Redheaded Stranger – A Fun Southwestern Taco Place (Nashville)

Last updated 10/18/23

There are plenty of amazing Mexican restaurants and taco shops in Nashville. Redheaded Stranger is a bit different from other taco places in the city though. The menu is Southwest-inspired rather than a recreation of authentic Mexican food, and the decor is certainly meant to encourage Instagram-worthy photoshoots.

Redheaded Stranger is tucked away on a residential street in East Nashville, but the line is always way out the door for lunch and dinner on the weekends. Only waiting 30 minutes to order at lunchtime on Sundays is considered quick.

So, before standing in line, you need to know if this trendy East Nashville favorite really lives up to the hype.

Want more suggestions for things to do in East Nashville? I’ve got you covered with a summer bucket list for East Nashville.

Redheaded Stranger Review

Redheaded Stranger, named after the Willie Nelson album, opened in 2019. My first experience with Redheaded Stranger was getting take-out while their dining room was closed during the summer of 2020.

Since then, my husband and I are still continuing to eat there several years later, you can probably tell what my opinion is on whether Redheaded Stranger is worth visiting or not.

What You’ll Find at Redheaded Stranger

The menu is small and focuses on classic Tex-Mex staples like Hatch green chilies, homemade tortillas, breakfast tacos, and brisket. Because Redheaded Stranger isn’t trying to serve everything, everything they do offer is so good.

When I visit, I generally tend to get a breakfast taco or a pulled pork taco, mainly because I can’t handle anything that’s too spicy. My husband happily eats basically everything on the menu because he doesn’t mind the heat. 

The green chile cheeseburger is particularly good, and we always get an order of totchos, tater tot nachos topped with black beans, onions, cheese, and sour cream. On days when the crunchwrap is listed as a special, you should absolutely get the crunchwrap.

We haven’t even talked about the drinks yet. You can order Topo Chico or soft drinks, but if you have the time (and a ride), I definitely suggest trying one of Redheaded Stranger’s frozen drinks. I don’t get margaritas too often in restaurants, but I almost always get one at Redheaded Stranger.

Food-wise, Redheaded Stranger hits exactly the right spot. The atmosphere is also super fun. The interior is playful with bright colors, tiled tabletops, potted cacti, and a giant stuffed animal giraffe. When the weather is nice, you can sit out on the patio underneath giant umbrellas.

The wait to order on the weekends is not exactly the most fun. Your food is cooked to order, so it’s fresh, but you still have to wait a bit after ordering on top of waiting to order. We normally try to time our visits to go during the week. If we both happen to be off for a weekday lunch, then we can usually walk right into Redheaded Stranger with almost no wait.

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There are definitely other places where you can get more authentic Mexican tacos without a wait in Nashville, but Redheaded Stranger is worth visiting at least once. Be warned that if you go once, you might find yourself visiting again and again.

Redheaded Stranger is located at 305 Arrington Street, Nashville, TN, 37207. Visit their website to see their hours and preview the menu.