Breakfast Tacos

[Josh]

You're traveling, and you need breakfast. If you're in NYC you look up a best bagels list.  If you're in Houston, get  yourself a breakfast taco or 3.  This is not definitive, just my experience. For instance: I haven't yet eaten at 2 beloved taco houses, Brothers and Villa Arcos, both East of Downtown.

The elites:

Luna y Sol - You're not going to go wrong here, but my favorite is the chorizo and egg.  Well-proportioned, great tortillas.  Definitely Uber-able from or deliverable to downtown Hotels.

Tacos Tierra Caliente - Is it a weekend? Wake up on the later side and get $1 tacos from my favorite truck and wash them down with a beer or Topo Chico at the West Alabama Ice House across the street.  These things are the perfect size to crush 3 and not feel terrible about yourself and your life choices.

The rest (all still really good):

Tacos A Go Go: Good tortillas and fillings, but I get annoyed about how much filling there is.  Generous to be sure, but I demand a balanced taco that can be eaten with 1 hand.

Laredo Taqueria: You have to specifically order corn tortillas unless you want flour here. (Both are great).  The barbacoa is delicious, and they have my favorite huevos Mexicanos here since they actually have some spice to them.

Chiloso's Taco House: A Heights neighborhood favorite. Thicker, chewier than usual handmade tortillas. The egg and sausage (from Chappell Hill, TX) is my go to.

Unos Pinches Tacos: Foul-mouthed name, but legit tacos, breakfast or otherwise. Dig the chorizo and the tocino here. Chilaquiles are killer too.

El Rey: Yes, it's a chain with a drive-thru, but the tacos are tasty. I dig the Cuban one with eggs, black beans, and plantains. Only people who don't know (or aren't from Houston) would turn their noses up.

Tacodeli: It's a Houston location of an Austin restaurant, so...you know.  That said, their fillings are top notch, even if their tortillas are a damn shame.  (Side note, if you're looking for fantastic breakfast tacos in Austin, it's Papalote that you want to line up at.)

Please go somewhere else:

Torchy's: Listen, once upon a time, when they were a lowly food truck, they may have been worth the hype. But those days are long past. These are tacos for people who don't know what tacos are.  But if you're with someone who absolutely HAS to go to Torchy's, their queso is fantastic, so not all is lost.

Taco Cabana: Chain with a drive-thru. Not great, but you're likely to run into a ton of these at sponsored events. No shame in taking a few down if you do.

[will_5198]

On 1/5/2019 at 7:15 PM, Josh said:

Tacodeli: It's a Houston location of an Austin restaurant, so...you know.  That said, their fillings are top notch, even if their tortillas are a damn shame.  (Side note, if you're looking for fantastic breakfast tacos in Austin, it's Papalote that you want to line up at.)

Torchy's: Listen, once upon a time, when they were a lowly food truck, they may have been worth the hype. But those days are long past. These are tacos for people who don't know what tacos are.  But if you're with someone who absolutely HAS to go to Torchy's, their queso is fantastic, so not all is lost.

Tacodeli always sounds better than it tastes, but agreed -- the fillings are quality and cooked well enough. Speaking of Austin, have you been to Veracruz All-Natural?

Also agreed that I would not spend a "trip meal" eating at Torchy's. But a Trailer Park taco (basically just a chicken tender, salsa and pico) with a side of queso is actually pretty satisfying. 

[Josh]

On 1/7/2019 at 10:05 PM, will_5198 said:

Tacodeli always sounds better than it tastes, but agreed -- the fillings are quality and cooked well enough. Speaking of Austin, have you been to Veracruz All-Natural?

Also agreed that I would not spend a "trip meal" eating at Torchy's. But a Trailer Park taco (basically just a chicken tender, salsa and pico) with a side of queso is actually pretty satisfying. 

Haven’t made it to Veracruz yet, but I can die a happy man having taken down 3 tacos at Valentina’s.