What’s on the menu at Macho Radio Bar, a new Tex-Mex joint with arcade games and a giant patio

Our Review of Macho Radio Bar

Nine of the best Toronto restaurants to try in August

Name: Macho Radio Bar
Neighbourhood: Harbourfront
Contact: 92 Fort York Blvd., 416-623-2323, machoradiobar.com, @MachoRadioBar
Previously: Cittá
Owners: Hanif Harji and Charles Khabouth (Patria, Figo, Byblos, Weslodge, America, La Société)
Chef: Guillermo Hebertson (Barsa Taberna, Scarpetta, Toca)

The food

Familiar Tex-Mex sharing dishes (tacos, nachos, fajitas, queso fundido), all of which cost $18 or less. Hebertson, who was born in Mexico, makes everything from scratch, and even butchers whole pigs for the restaurant’s pork shoulder and pork belly tacos. A late-night menu is served until 2 a.m. daily, and weekend brunch includes things like huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos and cornbread French toast with Pop Rocks.

Mini tostadas topped with sea bass ceviche, avocado, pickled shallot, red chilies and cilantro. $9.

Empanadas stuffed with corn, queso and jalapeno, drizzled with aji crema and green goddess aioli. Served with slaw. $7.

This salad combines kale with puffed quinoa, smoked-and-pickled onion, cotija cheese and a hibiscus dressing. $8.

The Sante Fe salad is made with charred corn, radishes, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, romana beans, avocado, poblano pepper, fried tortilla strips and corn nuts. $8.

Queso fundido features crumbles of chorizo and comes with house-made tortilla chips. $10.

And, of course, there are tacos. Clockwise from top: pork belly ($5), chili chicken ($5), corn-quinoa fritters ($4), pork shoulder ($5) and beer-battered basa ($5). On Tuesday nights, three tacos go for $10.

A DIY-taco plate of southern smoked short ribs, slaw, guacamole, pico de gallo, hot sauce and corn tortillas. $18.

This is what one of those DIY tacos looks like.

Customers can choose to have their churros dipped in lime margarita, vanilla and Pop Rocks, or dark chocolate and salted caramel. $5 for three.

Flourless cheesecake, Macho’s version of flan de queso, comes with hibiscus syrup, dulce de leche and salted caramel brittle. $6.

The “Apple Em-pie-nada” is stuffed with spiced apple filling and served with coconut-vanilla ice cream. $6.

Chef Guillermo Hebertson

The drinks

For the build-your-own aguas frescas, guests can mix-and-match flavours and spirits. Also on the menu: margaritas (classic and frozen) and a bar stocked with tequila and mezcal. Beer and most cocktails are available by the pitcher.

There are classic margaritas (pictured up front) and frozen versions, each made with El Jimador tequila. $8 each.

Mezcal Old Fashioned: mezcal, agave nectar and angostura bitters. $10.

The michelada is made with Mott’s Clamato and draught lager. $8.

Tejano Tea: tequila, vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, triple sec, lemon, cane sugar and cola. $40 for a pitcher.

The space

The colourful 85-seat space—designed by Studio Munge—is filled with tchotchkes and arcade games. The restaurant produces its own radio show (hence its name) that plays hits from the ’70s to today, and a sprawling 100-seat patio faces Canoe Landing Park.

The far wall is devoted to arcade games (including Street Fighter, Golden Tee and Pac-Man).

Here’s the patio.

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