Casa Masa - Sarasota, FL
When looking to focus on some new areas, we looked into Sarasota and asked for recommendations. One that was recommended by a few people was Casa Masa on Bee Ridge. When looking at the location, it looked familiar, and then it hit me; This is the 4th(?) taco restaurant in this spot. From what I could find, it has been California Tacos, Tacos To Go, Island House Taqueria, and is now the home of Casa Masa. (If memory serves correctly, Island House was ran by two people who separated, with Casa Masa emerging from the proverbial ashes).
Sidenote - you might realize that this is also the first time we got to use the new camera we bought to up our content quality.
This incredibly vibrant mural is something that immediately catches your attention as you arrive. Casa Masa has a cozy vibe once you walk in. Not overly lit, good natural light, and on the “small” size inside without feeling cramped. There’s even a “tiki” type bar in the corner for a unique seating option.
Crunching the Numbers:
The Tacothority Scorecard
Our taco rating system runs from 0 to 10, where 5 is perfectly average, and 10 is pure taco nirvana. A 0 is the dreaded "Sad Taco"—so bad you’d prefer last week's leftovers. A 5 is a neutral, forgettable taco, while anything above that ranges from decent (6-7) to almost perfect (8-9). A 10 is the ultimate taco experience—flawless in every way.
Casa Masa - Steak, Chicken, Pastor
You’ll probably notice two things pretty quickly…. and you’ll be right on both.
These tortillas look a little different
The presentation of these tacos is exceptional
Notably, Casa Masa uses blue corn for their tortillas, and they make them in house, which is great to see, and shows in the quality. According to their website, their decision for using blue corn breaks down into some health benefits, as well as just looking cooler. We can’t speak directly to the health benefits, but we can definitely agree that they do look great!
The Three Amigos
Steak - 8.6
The steak starts simple on first bite but each bite after unlocks a bit more flavor. The meat itself is top-tier and clearly high quality. Perfectly cooked with the right amount of char, leading to some great texture, especially when combined with the blue corn tortilla and the included bits of cabbage for an added crunch. Tender steak, crunchy cabbage, and light cotija cheese make for a solid bite that I really enjoyed and is my standout from this trip.
Chicken - 7.8
The chicken tinga had a good texture and consistency, and was again loaded with cheese (which I’m a fan of), and there was good flavor overall. If we are nitpicking, it was a little greasier than we prefer, but still a great choice overall. I will say that I always prefer a greasier chicken over a dried out one.
Pastor 7.6
The Pastor had large chunks of pork with a great char (We love a good char). While there was no cotija cheese on this one, there was baby cilantro and filled with chunks of pineapple. The pineapple was a bit too sweet, but we all know by now that I’m not a pineapple fan. A simpler taco than the others, it was overall a taco we’d have again, but we wished for a little more flavor or kick.
Casa Masa - Oxtail
The Wildcard
Going beyond the usual lineup, The Wildcard is the taco that stands out—whether it’s the restaurant’s go-to recommendation or just one that caught my eye. It’s the bonus option that brings something different to the plate.
Oxtail- 7.3
I wasn’t sure what to choose for The Wildcard at Casa Masa, and if I’m being honest, I almost chose two! After all, I make the rules, right?
At the recommendation of the cashier/server, I went with the Oxtail. I should note I’ve never had oxtail, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Like the pastor, this taco was a bit simpler than the others, notably having pickled jalapenos (maybe a few too many), micro cilantro, and the oxtail. which they describe as Guajillo braised. It had similar look and consistency to a beef barbacoa.
This was what I would describe as a “heavy” taco. It was a bit fatty and greasy, and was a good taco, but it didn’t have that “life changing” experience we look for in tacos. I’d recommend it if you like oxtail, but I look forward to trying the other unique options at Casa Masa on a future visit.
Notable Mention
The Chips and Pico
Freshly made in-house blue-corn chips were on the menu, and gave us our first experience with blue corn at a taco shop. We really enjoyed them, and loved the unique look. The chips varied in size and texture, some of which had a thick, hearty crunch. Casa Masa also uses a delicious flake salt which was a nice touch. If we are nitpicking, we only wish that there was more salt, or the salt had a way of sticking to the chips better. Some chips had no salt, and others had plenty (which we preferred).
Rather than a typical salsa, Casa Masa serves their chips with homemade pico. Thick and fresh, it was very refreshing.
Final Thoughts
Casa Masa didn’t disappoint, (even though we came on a day that their AC wasn’t working lol) and is something that gets our stamp of approval. The presentation may be the best we’ve seen, and the tacos are authentically inspired but clearly elevated. They also have some creative options like the oxtail and others we didn’t get to try like octopus, duck, and barbacoa lengua.
One thing to also note is that their quality is reflected in the prices, with tacos ranging from $4 to $8.50 This is on the high side for what we like to see, but based on the presentation and quality of ingredients, we think the pricing isn’t terrible.
