Whether you’re in the mood for a small bite or prepared to stuff your face full of tacos, Lone Star has got your back. Located on Cambridge Street in Allston Lone Star Taco Bar specializes in Mexican street food. The restaurant is set to look like a classy dive bar with a giant buffalo’s head, named Tracy, commanding the room.
This restaurant has a relaxed vibe to it and shotgun style kitchen which is when everything comes out as soon as it’s ready. The menu is concise and you don’t feel overwhelmed with too many choices. They do a daily brunch until 4 p.m., and for dinner they offer tacos, tostadas and other various bites.
I was hungry so I ordered three tacos all of which were $4. First up was the Baja Fish of the Day, this came with beer battered white fish, pickled cabbage slaw, and a chili mango aioli. I’ve had many fish tacos in my day and this one is up there. The fish was perfectly crisp and light, the cabbage slaw added a fresh, crunchy component, and the aioli was sweet and salty with a slight kick at the end.
Next came the Carnitas Pork, which had confit pork shoulder, salsa verde, cilantro, and queso fresco. It was much simpler than the others and the pork flavor stood out significantly. Although the confit was prepared correctly and did taste good, I wished that I could have tasted the cilantro and other toppings more.
Last and my personal favorite of the evening was the Grilled Avocado with Griddled Queso topped with salsa verde and corn relish. Doesn’t that sound mouthwateringly fantastico? The textures and flavor combinations of this taco are spot on. The creamy avocado and thick slab of salty queso, mixed with the spice of the salsa and corn relish all comes together to create the ideal flavor; it’s divine.
The Grilled Street Corn,$6, was ordered to share and it was zesty good. This is not your standard corn, it comes smothered in cotija cheese, cilantro, and a chili lime aioli. I’d come back just for the corn.
Those in the mood to imbibe are in luck because their varied drinks list has something for everyone. Spend some time perusing the cocktails, tequilas, and mezcals list and when in doubt beer is never a bad choice.
I decided to try the “Lucha Libre” ($10) from their Cocktails list. This elixir consisted of blanco tequila, lime, agave, and orange blossom water. It had a similar taste to a margarita with the sweet/saltiness, but noticeably different. The orange blossom water came through at the end, adding a light, fragrant finish. My compadres ordered the Mexican Happy Meal ($10), which comes with a blanco tequila shot, a side (or chaser) of sangrita and a pint of Pacifico Mexican Lager. Besides having an amusing name, this drink is 2 for 1, which is always a plus.
What’s nice about Lone Star is it could be the perfect place to grab a snack and not spend too much. If you were to go and just get two tacos and no drink it would cost $8 excluding tax and tip. Not to mention this place tops Taco Bell any day. ¡Buen apetito!
LONE STAR. 479 CAMBRIDGE STREET, ALLSTON, MA 02134.