On a recent Wednesday afternoon in Bakersfield on Over-the-Rhine, the Little Feat song “Dixie Chicken” blared over mounted speakers while old episodes of “The Rifleman” played on a silent television set. closed captions are on. Instead of chicken – Dixie or otherwise – I ordered a fish taco and a shrimp taco … because the fish and shrimp tacos in Bakersfield never fail.
The former is served with a tangy tabasco-lime sauce accented with citrus cilantro slaw, the latter with crispy shrimp, spicy chipotle lime crema, creamy guacamole, crisp red cabbage and pickled Fresno chilies. Washing them down with a Dos Equis Amber, I almost felt like I was in Bakersfield, California, myself.
Fish tacos are a go-to for me, especially during Lent when all those Friday fish sandwiches leave me longing for hearty alternatives. Sure, the catfish and grits entree at Nolia Kitchen would be great – as would some sea scallops from Le Bar a Boeuf. But fish tacos are quick and easy to get. While the ones in Bakersfield are among my favorites, there are others I crave, too (we’ll get to those later).
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Like many Midwesterners my age, I didn’t grow up eating fish tacos and probably didn’t stick around until I was in my 30s. Even if they are forever. No real origin story, per se. At least no historian can prove. Many refer to their birthplace as Baja California, Mexico, where – according to an article in the San Diego Union-Tribune – Mexican vendors tried to appeal to Japanese fishermen (who came to the coast of Baja to fish for tuna in the 1920s) by frying fish in Japanese tempura and folding it into tortillas.
true? Probably not. An old article in Sunset magazine informed me that people have been eating fish tacos along the coast of Mexico for thousands of years, ever since “native North Americans first wrapped large catches in offshore on stone-ground-corn tortillas.”
The Baja-style tacos we know and love (white fish lightly fried and topped with cabbage and some kind of white sauce) were popularized by San Diego restaurant Rubio’s Coastal Grill, which, according to the Tribune, started serving them after founder Ralph Rubio and some of his college friends from San Diego State took spring break to San Felipe, Baja California, in 1974. According to the Tribune, Rubio saw fried fish tacos at a local taco stand and wondered why he couldn’t get into it. San Diego.
When did fish tacos come to Cincinnati?
The first mention I could find of fish tacos in Cincinnati was a somewhat misleading comment from former Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty. After testing them at the 1992 All-Star Game in San Diego, he said the following:
“We tried the fish tacos. Yes, fish tacos. This is California. They are greasy.”
Doc doesn’t seem to be a fan.
In 1996, The Enquirer ran a recipe for them. In 1999, a Baja fish taco from La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill – a chain that previously had locations in Hyde Park Plaza, Westwood and Deerfield Township – won the Best of Taste award at that year’s Taste of Cincinnati. In 2009, they were on the bar menu at McCormick & Schmick’s.
These days, you can find fish tacos just about everywhere, from Northern Kentucky to Norwood. Some include fried fish, some grilled. Fish vary from tilapia to cod to shrimp to redfish and even crawfish. Along with the Baja-style tacos in Bakersfield (mentioned above), here are five more of my favorite fish tacos in town.
Where to get great fish tacos in Cincinnati
Jorge’s Taco Truck, Madisonville
Stationed inside a food truck next to the Shell station on Erie Avenue, Jorge’s serves up some of the best tacos in town. I especially like the grilled tilapia taco, which comes with charred and juicy nuggets of fish folded into blistered corn tortillas. They also provide plenty of fresh radishes and limes for added texture.
3980 Erie Ave., Madisonville.
Nada, Downtown
On the cheffier end of the taco spectrum, Nada never disappoints. Here, crispy mahi-mahi (or shrimp, it’s up to you) is topped with cabbage, spicy chipotle crema, pico and pickled red onions. Be sure to order them with crispy potatoes coated in an Asian chile glaze and scallion crema.
600 Walnut St., Downtown.
Tacos el Joven, Queen City Avenue
When people ask me what my favorite Greater Cincinnati taco truck is, Tacos el Joven is always the first thing that comes to mind. While I love the barbacoa and al pastor tacos, they also serve excellent shrimp and fish tacos. Be sure to stop by the Ethiopian grocery store behind el Joven, which serves fresh Ethiopian breads, including injera.
2157 Queen City Ave., Eas Price Hill.
Golden State, Terrace Park
I’m a big fan of the entire menu at Golden State. While their fried avocado taco is my go-to, next up is the Baja fish taco, served with tender chunks of mahi-mahi with cilantro crema, shredded red cabbage and pico de gallo.
704 Wooster Pike, Terrace Park.
Shango’s Urban Taqueria, Norwood
When it comes to riffing on fish tacos, this new place at Gatherall in Norwood lets it get creative. The menu includes Sori’s Son with red snapper, red cabbage and pickled red onion with grilled corn and cilantro in a sweet, spicy bang-bang sauce. But what I really enjoyed was the Buddy B with Creole shrimp, crawfish, nutty Caribbean callaloo, avocado-lime ranch, Chihuahua cheese and scotch bonnet peppers. Very tasty!
2750 Park Ave., Norwood.
