MULA
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★⭑
District: Blackstone
Street tacos & margaritas
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Drinks; Happy Hour; Lunch
Standout Dishes: Birria Tacos; Elote
When Michael Sanchez, the owner of Maria’s and Taco Co., looks at the Omaha taco scene, he sees the most authentic restaurants mostly congregated in South Omaha. While he has great love and respect for those beloved joints, he wanted to bridge the gap and bring that food more accessible to the rest of the city.
So when he opened Mula in the heart of the Blackstone district in 2014, he did so with the intent of bridging the gap between South Omaha’s traditional Mexican restaurants and the rest of the city.
“The idea was to meet in the middle, to take the authenticity of what South Omaha is doing and put it into a cool hip fun place,” Sanchez said.
Mission accomplished.
No, Mula’s street tacos aren’t dopplegangers for what you’ll find at La Choza, Tixteco, or Mexitli, but they’re darn good in their own right. And when paired with a fun atmosphere, expansive selection of tequilas, and creative line of guacamoles, they help make Mula a hip restaurant and one of Omaha’s favorite happy hour haunts.
Mula’s street tacos are a bit smaller, roughly 5-6 bites apiece, but they’re packed with flavor, and none more so than the Birria Tacos. The shredded beef is rich and brilliantly seasoned, and the mild, buttery flavor of the melted monterey jack cheese makes this an excellent taco on its own. But a dip in the consomme takes things to the next level by adding deep spicy, sweet, and savory flavors. The first time I had this dish, I lifted the consomme bowl to my lips and drank the remainder once my tacos were gone. And I felt no shame. The broth was that good, and it was not to be wasted.
The Cameron Taco employs lightly breaded shrimp for a slight crunch and a chile crema for a sweet/heat experience. The Chicken Mole Taco is missing the bold, nutty earthiness that moles are known for, but the chicken is tender and the healthy application of cotija cheese is welcome.
While tacos are the highlight of the menu, they’re not all Mula has to offer. The restaurant also serves several varieties of tortas, rolled tacos, salads, and dips.
In terms of flavor, the OG Torta is a home run. It can be ordered with chicken, carnitas, chorizo, or rajas, but I recommend the tender, savory barbacoa. With powerful notes of cumin, chili powder, and oregano, it really sings with the sandwich’s cabbage, queso, poblano crema, and black beans. Flavor-wise, this sandwich is right where it needs to be.
The strongest portion of Mula’s menu might be its appetizers and side dishes. The queso has a slight kick from salsa de arbol, and the Elote might be worth a visit to Mula alone. The charred corn cob’s kernels are cooked perfectly, ejecting a pop of sweetness with each bite. A roasted garlic mayo adds fat and tang, and the cotija cheese folds in a nice saltiness.
Mula’s house guac is delicious on its own. It’s creamy, chunky, and fatty with a bit of acidic zest; all things you want avocado to be.
But Mula kicks things up a notch with the Bacon & Street Corn Guac, which incorporates copious chunks of salty, crispy bacon and sweet corn kernels. The Sweet & Spicy Guac uses generous doses of mango and habanero peppers, with pickled onions adding an acidic kiss.
A large part of Mula’s draw actually has nothing to do with the food. It’s a certified tequileria, meaning that 80% of the staff has studied the history, production, and regulation of tequila, and ensuring they know the perfect drink to pair with your meal or match your palate.
Mula carries six house margaritas, any of which can be enjoyed in a Margarita Flight, in addition to seven house cocktails. This is in addition to the dizzying number of beers and tequilas behind the counter. Few Nebraska restaurants offer this type of tequila selection.
And that’s part of what makes Mula such a unique player in the Omaha restaurant scene. Maybe it doesn’t have the most authentic tacos as some of the South Omaha favorites.
But those places also don’t have Mula’s spirits menu or varied dip options, not to mention a more centralized, accessible location. And if you do come to Mula for just tacos, you’re not going to be disappointed.
Michael Sanchez chose a tricky target to shoot the gap between authentic and Tex Mex, but Mula hits the mark.