The Corner Taqueria

Yum! So tasty!
The vege themed menu items are awesome!
Yum! So tasty!
The vege themed menu items are awesome!

To be fair before writing this review, I will be back to dine at this restaurant, probably soon, as I live within walking distance, and the margaritas aren’t half bad. The food is good and consistent. I appreciate the patio, and as long as you’re graced with ample patience and good company, you should have a pleasant enough time (patience being the operative word in that sentence).
I’ve been here quite a few times and consistently have to «talk myself down off of a ledge» while awaiting service. It seems like every time I go, something impedes promptness, and it generally appears to stem from being grossly understaffed (either front or back-​of-​house– or both). A common occurrence is being ignored upon entry– and standing there feeling like I’m trying to sell them Girl Scout cookies instead of trying to give them money for food, drinks, and all of the other things that the service industry entails. A simple, «I’ll be right with you,» or «please seat yourself,» or «hello» would be nice.
Tonight was especially disappointing: 45 minutes for tacos. Orders forgotten. A server frivolously mentioning that she thinks they sent a cook home so there’s only one person in the kitchen. No manager in sight. I was about ready to hop on line and cook my own tacos, but I didn’t feel like getting arrested this evening. I understand that things happen, and nights don’t always go as planned, but the recurrence of the delayed service visit-​after-​visit gets a bit frustrating.
Look, despite the above complaints, I like you guys; I’ve had good service a couple of times here (I REALLY wish I could name drop right now, but I’m having a brain fart and can’t remember his name), and I would like to keep returning without having to bring a stress ball as my date. Smyrna is about to boom, and y’all really need to get your act together if you want to remain a fixture. They’re opening up four or five new restaurants right around the corner (not to mention Porch Light, which always delivers an exceptional dining experience from start to finish). The Smyrna consumer will have ample options soon, and I, for one, am far more apt to return to an establishment that provides unrivaled service over exceptional food any day (cause, hey, «it’ll all make a poop,» and I’m sure I’ve eaten worse).
Please, for the sake of everyone’s sanity, staff appropriately and train your people. Customer service is a dying art; make your mission its revival.
Seriously, though, I’m rooting for y’all! You can do it!

I had THE BEST time EVER … They were doing Karoke, I got up and did an AWFUL job I was D.U.I (Dummy under The Influence) The Bartender’s name is Cole and Boy did she get down on making my Watermelon Margaritas Diamond Dallas Page was there … He was hanging with his crew and they were a Blast … I ate their Steak Fajita, AWESOME Would I go back, YES ⁉ Would I ask, Nicole 2 make me a drink… NO ⁉. She made those drinks so good, I didn’t realize I had five until today… I’m slung OVA This is a great spot 2 hang and enjoy good food and drinks

My fiancé and I concur with the other reviews. Margaritas are pretty good, chips and salsa is good (and free, like any Mexican restaurant should be), and the food is pretty tasty. However, the service is ridiculous. I watched our server sit outside chatting with people for 5 – 10 minutes at a time, multiple times. She blamed the 20 minute wait for our drinks on the bartender, yet I had a visual of everything from where I sat. The bartender won’t start making the drinks if you haven’t even entered them in your POS. It would be so much better if the service was actually good.

My coworkers and I come here often on our lunch break and they can always accommodate our large group. It’s also our favorite place to visit for office birthdays, and for good reason. My tacos are always fresh and flavorful with unique combinations: pulled pork BBQ, buffalo chicken, spicy fish or shrimp. Though I haven’t tried them, my coworkers swear by the taco bowls, too.
I do wish their combos were a bit more robust, two tacos and a side rather than just one taco and side. The taco options are a la carte, otherwise; I typically order two. The service can be hit or miss, but I’ve never been disappointed with the food.

My group of four wandered into this restaurant after we could not get into another restaurant in the area. There were some issues while at the restaurant…
1. The first thing that hit me when we walked in the door was the smell. The entire place smelled like wet cast iron. It’s not the most pleasant smell.
2. There was no hostess stand or anybody to greet us at the door. We stood there waiting and waiting until finally a server (who eventually became our server) ran by and said, «Oh, sit anywhere you want.» That’s fine. But a sign at the door stating that would have been nice.
We sat in the side room. Cute kind of «campy» vibe.
3. There were huge cobwebs with chunks of something caught in the webs. This was hanging from the TV above our heads. The menus were greasy. The windows were filthy. Good God – I wonder what the back of the house/​kitchen area looks like.
4. The server came and took our drink order. She didn’t seem to know for sure if they sold sangria by the glass or just the pitcher only (menu mentioned sangria by the pitcher but I did not see any pricing for a glass). I ordered a glass. It was fine. But I think you should know how the drinks are served.
5. I attempted to order the mahi mahi but was then told that the «OVEN WAS BROKEN.» What!!! Should have left at that point. I think I was just so stunned that it never occurred to me to ask if they could grill or pan sear my fish instead, and the server never offered that suggestion. Our whole table was silent and the server assured us that everything else on the menu could be made without an oven.
6. My friend ordered the steak and shrimp skewers which comes with a side of green beans and rice. She said asked if she could substitute the grilled corn instead of both the green beans and rice and was told no. Was not even offered an upcharge to add the corn.
7. I also got the steak and shrimp skewers. The green beans had the strangest tasting sauce/​seasoning on it. I did not eat it. The rice was good. I also ordered a side of habanero salsa and that hot spice added a lot of kick to my rice. The skewers were fine – the meat was pretty much cooked to death but I was not about to complain.
I will say the best part of the night was the company I was with. That was the redeeming part of my night – unfortunately it had nothing to do with this restaurant.
We won’t be back.

This is the nicest Taco & Margarita shop in this side of town! Great environment and service as well as great food… Pleas don’t even hesitate on ordering their top shelf Marg if you really want to be in for a treat!

This was my second time going to this restaurant because I couldn’t remember a bad experience the first time I went there. We were a party of 3, and went about 4:00pm on a Saturday afternoon. We managed to snag an outdoor table once it was finally cleaned off. It took several minutes for us to get menus and then a few more minutes to get our server (who was nice by the way), but overall their service was very sloooowww and it wasn’t even packed for a Saturday afternoon with beautiful weather I must add!
We got the White Queso for an appetizer since they give you free chips and salsa and also salsa verde. It was ok. We also ordered the Ceviche, the menu’s explanation is: fresh shrimps, roma tomatoes, cilantro, onions, celery, and squeezed lime served in a 45oz margarita glass. Sounds delicious right??? WRONG! We had avocado in that mix, A LOT of advocado and barely any shrimps, with no flavor whatsoever and the margarita glass was missing! I even had to ask the server for extra limes to add flavor to that mix! I did not realize the description of that appetizer until I got home and re-​read the menu since my brother had originally ordered it. How disappointed I was. I wished I had opened my mouth at the restaurant for an explanation of the discrepancy on the menu of the ceviche. Where is there avocado written in the ceviche — and for $ 9.99!!! Seriously?
My tacos where well a disappointment as well. I got the Grilled Fish Taco and the Steak Taco, both were very bland and missing salt, and not tasty at all. My brother and my friend both said their Steak Fajitas and Chicken Fajitas was okay. So I am giving this review a 3 star score for the friendly server and the outdoor seating and location, but if I was reviewing the food ONLY, I’d give this place a 1 star. People, go elsewhere for tacos and The Corner Taqueria, please get it together! You have a great location and the food needs improvement immediately!!!

Definitely worth a try!
When I sit at the bar the service is great! There is one woman (behind the bar) that is always there when I come and she should probably train the rest of the waitresses. Because when I sit at a table service is a little bit lacking. There just not very attentive in the dining area. They spend a lot of time talking to one another and that may be the reason why. Not well managed on the floor, but they are polite and friendly so that helps.
First time in I walked in just before Trivia night and that was a blast. I’ve been back 4 times since… Fish Tacos are my favorite and I’m not a big fish eater. Chips & Salsa is pretty solid.
Service: Okay
Atmosphere: Great
Food: Good & Fast
Drinks: My Wife Loves Them (I’m not the biggest drinker)
Overall: Solid place to frequent!

Fun and funky!
I’m definitely a fan of The Corner Taqueria! I’ve been two or three times and have had a great experience with the food and wait staff every time. I love the industrial vibe inside and the large covered patio.
They make strong margaritas; the chips, salsa, cheese dip and guac are delish; the veggie and fish tacos are my favorite; and the chicken tortilla soup was amazing!
Definitely give The Corner Taqueria a try!

Girlfriend and I came here after a tennis match one evening. We walked right in and found a table. It was pretty crowded, but we were still able to sit immediately. It took about 10 min for a server to bring us the menus. We were brought chips and salsa quickly and the server took our order. Our drinks were brought about 10 min after that. The food took quite a while to get, especially for Mexican food. We ran out of salsa (the red salsa is delicious) pretty quickly and couldn’t find our waiter to ask for more for a while… I got what I had ordered, but my friend requested some mayo to be on the side. It was all over her taco. When the server walked over to check on the food, she immediately noticed the mayo was not put on the side and said the kitchen was swamped. She offered to get my friend another taco, but with how long it took initially, she just decided to scrape it off.
Overall, good food, inexpensive margaritas, and fun atmosphere. I’d go back.

Updating my review. This place is not what it used to be. The service and food is nothing you can’t get anywhere else. Food prices went up and the quality downgraded. The waitresses are a joke and concentrate in the back to socialize; almost appears as if this is their first job. Better off going to any other taco joint in the city.

Went here a few times with my friends that live nearby.
Tacos are good, but I come for the MARGARITAS and cheese dip!
The margs are strong with a great flavor and I could eat the cheese dip and chips every night of the week. Want to go back soon

I’m a little torn… I’ve had some really good experiences here and also some so-​so experiences. First of all, I’ve only been here on weekdays for lunch, so I have not experienced the happy hour /​drink part of the restaurant or been there on weekends. It is clean and a little industrial… both of which I like.
Good experiences:
Big portions. The cheese dip is the size of a soup bowl… easily shared. Disappointed that if you want jalapenos, they are just tossed on top. Once they are gone, you are back to bland cheese dip… so you kinda fight over the jalapenos. The guacamole was also a good sized portion and was very tasty. My favorite thing, though, are the breakfast tacos. Cheese, pico, chorizo, scrambled eggs… delicious.
So-​so:
The service has been hit or miss. We have had excellent service and have also had to chase down our server to get our check twice (and both times, there were only two other tables with two people each… they were not crowded or busy). I am a 20−25% tipper (I know what a hard job it is), but if I have to chase down my server, the tip suffers greatly.
The tables are high-tops…not comfortable for long-term…it makes me kinda want to eat and run. Not to mention that my co-​worker, who I usually eat lunch with, is only 4’11″ and she is not comfortable at a high top.
My favorite thing, as mentioned above, is the breakfast taco… last time I was there, the server mentioned that they were totally revamping the menu… so I guess I’ll have to see if it makes the cut!

Great food and very consistent. The buffalo chicken tacos are the best along with the habanero sauce on the side.
The cheese dip is so delicious. The service is usually very good. When they are very busy, you might have to wait a few more minutes with getting your food.
Overall, great food and place.

I’ve been going to the Corner Taqueria for several years now, both as a lunch spot and a happy hour destination.
The food is much better then expected, including the Mussels (shocking).
The bar staff is exceptional, with both Liz and Nicole always making sure myself and our party enjoy our time there.
Management is friendly, and usually says hello.
Tuesday Trivia is a good time, although the prizes aren’t that great, it’s more about the company and challenge then the prizes.
Highly recommend.

Love my neighborhood taco place. The service is always friendly and swift. The food is delicious. The drinks are yummy (beer selection is pretty strong, margarita variety is on point!!). The vibe is always casual and fun.
Love the lettuce tacos — I usually get them as my entrée even though they’re an appetizer. The queso fundido with tortillas is a sinful treat. Their «bowls» are the best deal in town — filled super high with deliciousness for $ 8. Love this Smyrna Village taco joint!

Smyrna just keeps surprising me with great shops, markets and now restaurants. I’ve been here several times but got so caught up in snacking on chips and salsa (which were brought to our table as soon as we were seated) that I forget to check in, lol. Well not this time!
This place is now on my list of favorite places to eat. I like the location, there is ample parking, staff is always welcoming and attentive, the atmosphere is lively and the food is delicious. There is seating outside, tables indoors and a full bar. They have several televisions throughout the restaurant and during happy hour they play trivia games which was kinda cool. it’s not a quiet place, so if background music bothers you during your meal this may not be the place for you.
We ate entirely too much chips and salsa before our meal and the tortilla chips were warm, light and crispy. They could use a bit of salt, but hey, maybe they care about our blood pressure, so if you want more salt just shake some on, right? Not a deal breaker. Chips come with two salsas, a green and a red. Love the red salsa — it’s got just enough heat to keep you snacking and asking for more. My friends enjoyed the green too, although I didn’t try it (I was distracted by the red one).
Favorite dishes: The chicken bowl with everything and Chipotle Caesar dressing is #1. The bowls are offered with chicken, steak or shrimp and you can pretty much have it your way. We also enjoyed the shrimp tacos which were full of big, juicy grilled shrimp and again you can select a sauce from the list. Super yummy!!!
Margaritas on the rocks were pretty good, but seemed to be lacking a bit of alcohol — it just wasn’t as potent as we like.
If you haven’t been here yet you really should go. I plan to go back many more times and try all the tacos! By the way, tacos range about $ 4 or more per taco, but they are hearty and worth every penny.

I love coming here for the margaritas there delicious!
Me and my husband come here often for a drink or who. People are very friendly and helpful. Most of the food is really good. I’ve tried a few dishes here and there but after a while I come to the safe dishes I know that are good. My favorite is the calamari taco and the shrimp taco. Must try. Very relaxing environment.

I’ve come here a couple of times in the past, they have really good tacos and I always had great experiences here, but recently my friend and I came here for a late bite to eat and was basically turned around by this lady behind the bar. It was so obvious that they did not want to see anyone else walk in, a group of people were seated at the bar and maybe about 2 or 3 tables were occupied. now Unilocal clearly states that they are open until 11 on Thusrsday, we arrived around 9:45 pm on a Thursday night and was told that the kitchen was closing, so I asked her what time, and was told that the kitchen will close at 10 (which would have given us 15 mins to order before the kitchen closed), so I asked what time do y’all close and she says 10:30, so I asked why do Unilocal say you close at 11pm, her response was, oh it’s a seasonal thing. SMH… Do your job lady, this is a place of business and if you close at certain time then that’s just what it is… serve until you close. We exited and went over to the Vintage Tavern and was treated well.
Word of advice: Do Better!!!