Just Tacos’ fourth Oahu location opened up in the Koko Marina Shopping Center this past Wednesday.
Outside Just Tacos' new Koko Marina location...
Drawn in by the vertical banners waving just outside the restaurant, we decided to check the place out.
Keiki playing beneath the banners outside after dinner.
Located where Therapy Sportsgrill used to be, a few doors down from Zippy’s, Just Tacos retains the same general layout as the previous establishment, with the major exception being the bar which is now located in the back of the restaurant…
The front dining area - sparkly!
The main dining room at Just Tacos the night we went.
After a short wait, we were seated towards the back of the restaurant (with a view of the marina that would probably be pretty nice in the daylight hours).
The bar, in the background, is located marina-side...
...with an impressive area of tequila bottles lining the shelves - blanco, reposado, anejo...
Ah, tequila… another night, perhaps. For dinner we stuck with cervesas…
On to the food!
Just Tacos' Shrimp Fiesta Appetizer!
The Shrimp Fiesta, featuring a tasty trio of camarónes, was hands down our favorite starter of the evening.
The first of our Three Shrimp Amigos: a lightly battered, deep fried shrimp that went really well with the remoulade-like dipping sauce pictured above.
One of the Shrimp Fiesta's Battered Shrimps!
Simple, yes, but oh-so-good!
(We’re guessing these are the same, battered, ensenada-style shrimp offered as one of the fillings for the tacos, which we’ll get to in a bit…)
Next, we tried the Chipotle Shrimp:
The spicy Chipotle Shrimp!
The shrimp have a bit of heat to them; those wary of the hot stuff might want to try taking the shrimp for a dip in the aforementioned remoulade-esque sauce to cool things down a bit.
And finally, a true crowd-pleaser (and artery-clogger, if we’re really being honest with ourselves here):
Shrimp, wrapped in bacon and smothered in cheese!
That’s right. Bacon-wrapped shrimp covered in cheese.
Mmmmmm. Bacon… Need we say more?
Moving on, then:
The Ceviche appetizer at Just Tacos.
The fish Ceviche, cooked in lime juice with cilantro and tomatoes, was served with tortilla chips and guacamole. The Ceviche was a bit bland by itself (the salty tortilla chips helped quite a bit), and the guacamole was, sadly, nothing to write home about.
The Flautas appetizer at Just Tacos.
The Flautas, four altogether, came on a bed of shredded lettuce topped with cheese, tomatoes, and cilantro and a choice of filling. Of the eight different fillings available, we opted for the chicken.
Again, nothing truly exceptional – “Just Taquitos,” you might say…
The chicken Mole Plate with Beans and Spanish Rice.
The Mole Plate came with a nice-sized portion of shredded chicken in a poblano-style mole sauce with corn tortillas served on the side.
The sauce was a bit sweeter than we’re accustomed to, but still very good. Also, the Spanish rice and the beans were both especially tasty, the beans helped in part no doubt by the addition, as is traditional, of just enough pork lard to impart some extra flavor.
The Two Tacos plate at Just Tacos.
Naturally, we had to get some tacos.
Of the fillings provided in the menu, we picked the birria, a shredded, marinated beef, and the cochinita pibil, a citrus pork, also shredded, for a bit of variety.
The homemade corn tortillas were a bit thicker than we’re used to (no need to double up wraps) and held up well even though it took us awhile before we got to them.
Of the two tacos we tried, we preferred the beef. The pork we found a bit too dry for our tastes. Being total suckers for all things deep fried, we found ourselves wishing we’d gone with the battered fish filling instead…
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All in all, a welcome addition to the East Honolulu dining scene, no doubt destined to be a popular spot for the weekend “dinner and a movie” crowd.
Also worth noting, the bar area is open until 2 on the weekends, providing HK residents too lazy to drive into town with a late night alternative to The Shack. Now if only the kitchen were open past ten…
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Besides the new Koko Marina location (check out the menu, hours of operation, and more here, at TasteOfAloha.com), there are three other Just Tacos locations on Oahu:
Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina Ko Olina
Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina Mililani
Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina Pearl City
Two more locations will be opening later this year on the neighbor islands – on Maui, Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina Lahaina, and on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast, Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina Mauna Lani
Tags: Just Tacos, Just Tacos Hawaii Kai, Just Tacos Koko Marina
