Thursday through Saturday, the room stays open until 2am. That one fact tells you what kind of place this is. Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar is a South Boston taco shop that takes its oysters as seriously as its late-night crowd, and it just landed about 35 minutes north of Boca in West Palm's NORA District. Tacos on tortillas pressed daily, a rotating oyster selection, and margaritas built for a long night, all under one roof. It is not a combination you find on every corner down here, and the room has been packed since it opened.

What You're Getting Into

Two things run this menu. First, the tacos. The corn tortillas are pressed in house, so start with the crispy cod, gluten-free beer battered with cilantro-lime slaw, chipotle aioli, and charred pineapple, then go straight to the short-rib birria. That one is Jalisco-style braised short rib with Oaxaca cheese, and it comes with a rich broth for dunking. Get the house-made guac with the seasoned chips while you are at it. The chips and guac are the thing Loco has been famous for in Boston since 2015.

Second, the oysters. This is the part that sets Loco apart from every other taqueria in the county. There is a rotating oyster selection on ice plus a shrimp cocktail, so the raw bar is the real deal, not a token few on the menu. Oysters are on all week, which matters more than you would think once you see the Monday deal below.

Then the margaritas, which are the third reason people show up. The Coco is blanco tequila, lime, and coconut. The Britney mixes in blueberry-mint, lemon, and watermelon. The Little Devil brings a jalapeno kick with black currant. The room around all of it carries that funky neighborhood-joint feel Loco built up north: loud, casual, indoor and outdoor, with a big front patio, multiple bars, and DJs and live music on weekends. You can walk in straight from the beach in flip-flops or dressed up for a night out and feel right either way.

If you land at brunch instead, the chilaquiles are worth it, crispy chips simmered in salsa verde under sunny-side eggs, and the churros come with Mexican chocolate and dulce de leche for dunking. On the taco side, the street tacos with roasted chicken or carne asada are the easy call if birria and cod are not your speed.

The Insider Move

Come on a Monday. Oysters are on the menu all week, but $1 oyster Mondays are the move and they already pull a regular crowd. If you are coming after work, hit happy hour from 4 to 6pm, Monday through Friday, and split a half-dozen oysters and the guac while you read the rest of the menu. For a calmer visit, weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm, the quiet window before the late-night energy takes over. Dinner is served 4pm to 10pm seven days a week, so you are never gambling on the kitchen being open. The staff will point you to the short-rib taco first, and the Caesar salad and the smashburger are the slept-on picks. Reserve for a Friday or Saturday night, because NORA is filling up fast.

What People Are Saying

Early reviews keep landing on the same two things: the oysters and the vibe. Regulars are calling the oysters some of the freshest around and saying Mondays now belong to Loco. One diner showed up at 6:30 on a Friday and the place was packed by 7:30, so the reservation advice is real. The screened patio gets singled out a lot too, especially at sunset when they roll the screens up. Happy hour drinks come up in nearly every review, usually right before someone mentions they are already planning to go back.

A Little Background

Loco started in South Boston in 2015 and later added a Fenway spot near the ballpark. West Palm is the brand's third location overall and its first in Florida, and it anchors NORA, West Palm's newest dining and retail district just north of downtown. The bet is simple: that Boston's tacos and oysters translate to South Florida. So far it looks good.

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