By Matt Kyle | Staff Writer
Whoever said Waco doesn’t have great Mexican food? Waco is home to some seriously great taco trucks; plenty of taco trucks can be found nestled around the city.
This weekend, my friends and I embarked on a taco tour of Waco to find the best tacos in the city. We ate at some near campus and some far, but overall we found that Waco is teeming with great and cheap eats perfect for any fan of tacos or foodie alike. Here are some of the best we found.
Taquisa Waco, 1425 La Salle Ave.
Taquisa Waco has been my go-to taco spot for a while. Located at Route 77 Food Park at the corner of 15th and La Salle, Taquisa has some seriously delicious tacos. Tacos are cheap at only $2 per taco, and there is plenty of space to sit and eat.
Taquisa’s birria tacos are some of the best in the city, and the rest of their tacos aren’t to be trifled with either. The meat is tender and juicy, and the salsa is perfection. The salsa verde is full of flavor, while the red salsa is hard-hitting and spicy, but equally full of flavor.
Birria options extend beyond just birria tacos; Taquisa has birria hot dogs, ramen and pizza. Location is also a plus for Taquisa, with the food park providing tons of seating, other great food trucks and even a few games to play while you wait.
Taquisa has a special place in my heart, being the first taco truck I ate at in Waco, and it deserves to have a special place in your heart as well.
Taqueria La Milpa, 2011 La Salle Ave.
Another spot that has been on my radar for a while, La Milpa is open late and has ton of options beyond tacos, making it an all-around great spot to get some late night eats. In addition to tacos, La Milpa has quesadillas, burritos and even hamburgers.
La Milpa is a little on the expensive side and also usually comes with a bit of a wait. There is ample seating, but the parking lot is a little rough to get in and out of.
Once you get your tacos, you won’t regret coming to La Milpa. Their birria tacos are a little cheesy but still fantastic, and the consome is so tasty. La Milpa’s other types of tacos deliver as well, and the elote is out-of-this-world good.
If you’re willing to spend a little more than usual on street tacos, or if you’re looking for a taco truck that delivers more than just tacos, La Milpa is the place for you.
Taqueria Mis Marias, 1715 S. 19th St.
Located underneath a billboard in a tiny parking lot on the side of Interstate 35, there isn’t much that catches the eye about this truck. It is criminal how hidden this truck is, because it was easily one of the best trucks we stopped at during the tour.
Mis Marias is cash only, which is a little inconvenient, but if you come prepared you won’t regret it. Tacos are cheap and served quickly, and best of all, cheese isn’t extra. The toppings were perfectly proportioned, with equal amounts of meat, cheese, onion and cilantro.
We got pastor and carne asada tacos, which were perfectly seasoned and especially tender. Mis Marias’ salsa was also excellent; it was very flavorful and had a nice kick to it. The salsa was spicy, but not too spicy. It satisfied my need for a spicy kick, while also not being too spicy for my friends’ liking.
There isn’t much seating, but you could always get your tacos to go. It’s a little out of the way, but Mis Marias is a hidden gem that I couldn’t recommend enough.
Pollos El Rey, 801 N. 25th St.
Another cash-only spot, Pollos El Rey is in the parking lot of a convenience store, making it easy to grab cash. While it is a far trek from campus, Pollos El Rey is fully worth it for its cheap and delicious tacos.
We got carne asada, pastor and chicken tacos, and each was more delicious than the last. The chicken was tender and juicy, and the salsa was incredibly tasty. Pastor had a little kick and was full of flavor, and the carne asada was grilled to perfection.
Pollos shares a parking lot with an elote truck for anyone who wants something to pair with their tacos. There isn’t much seating, but I would recommend eating the tacos there. The tacos we were served were piping hot, fresh off the grill. Pollos El Rey is a perfect stop for quick, cheap and simply delicious street tacos.
Taqueria Durango, 4330 Memorial Drive
Durango was perhaps the cheapest spot we stopped at, but what sets it apart is the many exotic options they have for tacos. We got beef tongue, cactus and discada, which was a mix of chicken, beef and pork.
The discada was one of the best tacos we had on the tour, and the cactus tacos were a great and spicy vegan option. Durango also has some seriously good agua frescas; I would go all the way out there just for a mango juice. It was that good.
Durango also had a covered and air conditioned dining room, making it a great spot to stop and eat at during any time of the year. While it took a little long to get out tacos, Durango was easily one of the best places we stopped at.
