Neon lights, red everywhere, a vibe that feels young and sexy and cool. It’s the kind of place that feels more at home in a bigger city, but here it is in Syracuse doing its thing — and doing it well.
The ordering experience alone sets it apart. It works like a sushi restaurant. You get a paper menu, check off what you want, hand it to your server, and the food comes out family style. It’s casual and fun and it immediately puts you in the right headspace for the meal. No fussing over individual orders. Everything hits the table and you just dig in.
I brought Randy with me, a newer agent with Acropolis Realty Group, and I quickly found out that XO Taco is his favorite restaurant in Syracuse. So I was essentially walking into his house. We went straight for two of their standouts — the General Tso’s taco and the lobster taco.
The General Tso’s is sweet, spicy, and loaded with tender shrimp. It’s a taco that has no business working as well as it does. The flavor profile is bold and unapologetic and it completely pulls it off.
But the lobster taco is the one that sticks with you. Succulent, rich, and unlike anything else I’ve had in this city. Syracuse is not exactly known for its lobster, but XO Taco is doing something with it that genuinely deserves attention. It’s different, it’s indulgent, and it earns every penny.
XO Taco is located at 713 E Fayette St in Syracuse. If you haven’t been, go. And bring someone to share with — that’s the whole point.
A very special thank you to our friends at Acropolis Realty Group for sponsoring Eat Local New York Taco Month and making all of this possible. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Syracuse or Central New York, or need help with a commercial property, make sure you reach out to the crew at Acropolis Realty Group.
XO Taco
713 E Fayette St.
Syracuse, NY
Find them on social media here
