As part of this year’s Tailgate, CultureMap’s celebration of everyone’s favorite way to get in the game-day spirit, we’re asking readers to determine the best taco spot in Dallas in our Top Taco Tournament.
Picking one best taco joint out of hundreds of qualified restaurants is virtually impossible. Instead, we’ve chosen 16 favorites across a few categories.
The nominees are paired up, bracket-style, to compete against each other. Readers can vote for their favorite restaurant in each matchup. The winners will go on to the next round, until a champion emerges.
Round one voting is open now until midnight on September 22. You can vote once per day in the tournament, through October 4.
Taqueria La Ventana's Mexican street tacos.
We’ll reveal the winner on stage at The Tailgate, taking place 12-4 pm Sunday, October 5, at The Empire Room. The afternoon will include tailgate-inspired cuisine from local restaurants; premium cocktails; a silent auction of sports memorabilia, and the chance to meet-and-greet Texas Rangers pitching legend Derek Holland.
Cowboys fans, sport those jerseys in support of Dak & company, who'll be taking on the New York Jets that afternoon. Big screens will be up around the venue.
Read more about The Tailgate here, stay updated through our editorial series, and nab tickets ($50) here before they sell out.
Here are the nominees in CultureMap's Top Taco Tournament:
Chilangos Tacos
Dallas-based chain founded in 2019 by SMU grad Jon Garay and highly regarded chef Joel Mendoza. "Chilango" is slang for a resident of Mexico City, and the capital's influence is felt through the simple taco and quesadilla preparation of protein, onions, cilantro, and choice of salsa. Their signature is the La Costras Taco, like a grilled cheese version of a taco featuring fajita beef, bacon, and avocado on a toasted flour tortilla.
Del Sur Tacos
Oak Cliff's Jefferson Boulevard is crowded with Mexican restaurants, but Del Sur stands out for inventive tacos like chile relleno, cochinita pibil, and the El Santo (grilled pork and crisp radishes with guajillo salsa), plus rare finds like mulitas, a cross between a taco and a quesadilla.
The Dream Tacos by Chetra
A former CultureMap Tastemaker Award nominee for Best Chef, Chetra Chau serves up "global fusion tacos" first in Plano and now also at The Realm at Castle Hills, a mixed-used development along SH 121 in Lewisville. More than two dozen tacos span the globe, from a Beef Wellington taco made with sliced filet mignon to Korean bulgogi beef, shrimp and grits, lots of vegan options, and even a spaghetti meatball taco.
Fuel City
A true Dallas institution since 1995. One of the first gas stations to sport a taqueria, this Dallas-area chain is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Some locations branch out with ice cream, pizza, burgers, fried pies, a beer bar, and daiquiris, but all serve the core taco menu of chicken, picadillo, beef fajita, barbacoa, pastor, and nopales.
Maskaras Mexican Grill
Lucha libre masks, garments, and memorabilia adorn the walls of this Oak Cliff hole-in-the-wall. Known for its birria and quesabirria tacos, the restaurant also serves tacos of the street, veggie, shrimp, and deep-fried variety.
Resident Taqueria
The Lake Highlands taqueria made a splash when musician St. Vincent served customers on its opening day back in 2015, and now, 10 years later, it's still making waves. It's a foodie pick and no wonder, with gourmet tacos as pecan-smoked chicken, caramelized cauliflower, pork belly burnt ends, and Texas short rib.
Rusty Taco
Founded in Dallas (by the same man who started Uncle Julio's) and now spread over 11 states, Rusty Taco boasts an expansive menu with old standbys plus inventive offerings like the Corny Pig (margarita-braised pork topped with street corn and crispy potatoes), cola-braised brisket, and chicken bacon jam.
Señor Oink
Recently opened Farmers Branch restaurant is all about the pork carnitas, with meat cut from the rib, stomach, pig’s skin, and shoulder. El Rumbero has pork shoulder with pineapple and chili de arbol sauce. The Oink Supremo has pork skin with fire-roasted salsa and guacamole. They also sell carnitas by the pound and in bowls, tortas, and flautas.
Tacodeli
A salsa bar complements the tacos at this Austin-based chain, which draws inspiration from Mexico City as well as its Texas roots. An extensive menu offers breakfast tacos, lots of vegetarian options, seafood like salmon and Gulf shrimp, and rotating specials.
Taco Ocho
It started in Richardson in 2011 and has since grown to include three more Dallas-area locations, all owned and operated by Mani Bhushan, an Indian immigrant who married into Mexican culture. A particular focus is paid to premium ingredients, with preservative-free tortillas, all-natural cheeses, and sustainably sourced seafood.
Taco Y Vino
Yes, tacos and wine go together, and yes, they're even better when served in a funky little Bishop Arts house with records spinning in the background, live music on the patio, and lotería on Tuesday nights. Affable owner Jimmy Contreras has found so much success that he's branching out to Garland. Special nod to its popular deal of six tacos and a bottle of wine for $50.
Taquería El Arquito
Family-owned and run, this taqueria chain now has nine DFW-area locations (including a new one in Deep Ellum). All serve their famous tacos de trompo, and customer-friendly hours mean that breakfast tacos also get the spotlight.
Taqueria La Ventana
Authentic Mexico City street food is the name of the game here, with tiny tacos boasting big flavor being served first from a walk-up counter in downtown Dallas. Now there are three more locations, all offering your choice of bistek, lengua, chopped brisket, shrimp, barbacoa, chicken, pastor, carnitas, and calabacitas (squash).
Taqueria Taxco
Bustling family-run chain found at gas stations across DFW. From tromp and tripe to fajita meat, fish, and even chicharron, there's a taco for every palate. On Tuesdays, the already reasonably priced tacos go even lower, or choose 3 tacos plus rice and beans for around $13 any day of the week.
Urban Taco
With its longtime Mockingbird Station location now closed, Urban Taco lives on through OOMI Digital Kitchen (they share a founder), which offers several brands and cuisines for delivery or carry-out from its Ross Avenue ghost kitchen. An array of veggie tacos are supplemented by what Texas Monthly voted a top ten: the Al Pastor a la Tuma, sporting fried manchego cheese, roasted jalapeños, and avocado.
Velvet Taco
Dallas-founded chain's bold approach to tacos has resulted in funky mash-ups that span the globe. Think: tikka masala chicken, Nashville hot tofu, Korean pork fried rice, bacon smash burger, and fish n' chips. Sixteen DFW locations — and plenty more beyond — feed the public's cravings well into the wee hours.
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The Tailgate is sponsored by FLIGHT by Yuengling, Sportsmo, Puttshack, Mizzen+Main, Antone's Famous Po' Boys, NXL LVL Events, Patron, Still Austin Whiskey, and more to be announced.
Historic Dallas architecture meets traditional Mexican hospitality at Sor Juana.Photo credit: Paul Torres