If Houston were a food, there’s no doubt that the city would be a taco. That shouldn't come as a surprise, given how many amazing Mexican restaurants we have to choose from. There's a specialization in everything from Tex-Mex to Oaxacan seafood—after all, the city’s population is 45 percent Hispanic.
That leaves an important yet challenging question: Where do you get the best tacos in Houston? We did the research (read: a whole lot of eating) to find the ones worth driving to. Here are our top 25 places to eat tacos in Houston.
This list has been updated to include JP's Tacos, Papalo Taqueria, and Space City Birria.
The tamales almost as amazing as your abuelita’s, but the breakfast and lunch tacos at this Northside spot are what dreams are made of. Stop by on the weekend for a bite of the carnitas and Chicharron Colombiano—and don’t leave without a dozen housemade thick and fluffy flour tortillas on the way out. Visit its newest location at the Houston Farmers Market.
Brothers Taco House has the friendliest staff, who will help you through the cafeteria-style line.
Everybody loves a good breakfast taco, and Brothers Taco House has plenty to choose from. The classic chorizo and egg, or bacon and egg are always a safe bet. Fair warning: weekend visits—a must if you like authentic barbacoa or menudo—often mean a line outside, but it's definitel worth it. Snap a photo in front of the restaurant’s colorful mural as proof of dining at a Houston staple.
Craving a late-night carne asada taco? Cantina Barba has you covered until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 2am any other day of the week. Located right off I-45 near White Oak Music Hall, this spot serves some of the best margaritas in town (order the watermelon), plus tacos, burgers, burritos, and sides. There’s also a secret mezcal bar on the back patio in a converted shipping container. Need a palate cleanser? Cantina Barba's cucumber agua fresca does the trick.
Chilosos Taco House has won over many fans in the Heights, and now even has a location out in the Cypress area.
This longtime Heights favorite is open for breakfast and lunch only, with a second location now in Bridgeland. Breakfast tacos here are top-notch—fluffy flour tortillas sturdy enough to hold all the fillings. Stop by in the afternoon for the Big Texas Lunch tacos, which include carne guisada, fajita tacos, crispy tacos, and street tacos.
Cochinita & Co.'s namesake dish, the cochinita pibil, comes in taco form.
Chef Victoria Elizondo has earned James Beard recognition for her homey East End café that serves some of the best Mexican cuisine in the city. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but the cochinita pibil tacos are essential, and the vegan tinga made with lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms is a must-order. Trust us.
Parked Sunday through Tuesday in front of the beloved Black Hole Coffee House in Montrose, Delicias Maya turns out a barbacoa taco that's flavorful without being too greasy. Pick up a bottle of the truck’s salsa on your way out to bring some of the flavor home.
Dichos Taqueria serves barbacoa, pork belly, and even veggie tacos with plantains and avocado.
The community atmosphere and friendly service keeps us coming back, but the breakfast plates seal the deal. Go for the mega breakfast taco with your choice of meat, or stop in later for the hickory-smoked pork belly.
El Taconazo is a favorite among concert-goers coming out of White Oak Music Hall.
This taco truck is a favorite among the after-show crowd near White Oak Music Hall, but it's worht a visit any time of day—just expect a line. Fortunately it moves quickly, which means you can secure your tacos in no time. Stick to the essentials: fajita tacos with a cup of frijoles and a horchata. There is no seating, so plan to eat while sitting on the sidewalk, or kick it old-school and eat on the hood of your car.
Housed in the former Matamoros Meat Market space, this carnicería in the El Tiempo empire does many things well, but the taco deluxe—a flour or corn tortilla, your choice of beef fajitas, sausage, chicken fajitas, barbacoa, carnitas, or brisket, served with rice and beans—is the move. Early rises should indulge in the breakfast tacos, but save room for something sweet. The tresh leches and flan are a true treat.
If you're not going to Gerardo's for barbacoa tacos, what exactly are you doing?
For nearly 50 years, José Luis Lopez has made magic at this Near Northside shop named for his son. Gerardo’s is famous for one thing: the best place to eat barbacoa in the city. Made with traditional beef cheek and tongue meat, Gerardo's barbaco is tender and juicy, served hot inside a taco, with a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, and salsa verde. Open Fridays and weekends only, so plan ahead.
JP Tacos: El Patron Del Sabor
Mexican/Tex-Mex
NRG Area
This taco spot near NRG feels like a city secret. The trompo with pineapple is the star, followed closely by crunchy tripe and carnitas, with cold horchata serving as the ideal pairing for all of it. On weekends, the energy shifts: lines stretch out the door for the viral taquitos de canasta, basket tacos moistened under onions until they're fall-apart tender. There's also a game built into the visit—be among the first customers to roll a six or stop a buzzer at exactly 10 seconds, and the meal is on the house. Worth trying your luck.
Whether stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the atmosphere here is warm and trasnsporting. The quesabirria tacos are a particular favorite, and the hosuemade salsa are excellent, though approach the habaneroa with caution if you’re sensitive to spice. Weekday happy hour brings a $5 deal on the three street tacos and affordable drinks.
La Chingada Tacos & Tequila also has a location in the Cypress area.
You can't call yourself a Montrose resident unless your weekends include La Guadalupana.
This lively, family-run Montrose institution draws crowds on weekends for breakfast and lunch. The Diaz family hails from Puebla, which is famous for its mole poblano. Every item here is a winner, but the best one—the chicken mole taco—is off-menu. Bonus: For something sweet, order the café de olla, which is infused with cinnamon and pairs beautifully with the almond croissant.
Laredo Taqueria locations are big community hubs across Houston.
The iconic Laredo Taqueria has four Houston-area locations, each with its own charm, menu, and long cafeteria-style line. Try the fideo taco—essentially chicken and noodles inside a tortilla. Those in search of its stallar breakfast tacos should aim to get there early, with the goal of being first in line.
Papalo Taqueria
Mexican/Tex-Mex
Downtown
CasaEma, the homey Heights café, has earned all of the accolades for its Mexican pastries, coffee, savory dishes, and unparalleled taco de zanahoria—a confit carrot, dressed in pumpkin seed salsa and served on an heirloom blue corn tortilla. But if you're in it for just tacos alone, visit its sister restaurant Papalo Taqueria. Nestled in Downtown's Finn Hall, Papalo prides itself on using the Nixtamal process to make its tortillas, tostadas, and tamales. For a truly decadent experience, order the brisket suadero tacos, or the chiccharon, made with melt-in-your-mouth cured pork belly, pickled red onions, pumpkin seed vinaigrette, and crispy shallots. Bonus: You can score breakfast and the cult-favorite carrot taco here, too. And you don't have to stop at tacos. Neighboring vendors at the food hall range from freshly squeezed juice to burgers and noodles.
Space City Birria
When a craving for birria strikes, visit this Houston-proud, space-themed taco spot. Birria is the specialty, with combos like the Orbit Duo (two quesabirrias served with consommé for dipping, fresh onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime, Mexican rice, and beans) and the Rocket Ramen (birria served over ramen noodles). Try its other offerings, including the Apollo torta, carne asada plates, and Space City Tostadas. Seal the experience with the Milky Way tres leches.
With a truck in Denver Harbor and two brick-and-mortars in South Houston and Channelview, Taconmadre’s bright green exterior is hard to miss—and best of all, every outpost has a drive-through, and they're all open 24 hours. What to order? The street-style al pastor tacos, with a limonada agua fresca for the road.
Owner Angel Cabrera, whose parents are from Guanajuato, has transformed this small Spring Branch spot into a Yelp’s Top 100 sensation. The specialty is birria tacos and quesabirria, best drizzled with the housemade salsas. A second location in the Lazybrook/Timbergrove neighborhood near the Heights adds more menu items and a full bar with margaritas.
This local chain has several locations across Houston, each with its own flair. The Gulfton is a vibe, with some of the best trompo tacos in Houston, and juicy barbacoa.
Roughly translated as “the mother of all tacos,” Tacos la Sultana keeps it simple but flavorful with just two meat options: trompo and bistek. It might look like a taco truck at first glance, but ample seating awaits off to the side, meaning you can eat your tacos hot and on the spot. Pair with a Mexican Coke to quell the heat.
Tacos La Sultana also has another location off Woodforest Boulevard.
One of the most well-known trucks in the city, Tierra Caliente has been feeding Montrose residents and passersby for nearly 20 years from its spot across the street from West Alabama Ice House. Whatever meat you choose, you can't go wrong. Eat your order at one of the picnic tables at the ice house with an ice-cold beer. It's practically a rite of passage.
Tacos Tierra Caliente also has a location off North Durham Drive.
Owner René Hidalgo is often behind the counter at his small, charming café off Stella Link, and he makes many of the salsas himself. Stop in for breakfast on a relaxing weekend morning, perhaps after a bike ride along Brays Bayou. The pastor and tinga are standouts.
There's a Taqueria Don Tin in many neighborhoods across the city.
With locations scattered acfross the city, Dont Tin is worth seeking out. The Northside spot ont he corner of Irvington and Tidwell—known as Don Tin #6—recently got a facelift. Look for a bright red-orange truck marked “The Taco King on Tidwell,” and you'll know you’re in the right spot. Order the Tacos Matamoros: al pastor topped with queso fresco, cilantro, avocado, and onion, finished with spicy, creamy tomatillo salsa.
This is the go-to for traditional trompo taco—marinated pork shawarma grilled in a revolving spit. Expect tender, well-seasoned meat with cilantro, onion, and your choice of corn or flour tortillas. Spice lovers: ask for the red salsa. You're welcome.
Welcome to taco heaven, with a steam table full of fillings for your creation of choice. Tlaxcalli is worth going for the excellent barbacoa alone. Seating is limited, but the tacos travel well. Take home some fresh tortillas while you're at it (they're perfect for making your own breakfast tacos in the morning).
After a three-year hiatus during the pandemic that had Houstonians worried this Navigation Boulevard institution, open since 1977, might be gone for good, Villa Arcos is back. The food and the vibes are as good as ever, but the ,“super tacos”—giant and stuffed with your favorite filling—are what rise to the top. The chorizo-potato super is our go-to order, but you do you.
Past staff members, including Emma Balter and Marco Torres, contributed to this list.
