El Rincon De Moody's Is Now Open: Make Way For Tacos And BBQ

WALTHAM, MA — There's a new taco joint in town. After it popped up in the Back Room at Moody's Deli folks were ready for more. This week those looking for a quality taco got their answer when El Rincon's a taqueria and BBQ joint quietly opened on Moody Street Tuesday.

This is the smallest of Chef Joshua Smith's four spaces (Moody's Deli, The Backroom and Crudo Bar) on Moody Street in Waltham.

Outside of El Rincon's there are two colorful signs straddling the door one proclaiming "Tacos," the other"BBQ." Inside you can find seating for about 30 with four wooden picnic tables and about 13 tall metal bar stools up at the bar. The room features metal and wood, and there's a thick trellis made from tree branches above the bar. Sage and some cool industrial light bulbs hang over the bar.

Smith utilizes his other shops for ingredients, including pork and chorizo, and there are combo platters available for both tacos and barbecue.

Look for a shrimp torta, pulled pork, and barbecue chicken sandwiches. And what taqueria would be complete without margaritas and $5 cerveza?

Word to the wise: This place might not be the best for vegetarian eaters for now. Staff say there's still the possibility that Smith could include a vegetarian taco into the mix, but they say it's got to be good. Anyway, for now, if you're just going in for a beer and a snack, they do have chips and guac and salsa and even vegetable escabeche. And the side order of mac and cheese is vegetarian. So let your vegetarian friends eat that while you break into the bbq.

Quick Tip: When you walk in head straight for the back wall where the menu and the register is, order there, and wait for your name to be called.

Overheard: "Can I sit at the bar even if I'm not drinking?" by a guy who came in around 6 p.m. (the answer is yes) "How's this work?" by two women who came in a bit later. (The waitress recommended the fish taco). "Guess what I'm getting? tacos!" one woman to a guy friend seated at the table.

A taco combo plate, which comes with two three bite tacos and a small portion of rice and beans goes for $11.95 ($12.79 with tax). Both the fish and the shrimp tacos were were surprisingly delightful.

El Rincón de Moody’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week.

Photo of El Rincon under construction at the top by Jenna Fisher/Patch