Babalu Tacos and Tapas feels like a table built for passing plates. The first scoop of guacamole lands on a chip. A taco tray slides into the middle. Someone cuts into steak on a stick while another person guards the last bite of bread pudding. It is casual, colorful, a little noisy, and built around food that makes the table lean closer.
This Babalu Tacos and Tapas restaurant menu and price list gives you a full look at the current Memphis-style menu, with tacos, starters, entrées, handhelds, salads, power bowls, sides, desserts, spirit-free drinks, cocktails, wine, and add-ons. Prices can shift by location, tax, party size, and menu updates, so use this as a strong guide before you visit or order online.
High-End Amazon Picks for a Babalu-Style Taco Night at Home
To bring a Babalu-style taco and tapas night into your own kitchen, the right gear can make the meal feel closer to a restaurant table. A Kalamazoo Artisan Fire outdoor oven can help with roasted vegetables, sizzling skillet dishes, and warm tortillas. A Wolf 48-inch dual fuel range suits cooks who want serious heat control for steaks, shrimp, sauces, and griddled tacos. A La Marzocco Linea Mini espresso machine is a strong pick for coffee service after dessert. These high-end picks can run above $2,000, so check the live price, warranty, size, and install needs before buying.
Is Babalu Tacos and Tapas Open?
Babalu is active in Memphis, with menus tied to Overton Square and East Memphis. The brand has also been tied to other cities in the past, so older web pages may show former locations, older prices, or closed ordering pages. For the best match, this guide focuses on the current Memphis menu and its listed prices.
The menu has the shape of a Latin-inspired Southern table. Tacos sit beside guacamole, queso, ceviche-style tuna, birria, steak, salmon, burgers, salads, bowls, and cocktails. The result is not a plain taco shop. It is a sit-down spot where a meal can be light and quick, or it can stretch into a full dinner with drinks and dessert.
Babalu Tacos and Tapas Menu Price List
The table below gives the main menu prices. Sales tax is not included. Some party or to-go charges may apply at the restaurant.
| Menu Item | Price | Menu Section | What Comes With It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded Chicken Taco | $4.00 | Tacos | Slow-cooked chicken, chili lime aioli, lettuce, tomato, and Monterey Jack cheese. |
| Tuna Taco | $4.75 | Tacos | Seared ahi tuna, cilantro lime slaw, sweet soy glaze, spicy mayo, and avocado. |
| Shrimp Taco | $4.50 | Tacos | Fried or grilled Gulf shrimp, spicy tartar sauce, pineapple jicama salsa, and radish. |
| Steak Taco | $5.00 | Tacos | Steak, avocado tomatillo sauce, pico de gallo, and cotija. |
| Fish Taco | $5.00 | Tacos | Fish with fresh toppings and sauce on a corn tortilla. |
| Tableside Guacamole | $12.00 | Starters | Hass avocado, sundried tomato, onion, cilantro, lime, salt, and house chips. |
| Add Bacon or Jalapeños to Guacamole | $1.50 | Add-On | Extra topping for tableside guacamole. |
| Add Fresh Veggies to Guacamole | $4.25 | Add-On | Vegetable add-on for dipping. |
| Memphis Hot Honey Shrimp | $12.50 | Starters | Crispy fried shrimp tossed in house hot honey sauce with cotija dip. |
| Patatas Bravas | $9.00 | Starters | Crispy diced potatoes with brava sauce, garlic aioli, cotija, and green onions. |
| Baked Queso | $10.00 | Starters | Monterey Jack and Chihuahua cheese baked with pico and salsa roja. |
| Add Shredded Chicken or Birria Beef to Queso | $3.00 | Add-On | Protein add-on for queso. |
| Add Steak to Queso | $4.00 | Add-On | Steak add-on for queso. |
| Tuna Carpaccio | $13.00 | Starters | Ahi tuna with tequila lime marinade, serrano peppers, avocado, salsa, tajin, and tostadas. |
| Salsa Trio | $7.00 | Starters | Serrano pineapple salsa, tomato salsa, and pico de gallo. |
| Blackened Salmon | $18.50 | Entrées | Salmon with broccoli, harvest grains, plantains, salsa, and mango vinaigrette. |
| Steak on a Stick | $15.00 / $20.00 | Entrées | Beef tenderloin, patatas bravas, brussels, pico, and teriyaki glaze. |
| Seafood Paella | $18.00 | Entrées | Crawfish, calamari, shrimp, chorizo, peppers, onions, and saffron rice. |
| Chicken Satay | $9.00 / $12.00 | Entrées | Chicken skewers with saffron rice, black beans, pico, and teriyaki glaze. |
| Chicken Quesadilla | $14.00 | Entrées | Shredded chicken, Monterey Jack, pico, sour cream, and avocado tomatillo sauce. |
| Steak Quesadilla | $15.50 | Entrées | Steak, Monterey Jack, pico, sour cream, and avocado tomatillo sauce. |
| Birria Tacos | $15.00 | Birria Favorites | Three griddled flour tortilla tacos with beef, Jack cheese, au jus, pico, and sauce. |
| Birria Quesadilla | $15.00 | Birria Favorites | Shredded beef, Jack cheese, pico, au jus, sour cream, and tomatillo sauce. |
| Birria Rolls | $15.00 | Birria Favorites | Beef, green onions, cilantro, Jack and Chihuahua cheese in egg-roll wraps. |
| Baba Burger | $13.50 | Handhelds | Angus beef, roasted tomato, avocado, onions, bacon, white cheddar, and chipotle aioli. |
| Lamb Sliders | $15.50 | Handhelds | Lamb, goat cheese, pickled red onions, arugula, and chipotle aioli. |
| Cuban Sandwich | $12.00 | Handhelds | Mojo pork, ham, pepper Jack, and pickled jalapeño relish on a pressed roll. |
| Black Bean Burger | $10.00 | Handhelds | Black bean cake, chimichurri, avocado, grilled onions, and arugula. |
| George’s Spicy Honey Chicken Sandwich | $16.50 | Handhelds | Fried chicken, pepper Jack, pickles, tomato, lettuce, hot sauce aioli, and spicy honey. |
| Redfish Sandwich | $14.50 | Handhelds | Grilled, fried, or blackened redfish with slaw and spicy tartar sauce. |
| Chop Salad | $8.00 / $12.00 | Salads | Romaine, black beans, peppers, onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, pepitas, and cotija. |
| Caesar Salad | $7.00 / $11.00 | Salads | Romaine, garlic Caesar dressing, radish, cotija, and croutons. |
| Caribbean Chicken Salad | $15.00 | Salads | Jerk-seasoned chicken, pineapple, corn, avocado, tomatoes, greens, and mango vinaigrette. |
| Havana Nights Salmon Salad | $17.00 | Salads | Blackened salmon, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, cilantro, cotija, romaine, and vinaigrette. |
| Sunset Beet and Citrus Salad | $12.00 | Salads | Roasted beets, oranges, goat cheese, candied pecans, spring mix, and vinaigrette. |
| Carne Asada Bowl | $15.00 | Power Bowls | Steak, harvest grains, avocado, pico, beans, corn, onions, jalapeños, cotija, and sauce. |
| Tuna Poke Bowl | $14.50 | Power Bowls | Ahi tuna, mango, cucumber, corn, avocado, sweet soy glaze, spicy mayo, and rice. |
| Veggie Poke Bowl | $12.00 | Power Bowls | Black beans, harvest grains, arugula, watermelon radish, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and mango dressing. |
| Birria Bowl | $15.00 | Power Bowls | Shredded beef, saffron rice, pico, au jus, and avocado tomatillo sauce. |
| Pollo Bowl | $14.00 | Power Bowls | Chicken, grains, beans, corn, onions, tomato, lettuce, jalapeños, aioli, sour cream, and cotija. |
| Spicy Salmon Bowl | $16.00 | Power Bowls | Seasoned salmon, sushi rice, pineapple jicama salsa, avocado, spicy mayo, and sweet soy. |
| Double Chocolate Skillet Cookie with Avocado Ice Cream | $10.00 | Dessert | Warm cookie with strawberries, powdered sugar, caramel, and avocado ice cream. |
| Cinnamon Bread Pudding | $8.00 | Dessert | Bread pudding with cream, caramel, strawberries, and powdered sugar. |
| Frozen Treat of the Day | $5.00 | Dessert | House frozen dessert choice. |
Tacos: Small Price, Big Table Energy
Babalu’s tacos sit in the $4 to $5 range, which makes them easy to mix. The shredded chicken taco is the lowest-priced taco at $4. It is a safe first pick for guests who want soft, savory comfort. The tuna taco costs $4.75 and feels brighter, with seared ahi, sweet soy, spicy mayo, and avocado. The shrimp taco costs $4.50 and gives you the choice of fried or grilled Gulf shrimp.
The steak taco and fish taco both cost $5. These are good choices when you want a little more weight. Steak with avocado tomatillo sauce and cotija has a rich, sharp bite. Fish with fresh toppings gives you a cleaner finish. Tacos come on corn tortillas, with flour tortillas or romaine wraps available on request. That small change can alter the whole meal. Corn brings a toasty feel. Flour feels softer. Romaine makes the taco lighter and crisp.
For one person, three tacos can make a solid meal. For a shared table, tacos work better as part of a wider order with guacamole, queso, and one hot plate. The menu is built for that kind of sharing. It is less like ordering one closed box and more like setting small doors open across the table.
Starters and Small Plates
Tableside Guacamole is one of Babalu’s best-known starters. At $12, it is priced like a shared opener rather than a side cup. The mix uses Hass avocado, sundried tomato, red and green onion, kosher salt, cilantro, and lime. House chips come with it. Bacon or jalapeños cost $1.50 extra, while fresh vegetables add $4.25.
The Memphis Hot Honey Shrimp at $12.50 gives the starter menu a sweet-heat punch. Crispy shrimp meet hot honey, arugula, and cotija dressing. Patatas Bravas costs $9 and brings crispy diced potatoes with brava sauce and garlic aioli. Baked Queso is $10, with chicken or birria beef available for $3 extra and steak for $4 extra.
Tuna Carpaccio costs $13 and has a more refined feel than the fried and cheesy starters. It uses ahi tuna, tequila lime marinade, serrano peppers, avocado, pineapple jicama salsa, tajin, watermelon radish, pickled onions, cilantro oil, avocado tomatillo, and tostadas. Salsa Trio at $7 is the lowest-priced starter in this section and works well with drinks or tacos.
Entrées, Birria Favorites, and Bigger Plates
Entrées at Babalu mostly sit from $9 to $20. Blackened Salmon costs $18.50 and comes with broccoli, harvest grains, sweet plantains, pineapple jicama salsa, and mango vinaigrette. Steak on a Stick comes in two sizes at $15 or $20, with grilled beef tenderloin, patatas bravas, crispy brussels, pico, and teriyaki glaze. Seafood Paella costs $18 and brings crawfish, calamari, shrimp, chorizo, peppers, onions, and saffron rice.
Chicken Satay has two sizes at $9 and $12. It is one of the better lower-cost hot plates if you want chicken and rice without a heavy sauce. The quesadillas cost $14 for chicken and $15.50 for steak. Both come with sour cream and avocado tomatillo sauce.
Birria has its own corner of the menu. Birria Tacos, Birria Quesadilla, and Birria Rolls each cost $15. The tacos come as a set of three with slow-cooked beef, Jack cheese, lime, au jus, pico, and avocado tomatillo. The quesadilla folds the same beef into a hot, cheesy plate. The rolls wrap beef, cheese, green onions, and cilantro in a crisp shell. If the taco menu is a quick drumbeat, the birria plates are the deeper bass note.
Handhelds: Burgers, Sliders, Sandwiches, and Redfish
The handheld section runs from $10 to $16.50. The Black Bean Burger is the lowest-priced option at $10 and has a vegan option. It brings a house-made black bean cake, red chimichurri, avocado, grilled red onions, and arugula on a sweet sourdough bun. The Cuban Sandwich costs $12 and packs mojo pork, ham, pepper Jack, and pickled jalapeño relish into a pressed roll.
The Baba Burger costs $13.50. It uses Angus beef, roasted tomato, avocado, caramelized onions, smoked bacon, white cheddar, and chipotle aioli. The Redfish Sandwich costs $14.50, with the fish grilled, fried, or blackened. Lamb Sliders cost $15.50 and bring lamb, goat cheese, pickled onions, arugula, and chipotle aioli.
The highest-priced handheld is George’s Spicy Honey Chicken Sandwich at $16.50. It is a full-flavored sandwich with fried chicken, pepper Jack, pickles, tomato, lettuce, hot sauce aioli, spicy honey, house chips, and a Hawaiian bun. It reads like a sweet and spicy storm cloud on a plate, rich enough to count as dinner by itself.
Salads and Power Bowls
Babalu’s salad list gives lighter eaters real choices. The Caesar Salad costs $7 for a smaller size or $11 for a larger one. The Chop Salad costs $8 or $12. The Caribbean Chicken Salad costs $15, while the Havana Nights Salmon Salad costs $17. The Sunset Beet and Citrus Salad costs $12, with roasted beets, oranges, goat cheese, candied pecans, spring mix, and jalapeño vinaigrette.
Add-ons let you turn a salad into a bigger meal. Avocado costs $3.75. Grilled chicken skewers cost $6. Grilled shrimp or redfish costs $8. Blackened salmon or grilled steak costs $9.50. Ahi tuna costs $10.50. These add-ons can make a salad cost more than several entrées, but they also give the plate more staying power.
Power bowls sit from $12 to $16. The Veggie Poke Bowl is $12. Pollo Bowl is $14. Tuna Poke Bowl is $14.50. Carne Asada Bowl and Birria Bowl are both $15. Spicy Salmon Bowl is $16. Bowls are a smart pick when you want grains, vegetables, protein, and sauce in one dish instead of several separate plates.
Sides, Desserts, and Drinks
Sides mostly cost $4 to $7. Saffron Rice and Black Beans costs $4.50. Crispy Brussels costs $6.50, with bacon available for $1.50. Mexican Street Corn costs $7. Sautéed Broccoli, Fried Plantains, Sweet Potato Fries, House-Cut Fries, and House-Made Potato Chips cost $5 each. Harvest Grains cost $4. Grits cost $6.
Dessert prices are simple. The Double Chocolate Skillet Cookie with Avocado Ice Cream costs $10. Cinnamon Bread Pudding costs $8. The Frozen Treat of the Day costs $5. The skillet cookie is the showy pick. Warm chocolate, caramel, strawberries, and cool avocado ice cream make it memorable because the ice cream choice is so unexpected.
Spirit-free drinks cost $6.50 for Cucumber Crisp, Hibiscus Ginger, and Berry Lemonade. The spirit-free Aperol-style spritz costs $9. Cocktails tend to sit from $10.50 to $14.50, with choices like El Clasico Rita, Baba Rita, Grind City Rita, seasonal margarita, espresso martini, sangria, and frozen drinks. Wine by the glass usually falls from $8 to $13, depending on the pour.
How Much Does a Meal at Babalu Cost?
A taco-only meal can stay low. Three tacos usually cost around $12 to $15 before tax. Add a drink or side, and the bill moves closer to $20. A shared table with guacamole, queso, tacos, and one entrée may spend more, but the food will feel fuller and more social.
For one guest, a bowl or handheld often lands between $10 and $16.50 before tax. A bigger dinner with a starter, entrée, drink, and dessert can pass $35 to $50, especially with cocktails. For two guests, a balanced order might include guacamole, four tacos, one hot plate, and one dessert to share. That gives the table range without ordering too much.
Best Orders by Appetite
For a light meal, choose two tacos and a side of saffron rice and black beans. For a classic first visit, order tableside guacamole, steak tacos, and the skillet cookie. For seafood lovers, the shrimp taco, tuna taco, seafood paella, redfish sandwich, or blackened salmon are the strongest choices. For comfort, go with baked queso, birria tacos, the Baba Burger, or George’s Spicy Honey Chicken Sandwich.
For a group, order guacamole, salsa trio, patatas bravas, queso, a few taco types, and one larger plate like steak on a stick or seafood paella. That kind of order lets the meal move in waves. Chips first. Tacos next. Hot plates after. Dessert at the end. It keeps the table busy without turning dinner into a pile of plates no one can finish.
Final Take on Babalu Tacos and Tapas Prices
Babalu Tacos and Tapas has a menu that works for quick tacos, long shared meals, date nights, brunch-style cravings, and cocktail hours. Tacos cost about $4 to $5. Starters run from $7 to $13. Entrées and birria plates mostly land between $9 and $20. Handhelds cost $10 to $16.50. Bowls cost $12 to $16. Desserts sit at $5, $8, and $10.
The best value is usually found in tacos, bowls, sides, and shared starters. The richer dinner path comes through salmon, steak, birria, paella, and cocktails. Babalu’s charm is that you do not have to choose only one lane. You can build a small taco meal, a full tapas spread, or a polished dinner with dessert. The menu has room for all of it, like a table that keeps pulling up another chair.