Not sure why all the hate, this place is great

I've been here numerous times since it opened. I've eaten pretty much everything on the menu I think? Celebrated birthdays here, gotten way too drunk here, watched Game of Thrones here, etc etc etc

On food:

There are better places for authentic tacos and for other authentic Mexican dishes, just gonna be up front with that. But contrary to what another review pointed out, this is NOT a place that serves "tacos with Tabasco" like what? I came here quite soon after they opened and have been back NUMEROUS times and have never had my tacos served with Tabasco lol. Anyway, good variety of tacos with some less-than-traditional/modern takes that are really good in their own right. The soups are great. Not sure if they still have the ceviche but I ordered that quite frequently and never had a problem - always quite tasty with a surprisingly fresh flavor despite being inland. The taquitos? Excellent. The shrimp and avocado salad? Yum. Habanero chicken? Steak? Etc? All of it ranges from good to pretty darned good. Some days I think there's a bit too much salt in some dishes, or some other variation, but I've never had something "bad" and literally never gotten sick from the food I've eaten there - and I'm not kidding when I say I've been there a lot. One time, just once, I recall there was a bit of plastic in a dish - I was already a regular and didn't want to make a stink, so I just let the staff know so they didn't have it happen to others, not angling for a refund or anything. But as I recall they comped all we'd ordered up til then, and that was way generous and completely unnecessary. Happened once, never again.

My one complaint: The corn tortillas are a bit dry and crumbly, compared with the softer, stretchier ones I'm used to from Mexican places back home as well as those on offer at a couple other places in BJ last I had them.

Drinks:

Their Bloody Maria is dope. Get it. Drink it. Drink more. Follow it with a Strong Island Iced Tea. Get some tequila shots. Wake up with no recollection of what happened afterward.

Pricing isn't cheap, but it's definitely not near the upper end of the spectrum for decent cocktails. Cocktails themselves are great, even if they're not "fancy" or "avant-garde". They've got things ranging from sweet to savory to strong, something for every palate. And, seriously, the Bloody Maria there is a stand out for me.

Tequila selection, mezcal, all quite solid.

Some more creative concoctions would be nice though, so a point off for that.

Atmosphere:

Good design, decent space, music isn't horrendously loud, people can occasionally be horrendously loud, feels taqueria-y, kinda exactly what I'd want from a place like this.

Overall:

If you're looking for things to nitpick, you can find them here, just as you can with most places around. So if you're that kind of person, then maybe just stick to the Michelin guide.

If you're looking for an authentic hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint, this isn't really it.

If you're looking to have a great time with your friends eating some pretty darned tasty food and drinking pitchers of margaritas and quality cocktails in a lively but not "clubby" or overly "rowdy" atmosphere, then this is the place to be.