When I set my sights on Taco Loco, I thought, "Maybe I shouldn't review another South Side restaurant." Some of my friends have complained since the neighborhood's so far away. But every time I end up in the South Side, I wonder why I don't go there more often. I always find another unusual shop or eclectic eatery, and this trip was no exception, as my friends and I found ourselves at the Taqueria Taco Loco.

It's a very inviting place! The little orange Christmas-tree-style lights all around the restaurant were a nice touch. The red, white, and green Mexican flag color scheme added to the generally homey and welcoming atmosphere.

Taco Loco does a pretty good job with their menu. A lot of Mexican places seem only to serve up tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and other variations on the same theme; they're usually all tasty, but they're all similar. La Fiesta in Oakland suffers from this problem. On the other end of the spectrum, some "Mexican" restaurants – like Mad Mex – load up their menus with trendy new burrito variations until the menu is more American than Mexican. Somehow, Taco Loco manages to walk the line between the two options by offering tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, but also a variety of more inventive options, like a sub sandwich called a "pamabazo" and "soyrizo tacos" for vegetarian diners.

Many of the restaurant's options, like the tacos and quesadillas, are available individually for between $2 and $3 each. The main entrees and combo platters are about $10-12. I chose the Combo #2, featuring a mole enchilada, a potato patty, and a chile relleno. The enchilada was the highlight, thanks to its rich, spicy, and sweet mole sauce. The chile relleno, on the other hand, was covered in a red sauce, which was slightly spicy and also tasty. The potato patty was a little mundane, but not bad. It had a crispy fried crust on the outside and the consistency of mashed potatoes on the inside.

To drink, I tried the watermelon fruit water on a whim. What a good call! It's like a watermelon juice with pulp, and it tastes like sticking a fresh, sweet watermelon into a blender and drinking it. Better, actually, because I've tried just putting watermelon in a blender; it becomes mushy and tasteless. One of my friends tried the cantaloupe version, and it was almost as good, but it was a little too sweet. The watermelon version captured the flavor of the fruit better.

Taco Loco does have a few downsides: the chips and salsa cost $3 and came with exactly one refill. The salsa was a bit watery, although otherwise tasty. Also, the green enchiladas were rather boring. Overall, I'd say that Taco Loco's biggest problem is the same one afflicting most Mexican restaurants: everything starts to taste the same. While their menu is inventive, as I've mentioned, I don't know if I'd come back to Taco Loco if I weren't already in the mood for Mexican. That said, Taco Loco is still my new favorite Mexican restaurant in Pittsburgh.

Restaurant type: Mexican
How to get there: On the corner of 27th Street and Jane Street in the South Side. The 59U goes near there. A parking lot is also available if you have access to a car.
Price for an entrée: $7-12
Rating: 7.7

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