Los Amigos - Ruskin, FL
Located in Ruskin, FL, Los Amigos is a hole in the wall local spot that is pretty unassuming from the exterior. As it’s built into the side portion of a strip mall, you might not even know it was there if you weren’t looking for it. When you enter the restaurant you’ll find a cozy atmosphere and excellent customer service. Our server was great, always making sure we had what we needed, and also helping to manage some of our odd plating requests without issue.
I have a feeling if you’re reading this, you’re here for the tacos, so let’s get to it….
Interesting note…depending on the place, you may be asked if you want your tacos Authentic or American. In almost all cases, this will be the difference between onion and cilantro for authentic, and your “American” taco will get some level of the Taco Bell Supreme treatment: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, tomatoes or pico de gallo. Interestingly enough, at Los Amigos, Authentic included the typical onion and cilantro, but also a Mexican cheese and avocado slices. That’s how they intended it, so that’s how we ordered it.
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.
Los Amigos Three Amigos - Steak, Chicken, Pastor
The Three Amigos
Steak - 5.0
The steak taco was just alright. The seasoning was pretty solid, but the meat was a bit rubbery, which made it kinda tough to enjoy. The tortilla needed more salt and may have been a bit underdone as it too was a bit on the overly chewy side. The added avocado slice was a bit warm, so instead of being a nice, refreshing touch, it just blended in with overall chewiness, and the making the overall taco also feel a bit dry.
Chicken - 7.1
The chicken taco at Los Amigos featured chunks of chicken instead of shredded chicken. The flavor was solid, and the meat was tender, making for a much more enjoyable texture compared to the steak. However, just like before, the avocado didn’t really add much to the taco—instead, it seemed to take away from the overall experience.
Pastor - 5.4
The Pastor taco was fairly alright, but a bit on the greasy side. There was only a small amount of pineapple, much less than what I’ve had in other Pastor tacos—which, as someone who isn’t a fan of pineapple, didn’t really bother me. Interestingly, the pineapple had a more savory flavor this time, rather than the usual sweet taste (I almost liked it, mostly because it didn’t taste like pineapple). Overall, it was okay, but not something I’d go out of my way for. I also felt it could have used a bit more of a char to give it a bolder flavor.
Los Amigos - Barbacoa Taco
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.
Barbacoa - 5.5
The barbacoa taco featured shredded, slow-cooked beef that was incredibly tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth good for texture. However, it lacked that extra kick of flavor or a unique touch that could have made it stand out more. After the previous tacos, I found myself reaching for more lime juice to balance out the tortilla, which still needed more salt. I also wished for a bit more cheese, but honestly, across all the tacos, the cheese didn’t really make an impact—it was so subtle that you might not even notice if it were missing.
Los Amigos - Chips & Salsa
Notable Mention
The Chips & Salsa
We had barely been seated before the server brought out a small basket of chips along with four…yes four salsas! The chips were made from homemade tortillas and had a great texture. Very crisp and crunchy, yet flaky when you’d break it. The salsas were pretty good but none really “stood out” personally. The biggest upset was the salt of the chips as there really was none to be found. We were able to “enjoy” the chips but we weren’t craving more compared to some other restaurants where you eat so many that you may not be hungry for tacos anymore….but you still always eat tacos too, right?
