On Sept. 13 the taco-loving people of Cedar Rapids received a new place to get some Mexican food. A month later, I decided to check out Fuzzy’s Taco Shop myself.

As a picky eater with an intolerance to dairy, I have to say that my options were limited. I visited Fuzzy’s twice in about three weeks, and my experiences were drastically different for both. Not a good sign.

The first time I visited Fuzzy’s Tacos, it was dollar taco day. I visited with my family planning to leave at 4:15 p.m. before it got busy. When we arrived it was already packed. Only one register was open at the time, which added to the wait. Overall the process of ordering and waiting for our food took about 45 minutes.

I can honestly say that this wait was completely worth it.

I ordered a fish salad, without any cheese or corn chips and pretty much expected it to have no flavor. Even without the salsa I got as my dressing, the salad was filled with flavor that remained until the very last bite.

The cost came to $7.41, which isn’t much more than what you would pay for a salad at a typical chain Mexican restaurant.

My family really enjoyed their tacos, and although the restaurant was very busy, we received just the right amount of service to feel welcome and to have any needs met.

The second time I visited Fuzzy’s I payed more attention to the actual look and feel of the restaurant. The vibrant colors and a slightly modern vibe gave the restaurant a fresh and welcoming feeling.

The restaurant itself is very open, with windows making up most of the walls. Although the windows make the space naturally sunlit, for colder days, it just didn’t work for me. In fact, I ended up leaving the restaurant earlier than I planned because despite having a jacket, I was still uncomfortably cold.

For this trip, I ordered the same fish salad without cheese or corn chips, salsa on the side. I got the same meal mainly for two reasons. One, I loved it so much the first time, and two, I was curious to see how consistent their food quality would turn out to be.

This time, I had my food within 15 minutes of entering the restaurant, but considering that I was pretty disappointed with my salad, I’m not sure this was a good thing.

The salad itself was large, but the piece of fish was quite small, overly salty, and not nearly enough to eat at least a little with each bite.

In any restaurant, consistency is crucial. Fuzzy’s Taco’s just didn’t hit that mark for me.

Overall, for the restaurant’s aesthetic as a whole, the service I received, and the food itself, I would give Fuzzy’s 3.5/5 stars and can say that it’s something I’m willing to give another shot.