ROANOKE, Va. – When you walk into Tuco’s, manager Jo Jo Soprano says, “You kind of feel like you’ve stepped out of Roanoke in a good way.”
Artwork lines the walls, instantly letting you know you’ve come somewhere different with something different to offer. Their drinks have quickly garnered a reputation in the Roanoke Valley.
Soprano says, “We’ve got the best margaritas that you’ll find…in any restaurant.”
He says the tacos are the best in town as well, due to the fact that they use fresh ingredients and homemade recipes. These recipes were hand-selected by a group of chefs in an effort to give you more than just your same old taco.
Soprano introduced us to some of their top sellers, including, “The Hillbilly taco, which is actually our most popular taco. How could you go wrong? I mean it’s a fried chicken tender. It’s got some queso on it. The Baja taco is made from our shrimp. We actually marinade the shrimp in our lemon pepper myrtle. We put a Baja slaw on there and our chipotle crema right on top.”
My favorite just so happens to be the pork carnitas, which is topped with pickled red onion, cilantro and grilled pineapple. It’s no wonder why Tuco’s has stood the test of time in recent months. Now, they deliver and have come up with other ways to help out.
Soprano tells us they now offer, “Happy hour and some food specials throughout the week. We realize that people are suffering in these times too. If we can offer some savings, we’d love to do it.”
He did say that perception is reality when it comes to newer restrictions in place. Even though alcohol can’t be sold after 10 p.m., he says it doesn’t affect them.
“Our businesses close at 10 p.m. at the latest on Fridays and Saturdays and then 9 o’clock during the week.”
We only scratched the surface on the variety of tacos and other things at Tuco’s. For their expansive menu, click here.