STC Eats - Session Taco

original-written date: 1/6/25

Starting a new series for another love of mine that isn’t sports, movies or television: FOOD.  I’m by no means a foodie, but I do love trying new places and enjoying nice dinners at all sorts of establishments. Going to start by focusing on St. Charles area restaurants and may expand it later on, but St. Charles MO has their fair share of great spots that deserve the spotlight.  And with that, we’ll go to the Streets of St. Charles for our first STC Eats. 

Mission Taco Joint -> Session Taco

Located: Streets of St. Charles 

1650 Beale St Suite 130, St Charles, MO 63303

Hours: 11 am - 10 pm Sunday-Thursday, 11 am - 11 pm Friday/Saturday

missiontacojoint.com

Came down to the Streets of St. Charles on Thursday night for dinner before a movie and stumbled our way into Mission Taco Joint. Upon being seated we learned that they are actually rebranding to “Session Taco,” after a nearly $7 billion company sued for copyright infringement using the word “mission”. In addition to a name change they’ve made a few menu changes since my last visit.  We also arrived just before Happy Hour (4-6 pm) ended, so we were able to knock $2 off our Margaritas and get a $5 order of the chips and guacamole. 

The Food

The obvious number one priority when it comes to a good restaurant is the food, and we enjoyed our meals very much. Their menu is concise but has a good variety for a place specializing in tacos, and they have other options like burritos, appetizers, and more for non-taco lovers (hope I never meet one of them).   We started off with the guacamole, which was very good but nothing too special. I prefer more spice in my guac, but they top it with pico for a little extra flavor. 

We each got 3 tacos apiece from their 10-taco menu.  My favorite hands down was the Lobster - which was flash-fried with avocado and cilantro on a flour tortilla. It was crispy but not over-fried, and the other ingredients were very basic and complimentary. Every time we go I get at least one Mango Habanero Shrimp - beer-battered with mango salsa, cabbage, avocado, and spicy aioli.  I ordered this one on a flour tortilla which was a game changer. My last was the OG Baja Fish - also beer-battered with pico, queso fresco, chipotle sauce, and cabbage. The cabbage isn’t very flavorful at all but makes them look pretty, and the chipotle aioli is bomb. This one comes on a corn tortilla as well - and I wasn’t a fan, little too grainy.

She ordered the Mango Habanero Shrimp as well and gave me the tip to go for a flour tortilla. She also got the Grilled Mahi - chile-grilled mahi with lettuce, oaxaca, pico, and chipotle - which she said was delicious and that the cucumber slaw was good.  Her final was the Carne Asada - which came with all sorts of fixings including cotija, cilantro, and arugula.  The meat was cooked perfectly, but the sauce wasn’t quite hitting. 

Her dad got the South Beach Burrito - loaded with chicken, cilantro rice, black beans smashed, oaxaca, aioli, topped with guac and smothered in queso.  This looked outstanding and he concurred, noting it’s a must to add queso on top.  It’s also huge, so either come with a big appetite or prepare for leftovers. 

In past trips I’ve also tried the Hot Fried Chicken Taco which has pickled tomatillo that I loved, but the chicken was a little dry and it was loaded with bland purple cabbage. The Governor’s Shrimp Tacos are my new favorite item on the menu. They remind me a little of birria tacos but with shrimp, as there’s a super crispy layer of cheese and grilled peppers and onions. Seriously delicious. They’ve also added a Fish & Chips entree to the menu, which if their fish tacos are any indication, will be delicious. The other entree that caught my eye was the LA Street Dog - wrapped in bacon with grilled peppers, onions, sauce and fires. I was very intrigued by the Blue Crab Taquitos on the appetizer list, but we opted for Happy Hour guac.  They have a nice salsa, but need to go back and try their queso another time.  A nit-pick I have is that I feel like at all Mexican restaurants there should be complimentary chips and salsa. I’ll never pay for simply chips and salsa - I’m only buying guac or queso if we get nothing. 

Also, can’t forget about the drinks! Their house margarita is very solid, and we’ve tried the spicy margarita many times (too spicy for me, just right according to her. I can’t wrap my head around spicy beverages but will eat jalapenos out of the jar).

All in all we had a great time at Session Taco.  I like that they have a solid variety without overwhelming you with a million different options.  I don’t love paying for chips and dips, but they’re a good appetizer when with a group, and they have plenty of other options as well.  It’s also an excellent place to just grab a drink - they have all sorts of margaritas, cocktails, beers, spirits - you name it. The ambiance inside is nice, but on a crowded night it can kind of feel like you’re eating on top of the table next to you. When the weather's nice they have good outdoor seating and will open up the big windows, but when it’s cold like it is now, they keep the inside nice and warm.  Among the many many options you’ll find at Streets of STC, Mission Taco is one of the most reliable and affordable.

Restaurant Rating

7.9/10