Condado Tacos recently opened at Pinecrest, serving up a vibe that may feel familiar to taco-loving Clevelanders — probably because Condado was founded by Joe Kahn, one of the original owners of Cleveland’s Barrio. Fans of Barrio may see obvious menu similarities such as Thai chili tofu and chipotle crema sauce. Barrio owners even sued Condado in an attempt to prevent the company from opening in Northeast Ohio (a judge denied the request). Here are a few major differences we saw between the two spots.
The menus: While you fill in your order on a bubble sheet at both spots, Barrio’s suggested taco combinations are called El Jefe’s Selecciones (The Boss’ Selections). At Condado, they’re simply known as, well, Taco Suggestions.
The feminine touch: Sure, both places serve a special shell with queso and guac sandwiched between hard and soft tacos. But Barrio’s is called Green Goddess, while Condado dubs its version Sweet Lucy. It’s also probably just a coincidence that they both offer a Tuscan guacamole.
The almost famosas: Both restaurants specialize in “margaritas famosas,” available in six of the exact same flavors. Yet Barrio offers cilantro, guava and raspberry flavors, while Condado alone serves banana.
So yes, Barrio and Condado have quite a bit in common. Here’s one very real difference, though: Barrio serves a popular weekend brunch, while Condado has yet to get in on the mid-morning meal. Will they eventually have that in
common, too? Only time and tacos may tell.
