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| - I like this place so this is kind of a tough review. Originally gave it 2 stars then upgraded to 3 as a I've been going here fairly regularly and discovered their happy-hour sliders. Probably if I lived in another neighborhood, TTW would get 4 stars and certainly more from others. Here's why.
There's a fun, indoor/outdoor atmosphere a little reminiscent of the Old Town open air bars, with a trendy latin flavor. Nice patio to chill on a lazy Arcadia weekend or happy hour. Music lends a party atmosphere but the hip club/dj set list wasn't our cup of tea. Prices reflect the atmosphere although food quality has room for improvement at this tier.
There's a friendly, diverse waitstaff that seems to enjoy what they're doing and wants to take good care of their clientele. That's TTW's best asset. They seemed a little rushed but present enough to answer questions, offer recommendations, and share some laughs. With these personalities I met, I suspect the rushed vibe should work itself out soon as they hit their stride. I'll come back because it's in my backyard and for the atmosphere / social experience.
We had barbacoa and lamb tacos. Lamb was tasty but oversauced IMO and more messy than I prefer. Sometimes that's fine but this seemed like they may missed the mark with consistency? The barbacoa was ok but not stand-out. Chicharrones at $4 were the best I've had. These chicken skins were delish and I'll come back for more.
So, it's a tough review and only 2 stars because our neighborhood is blessed with some of the best "gourmet taco" joints you're likely to find anywhere. Competition in this category, in our neighborhood, is tough these days. The tacos I had at TTW's don't rank with Crujiente or Helio Basin's delightful creations. And, with a number of great street taco joints just down the road for $1 or so a pop, I want my $4-5 tacos to be amazing.
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