August 6, 2008 Ah, Chastaino Mac. One of the newer Taco Mac locations, the inner decor is a distinct cut above the older joints, but it still essentially boils down to: booths, bar, ONE THOUSAND televisions. Plus, this particular locale has a decent-sized patio, if that’s your thing, but being a BIG FAN of air conditioning, you’ll usually find me hunkered down at the bar. The food is pretty tasty, plentiful, and reasonably priced for bar grub. Typically, I go for their Turkey and Swiss Panini or Havana Cuban. The service, as is true for any bar, ranges from adequate to proficient. This is another reason for sitting at the bar, as it expedites the bar-getting process, plus the bar staff is usually a bit more knowledgeable, beerwise, as they spend their shifts stationed right next to the taps and coolers. I find their draft prices to be wholly acceptable and cannot remember a single time I balked at the bill, though their prices on large-sized, imported bottled beer can be a bit high. Now, I’d wager their bread and butter is the sale of macros, the Budmilloors stuff, and in catering to that particular crowd they serve their beers in extremely frozen glasses, so be sure to ask the staff for a non-chilled glass. The parking situation, while no fault of the establishment, can be a bit tight and awkward at this venue, as, in my opinion, there just aren’t quite enough parking spots to fully serve the shopping area this Taco Mac is located in, so keep that in mind. Overall, it doesn’t display the grace, finesse, and the rich experience that a trip to the Brick Store Pub can provide, but, for those of us facing long drives to Decatur, a Taco Mac, with their many locations, will do in a pinch (especially as this Taco Mac is 0.9 miles from my place). |