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My wife and I recently watched a Netflix documentary series on tacos, and when we came across Mezcal tacos in suggestions we were in. When we first walked in the very first thing that hit us was the smell. Not the usual smell of taqueria, but a lingering sour odor of cigar smoke from the cigar shop next door. It was overpowering. Even at the end of the meal I could still smell it. I doubt it’s any fault of this restaurant, but it started things off rough. My wife ordered three small cantina tacos and some elote, I ordered three of their full size tacos (lamb barbacoa, al pastor and chicharron) and some chips and salsa. The chips tasted homemade but were a little thick, and the salsa was excellent and warm. Our appetizers came quick and we started chowing down. The entrees, however, took a hot minute. We were the only ones in the place, yet it took almost 20 minutes to get our tacos. There was a gentleman picking up a pretty sizeable to go order, which I’m sure had the staff stretched thin, but I would’ve guessed that we’d be in and out of a taqueria in 30 minutes, rather than waiting almost as long. My wife really enjoyed her cantina tacos, especially the Assad steak. The meat was tender, flavorful and hot. I had originally ordered one of my tacos on flour tortillas, but got them all on corn, and after waiting didn’t feel like fussing about it. The corn tortillas were soft, though a bit chewy, and had the telltale perfectly round stamped shape of non-homemade tortillas. Normally this would be a minus for me, but the tougher tortillas did a great job of holding juicy meat together. My tacos were hit or miss. The lamb barbacoa was incredibly tender, soft and juicy. Really impressively so. They simply lacked flavor, and was quickly overshadowed by their salsa verde that I threw in it (which is excellent). I had never had chicharron before, so I can’t compare it to other taquerias’ offerings. The al pastor, though. Y’all. It was bonkers. I should’ve just got three of them to begin with. The pork is soft with the perfect bits of crispiness. The avocado verde salsa tastes fresh and the pineapple really makes it pop. Hands down the best al pastor taco I’ve had. Very impressed. The tacos I ordered ranged from $3.19 to $4 something, which I thought was pretty steep, though I probably wouldn’t think twice spending $10 for three al pastor going forward. Overall a pretty average experience with some al pastor that was amazing. I’d go back, but I’d be hesitant to try more items on the menu. I gave four stars because I couldn’t give 3.5. This place has awesome potential, but just needs a little refinement for me personally.

Cantu’s Tacos – Menu with Prices – 320 Corpus Christi St, Laredo

Omg this place is amazing. A little hole in the wall taco joint bursting with flavor and AMAZING service. My friends got al pastor on corn and asada on flour and I got a desebrada on corn, chicharron on corn, and tripe on corn. All of them were fantastic-loaded with meat, onions, tomatoes, and avocado served with a wonder verde hot sauce and delicious beans. The chicharron was super fresh and very flavorful, the tripe was amazing and tender but not oily, the desebrada was perfect. And the corn tortillas were crispy and wonderful. Highly highly recommend!!!!!

Taqueria La Fogata – Menu with Prices – 4623 S 33rd St, Omaha

This place is next door to Donohue’s Pub on L street. I will give this place 3 stars because the service was fast and the food was cheap. The menu is simple: tacos, tortas, burritos, and quesadillas. Meat choices include: Carne Asada Al Pastor Lengua Chorizo Tripe Barbacoa They offer $1 tacos on Thursdays after 5 pm only. The interior is sort of dated and even a little dirty. There are quite a few tables throughout. I know, these can sometimes be the really good places, right? However, the food was only OK. I ordered carne asada and al pastor tacos. The tacos are built with two street taco-sized corn tortillas, meat, cilantro, onions. They come with lime and salsa (red or green). The green (avocado) salsa is actually spicier than the red, which is not common. Overall, stop in on Thursday after 5 pm if you are in the area or next door at the pub. Otherwise, I’d make the trip to Taqueria Tijuana for tacos.

Tacos Selene Menu with Prices 15343 E 6th Ave, Aurora

Looking for legit tacos in Aurora/East Denver area? Look no further! Tacos Selene not only has legit street tacos but it’s set at a great price. I was tipped off about Tacos Selene by a friend who has been in search of street-style tacos. She’s from LA so when she raved about this place, I knew I needed to try them out. I was finally able to try them out one afternoon and was a bit hesitant when I pulled up. As some reviewers noted, don’t judge a book by its cover! This was clearly a locals favorite spot as there was a line to order and the dining area was crowded on a late Saturday afternoon. I was able to try out three different meats: lengua, barbacoa and al pastor. My favorite was the barbacoa–lots of flavor and super tender. I enjoyed the other two tacos but not as much as the barbacoa. They provide two corn tortillas with each taco which was a bit too much for me but does help to keep them sturdy and not soggy. The other star of Tacos Selene is the salsa bar–lots of salsa to choose from as well as pickled vegetables and garnishes. I can understand if some people read this and think affordable or cheap = bad quality but that is not the case here. This place is definitely worth the drive out to the East side if you’re looking for delicious and affordable street style tacos!

Taqueria Miguel – Menu with Prices – 3301 Broadway Ave #4837, West Palm Beach

Ordered 3 carne asada tacos and a large chips & guacamole. Took about 10 minutes. I didn’t mind waiting because that means it was fresh. I asked if the guacamole was fresh from today (before I ordered it) and he went and got the container, looked at it and said yes and even showed it to me. The tacos are good. They put a large amount of onions, cilantro and queso fresco. Their tortillas are interesting. Normally, Mexican tacos are served doubled up (2 tortillas) because of the thinness but theirs are actually thick. No need for two. The guacamole lacked salt but other than that it was delicioussss and I consider myself a sort of “guacamole connoisseur” lol. The worst part is there is no horchata to wash it down. It’s not the same to eat authentic Mexican tacos without horchata (at least for me)! Oh, and their salsa verde is in point!

El Jardín Cantina – Menu with Prices – 2885 Perry Rd, San Diego

This reincarnation of the previous El Jardin has a simplified menu. Personally, I missed the creativity and unique dishes designed by the former head chef. I don’t know why San Diego has a difficult time keeping superstars in the Baja culinary world employed at new restaurants. Maybe not enough customers appreciate higher end regional Mexican cuisine. The outdoor space has been spruced up with more hanging plants along with colorful mini umbrellas. Other than that and adding Cantina after the past name, the layout remained the same. I do think it’s probably one of the nicest patio dining areas in town that is not along a waterfront or with a view of the bay/ocean. On to the food… the items have been pared down to chips with guacamole and salsa, tacos, salads, ceviches, aguachiles, and some small and large plates. For a place that has gone from upscale to more casual Mexican fare, I did find it annoying that they would charge $6 for chips to go along with a trio of different salsas. You would think such an item should be complimentary to fit the more relaxed theme. I ended up ordering the Pulpo en Adobo ($15) as an appetizer which was an achiote grilled octopus with a fire roasted tomato sauce, avocado puree, and pork chicharron. The dish came out quickly from the kitchen and was of decent quality. A little bit more octopus would have been justified for the cost. I followed up with three of the tacos… birria ($4), lamb barbacoa ($4), and pastor octopus & shrimp ($6). Instead of goat meat, short rib beef was served with oaxaca cheese, olla beans, onion, and cilantro for the birria. The slow braised lamb was accompanied with pickled red onion, cilantro and salsa. The pastor was comprised of grilled pineapple, habanero crema, onion, and cilantro on a blue corn tortilla along with the octopus and shrimp. I thought the most flavorful of this group was the birria. Overall, I gave a 3.5 star rating for my experience as the buzz was just not there for a grand re-opening. As an example, when I came on opening night last summer, there was a long waitlist for a table. During my recent visit, less than 1/4 of the place was occupied with customers. I wish them the best going forward.

Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila – Menu with Prices – 810 Ivy St, Pittsburgh

I really really really wanted to like Tocayo, Walnut is desperate for more diverse food options, and I had really high hopes for Tocayo, but after stopping in for a meal on Friday night my hopes were completely dashed. This is quite possibly the least flavorful Mexican food I have ever ordered (outside of Mad Mex, which doesn’t even earn the label of Mexican food). Let’s start with the appetizers. We went with the chips and salsa, opting for the hot salsa and the queso. I actually quite liked the queso, and while the hot salsa had a bit of a nice smokey flavor, it was most definitely *not* hot, and otherwise super bland. Ok, next up, let’s discuss the tacos. Absolutely zero flavor. We did the barbacoa and the al pastor, and while the al pastor was marginally better than the barbacoa, the barbacoa like the salsa had zero flavor. The tacos needed a serious dose of cilantro, lime, and spice, and there was zero heat to the barbacoa. Honestly, and it hurts me to say this, Chipotle’s barbacoa has more flavor. They were also way over stuffed, and why do entrees at a Mexican restaurant come with a side salad? Super weird. Finally, the drinks. We had two margaritas, and they were, as the story continues, pretty uninspired (far too sweet and syrupy, not enough savory). Only a small portion of the cups were rimmed with salt, and that barely saved them. Despite the very lackluster and disappointing food, the staff were insanely nice and the service was top notch. Shout out to the bartender who was both waiting tables and making drinks, give this man a promotion! It could be that the kitchen is still working through things or that they were just swamped the night we came in. As I love Mexican food, I’ll swing through again in a few weeks and see if the food is has improved!

El Novillo taco truck Parking Lot – Menu with Prices – Fruitvale Ave & E 10th St, Oakland

Review is of the tacos. Came here cos tacos Sinaloa was closed. Tried chicharron, tripas and lengua tacos. They come with salsa radish and scallions but I’m not sure how to eat the scallion (it’s not chopped) I’ll have to ask around or google. Tacos were well filled with meat. Chicharron was on the dry side here, so for me my favorite is still la penca’s chicharron tacos. The lengua here was excellent! My favorite. Tripas was also decent too but not the best one I’ve had. All in all a good experience. If you say for here your tacos will come on a plate covered in foil. To go they will be wrapped in foil and put in a bag. Boyfriend got al pastor burrito and he loved it. A decent spot, $2 per taco and was open on Sunday around 11 am.

Taqueria Amigo Chino – Menu with Prices – 5601 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago

Since I’ve only had tacos 3X’s in the last 3 days I was craving tacos again lol. Tonight is Monday we were driving by Taqueria Amigo Chino on the SW corner of Irving Park & Central Avenue and saw a sign from the Mexican Gods to go to Al Pastor Tacos for $1.39 on Mondays and Thursday. (or it could have been the sign on the window advertising it lol) So we pulled around the block and parked on Central a few doors from the restaurant. The restaurant was fairly busy (go figure for $1.39 Al Pastor tacos). Like most Mexican restaurants they brought us out an order of chips w/3 salsas. Both my wife and I ordered 3 Al Pastor tacos. I’m basing my review solely on the tacos. I’m surprised that Taqueria Amigo Chino is only rated 2 1/2 stars. The tacos that came to table were very good. They were loaded w/Al Pastor, onions & cilantro on 2 corn tortillas. The pork was very good w/a nice crispy texture. The service was good, good food w/street parking along Central Avenue. Remember Monday or Thursday for Al Pastor Tacos for $1.39

Tacos Los 3 Reyes – Menu with Prices – 1610 Old Bayshore Hwy, San Jose

Closer to 3.5 stars overall, but their corn tortillas are super fresh and one of the best versions I’ve had in the South Bay. Tacos Los Tres Reyes is located in more of an industrial area. They weren’t busy around 1:30pm on Memorial Day. You order at the food truck, and they have covered seating inside, in addition to their salsa bar. I tried their Chorizo, Suadero, Asada, and Pastor Tacos ($2.20/each, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=jsF9eCkRQTM2J85n_8rL5w&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg). The suadero and asada were my favorites, since they were the most flavorful and seared well. I liked the pineapple in the pastor, but there wasn’t much flavor otherwise. The chorizo was my least favorite- it was spicy, but very dry and crumbly. I would recommend the suadero and asada, but not the chorizo or pastor. However, the corn tortillas were delicious. They were the perfect consistency, and also had good flavor. The salsa bar (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=GElnqnYWRN0mDeUhnXKJvg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg) had a good amount of options. I only tried the orange and green salsas, but I liked both. The majority of tacos and salsas that I tried were spicy, so this isn’t the best place to go if you don’t like spice! For those that like offal, they have a few different options on their menu: buche (stomach), cabeza, and lengua. Pollo and chicharron are also available. I would come back if I was having a taco craving and in the area, and/or for late night eats. However, this is one of the better street taco places in the South Bay that I’ve been to. There was plenty of parking in their lot and also some street parking available.

Taco Fundacion – Menu with Prices – 235 N Guadalupe St, Santa Fe

Best. Tacos. Ever. We went to Taco Fundación on several of the days we were in town for a few reasons: scrumptious tacos, fast service, cheap prices, and fresh ingredients. How can it get better than that?! They have tons of types to choose from, but I tried the following: barbacoa, al pastor, chicken mole, and bison. The barbacoa proved to be a favorite, as I made sure to get at least one each time I went. It’s perfectly moist, acidic, sweet, and spicy. The al pastor has a good flavor and they make sure to give you several pieces of roasted pineapple, which is what I love to see from an al pastor taco! I did find the al pastor to be a bit dry, though. The chicken mole is probably delicious if you like mole, but it was my first time trying it and I just wasn’t a huge fan of the sauce. That being said, the chicken is super tender and pulled to perfect size. The bison taco, which I got on the recommendation of a super friendly employee, and it was seriously great. It was really moist and had the perfect balance of flavors, especially given the creamy cheese and the sweet roasted corn. They also have a few sides, like corn and chips and guacamole, but I was all about the tacos. Do yourself a favor and go to Taco Fundación ASAP! And then do yourself another favor and go again… and again… and again.

El Burrito Rico Menu with Prices 4404 River Rd, Amarillo

Great burritos and tacos! Growing up in El Paso I consider myself somewhat of a mexican food expert. I love burritos and tacos and there is no place in town I like better than El Burrito Rico. They have a wide selection of burritos and tacos including carne asada (my favorite), picadillo, chile verde, chile rojo, barbacoa, carnitas, pollo (chicken), al pastor, and even tongue (lengua). I roll with the asada and sometimes add guacamole. To die for. Their tacos have the same fillings but on soft corn tortillas. Delicioso. They have breakfast burritos as well and they don’t skimp on the portions. They come with two eggs, cheese, potatoes and your choice of bacon, ham or sausage. They have two salsas–a red and a green. I always order both because I just can’t choose one. They are both so good (I probably lean towards the green most days). They are located across the street from Pleasant Valley Elementary school in a bright yellow building. There is no indoor seating only drive-thru or walk-up but it is perfect for a fast breakfast or lunch on the go.

Tortillería El Comal – Menu with Prices – 13184 Veterans Memorial Dr, Houston

First time. Wanted barbacoa and tortillas. Barbacoa was very good, not greasy. Tortillas were very good, warm just made. Salsas, cilantro and onion came with order of barbacoa. Also picked up extra container of green and red salsa. All salsas were very good. The salsa that came with barbacoa was the spiciest ( spicy but tolerable). The green salsa purchased was creamier and had bits of cilantro. Also had carnitas, was pleasantly surprised, not greasy and not dry. Glad found this place!