Locales
This is where the South Shore meets Southern California. We're in Hingham, Massachusetts at a really cool laid back Mexican spot named Locales and if you're into tacos, tequila and all kinds of tasty street food, this is the place to get it. Everything about this place is just fun, super casual atmosphere. Really nice, friendly service. They have beautiful artwork and murals on the walls, and the bar is always packed. And even though they have a tiny little kitchen, they are pumping out a huge amount of enormously flavorful food.
The number one reason to come to Locales is definitely the tacos. They actually have three different styles of tacos here in each one is incredible in their own right. The most popular style is definitely the crispy tacos. Although these look a little bit different than you might think. You have a fried corn tortilla and that is wrapped inside of a soft tortilla and there's a layer of cheese in between. When I go for the crispy tacos, I'm going for the steak, the carne asada. The steak is tenderized and marinated so it is absolutely perfect to eat. And here's what I love about the crispy tacos. They're actually all wrapped up and like their own little taco blanket. Look how snuggly and cozy it is. So this crispy taco, just unwrap it a little bit. Take a bite. Look, it stays completely intact… They’re like Taco magicians. How did they do this? This is easily in the top 10 Tacos I have had in the past decade and that's saying a lot.
The soft tacos I have a soft spot in my heart for. For the soft taco, I like to pack this baby with a chicken, the pollo asada. This is high quality white meat chicken that is fully spiced and marinated. So it really brings out the true flavor. Little hint of spice, little hint of savoriness. Put it all together. You got a terrific taco. There's just no other way to say it.
If you want to keep it real, you go with the street taco. This is exactly what you get from the street vendors in Mexico up and down the coast of California. I definitely say for the street tacos go for the carnitas - you want that pork and I'm talking a big old pile stack of pork. Now this pork is cooked over hours and hours, it's slow cooked with chilies and some citrus and oranges. So the flavor is just bursting and I will tell you this. It is crazy juicy. Oh yeah. Ole. Delicioso.
The man behind the menu here is Brian McLaughlin, the owner. He worked in San Francisco for many years, and that's where he learned about Mexican food and the Mexican culture. And that's why he decided to bring it back here to the South Shore. And he knows that Mexican food is a lot more than just tacos, so the menu offers more than just those tasty tacos.
When you sit down at a Mexican restaurant, what's the first thing you do? You order a margarita, you want your chips and salsa. They make their own tortilla chips right here in house so they're always warm and extra crispy. If you want to take your chips to the next level get the Locales nachos. They're loaded up with a mix of cheddar and Jack cheeses with the pico de gallo, a big old hunk of guacamole. And the key is the chipotle mayo. It's drizzled all over the top and you get a little bit in every bite. I want to make a smoothie out of the chipotle crema.
Now I don't want to be corny but their Mexican style street corn is absolutely fantastic. It's called the Elote Con Queso: corn with cheese. And anytime a food is served on a stick, it automatically gets a thumbs up for me.
You want something that's just gonna blow your hair back? This is what you gotta get: the Mexican street dog. This is one of the only places in New England that serves. The hot dog itself is actually wrapped inside of bacon, little pork on pork action. And then it's topped with a veritable salad of grilled onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, ketchup, mustard, and chipotle mayo. You can't keep your eyes off it and I can't keep my mouth away from it. I have had 1000s of hot dogs in my life. And I can seriously tell you I've never had one quite like this. Flavor 10 If not an 11.
A lot of people come to Locales not just for the food, but definitely for the drinks as well. Lots of liquors, lots of tequilas, lots of Mezcals to choose from. Number one drink I think you gotta try is the Spicy Mango Margarita. It has the perfect fresh fruity tropical taste that's offset with just the right amount of spiciness.
Listen, I love the food. I love the drinks but truthfully, I just love the vibe at this place. Everyone here is having fun, everyone has a smile on their face. They got reggae music playing. They’ve got surfing videos on the TVs. It's basically like taking a little mini vacation but right here in Hingham. If you want to eat local and you want to eat well come to Locales.
