Before 2011, Old Town Mexican mostly meant the Sonoran combo plate under a blanket of cheese. Barrio Queen showed up by the canal bridge with regional cooking, tortillas pressed in house and a Day of the Dead room loud enough to be seen from space. It’s a machine now, but a machine that still makes its own tortillas.
Skip the combo thinking and order tacos individually — the pibil is the signature for a reason. Then tell the bartender your budget and let them walk you through the 400-plus tequilas.
When to go: weekday lunch is the quiet window. Weekend dinners, spring training and Canal Convergence nights fill the patio first, so reserve.