So what makes a taco great, exactly? It all depends -- but here are 75 from around the country.
The taco inspires fierce passion and loyalty throughout the United States. Ask a resident of Texas (Austin and Houston in particular) where the country's best tacos are, and they'll say you're certain to find them in their city, full of pulled and smoked meat. Head to San Diego and you're sure to meet some people who are absolutely convinced that there's nothing better than the fried fish tacos that are ubiquitous there. Elsewhere, purists say there's nothing like a carnitas taco, or a taco al pastor.
Click Here to see America's 75 Best Tacos
And you know what? They're all right. New Yorkers have complained for years that it's tough to find a great taco in their city, but in recent times, several have been introduced that rival the best you'll find in Mexico. And, up in Chicago, a town that has never exactly been a taco paradise, Maxwell Street Market has arguably become a world-class taco destination.
We've tackled the task of ranking the country's best twice before, and this time we looked to our readers to help us identify more of the best. We put out a call to action, asking them to comment on our site or our social media pages, or to email us with their nominations for the best tacos in the country. Additionally, we asked our knowledgeable Daily Meal staff and City Editors to weigh in with their picks. We gathered these nominees together and added them to all the tacos that were considered last year.
In the end, we had a list of about 330 tacos, which we then compiled into a survey and sent to our distinguished panel of taco experts -- food and restaurant personalities who know a superior taco when they taste one. They voted, we tallied the results, and then put together America's 75 Best Tacos for you, our readers, to enjoy:
75) Torres Taco Haven, San Antonio: Ralphie's Special
Photo Credit: Instagram @tonytone409
Owned and operated by the Jerry Torres family, the two locations of Torres Taco Haven in San Antonio are regarded as great places to get authentic Mexican food made by the locals. The Ralphie Special is a crowd favorite: it's made up of three tacos filled with marinated chicken, topped with grated cabbage and sliced tomato and garnished with lemon.
74) FUEL Charleston, Charleston, S.C.: Braised Pork
Photo Credit: Fuel Charleston
FUEL Charleston offers Caribbean-influenced food with a menu that boasts house-ground burgers, jerk chicken, a bevy of salads, and -- you guessed it -- tacos. Their braised pork taco comes with green chile aïoli, green slaw, and sweet onion relish, and was one of Guy Fieri's top picks when he visited FUEL on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.
73) Rubi's At Maxwell Street Market, Chicago: Huitlacoche
The Eastern Europeans who dominated the area surrounding Maxwell Street in
Chicago from the 1880s to the 1920s are credited for turning the original open-air market into the bustling hub it is today. The market has moved to a new location, but it remains a center for food and goods vendors to hawk their wares.
Rubi's At Maxwell Street Market is ranked No. 4 on
Foursquare for tacos in the South Loop, and their huitlacoche probably has a lot to do with that. Huitlacoche, also known as corn smut, is really a fungus, but we like to think of it as corn cheese, or perhaps even corn truffle. It’s a Mexican delicacy that tastes a bit like mushrooms, and Rubi’s gets major authenticity points for helping to make it a widely known and appreciated food in Chicago.Photo Credit: Instagram @azulgris27
Click Here to See More of America’s 75 Best Tacos72) Border Grill, Las Vegas: Crispy Potato Rajas
From acclaimed chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken comes
Border Grill, with three locations and a truck in
Los Angeles, and two more outposts in
Las Vegas — including one at Mandalay Bay. Their star taco is the fried crispy potato rajas, which holds Yukon Gold potatoes cooked with bell peppers, chiles, cream, cheese, and onions, all garnished with corn relish and guacamole.Photo Credit: flickr/Eden Hensley Silverstein
71) Carnitas Uruapan, Chicago: Carnitas
70) Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta: Smoked Brisket
Since opening in 2000,
Taqueria del Sol has expanded to four locations in and around
Atlanta, which is a clear indication that they know a thing or two about good Mexican food. Their smoked brisket taco is even further proof, as it’s loaded with shredded smoked beef and a just little pico de gallo, which allows the skill of the chef behind the grill to really show through.Photo Credit: flickr/MichaelCote
69) Gonzalez, Dallas: Crispy Beef Tacos with Salsa Fresca
Serving Dallas since 1973,
Gonzalez offers authentic Tex-Mex fare, and makes many of their products in-house, including the bread and tortillas. Go with the crispy beef tacos with salsa fresca — the subtle play between the fresh tomatoes and onions and the crispy taco shell is certain to please your taste buds.Photo Credit: Instagram @ohj74
Click Here to See More of America’s 75 Best TacosKate Kolenda, The Daily Meal
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