The Informed Drinker: In the Beginning, There Was Rum
Why We Don't Like You: Texas A&M Aggies
![Weekend Music Preview: Woven Bones Tour Kick-Off [Beerland / Friday]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2009/11/beerland_27nov2009_250-thumb-110x110-460924.jpg)
Weekend Music Preview: Woven Bones Tour Kick-Off [Beerland / Friday]
Thief Nabs $10K Flagship Trek Bike From Mellow Johnny's
![Turkey Time Means Focusing on Football, Film, and Food! [Extra Extra]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2009/11/4118824456_b29afe8992_m-thumb-110x110-461242.jpg)
Turkey Time Means Focusing on Football, Film, and Food! [Extra Extra]
After passing by the new storefront of Wahoo's (509 Rio Grande) numerous times in the past few weeks, we decided it was finally time to pop in and check out the new addition to the West 6th area.
We should have worn our warp-around Oakley's, bra, because the second we stepped into the faux-oceanside taco stand, we suffered a full-frontal assault to our senses. Was this place a restaurant or a surf shop? Every single piece of foamspray-pastel-blue painted wood was covered in stickers. Stickers for surfboards, wakeboards, other extreme-sport-related boards. Names like Stussy and Volcom. Everywhere. For a second we thought the shop may in fact be owned by a board company. Tubular. It was like the Peach Pit on acid. Really bad acid.
The first thing we thought as we went to wash our hands was that this place may work in Huntington Beach, but it just seemed wrong in downtown Austin. Then we talked to one of the employees and realized why the Huntington Beach corollary made such sense. We had been to one in Huntington Beach when we lived in SoCal years ago. We knew the name Wahoo's rang a bell. It is a chain from California that began 18 years ago and, after establishing itself with 30 stores in California, expanded to 10 in Colorado and one in Honolulu. And now, Austin.
After some helpful consultation from the counter bra (note: the staff was very friendly and both guys with whom we spoke seemed very familiar with both the menu and the store's history) we decided to go with the taco combo platter, subbing a dinner salad for the rice and beans. We had one fish taco (charbroiled, not blackened) and one shrimp taco. Both tacos were given the Marv Albert-treatment, buried under an amazing toupee of slaw and diced tomatoes. Though very fresh, the garnish did little but hide the small portions of fish at the bottom of our fresh corn tortillas. The fish was moist but lacked any significant flavor. The shrimp, however, did pack a zesty punch; unfortunately, there were just not enough of the little guys to satisfy us. And turning to the rather wilted and uninspired salad did not help matters. Then there was the price. Although at first blush the menu looks reasonable, we did pay $9 for a soda (Pepsi products, booh), salad and two tacos. That just seemed a little steep for us, but we are sure the new residents of the high-end condos in the neighborhood will not have a problem forking out the cash. Or dunk after happy-hourers, for that matter.
Speaking of booze, Wahoo's does have Shiner, Shiner Blonde, Dos Equiz, Budweiser and Miller Lite on tap, but it doesn't really matter yet, as they are still waiting on their liquor license, 30 days after opening. To management's credit, we did talk to a nice couple who were brought cans of Modelo from the back to help wash down their tacos.
The problem is this: Yo, California, this is Texas. We're all set with Tex-Mex. We don't need your uninspired, overpriced, beach-themed taco stands. We have a plethora of taco joints around town that could, with one hand tied behind their backs, beat Wahoo's like a piñata. A piñata full of zinc oxide. So, go ahead and stop in if you want to try some fish tacos or maybe catch a game on one of their two flat screens and impressive big screen, but we suggest you be leveraged-to-the-teeth on a Sea-Doo and have a tribal tattoo on your calf or you may not really feel at home....bra!
Wahoo's
509-A Rio Grande St.
476.3474
*image taken from Wahoo's merch. site*
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
growing up in coastal texas, anytime we wanted mexican food, my ma made it. anytime we wanted seafood, my ma made it. if we were ever ambitious enough to go out to eat, we either went to a seafood place or a mexican place.
the point is that I've never understood the concept of a seafood taco. it seems so foreign to me. I've even lived in san diego for nearly four years and I never caught on to the scam.
it's not to say I haven't had a good fish taco (heh), it's just that I don't like the idea, man. yeah, I'm a dork.
you're not a dork, pig. well, you may be, but not for not gettnig fish tacos. i don't either, really. then again, i think breakfast tacos are for chumps. so there's that.
stop hating on breakfast tacos!
they'll change your life.
aw, man. breakfast tacos rock lame ass. chorizo and egg, dude. nuff said.
chumps. every last one of ya.
i thought wahoos was great. ate there today, got 2 fish tacos, lots of beans and rice, and blueberry soda for $8. would have been $6 w/o drink. as for out of place... how about uchi? sushi in the dead center of the state... not logical either, but no one rips on that. as for fish tacos... everyone loves polvo's tacos, but their staff sucks and it is pricey. i'll go back to wahoo's. quit whining.
uchi gets their fish flown in from out of the country, hence the ridic prices, but it is pretty delicious.
the staff at polvo's is nice, but yes, it can be horribly slow
Odam, Based on your breakfast taco comments, I'm officiall resigning from the staff.
chump.
care.
only chumps would read something as subjective as a restaurant review and attack the one indisputable, objective fact in the entire thing. come on, people. breakfast tacos are worthless. stop hating yourself for liking something so lame, and let the man speak.
Personally, being a Californian, I'm glad to see Wahoo's in Austin. Finally, I can get baja mexican food. Even if it is a chain. The freaking Tex-Mex here is killing me. Cheez-whiz anyone?
Personally, being a Californian, I'm glad to see Wahoo's in Austin. Finally, I can get baja mexican food. Even if it is a chain. The freaking Tex-Mex here is killing me. Cheez-whiz anyone?
Such a good post I thought I would submit it twice. Sorry.
Wow - bashing Wahoo's decor. Apparently you're not one of the alternative sports people that they cater to. Here's an idea - don't go there, we like our stickers and the fact that they are already helping out with wakeboarding and skate events in town. Great place and great food if you ask me...and a lot of others I can think of.
P.S. Polvo's staff sucks? Sounds like you need to frequent your more uptight eateries in Round Rock or Cedar Park more often and leave the laid back casual and fairly priced places to people from South Austin.
Wow, "anon" up there is more of a dick than me.
Being a shitty waiter != South Austin "charm"
I guess you can only eat at Wahoo's if you call people "brah", since they only cater to alternative sports people. Nothing like a friendly, welcoming place to spend your money.