Five-dollar tacos, a patio and an agave list with well over 100 mezcals and tequilas: that's the short pitch for Vals, the Mexican-focused spot now open at 7242 Perkins Road.

Vals describes itself as Latin American food with a focus on Mexican flavors, from the CureCo family. The setup centers on a friendly outdoor patio and a bar stocked with mezcal and tequila, and reservations are available through Resy.

Start with tacos

Most tacos are $5 apiece, so it's easy to build a mixed plate. Options include beef barbacoa with charred tomato salsa, cochinita pibil with achiote pork and habanero, chicken tinga with crema and cotija, and fried Gulf shrimp with Valentina mayo. Vegetarians get sweet potato with salsa macha and a cauliflower taco with sikil pak. Two Tijuana-style steak tacos made with marinated picanha are $16.

Beyond tacos, there's quesabirria with braised brisket and consommé ($16), a birria burrito ($16), queso fundido with chorizo or mushrooms ($14), shrimp ceviche and the original Tijuana Caesar salad ($10). Elote and a picadillo empanada round things out.

The happy hour math

Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m. every day. Vals margaritas and frozen margaritas, ranch waters and palomas are $6, and a Tecate with a shot of Tapatío tequila is $5.

Off the clock, margaritas range from the $11 frozen version with blood orange liqueur and ancho salt to a $17 Baller Margarita. Mezcal drinkers can explore copita pours from producers like Del Maguey, Mal Bien, Rey Campero and Mezcal Vago, many in the $5 to $10 range. It's a good place to try an agave you've never heard of without committing to a bottle.

Hours

Vals is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Catering is available, too.

Grab a seat outside, order a round of tacos and let the mezcal list do the talking.

Photo courtesy of Vals.