Céntrico

As long-time fans of Mexican cuisine – whether as humble as Tacos Los Cholos or as elevated as Maizano or Taco Maria (RIP) – we were cautiously optimistic when Disney tapped chef Carlos Gaytan to open three authentic Mexican residents at Downtown Disney: the luxurious Paseo, quick grab-and-go taco/drink space Tiendita, and in the physical and conceptual middle, the perfectly named Céntrico. Located on the ground floor immediately outside Paseo’s front doors and only footsteps away from Tiendita, Céntrico (also known as Céntrico Bar) offers a Mexican dining and drinking experience that’s simultaneously authentic and ideally suited to Disney visitors, covering expected bases such as tacos, guacamole, margaritas, and beers, as well as some unexpected ones.

With space for over 100 people, Céntrico’s circular, open-air design is topped by a beautiful combination of wood planks, rain-shielding panels, and hanging moss, housing a fairly well-appointed bar in the middle surrounded by tables and serving stations everywhere else. The restaurant appears to share a kitchen with Paseo, and obviously hard-working servers continously hustle across the space with large trays of dishes – quickly prepared and generally pretty well-plated – as well as visually appealing drinks. Nine margaritas on Céntrico’s menu include classics, frozen, and mezcal-based options ($16 to $20 each); a margarita flight ($38) offers access to one classic, one ginger-guava, and one frozen (strawberry/orange), a trio so fun to sample that any drinker looking to kick off a Disneyland vacation should consider starting it here.

Since many guests will gravitate immediately to Céntrico’s tacos ($17 to $26 for three), we made it a priority to sample multiple versions: More traditional carne asada tacos ($25) combined flour tortillas with finely diced pieces of grilled steak, onions, cilantro, and a thin/not particularly spicy chile de arbol salsa; shrimp chorizo crispy tacos ($24) used corn tortillas to loosely wrap a mildly spicy seafood/sausage filling, then hand-fried them to a promised level of crunchiness. While we weren’t blown away by the flavors or presentation of the tacos – one could do better for $6 to $8 per taco outside of Downtown Disney at chains including Puesto – they were solid, and wouldn’t disappoint most Disney visitors.

Other menu options overlap somewhat with Paseo’s, including chipotle-tamarind BBQ pork ribs ($25 to $36), huaraches with steak ($24) or mushrooms ($21), ceviches and tiraditos ($20 to $21). Items such as a caesar salad ($17), a high-end hamburger with fries ($26), and pan-seared salmon ($31) are also offered for those who prefer less Mexican recipes.