$$$$Price: Moderate • Mexican • San Marcos
Please, please, people, ignore the bad reviews, they are clearly from people who want Tex Mex and this ain’t that!! This is Baja style food and I really don’t want this place to go away cause I certainly cannot find this type of food anywhere around here, so please come here expecting something different.
When I first found out about Balcon, I was skeptical about its ability to deliver on real Baja style Mexican food, but when I saw the menu, it felt right.
On my first visit, two weeks after opening, I was blown away with how accurately it tasted like the type of Mexican food that I’m familiar with from my hometown in Tijuana, Mexico. I ordered the gobernador tacos, the ahi tuna tostada, the nopal taco and a quesadilla. Tortillas are delicious and hand made. I felt so much happiness to somehow get to have such an option in San Marcos, specially since I cannot stand Tex Mex food nor any local attempt at Mexican food since every place here throws excess cumin and makes overly greasy low quality ingredient Mexican food. I was in heaven.
The mixology needs work. Sorry guys but I didn’t care for the drinks we tasted. Their bartender should probably go check out Little Trouble in Lockhart or Suerte in Austin to get some better ideas on that. However, they did excellent on the food.
I checked the reviews cause I wanted to leave one but I hadn’t made a reservation through open table, so I couldn’t leave one then. I noticed it didn’t have as many stars as I believe they deserved so I wanted to come back (with a reservation now) so I could leave my review.
This second time we ordered pretty much the same things, plus the pastor taco and the carne asada. The pastor and carne asada didn’t bring it home, but I appreciated they served them with avocado as they do in Tijuana.
The food was still amazing, but felt more salty and with excess flavorings. I suggest they don’t let themselves be guided by reviews asking for more flavor. Y’all had it right the 1st time around!!