Mexican Food Even a California Transplant Will Love
Californians might not shut up about the humidity, but now they'll shut up about the Mexican food
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New Yorkers love to complain about Miami’s lack of good bagels. West Coast transplants have similar gripes about the lack of good Mexican food. But because they’re all West Coast about it, and mix that complaint in with recommendations for a dog therapist, somehow it gets lost. Well, we’re happy to report that we’ve found Mexican food even an insufferable LA burrito snob will love, wedged into the back of a strip mall near W. 107th Ave. and Flagler.
Meet Taco Time and More, a family-run, brother/sister operation with absolutely zero connection to the beloved mexi-nugget chain out west. It’s the creation of Isa and Chris Flores, who began delivering their mom’s cooking during the pandemic. The operation grew, and ultimately the sibling duo were able to buy the business from their parents. The result is the exact friendly, delicious, hole-in-the-mall Mexican spot Californians lament missing. Oh, and they’ve got margaritas, too.
The space: Is 30-ish seats wedged in the back corner of a strip mall. The people inside range from families to single diners who know a good taco, to a party of 25 youth soccer players who were just clearing out when we got there. You’ll find cute, taco-centric signs throughout the restaurant like “My head says gym, but my heart says tacos.” And there’s a giant mural of a place that’s definitely not Mexico on the interior wall. Apparently, unlike a lot of Miami restaurants Taco Time spends its budget on food instead of custom artwork.
What to eat and drink: The carnitas tacos are the unexpected star of the show, the meat served crispy like it’s supposed to be. If you don’t dig on swine, the birria is also exceptional, slow cooked with the family recipe, served alongside an au jus that tastes more like spice than melted beef fat. You’ll find some intriguing Miami/Mexican fusion specialties, too. The South Beach Burrito is a dream, where rice, beans, meat, fried plantains, guacamole, and French fries are all thrown in a tortilla and pressed. Try it with some of Chris Flores’ special jerk curry sauce, and you might have the best Mexican-Caribbean fusion dish in Miami.
They’ve also got a full lineup of pretty respectable margaritas, infusing mango and other tropical fruits into the mix.
Perfect for: Family dinner, or an inexpensive date night. The food is better than restaurants twice the price, and the environment is unhurried and relaxing.
Expect to pay: About $25 per person, add about $10 if you want to drink.
Pro tip: Split the 6 taco platter with your dining companion and try all the meats. It’s the best $17 you’ll spend all week, and you’ll leave full.
How’s the parking: Decent. It’s a strip mall, so there’s plenty of spaces. But there’s also a lot of businesses that take up those spaces.
@tacotimeandmore // 10314 W. Flagler St., Sweetwater
