belly the owner decided to send over several different desserts to try. The first one was fried ice cream with fried Oreos. This dish came beautifully decorated with a huge dollop of whipped cream placed on the center of the plate, sliced strawberries, and a drizzle of strawberry and chocolate syrup. This was my favorite dessert at Down and Dirty Tacos!

The second dish was a strawberry shortcake with layers of fresh sliced strawberries, whipped cream, and strawberry syrup. Strawberry overload!

The last dish of dessert was a cheesecake. And to my surprise… It was topped with slices of fresh strawberries and strawberry syrup! Beautiful presentation and oh so creamy!