Foodie News x Restaurant Reviews x Hip-Hop Attitude

In 2010, I (Nick Love) spent over 45% of my annual income eating out at some of Atlanta's best (and worst) restaurants. So, who better to guide you through the city's crowded dining terrain?? Now, I, along with my team of Hip-Hop generation foodies, will expose and review ATL's newest hits, hidden gems, and old favorites. Hopefully, this blog will earn us a free meal or two while we point you guys in the direction of some good food and steer you away from the wackness. Let's eat!!!

May 15, 2012

Review: RED PEPPER TAQUERIA | Lots of Taq, Okay Walk

Name: Red Pepper Taqueria
Cuisine: Mexican
Neighborhood: Emory
Address: 2149 Briarcliff Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329
Phone: 404.325.8151
At Nick Love's insistence, I popped into Red Pepper Taqueria to grab a quick bite for lunch and see what this place was all about.  I’ll go ahead and tell you guys now.  This place is definitely more than just a taco spot.  Upon walking in, I could instantly tell that a lot of thought and preparation went into this concept.  From the colorful mural on the wall, to the numerous flat screen televisions throughout the building, to the Luchador (Mexican wrestler for the Spanish-impaired) head sitting the bar, to the tables equipped with their own draft beer system, this place just screams FIESTA!!!

Draft beer system at table
The brain power wasn't totally drained on the decor.  There was also plenty of food and tequila.  Red Pepper's menu consists of local, organic, all natural food.  Everything is ordered and prepared fresh everyday.  So fresh in fact that they don't even have freezers in the building.  That's always a good sign.  But, was the food good??


Well, it depends on who you ask.  Or maybe just what you order.  I took a few guests with me and the food seemed to be received with mixed results.

Jalapeno queso dip + chips
Once everyone devoured the jalapeno queso dip (everyone agreed that this was good), we placed our orders. I had the Fajita Skillet Trio with chicken, steak, & shrimp; all of which were cooked perfectly and seasoned very well.  One friend ordered the Nachos Ole’ with shrimp which she definitely enjoyed.  The organic-ness of the meal could definitely be detected.  Yet, it was appreciated. 

The Fajita Skillet Trio w/ chicken, steak, and shrimp

Nachos Ole' w/ shrimp
Everyone else ordered some variations of the tacos and quesadillas which seemed to fall flat with the group.  According to them, it wasn't that anything was particularly bad but they'd definitely had better at places like Taqueria del Sol or Cinco.  Oddly enough, the black beans got rave reviews. 

The "El Duo" w/ Chicken + Fish tacos

Fajita quesadilla
The drinks also received kudos.  Red Pepper offers over 100 different tequilas and 98% of the margaritas are handcrafted.  It really doesn’t get much better than that!!!  I ordered The Skinny, one of their most popular margaritas, made with fresh lime juice, Agave nectar, & Herradura Blanco. It was strong but refreshing so it worked perfectly for me.  My friend had the frozen mango margarita and she liked it.  It had to be sent back once because it tasted like straight mango syrup at the bottom of the glass.  But, the second time was the charm.

Frozen mango margarita
TEQUILA!!!
Overall though, I definitely think Red Pepper Taqueria is worth checking out.  There were a few hiccups in the road but the food and drinks are pretty good and the atmosphere is amazing. I’m sure you guys will love it.  The only true downside is the traffic that can sporadically pop up in that area.  Being located at a busy intersection and near a college (Emory) comes with several advantages and disadvantages.  But, hey, what can you do??

Happy Eating!!

Grade: B-
What's Great: Decor, Tequila Options
What Ain't: Location (crazy traffic in the area)
Ideal For: Lunch, Dinner, or Watching A Game




Red Pepper Taqueria on Urbanspoon

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