In this food review, members of the Oracle staff took a trip to Condado Tacos, which is located on Butler Street in Lawrenceville. Condado Tacos is a tasty, affordable option if you’re looking for a taco restaurant that is close to home. Here are the staff member’s overall reviews of the restaurant:
Ashley: This was my first time eating at Condado Tacos, and it definitely exceeded my expectations! The restaurant had a great atmosphere, with a bright and colorful interior as well as a good music selection. Before our tacos, we ordered chips, pineapple salsa, and queso blanco. The appetizers were exceptional! I ordered two tacos with the Sweet Lucy shell, which is a taco shell that contains both a flour soft and corn hard tortilla, along with queso and guacamole. The shell was very different, but it was delicious nonetheless. Additionally, I ordered the cilantro/lime aioli on my tacos and it was so tasty! The thing I enjoyed most about Condado was that the tacos were completely customizable and most of the toppings were free. Overall, I had a great experience at Condado. With the tacos starting at $3.50, it is one of the more affordable restaurants in Pittsburgh and the food does not disappoint!
Bailey: I have never eaten at Condado Tacos before, but overall I would go again. It is located in Lawrenceville so parking can sometimes be an issue, but for us it was fairly easy. The atmosphere of Condado is super artsy with lights and graphitti covering the walls. The waiter we had was very nice and helpful since most of us had never been there before. We ordered an appetizer of the chips, queso, and pineapple salsa. The appetizers were fantastic; the queso was perfect with the chips and the pineapple salsa was also very good 5/5. We then ordered tacos, which were very good. However, once you started filling them up with toppings, it got to be a lot. The tacos were a 3/5. They would’ve been a lot better if we didn’t eat two full plates of chips before-hand. The taco style was a fill-out sheet just like Burgartory, which was helpful because it was completely customizable. Overall, I would give it a 3.5/5.
Steph: I had never been to Condado before our family trip this past Monday, and needless to say, I was very impressed. The instagramibility of the restaurant was at all-time high, colorful murals on the wall were the cherry on top for the millennial feel. The tacos were set up just like a make-your-own burger at Burgatory, listing options upon options of taco fillings. When places like Moe’s and Chipotle have claimed the fast food Mexican food throne, it is important to do something that sets you apart from the rest. The options on the menu were never before seen twists on your favorite taco Tuesday traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and would recommend Condado to anyone.
Julia: This was my very first trip to Condado. Right off the bat, I would recommend it for anyone who likes tacos. Walking into the restaurant, the first thing you see are some bright-colored paintings over the entirety of the walls. Condado is a bar, so I assumed they may have some options for interesting non-alcoholic drinks. No, apparently they don’t, because when I asked the waiter he responded with, “We have Pepsi products.” Other than the lack of good drinks, the food was really good. I highly recommend the pineapple salsa. It was amazing. Also the crumbled bacon that is an option to get on the tacos were really good. All i have to say is do not get the rice, it is a waste of money. I would say the overall experience was 3.5/5 stars.
James: I had been to Condado one time prior to The Oracle’s visit. I enjoyed their food, but did not taste a wide variety of their menu. On this visit I consumed much more than I probably should have, but still enjoyed every bite. I started with the Chips and Queso. The chips are very fresh and crunchy, some of the best around. The queso is a creamy white sauce topped with Paprika and Jalapeno Peppers. Although I enjoyed it, I do not think it is quite up to par with other Mexican restaurants in the area. The highlight of my Condado visit was the chorizo, it is by far the best I’ve ever had. It was spicy and savory, I recommend trying it with the “Ju-Ju” shell, which is a hard shell and a soft tortilla with queso and chorizo in between. The chicken is juicy and perfectly suited for everyone. Overall, Condado is a wonderful experience and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone who enjoys Mexican food.
Max: I’ve been a fan of Condado for a few years now. We went to the Lawrenceville location. The wait staff and service were fantastic. All of us shared chips and queso blanco, which was great and reasonably priced. Most of us just ordered 2 tacos, which is usually my upper limit. The tacos are fully customizable: think Burgatory but tacos instead of burgers. They can be as stuffed or as plain as you want. I absolutely love the “Ju-Ju” shell, which is a soft shell and hard shell with chorizo and queso in between. My only gripe with Condado is that it is mainly a bar, so the menu is quite limited. If you don’t like tacos, don’t go. It can get very busy on weekends and at night, so go early to avoid the crowds.
If you’re in Lawrenceville, The Oracle staff would recommend you make a stop for something to eat at Condado Tacos.