*DISCLAIMER*: I do not seek monetary benefits from Sirena Taco Joint & Bar. I am just a Pittsburgh foodie, who enjoys sharing her foodie adventures! Photos were captured on an iPhone 5s and were edited with Instagram and Adobe Photoshop CS4.
I have been ANTICIPATING my first visit to Sirena Taco Joint & Bar, located in the Donaldson’s Crossroads shopping plaza in McMurray PA. Doreen Valentine, former owner of Dozen Bake Shop, has dived into a new restaurant venture, serving up a plethora of tacos, cocktails and beer. She recruited Chef John Bingham (formerly Executive Chef of Nine on Nine) to lead Sirena’s culinary staff. Dozen’s cupcakes were (in my opinion) THE best cupcakes in the ‘burgh. Pair that with Nine on Nine’s excellent reputation, I had high hopes for Sirena Taco Joint & Bar…
I’m happy to say, my hopes were met & EXCEEDED! I LOVED the branding for the restaurant (down by Wall-to-Wall, my favorite advertising company in Pittsburgh. Wall-to-Wall does the branding for Burgatory as well.), the fun decor and colors. Especially in the winter season (with snow piles lol), it’s great to see bright turquoise and orange colors on the restaurant walls. That INSTANTLY brightens the mood! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable; the first time I dined at the restaurant, the waiter, bartender and hostesses all thanked me for coming and said “hope to see you again soon”! Now THAT’S great hospitality (and good business)!
Onwards to the food! Picture above is one of my side dishes from the first visit- pork & beans with yellow rice! Absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! The perfect side dish for tacos! There’s just something about rice at Mexican and Spanish restaurants. What can I say, I love it!
Also, I ordered the yellow rice by itself and added on some of Sirena’s hot sauce! Let me tell you- this rice is INCREDIBLE! A little bit of hot sauce goes a long way, too! That’s a great spicy addition to the rice!
The main event: Pork Carnitas tacos from my first visit! Bacon jam, queso fresco, avocado creama and arugula. Let me tell you- one of THE best tacos I’ve EVER had! Whomever thought of putting bacon in a taco is a GENIUS! All hail the pig, a glorious animal!
Here’s the taco order I chose for my second visit: Adobado Beef Brisket, with grilled pineapple, picked jalapeño, roasted corn salsa and queso fresco. This was also INCREDIBLE! I loved the grill marks on the tacos, too (almost like a panini). The beef brisket was cooked to perfection. I enjoyed the savory-ness of the brisket paired with the sweetness of the pineapple and the spiciness of the pickled jalapeño. Also, the corn salsa was WONDERFUL! Also, you can never go wrong with queso fresco (so good!)
Sirena’s prices are decent, too! Two people can dine here for lunch for less than $30; that’s great! Reasonable prices, GOOD quality food, excellent service and ambiance! It doesn’t get much better than this, folks!
If you are in the South Hills area, I HIGHLY recommend a drive over to Donaldson’s Crossroads to Sirena Taco Joint & Bar!
Three Cheers to good good, fabulous art & cultural events,
-Friendly Pittsburgh Foodie
Sirena Taco Joint & Bar’s website
Mindful Pittsburgh Foodie 
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