Taqueria Tres Hermanos is the real deal for authentic Mexican food in the Midwest.
Growing, I was introduced to Mexican food at mall restaurant named Fiesta Bravo. When it opened in the early 90s, it was very novel. This became a regular stopping point whenever we visited the mall. They specialized in loud decor, good chips, fresh pico, and burritos smothered in white cheese. My favorite as a kid was the seafood enchilada.
After living in Albuquerque for a few years in the mid 2000s, I discovered real Mexican and New Mexican cuisine. I also found that you really can’t go home again and the Midwest Mexican lost it’s appeal. Since most Mexican restaurants cater to Midwest tastes (cheese, conformity and blandness), I was thrilled when my coworkers told me about Taco Loco (which is now called Taqueria Tres Hermanos).
This is the real deal. The decor is decent, and improving, but you come here for the food. Ala carte is likely the best way to order here. A burrito will cost you about $6 and a taco about $2. The prices might be in Taco Bell territory, but the quality is akin what I got used to eating in Albuquerque.
One good way to experience this place is to get a few tacos, with Onions and Cilantro, and enjoy how the simple combination accents the flavors of their excellent meats. Al Pastor, shredded pork cooked with pineapple, and chorizo, Mexican sausage, are my favorites and have a great flavor balance. This is the perfect way to sample a variety of options. The meal will be excellent while being both quick and cheap.
Burritos are next on the list of things to try. The combinations of ingredients is well balanced. But, make sure you hold the sour cream, it masks the flavors of the rest of the ingredients. This is not Taco Bell, the food here doesn’t need its flavor hidden.
Lately I’ve been eating Chilaquiles when I go here. This is a dish of fried tortilla chips which are smothered in red or green sauce. It comes topped with the meat of your choice and possibly an egg. It comes with sides of rice and beans. I keep forgetting to tell them to skip the beans, it doesn’t add to the flavor, but their rice is very good. My daughter can eat a whole bowl of the rice by itself.
The only quality issue is with the chips and salsa. The chips are from a bag and not the best quality. It’s been this way for 10 years. The salsa is good and you get red and green in squirt bottles. The green is just right and the red is very spicy. They were giving small bowls of pico for a while, but they stopped that.
The menu is largely the same as the old Taco Loco and so is the environment. The friendliness is there too and they will get to know their regular customers. They are also family friendly and the owner’s daughters can be seen in the background some times. I find that perfect for a family run and family friendly environment.
In the end, this is still Taco Loco, but with a new name. There was some kind of family dispute and one side of the family left to do other things and the other side stayed with the business. I haven’t seen a change in quality since this happened. The prices and some names might have changed a little, but otherwise Taqueria Tres Hermanos is the cheapest real Mexican in Dayton.
Taqueria Tres Hermanos
5392 Burkhardt Rd
Dayton, OH 45431
(937) 254-6645
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First Visit: 2009 (when it was Taco Loco)
Most Recent Visit: 23 May 2018
# OF VISITS: 40+
Cuisine Rating: 11
Decoration Rating: 6
COST: $
BEST BET (meats): Al Pastor, Chorizo, Carnitas
BEST BET (meals): Buritos (hold the cream), Tacos (onion and cilantro with meat), Tortas, Sopes, Huaraches, Chilaquiles Rojos/Verdes, Egg con Chorizo, Soups