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| - My first visit to Pinches was on Cinco de Mayo. It was good, but not great like I was expecting based on their reputation around town and as a result would rate my experience at 3.5-4 stars.
First of all, the location isn't the easiest to find. It is part of an urban living shopping center that doesn't have the best parking flow or signage. After driving around the lot for a couple minutes, we found Pinches Tacos' business sign and parked nearby. Walking up to the restaurant is a little nondescript and the front door isn't distinguished as the main entrance. It doesn't have their name on it, the word entrance, or any signage above it; just a sugar skull decal. So we kept walking and ended up awkwardly entering from the patio.
We were promptly greeted and seated at the bar where the bar staff shared the Cinco specials and quickly served us. I tried their blood orange margarita and Taylor had a beer. The Marg was good, not great, they didn't skimp on the booze but I didn't really feel like it had any blood orange flavor.. or really any special flavors beyond the classic Marg.
Food was also very good, but still fell a bit short of great in my opinion. I tried two of their tacos- al Pastor and Carnitas, and Taylor ordered chicken enchiladas with rice and beans. The best part of the meal is their homemade tortillas! It is a rare detail to find and makes all the difference in the world. The rice and beans were pretty bland for my taste, but the enchilada sauce was flavorful and an interesting take on the classic red sauce; not quite as spiced as I'm used to but had a rich and luscious texture to bathe every bite of the enchiladas. Again, my tacos were good, not great. I was surprised I preferred the flavors of the Carnitas more than the al Pastor, but I was also pretty disappointed when there was a huge chunk of fat/connective tissue on my small street taco:( When I mentioned it to the server, she didn't really care and just said "usually they are pretty good about that stuff".
The atmosphere is really vibrant and unique. It has a laidback vibe of a taqueria but with full service. The bar opens up to a small patio and features an outdoor bar counter for service. There is also a large area for viewing the kitchen and a fun taco truck installation as a service station.
Overall, I was pleased with the quick service with a relaxed atmosphere and the food and drinks are satisfactory enough to ensure I'll return, but not with any urgency.
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