Tacos are fun, and the new breed of taco places are meant to capitalize on that. What I mean with Tacos 2.0 are both the tacos – which often go well beyond traditional Mexican and familiar Tex-Mex fillings – and the restaurants, which are fast-casual concepts. Concepts that are ripe for replication, roughly similar to the burrito chains that have sprung up in the past couple of decades, and featuring soft tortilla tacos in tacos that are cooked or assembled to order, without a steam table in site. Some of these taco purveyors, like Torchy’s Tacos, have scores of locations throughout the state, and even the mediocre Fuzzy’s Tacos has nearly a hundred restaurants. Texans like tacos.
Most of these new style tacos have begun in the wake of chef Roy Choi’s ground-breaking food truck in Los Angeles almost a decade ago dispensing Korean-infused tacos to ravenous crowds and rave reviews, and which began to get national attention by 2010. This helped inspire a new range of tacos wherever tacos are sold in this country. Fusion Taco here was one of the first locally to jump onto this trend, with a well-regarded taco truck in 2013, and then stand-alone restaurants.
I found nine different taco places that I thought fit my definition of Tacos 2.0, and visited each at least a couple of times, and for some, several times. I’ve eaten a lot of tacos recently. What I found is that you are likely to never have a great taco at one of these places, but you can possibly have an enjoyable and possibly even a pretty funky one. More so, nothing I ate was as good as at some of my favorite places for tacos like 100% Taquito, Laredo Taqueria on Patton, and Eight Row Flint – especially their amazing beef tacos. This is due in part to the fact that the tortillas at the Tacos 2.0 spots generally don’t taste as good as at these other places, which are more likely making them onsite. Interestingly, local La Ranchera supplies a number of the local Tacos 2.0 places, some with seemingly better tortillas than others. Another factor is that the newer fangled combinations often just don’t work as well as the more straightforward, tried and true ones. Then each of the Tacos 2.0 joints feel compelled to have a fish or shrimp taco on the menu, for some reason. These rarely work well, as the quality of the seafood is usually disappointing. There are notable exceptions, though, like Cabo. Ordering the seafood fried is usually a safer option, if a seafood or fish taco is a must.
These newer-fangled taco joints also cost quite a bit more than any taco at a taqueria or humble taco joint serving the migrant and immigrant communities. With tax and tip, the tacos I consumed for this piece averaged over $4.30 each, not terribly cheap for a taco that is often on the smaller side. Though a little more expensive than the traditional taco joint, these newer places offer a nicer setting and other items – chips and queso to start, vegetarian items and salads for the healthier eaters – to entice all of your co-workers to lunch.
Below are the Tacos 2.0 chains – and hopeful chains – in order of preference, broken up among three categories: Worth an Occasional Detour; Often Interesting and Usually Enjoyable; and Don’t Bother, as there are Definitely Much Better Options. The top purveyors were home grown, not surprisingly. The restaurants are pretty good in Houston.
Worth an Occasional Detour
Tacos A Go Go
What began as a small storefront next to the Continental Club on Main Street in Midtown in 2006, Tacos A Go Go has gotten better over the years and is the best of the Tacos 2.0 spots, in my opinion. This fun, intentionally kitschy mini-chain hews closely to Mexico and Texas for its tacos, and doing nearly everything quite well. Its baker dozen of enticing taco options are divided among three different themes and types of tacos: Street Tacos described as “All Mex…no Tex” featuring stewed meats with piquant salsas and topped in Mexican fashion with diced onions, chopped cilantro and queso fresco along with fillings like carne guisada, lamb barbacoa and pork guisado; Go Go Tacos that are “More Tex than Mex”; and the Texas Tacos that are topped with Monterey Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and a salsa along with your choice of grilled skirt steak, grilled marinated chicken or a grilled white fish. For any of these, you’ve also got your choice of tortillas among, corn, flour and for a little extra, whole wheat and puffy. Those puffy tacos, featuring deep-fried corn tortillas, are a nod to the unique style developed in San Antonio and- provide something a little different, if not necessarily heart healthy. One of the quality four self-serve salsas help make everything taste better, too.
Appeal: Very good tacos done in ways that Houstonians appreciate in casual, inviting settings
What to order: Barbacoa, Pastor, Picadillo, Pollo Guisado
Taco price range: $2.59 to $3.79
Taco size: Medio
Number of different PM tacos: 13 plus create-your-own breakfast tacos
Types of tortillas: Flour, corn, whole wheat and puffy
Tortillas: Sourced from La Ranchera; puffy tacos are fried on-premise
Breakfast taco hours: All day; and these are big for breakfast tacos
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, breakfast plates, nachos and salads
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 5
Locations in the Houston area: 5
Founded: Houston in 2006
Fusion Taco
What began as a taco truck five years ago is now two friendly and inviting counter-service locations, one just outside the Heights and the other, a newly opened spot in a food court in Greenway Plaza. Fusion Taco does the wide-ranging fillings better than any of the other Tacos 2.0 joints found in the area. Smoked Brisket, Chicken Tikka Masala, Agedashi Tofu, Falafel, Chicken Fried Oyster and Seared Brussels Sprouts are few of the dozen-and-a-half taco options whose inspirations cover a fair amount of the globe, all of which are thoughtfully comprised with quality ingredients and attractively presented. These are some of the prettiest tacos in town. More importantly, most taste at least pretty good and usually better. One is the Lamb Keema featuring cooling pieces of cucumber slice and a greenish tahini for a refreshing ground lamb taco served in a nicely texturally contrasting fried corn tortilla shell. Unfortunately, the chicken in a couple of the tacos were a little on the dry side. For some reason, the near-liter-sized white plastic bottle of the unique San Luis brand hot sauce (mild) available to bring back to your table seems to make nearly all the tacos better, including making those two chicken tacos enjoyable.
Appeal: A globally inspired array of taco fillings that usually work quite well
What to order: Chicken Fried Oyster, Lamb Keema, Berkshire Pork BBQ
Taco price range: $3.50 to $4.25
Taco size: Medio
Number of different tacos: 16
Types of tortillas: Corn and Flour
House-made tortillas: Corn
Breakfast taco hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 to 4:00
Dishes other than tacos: queso in several varieties, soups, salads, nachos, quesadillas
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 2
Locations in the Houston area: 2
Founded: Houston in 2013
Often Interesting and Usually Enjoyable
Cabo
An attractive exterior on Washington Avenue harkens to a bright, if just slightly blemished, taco and burrito joint that true to its name with roots in Cabo on the Pacific coast where appetizing fried fish tacos are to be found. There are only seven different fillings for the tacos here: fish – both fried and grilled – shrimp, pastor, the rotisserie marinated pork with pineapple, and ones with grilled beef, chicken or nopales, cactus. Most tacos are worth ordering, with the properly fresh ingredients used in sensible and welcome combinations and helped by one of their several salsas or fresh lime at the condiments bar. A bit oddly but enjoyably, you can also add grilled mozzarella to any taco for additional buck.
Appeal: Good quality Cabo-inspired tacos
What to order: Baja (Fish), Camaron
Taco price range: $3.50 to $3.85
Taco size: Medio
Breakfast taco hours: all the time
Number of different tacos: 7
Types of tortillas: Corn, Flour
House-made tortillas: Corn; Flour tortillas are from La Ranchera
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadilla, tostadas, carne asada fries, elote, churros
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 2, I think
Locations in the Houston area: 2
Founded: 2015 in The Woodlands
Dream Tacos, Tx
What was a Jenni’s Noodles was transformed in the spring of 2018 into this modern taco restaurant set invitingly in a newish development on Richmond near Greenway Plaza. More than a pretty face, this approachable spot an serves a number of enticing tacos, several with slight refinements on the familiar fillings like beef fajitas, barbacoa and pastor that will appeal to most. Most are served on the slightly doughy flour tortillas that are made in house. The tacos can be complemented with one of the six salsa made in house; just tell your server. There is more service here than at other places. In case you are feeling guilty about tacos for lunch – which you don’t have to be here, as the tacos are fairly small – a half-dozen of the tacos are vegetarian. These can be pretty good, too. Among the three seafood options, stick with The Fried Shrimp, served with cabbage, pickled onions and jalapeños and a creamy cilantro ranch dressing. Conversely, the North Shore Garlic Shrimp, with its not-so-appetizing small grilled shrimp, was the only significant demerit encountered.
Appeal: Bright and cheery place with fun and usually well-done tacos
What to order: Hot’lanta (fried chicken tenders in Buffalo sauce), Fried Shrimp, Rodeo Barbacoa
Taco price range: $2.25 to $4.00
Taco size: Pequeño
Number of different PM tacos: 16
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Corn, Flour
House-made tortillas: Flour, the Corn tortillas are from La Ranchera
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, nachos, salads, soups, meat and seafood plates
Beer: No
Number of locations: 1
Locations in the Houston area: 1
Founded: Houston in 2018
Torchy’s Tacos
The most popular and well-known of the Tacos 2.0 purveyors – there is even one in centerfield in MinuteMaid announced by two big Torchy’s signs facing most of the seats. Especially popular among teenagers and those who studied in Austin, Torchy’s provides a slew of fun and sloppy tacos that are fairly unique. Tex-Mex 2000, maybe. Big and messy and better with plenty of extra salsa that’s usually mild, but flavorful and often viscous, these can be a guilty pleasure. But, as I overheard at another taco joint, “Torchy’s, it’s like they are trying too hard.” Often too many disparate things go into a taco for my taste. Most work, but sometimes barely. And, on tacos are on the pricey side, too. But, there is seemingly always a line; Torchy’s has a following.
Appeal: Fun, bold-flavored and often gloppy tacos
What to order: Fried Avocado, Green Chile Pork, Trailer Park
Taco price range: $3.75 to $5.25
Taco size: Gordo
Number of different PM tacos: 16
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Corn and Flour
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, salad, burritos, quesadillas for the kids
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 59
Locations in the Houston area: 13
Founded: Austin in 2006
Tacodeli
The slick counter-service spot on Washington Avenue serve a large array of good-looking, small tacos mostly hewing to Mexican traditions, from Mexico City specifically. The chain feature proteins that are humanely raised ethically or more expensively sourced. This does not necessarily translate into a tastier taco, though. The tortillas don’t help; these aren’t bad, just below par for a local Mexican restaurant. The proteins and sourcing might have menu claims to be better than most, but it’s not really noticeable, and sometimes the kitchen doesn’t really do its job, as with my taco that included rajas. The supposedly sautéed onions and poblano strips were pretty much uncooked and not adding much to the dry chicken. The tacos here are on the small side; the smallest of the nine places surveyed. Most adults will need three, and ordering four won’t make you gluttonous, though a quartet with drink can run you to $20 or more. Important to note, Tacodeli closes at 3:00 in the afternoon each day.
Appeal: A number of different tacos from which to choose, most traditionally Mexican
What to order: Chicken Mole, Conchinita Pibil
Taco price range: $2.85 to $4.50
Taco size: Pequeño
Number of different PM tacos: 26 plus 1 to 3 daily lunch specials
Breakfast taco hours: Monday through Friday until 11 AM; all day on weekends
Types of tortillas: Flour, corn and wheat, plus you can order the taco fillings without a tortilla
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: chips, salads, soups and plates
Beer: No
Number of locations: 10
Locations in the Houston area: 1
Founded: Austin in 1999
Velvet Tacos
Offering the biggest array of cuisines stuffed into a tortilla among any local taco joint, it might take longer to digest the menu at Velvet Tacos than elsewhere if you are a newbie. The helpful counter staff can help guide you among the Cuban Pig, Fish and Chips, Nashville Hot Tofu, Shrimp and Grits and Texas Akaushi Bacon Burger, which are a few of twenty taco choices. Yes, still tacos. These names, and fillings, can be a bit unusual, but most seem to work, though not the bland Fried Paneer, Grilled Flank Steak or Picnic Chicken tacos that generous amounts of the hot sauce from a squeeze bottle could not quite rectify. Though these tacos can be pricey, a hungry adult will need three to be nearly satiated. Decent beer on tap and inviting, laid-back settings help make a visit here a bit easier.
Appeal: An array of adventurously laden tacos
What to order: Buffalo Chicken Taco, Cuban Pig Taco, Fish and Chips
Taco price range: $3.50 to $6.75
Taco size: Medio
Number of different PM tacos: 17
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Corn and Flour
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: queso, elote, tater tots and egg, red velvet cake (of course)
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 10
Locations in the Houston area: 2
Founded: 2011 in Dallas
Don’t Bother, as there are Definitely Much Better Options
Liberty Tacos
After a couple of visits, I got the impression that when creating the menu, Liberty Taco just threw things into a tortilla and hoped it works. Though there are some familiar tacos like the carnitas, this doesn’t adhere to Mexican sensibilities like many of the tacos Tacos A Go Go and Tacodeli nor the fun, kitschy Tex-Mex like Torchy’s. The tacos are not nearly as well thought out as at other places and the ingredients generally as not good; a big piece of gristle in a Kogi Beef Taco was the most annoying example of that. The mushy and tasteless fish in the heart of Grilled Fish taco highlighted a cheap-tasting ingredient that was also cooked poorly. Their barbacoa taco wasn’t bad, though it was the easily the lamest barbacoa I believe I’ve ever had. And the Cali Club taco featured a large, stiff chicken tender at its heart. On the plus side, there are several self-serve salsas from which to choose, which help out with everything, and the tacos are larger than most, though pricier averaging over $4.00 each. There are also eighteen tacos from which to choose among beef, chicken, pork, seafood and vegetarian headings, so maybe you can find something satisfying.
Appeal: Not far from the Galleria
What to order: The Carnitas taco wasn’t that bad
Taco price range: $3.85 to $4.50
Taco size: Gordo
Number of different PM tacos: 18
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Flour, with Corn upon request according to the menu
House-made tortillas: No, sourced from La Ranchera
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, quesadillas, salad bowls
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 1
Locations in the Houston area: 1
Founded: Houston in 2017
Fuzzy’s Tacos
Two locations of Fuzzy’s Tacos near me went out of business, and I don’t believe that either made it a year. After eating at Fuzzy’s Tacos a couple of times, I can understand why. Each of their small tacos are unappealingly topped with a plethora of tasteless-at-best shredded iceberg lettuce and, oddly, bits of cheap-tasting feta cheese, which fill the tortilla more so than the relatively small amount of proteins. Worse, the tacos rarely rise above mediocre in flavor, regardless of their small size. To complement the tacos, there are only bottled hot sauces, made by Fuzzy’s Tacos with mostly vinegar, ketchup, corn syrup and aged red peppers, the regrettably named Butt Burnin’ Hot Sauce and Butt Burnin’ Hot Sauce - Habanero. If not nearly as enjoyable as the freshly made salsas at other places, these do help the tacos, which definitely need some help. On the plus side, the tacos are inexpensive, the cheapest among these nine places surveyed.
Appeal: Cheap tacos, I guess
What to order: I can’t recommend any of the eight different tacos that I’ve eaten there
Taco price range: $2.59 to $3.29
Taco size: Pequeño
Number of different PM tacos: 11
Breakfast taco hours: All day
Types of tortillas: Corn
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: chips, soups, salads, nachos, quesadilla, burritos, burrito bowls, plates
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 97
Locations in the Houston area: 5
Founded: Fort Worth in 2003
A trio of tacos at a Tacos A Go Go
Most of these new style tacos have begun in the wake of chef Roy Choi’s ground-breaking food truck in Los Angeles almost a decade ago dispensing Korean-infused tacos to ravenous crowds and rave reviews, and which began to get national attention by 2010. This helped inspire a new range of tacos wherever tacos are sold in this country. Fusion Taco here was one of the first locally to jump onto this trend, with a well-regarded taco truck in 2013, and then stand-alone restaurants.
I found nine different taco places that I thought fit my definition of Tacos 2.0, and visited each at least a couple of times, and for some, several times. I’ve eaten a lot of tacos recently. What I found is that you are likely to never have a great taco at one of these places, but you can possibly have an enjoyable and possibly even a pretty funky one. More so, nothing I ate was as good as at some of my favorite places for tacos like 100% Taquito, Laredo Taqueria on Patton, and Eight Row Flint – especially their amazing beef tacos. This is due in part to the fact that the tortillas at the Tacos 2.0 spots generally don’t taste as good as at these other places, which are more likely making them onsite. Interestingly, local La Ranchera supplies a number of the local Tacos 2.0 places, some with seemingly better tortillas than others. Another factor is that the newer fangled combinations often just don’t work as well as the more straightforward, tried and true ones. Then each of the Tacos 2.0 joints feel compelled to have a fish or shrimp taco on the menu, for some reason. These rarely work well, as the quality of the seafood is usually disappointing. There are notable exceptions, though, like Cabo. Ordering the seafood fried is usually a safer option, if a seafood or fish taco is a must.
These newer-fangled taco joints also cost quite a bit more than any taco at a taqueria or humble taco joint serving the migrant and immigrant communities. With tax and tip, the tacos I consumed for this piece averaged over $4.30 each, not terribly cheap for a taco that is often on the smaller side. Though a little more expensive than the traditional taco joint, these newer places offer a nicer setting and other items – chips and queso to start, vegetarian items and salads for the healthier eaters – to entice all of your co-workers to lunch.
Below are the Tacos 2.0 chains – and hopeful chains – in order of preference, broken up among three categories: Worth an Occasional Detour; Often Interesting and Usually Enjoyable; and Don’t Bother, as there are Definitely Much Better Options. The top purveyors were home grown, not surprisingly. The restaurants are pretty good in Houston.
Worth an Occasional Detour
Tacos A Go Go
What began as a small storefront next to the Continental Club on Main Street in Midtown in 2006, Tacos A Go Go has gotten better over the years and is the best of the Tacos 2.0 spots, in my opinion. This fun, intentionally kitschy mini-chain hews closely to Mexico and Texas for its tacos, and doing nearly everything quite well. Its baker dozen of enticing taco options are divided among three different themes and types of tacos: Street Tacos described as “All Mex…no Tex” featuring stewed meats with piquant salsas and topped in Mexican fashion with diced onions, chopped cilantro and queso fresco along with fillings like carne guisada, lamb barbacoa and pork guisado; Go Go Tacos that are “More Tex than Mex”; and the Texas Tacos that are topped with Monterey Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and a salsa along with your choice of grilled skirt steak, grilled marinated chicken or a grilled white fish. For any of these, you’ve also got your choice of tortillas among, corn, flour and for a little extra, whole wheat and puffy. Those puffy tacos, featuring deep-fried corn tortillas, are a nod to the unique style developed in San Antonio and- provide something a little different, if not necessarily heart healthy. One of the quality four self-serve salsas help make everything taste better, too.
Appeal: Very good tacos done in ways that Houstonians appreciate in casual, inviting settings
What to order: Barbacoa, Pastor, Picadillo, Pollo Guisado
Taco price range: $2.59 to $3.79
Taco size: Medio
Number of different PM tacos: 13 plus create-your-own breakfast tacos
Types of tortillas: Flour, corn, whole wheat and puffy
Tortillas: Sourced from La Ranchera; puffy tacos are fried on-premise
Breakfast taco hours: All day; and these are big for breakfast tacos
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, breakfast plates, nachos and salads
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 5
Locations in the Houston area: 5
Founded: Houston in 2006
Fusion Taco
What began as a taco truck five years ago is now two friendly and inviting counter-service locations, one just outside the Heights and the other, a newly opened spot in a food court in Greenway Plaza. Fusion Taco does the wide-ranging fillings better than any of the other Tacos 2.0 joints found in the area. Smoked Brisket, Chicken Tikka Masala, Agedashi Tofu, Falafel, Chicken Fried Oyster and Seared Brussels Sprouts are few of the dozen-and-a-half taco options whose inspirations cover a fair amount of the globe, all of which are thoughtfully comprised with quality ingredients and attractively presented. These are some of the prettiest tacos in town. More importantly, most taste at least pretty good and usually better. One is the Lamb Keema featuring cooling pieces of cucumber slice and a greenish tahini for a refreshing ground lamb taco served in a nicely texturally contrasting fried corn tortilla shell. Unfortunately, the chicken in a couple of the tacos were a little on the dry side. For some reason, the near-liter-sized white plastic bottle of the unique San Luis brand hot sauce (mild) available to bring back to your table seems to make nearly all the tacos better, including making those two chicken tacos enjoyable.
Appeal: A globally inspired array of taco fillings that usually work quite well
What to order: Chicken Fried Oyster, Lamb Keema, Berkshire Pork BBQ
Taco price range: $3.50 to $4.25
Taco size: Medio
Number of different tacos: 16
Types of tortillas: Corn and Flour
House-made tortillas: Corn
Breakfast taco hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 to 4:00
Dishes other than tacos: queso in several varieties, soups, salads, nachos, quesadillas
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 2
Locations in the Houston area: 2
Founded: Houston in 2013
Often Interesting and Usually Enjoyable
Cabo
An attractive exterior on Washington Avenue harkens to a bright, if just slightly blemished, taco and burrito joint that true to its name with roots in Cabo on the Pacific coast where appetizing fried fish tacos are to be found. There are only seven different fillings for the tacos here: fish – both fried and grilled – shrimp, pastor, the rotisserie marinated pork with pineapple, and ones with grilled beef, chicken or nopales, cactus. Most tacos are worth ordering, with the properly fresh ingredients used in sensible and welcome combinations and helped by one of their several salsas or fresh lime at the condiments bar. A bit oddly but enjoyably, you can also add grilled mozzarella to any taco for additional buck.
Appeal: Good quality Cabo-inspired tacos
What to order: Baja (Fish), Camaron
Taco price range: $3.50 to $3.85
Taco size: Medio
Breakfast taco hours: all the time
Number of different tacos: 7
Types of tortillas: Corn, Flour
House-made tortillas: Corn; Flour tortillas are from La Ranchera
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadilla, tostadas, carne asada fries, elote, churros
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 2, I think
Locations in the Houston area: 2
Founded: 2015 in The Woodlands
Dream Tacos, Tx
What was a Jenni’s Noodles was transformed in the spring of 2018 into this modern taco restaurant set invitingly in a newish development on Richmond near Greenway Plaza. More than a pretty face, this approachable spot an serves a number of enticing tacos, several with slight refinements on the familiar fillings like beef fajitas, barbacoa and pastor that will appeal to most. Most are served on the slightly doughy flour tortillas that are made in house. The tacos can be complemented with one of the six salsa made in house; just tell your server. There is more service here than at other places. In case you are feeling guilty about tacos for lunch – which you don’t have to be here, as the tacos are fairly small – a half-dozen of the tacos are vegetarian. These can be pretty good, too. Among the three seafood options, stick with The Fried Shrimp, served with cabbage, pickled onions and jalapeños and a creamy cilantro ranch dressing. Conversely, the North Shore Garlic Shrimp, with its not-so-appetizing small grilled shrimp, was the only significant demerit encountered.
Appeal: Bright and cheery place with fun and usually well-done tacos
What to order: Hot’lanta (fried chicken tenders in Buffalo sauce), Fried Shrimp, Rodeo Barbacoa
Taco price range: $2.25 to $4.00
Taco size: Pequeño
Number of different PM tacos: 16
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Corn, Flour
House-made tortillas: Flour, the Corn tortillas are from La Ranchera
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, nachos, salads, soups, meat and seafood plates
Beer: No
Number of locations: 1
Locations in the Houston area: 1
Founded: Houston in 2018
Torchy’s Tacos
The most popular and well-known of the Tacos 2.0 purveyors – there is even one in centerfield in MinuteMaid announced by two big Torchy’s signs facing most of the seats. Especially popular among teenagers and those who studied in Austin, Torchy’s provides a slew of fun and sloppy tacos that are fairly unique. Tex-Mex 2000, maybe. Big and messy and better with plenty of extra salsa that’s usually mild, but flavorful and often viscous, these can be a guilty pleasure. But, as I overheard at another taco joint, “Torchy’s, it’s like they are trying too hard.” Often too many disparate things go into a taco for my taste. Most work, but sometimes barely. And, on tacos are on the pricey side, too. But, there is seemingly always a line; Torchy’s has a following.
Appeal: Fun, bold-flavored and often gloppy tacos
What to order: Fried Avocado, Green Chile Pork, Trailer Park
Taco price range: $3.75 to $5.25
Taco size: Gordo
Number of different PM tacos: 16
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Corn and Flour
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, salad, burritos, quesadillas for the kids
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 59
Locations in the Houston area: 13
Founded: Austin in 2006
Tacodeli
The slick counter-service spot on Washington Avenue serve a large array of good-looking, small tacos mostly hewing to Mexican traditions, from Mexico City specifically. The chain feature proteins that are humanely raised ethically or more expensively sourced. This does not necessarily translate into a tastier taco, though. The tortillas don’t help; these aren’t bad, just below par for a local Mexican restaurant. The proteins and sourcing might have menu claims to be better than most, but it’s not really noticeable, and sometimes the kitchen doesn’t really do its job, as with my taco that included rajas. The supposedly sautéed onions and poblano strips were pretty much uncooked and not adding much to the dry chicken. The tacos here are on the small side; the smallest of the nine places surveyed. Most adults will need three, and ordering four won’t make you gluttonous, though a quartet with drink can run you to $20 or more. Important to note, Tacodeli closes at 3:00 in the afternoon each day.
Appeal: A number of different tacos from which to choose, most traditionally Mexican
What to order: Chicken Mole, Conchinita Pibil
Taco price range: $2.85 to $4.50
Taco size: Pequeño
Number of different PM tacos: 26 plus 1 to 3 daily lunch specials
Breakfast taco hours: Monday through Friday until 11 AM; all day on weekends
Types of tortillas: Flour, corn and wheat, plus you can order the taco fillings without a tortilla
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: chips, salads, soups and plates
Beer: No
Number of locations: 10
Locations in the Houston area: 1
Founded: Austin in 1999
Velvet Tacos
Offering the biggest array of cuisines stuffed into a tortilla among any local taco joint, it might take longer to digest the menu at Velvet Tacos than elsewhere if you are a newbie. The helpful counter staff can help guide you among the Cuban Pig, Fish and Chips, Nashville Hot Tofu, Shrimp and Grits and Texas Akaushi Bacon Burger, which are a few of twenty taco choices. Yes, still tacos. These names, and fillings, can be a bit unusual, but most seem to work, though not the bland Fried Paneer, Grilled Flank Steak or Picnic Chicken tacos that generous amounts of the hot sauce from a squeeze bottle could not quite rectify. Though these tacos can be pricey, a hungry adult will need three to be nearly satiated. Decent beer on tap and inviting, laid-back settings help make a visit here a bit easier.
Appeal: An array of adventurously laden tacos
What to order: Buffalo Chicken Taco, Cuban Pig Taco, Fish and Chips
Taco price range: $3.50 to $6.75
Taco size: Medio
Number of different PM tacos: 17
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Corn and Flour
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: queso, elote, tater tots and egg, red velvet cake (of course)
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 10
Locations in the Houston area: 2
Founded: 2011 in Dallas
Don’t Bother, as there are Definitely Much Better Options
Liberty Tacos
After a couple of visits, I got the impression that when creating the menu, Liberty Taco just threw things into a tortilla and hoped it works. Though there are some familiar tacos like the carnitas, this doesn’t adhere to Mexican sensibilities like many of the tacos Tacos A Go Go and Tacodeli nor the fun, kitschy Tex-Mex like Torchy’s. The tacos are not nearly as well thought out as at other places and the ingredients generally as not good; a big piece of gristle in a Kogi Beef Taco was the most annoying example of that. The mushy and tasteless fish in the heart of Grilled Fish taco highlighted a cheap-tasting ingredient that was also cooked poorly. Their barbacoa taco wasn’t bad, though it was the easily the lamest barbacoa I believe I’ve ever had. And the Cali Club taco featured a large, stiff chicken tender at its heart. On the plus side, there are several self-serve salsas from which to choose, which help out with everything, and the tacos are larger than most, though pricier averaging over $4.00 each. There are also eighteen tacos from which to choose among beef, chicken, pork, seafood and vegetarian headings, so maybe you can find something satisfying.
Appeal: Not far from the Galleria
What to order: The Carnitas taco wasn’t that bad
Taco price range: $3.85 to $4.50
Taco size: Gordo
Number of different PM tacos: 18
Breakfast taco hours: All the time
Types of tortillas: Flour, with Corn upon request according to the menu
House-made tortillas: No, sourced from La Ranchera
Dishes other than tacos: chips, queso, quesadillas, salad bowls
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 1
Locations in the Houston area: 1
Founded: Houston in 2017
Fuzzy’s Tacos
Two locations of Fuzzy’s Tacos near me went out of business, and I don’t believe that either made it a year. After eating at Fuzzy’s Tacos a couple of times, I can understand why. Each of their small tacos are unappealingly topped with a plethora of tasteless-at-best shredded iceberg lettuce and, oddly, bits of cheap-tasting feta cheese, which fill the tortilla more so than the relatively small amount of proteins. Worse, the tacos rarely rise above mediocre in flavor, regardless of their small size. To complement the tacos, there are only bottled hot sauces, made by Fuzzy’s Tacos with mostly vinegar, ketchup, corn syrup and aged red peppers, the regrettably named Butt Burnin’ Hot Sauce and Butt Burnin’ Hot Sauce - Habanero. If not nearly as enjoyable as the freshly made salsas at other places, these do help the tacos, which definitely need some help. On the plus side, the tacos are inexpensive, the cheapest among these nine places surveyed.
Appeal: Cheap tacos, I guess
What to order: I can’t recommend any of the eight different tacos that I’ve eaten there
Taco price range: $2.59 to $3.29
Taco size: Pequeño
Number of different PM tacos: 11
Breakfast taco hours: All day
Types of tortillas: Corn
House-made tortillas: No
Dishes other than tacos: chips, soups, salads, nachos, quesadilla, burritos, burrito bowls, plates
Beer: Yes
Number of locations: 97
Locations in the Houston area: 5
Founded: Fort Worth in 2003
A trio of tacos at a Tacos A Go Go
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