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| - There's nothing WRONG with Tako. The venue is sick--every detail is well thought out, from the Edison bulb ceiling lights to the soft core porn octopus wall murals. It was really cool to get a glimpse into their impressively tiny glass-walled kitchen, and the service couldn't have been better. But to me, Tako is not a restaurant--it's a bar.
The DJ keeps the pop music loud, and on a Thursday night, we struggled to hear the other end of our table of 5. The Mushroom Tacos and on special Pork Belly Tacos we ordered were delicious, with all their components really sync, but the tacos themselves were the only delicious items on the menu. Our group also tried the Kale and the Street Corn and made-our-own Guac, and none of them impressed. The salad was tiny and lackluster, with the sesame seeds being the singular standout ingredient, and the chopped roasted poblano bits in the guacamole made every bite of the (small) dish bitter.
Sad starters aside, the customer left with very few desirable menu items, and the focus really does seem to be on the drinks. That being said, this isn't necessarily bad if that's what you're looking for. I wasn't.
The bottom line--come thirsty but not hungry, pass on the appetizers, and expect to pay $18 for a pair of their signature Tako tacos (You might hope that these are larger than your standard sized $2 street tacos. They're not.). It was a decent enough experience for a Thursday night, and I definitely understand all the hype, but I probably won't be back. Would I have chosen this place for an obnoxious screamfest reunion with my sorority sisters? Sure. Would I make another reservation 3 weeks out for a nice dinner with my fiancee? Def not. Personally, I prefer restaurants where the cooking is the focus. If Richard DeShantz is trying to offer Pittsburgh a higher-end version of the over-copied Roy Choi concept, it's the food that's going to have to step up and deliver.
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