Best Tacos in Houston
Houston is a foodie’s dream destination. The city is a melting pot of cultures, giving both locals and visitors hundreds of delicious, diverse, and often affordable dining options. Due to its rich Mexican influence, Houston is home to a serious taco scene. Some of the best tacos are located here, whether it’s at an authentic street stall or a trendy taqueria.
We compile a list of the 15 best Tacos in Houston. Our pick of Houston’s top three tacos? Laredo Tacqueria’s chorizo and egg, with a fresh flour tortilla, chorizo that’s bursting with flavor and perfectly done scrambled eggs; Dona Lena’s birria tacos, with mouthwatering, consume and juicy beef birria also makes a list, as well as El Taconazo’s classic fajita tacos, with perfectly done fajita beef on a delicious flour tortilla.
15 Best Tacos Places in Houston
Here is the List of the 15 Best Tacos places in Houston:
- Laredo Taqueria
- Tacos Dona Lena
- El Taconazo
- Brothers Taco House
- Boombox Taco
- Cantina Barba
- Xochi
- Tio Trompo
- Cuchara
- 7Taco
- Hugos
- TJ Birria y Mas
- Tacos Tierra Caliente
- Cochinita & Co.
- The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
1. Laredo Taqueria
Address: 915 Snover Street Houston, TX 77007
A line out the door is likely to be seen at this authentic spot, and for a good reason. In my opinion, Laredo Taqueria is home to the best breakfast tacos in town. Situated in Washington Heights, the small store has become a staple for Houstonians. It’s delicious and affordable, and yes, the line moves quickly.
Hours
Monday – Saturday 6 A.M. – 6 P.M.; Closed Sunday
Payment
Credit card, cash
2. Tacos Dona Lena
Address: 8788 Hammerly Blvd Ste G Houston, TX 77080
Tacos Dona Lena is one of the most loved Mexican establishments in Houston. Dona Lena moved her home business selling tacos from Salamanca Guanajuato, Mexico, to the US in the 1990s. In 2020, she opened her first restaurant in Houston (lucky for us). Try the birria tacos for some of the best in town, made with love and delivered with a smile.
Hours
Monday-Thursday 11 A.M.-9 P.M.; Friday 11 A.M.-10 P.M.; Saturday 8 A.M.-10 P.M.; Sunday 8 A.M.-9 P.M.
Payment
Credit card, cash
3. El Taconazo
Address: 4003 Fulton St, Houston, TX 77009
El Taconazo is one of the most loved food trucks by Houstonians. The crowd’s favorite is the fajita tacos. For a low price, you get authentic tacos stuffed to the brim with high-quality ingredients. Keep in mind that it’s cash only! These are some of the best street tacos you can find here.
Hours
Sunday-Thursday 9 A.M. – 12 A.M.; Friday-Saturday 9 A.M.-2:30 A.M.
Payment
Cash only
4. Brothers Taco House
Address: 1604 Emancipation Ave, Houston, TX 77003
Get here early (they open at 6 A.M.) for some of the best breakfast tacos you can find. However, if you arrive past 10 A.M. and they’re all out of breakfast, never fear. This spot has tons of other delectable taco options that are easy on the wallet.
Hours
Mon-Fri 5 A.M.-3 P.M.; Sat 6 A.M.-1 P.M.; Sun 7 A.M.-1 P.M.
Payment
Credit card, cash
5. Boombox Taco
Address: 3715 Market St Houston, TX 77020
This taco truck serves up a tantalizing menu of both traditional and innovative tacos. Boombox offers “remixed” tacos, which are open-faced quesadillas, “funky” (chicken), “soul” (steak), or “cumbia” (pastor) style. The truck also boasts incredible vegetarian and vegan options, such as the highly recommended vegan chorizo taco.
Hours
Closed Sun, Mon, Wed; Open Tues 6 P.M.-11 P.M.; Thurs 6 P.M.-2 A.M.; Fri-Sat 6 P.M.-3 A.M.
Payment
Credit card, cash
6. Cantina Barba
Address: 3701 N Main St Houston, TX 77009
Open till the wee hours of the morning, Cantina Barba is your best bet for late-night taco cravings. This spot boasts a nice and spacious patio in the Heights. Stop by until 2 A.M. on weeknights and 3 A.M. on Fridays and Saturdays to get your midnight snack.
Hours
Sun-Thurs: 9 A.M.-2 A.M.; Fri-Sat: 9 A.M.-3 A.M.
Payment
Credit card, cash
7. Xochi
Address: 1777 Walker St Ste A Houston, TX 77010
Looking for something a little more high dollar? Xochi serves up unique and upscale Mexican dishes with enticing taco options, such as tacos de pato with roasted duck. Every dish served is beautiful and vibrant, making this spot majorly Instagrammable and exciting.
Hours
Tuesday – Thursday: 11:30 am – 9pm; Friday & Saturday: 11:30am – 10pm; Sunday: 11 am – 3pm
Payment
Credit card, cash
8. Tio Trompo
Address: 316 Shepherd Dr. Houston, TX 77007
A little bit of food fusion occurs at Tio Trompo, where they combine the robust flavors of middle eastern shawarma with classic Mexican tortillas and salsas. The trompo tacos take marinated grilled pork off a spit and throw it into a tortilla, creating a brand-new flavor profile and delighting the tastebuds with every bite.
Hours
Closed Mon; Tues-Sat 8 A.M.-8 P.M.; Sun 8 A.M.- 3 P.M.
Payment
Credit card, cash
9. Cuchara
Address: 214 Fairview St Ste A Houston, TX 77006
Cuchara is a tad on the pricier side, but their chorizo and potato crunchy tacos are well worth it in my opinion. This Mexico City-inspired bistro located in Montrose also has a great brunch menu and expansive drinks list.
Hours
Closed Mon; Sun, Tues-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Payment
Credit card, cash
10. 7Taco
Address: 9101 Long Point Rd Houston, TX 77055
This local spot in North Houston has a drive-through, so you can easily grab a breakfast taco to fight the Sunday scaries. My personal favorite is the chorizo, egg, and potato taco. 7Taco is known for its authentic flavors, generous fillings, and flavorful salsas.
Hours
Mon 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Tue 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Wed 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Thu 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Fri 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Sat 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Sun 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Payment
Credit cards, cash
11. Hugos
Address: 1600 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Hugo’s is a classy Montrose restaurant perfect for date night. Executive Chef Hugo Ortega cooks up deep and complex dishes. Try the carnitas tacos if you’re looking for something more traditional! This restaurant falls on the pricier side, but the ambiance is stellar, and you’ll surely enjoy it.
Hours
Closed Mon; Tues-Wed 3pm-9pm; Thu 11:30am-9pm; Fri 11:30am-10:30pm; Sat 11am-10:30pm; Sun 10am-9pm
Payment
Credit card, cash
12. TJ Birria y Mas
Address: 2025 N Durham Dr. Ste A Houston TX 77008
This establishment’s motto is “wake up, work hard, eat tacos,” and honestly, I could not agree more. Serving up all kinds of birria dishes, the meat and consumption are hard to beat. They even offer a birria ramen if you’re feeling like switching up from the classic tacos!
Hours
Mon 11am-9pm; Tue 11am-9pm; Wed 11am-9pm; Thu 11am-9pm; Fri 11:30am-10:30pm; Sat 11am-10:30pm; Sun 10am-9pm
Payment
Credit card, cash
13. Tacos Tierra Caliente
Address: 2003 W Alabama St Houston, TX 77098
You can’t go wrong with any taco at Tacos Tierra Caliente, a food truck in the Montrose area. The barbacoa on a corn tortilla is sure to impress if you can grab one before they run out: these are a hot commodity. Walking distance from multiple bars, this truck is there for your post-drink taco cravings.
Hours
Sun-Thurs 7:30am-10:00pm; Fri-Sat 7:30am-11:00pm
Payment
Cash only
14. Cochinita & Co.
Address: 5420 Lawndale St, Houston, TX 77023
This trendy establishment in the East End offers delicious and unique flavor combinations in their tacos, such as the pineapple shrimp tacos. A tasty vegan taco is highly esteemed as well: the tinga taco is made with lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms and topped with vegan avocado crema and caramelized onions.
Hours
Mon-Fri 8am-8pm; Fri-Sat 8am-9pm; Sun 8am-3pm
Payment
Credit card, cash
15. The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
Address: 2704 Navigation Blvd Houston, TX 77003
Ninfa’s has some of the best fajita tacos in Houston. They come out sizzling hot and go perfectly with their handmade corn tortillas. During my stint as a vegetarian, I would frequent Ninfa’s for their delectable veggie fajita tacos.
Hours
Mon-Thurs 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM; Fri 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM; Sat 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM; Sun 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Payment
Credit cards, cash
Conclusion
In a city like Houston, known for its vibrant food scene, the quest for the best tacos is a delightful adventure. Good tacos are abundant here, but a select few rise above the rest as the true champions. Whether you’re in the mood for authentic Mexican street-style tacos or craving innovative fusions that ignite your taste buds, Houston’s taco joints offer an array of options that are sure to satisfy every taco enthusiast.
So, if you’re on the lookout for the best tacos in Houston, stop by any on this list, and you will not be disappointed.
