20 Best Tacos In Austin That I Always Recommend To My Friends
Here are the 20 best tacos in Austin, along with a map so you can find a great taco near you, stat!
I absolutely LIVE for exploring the Austin restaurant scene, and after eating hundreds of tacos in Austin and San Antonio, I'm ecstatic to bring you this guide to the best tacos in Austin. My goal is to get you away from your screen and at a local taqueria, ASAP!
About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheWacoThings.com!
TL;DR? Here are 3 great tacos in Austin to get you started.
1. Lazarus Brewing
With 2 Austin locations, this award-winning brewery also serves fresh Mexican street-style tacos. Best spot to sit down in Austin with great tacos and a really good beer.
2. Nixta Taqueria
The chef won a James Beard Award in 2022, so these tacos are legit. "Fancy tacos" so they're not cheap, but served in a casual ATX backyard atmosphere.
3. Cuantos Tacos
For the best Mexico City-style tacos, go to Cuantos and order a bunch of these tiny, bite-sized tacos. Located in a food truck park with lots of adjacent shaded picnic tables.
The Best Tacos In Austin
1. Lazarus Brewing
I'm mentioning Lazarus Brewing first on this list of best tacos in Austin because both brewery locations are just fun, casual spot to hang out with friends or family.
In addition to the award-winning beers, you can order some of the best tacos in Austin from their kitchen. (Seriously...there's no combo like a fresh al pastor street tacos + a west coast IPA.)
Lazarus Brewing actually had the chef from El Primo come and start this taco program, so if you know anything about the Austin taco scene, you know these tacos are legit!
WEBSITE | Two locations: 1902 E 6th St, and 4803 Airport Blvd
2. Cuantos Tacos
Helloooooo perfect little bite-size tacos! Cuantos Tacos is the food truck that you'll try and then immediately start telling everyone about it.
What are Mexico City-style tacos? Well, they’re small corn tortilla tacos that are made to be eaten in 2-3 bites. They serve traditional fillings, like carnitas and barbacoa, or other mixes of meat, topped with onion/cilantro/lime.
**Definitely order more than you think you need…they really are tiny.** (Besides, once you have your first bite, odds are you won’t want to stop eating them, anyway. They’re that good.)
WEBSITE | 1108 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
3. Veracruz All-Natural
If you're new to Austin or just visiting, this is the first place you need to go for tacos in Austin! Veracruz All-Natural isn't new or flashy, but it is a household name in most local Austinites, and for good reason: these tacos are AWESOME.
Sisters Reyna and Maritza were raised in Mexico and started Veracruz as a single food truck, and it has grown in popularity to now include multiple locations. The authentic Mexican tacos are insanely fresh and delicious, and they have the tastiest house-made salsas you can find in Austin.
***Insider tip: the Veracruz location at The LINE hotel in downtown Austin is next to the famous bat bridge. It’s a great place to grab some tacos before watching those Mexican Free-Tailed bats emerge at dusk on a summer night in Austin.
WEBSITE |Multiple locations
4. De Nada Cantina
All the Austin vibes! (Also a veeeery popular place...) De Nada Cantina has and adorable interior + patio, delicious tequila and mezcal-based cocktails, and CRAZY GOOD tacos.
The housemade blue corn tortillas offer a great start, but it’s the high-quality ingredients and attention to detail in flavors and cooking methods that set these tacos above the rest.
Of course, eating the tacos is just half the fun; the restaurant itself is a party! De Nada is colorful, hip, and just feels like a Friday night.
WEBSITE | 4715 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
5. Asador
We're talkin' the absolute best drunk food tacos here at popular mini chain Asador, which started as a taco booth in the courtyard behind Las Perlas bar in downtown Austin and now has three locations!
The owner puts SO much work into creating the most scrumptious, creative fillings that are stuffed inside these delicious, soft flour tortillas that are sort of "charred" on the outside to make a nice variety of textures. There aren't many places on Rainey Street that are worth going to these days, but Asador is on the list.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
6. Taqueria 10/10
Whoops...I stayed away from this Taqueria speakeasy because I thought it was gimmicky, but my bad! One I finally stopped by, I was wowed by the fresh corn tortilla, the scrumptious pastor fillings, and the quick counter service.
Here's exactly how to find Taqueria 10/10, Austin's taqueria speakeasy.
These are just as good as the authentic CDMX street tacos...but you'll be paying Austin prices for them. Sorry. 😉
WEBSITE | 206 Trinity St unit 110, Austin, TX 78701
7. Nixta Taqueria
Fancy tacos, but in an unpretentious way! Nixta head chef Edgar Rico won a 2022 James Beard Award in the Emerging Chef category, so that’s a pretty big deal.
Nixta is a high-low restaurant, meaning you might pay top dollar (more than 10 bucks) for a taco, and you’re going to enjoy it in a counter-service/no-reservations/homey setting, and it’s totally worth it.
The painstaking nixtamalization process they create their masa means the BEST corn tortillas in the city of Austin. Seriously. These can’t be beat.
Try to order 2-3 tacos and tostadas so you can experience a few different flavors from this award-winning taqueria in east Austin.
WEBSITE | 2512 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
8. Paprika Taco Truck
Paprika is one of the most "chef-y" taco trucks in Austin, and I'm obsessed.
There’s typically a line of people outside (sometimes even before they open). They focus on fresh ingredients and comfort food. These delicious tacos are served in a soft, flat tortilla topped with the richest and most vibrant meats, sauces, spices, and toppings around.
Something that’s unique about Paprika is that they create the staples, like a classic carnitas taco with cilantro and onion sprinkled on top, just as well as they do their more creative dishes, like a prickly pear cactus taco with salsa roja (HOT!) and refried lentils.
WEBSITE | 6519 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
9. El Primo Taco Truck
A total South Austin staple, El Primo taco truck has been parked in front of an unassuming convenience store on South First Street in Austin, Texas, since…well, forever.
They’ve upgraded the truck (it got TOO busy and popular!), but the name and face have remained the same: El Primo serves really good, classic street tacos that are made to order.
You’ll want a minimum of 2-3 tacos here. They start with soft or corn tortillas and then top them with delicious meat that’s been marinated and then grilled on their well-seasoned cooktop.
WEBSITE | 2101 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
10. Con Todo Taco Truck
Con Todo is the best taco truck to visit before an Austin FC game! This taco truck is parked at Celis Brewery, so you can stop by and pre-game with a few tacos and a round of beers.
This is Rio Grande Valley food made from folks who grew up in the 956 (RGV area code.)
Try the Nopalitos (beef, cactus paddles) or the Pollo (chicken in a seasonally rotating mole). Be sure to ask for your taco "con todo" to get all the toppings!
WEBSITE | 10001 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758
11. Palo Seco 512
Previously known as La Tunita 512, this little East Austin taco truck has rebranded to Palo Seco 512 and it's still the best place for quesabirria tacos in Austin.
They’re gooey, cheesy, drippy tacos that have locals coming back again and again. The tortilla is wrapped in an external shell of crunchy Monterrey Jack cheese, stuffed full of meat and veggies, and served with a consomme dipping sauce.
Your choice to dine at the nearby picnic table or carry out, but these are pretty messy. I don't recommend eating them in the car!
WEBSITE | 2400 Burleson Rd, Austin, TX 78741
12. Discada
While some taco trucks in Austin do a great job of offering all of the things, Discada swings the opposite direction: they make one type of taco, and they do it perfectly.
Discada is a style of cooking from northern Mexico in which everything is cooked on a plow disc (kind of like a "Cowboy wok") in a unique family recipe. Discada won’t share their exact recipe (it’s a secret!) but they disclose that it’s a mix of beef, pork, bell peppers, and onions, as well as some special spices.
Order 3 if you want a snack, 6 if you want a small meal, and 8 if you’re starving.
WEBSITE | 1319 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
13. Suerte
If you're looking for an upscale dining restaurant with insanely good tacos, it's going to be Surety.
It’s a beautiful east Austin restaurant with a bright, vibrant interior, incredible cocktails, and one of the best masa programs in the city. Chef Fernin Nunez takes pride in sourcing a variety of heirloom corn, using the centuries-old process of nixtamalization to summon every little bit of flavor from each piece of corn.
The tortillas are SO soft and flavorful, and they create the perfect base for Suerte’s suadero tacos: they start with a few of those killer corn tortillas, then add a salty, flavorful confit wagyu brisket, top it with black magic oil and avocado crudo, and then sprinkle a few onions and cilantro on top. Perfection.
WEBSITE | 1800 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
14. La Taquicardia
With three locations (north, central, and south) you'll have no trouble getting one of these house-made blue corn tortilla tacos at La Taquicardia!
The cochinita pibil and barbacoa tacos are the two most popular, but you can't go wrong with any of the slow-marinated meats, scratch-made mole, or signature salsas.
(Psst: my favorite location is at this insanely beautiful bar on South Menchaca, but there's also a location at Colton House Hotel and Southern Heights Brewery.)
WEBSITE | multiple locations
15. OneTaco
A mini chain in Austin with a loyal following, the authentic Mexican tacos at OneTaco have been a staple in Austin since two best friends started it as a single food truck back in 2009. It has since been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and now has multiple locations.
OneTaco use straditional methods of preparation, cooking each order to perfection on the spot. The final tacos, aqua frescos, and chips are flavorful and guaranteed to hit the spot for anyone craving an authentic Mexican street taco experience.
Psst: OneTaco is one of the local food vendors at Q2 Stadium. Be sure to look for them!
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
16. Tacodeli
There’s an old battle between Tacodeli (established in 1999) and Torchy’s Tacos (established in 2006), because they’re two of the biggest original taco chains in Austin. Most people will tell you that Tacodeli wins by a landslide. (Torchy's is essentially a big corporate chain now. I'm not recommending it if you want the best tacos in Austin.)
The fact is, Tacodeli has predictably solid tacos at every one of their locations. They use really good ingredients, organic chorizo, pasture-raised eggs, and Texas cheesemakers queso fresco.
The menu is quite robust, but you can order ahead through an app and pick up your tacos for an easy family dinner, making this the most convenient taco shop in Austin.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
17. Las Trancas Taco Stand
Best option for really cheap street food tacos in Austin? Las Trancas.
It's a no-frills truck located in east downtown, making it a popular spot for late-night crowds who need a salty, greasy, delicious bite of food to wrap up a day.
The corn tortillas aren’t homemade, but they’re serviceable and work well to get that food into your mouth as fast as possible. Order a bunch of tacos here (they’re small), and be sure to smother them in some of the spicy salsa and add a big squeeze of lime.
WEBSITE | 1210 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
18. Granny’s Tacos
Sure, the name is catchy and cute, but these tacos are actually some of the best tacos in Austin.
Granny’s Tacos is a small food truck in east Austin with a wide variety of street tacos. There’s a little bit of everything: chicken, pork, steak, and veggies.
WEBSITE | 1401 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
19. Vaquero Taquero
There aren't many restaurants on Dirty Sixth in Austin that are worth visiting, but Vaquero Taquero definitely makes the cut.
The must-try taco? Their Al Pastor. Vaquero Taquero makes their delicious tacos al pastor with meat that's freshly cut from their own trompo, then top these yummy tacos with onion and cilantro, and a little bit of pineapple.
All their tacos are served with fresh lime wedges and homemade salsas to give them that extra pop of flavor that can't be beaten.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
20. El Tacorrido
I'm a little ashamed to be adding this to a list of the best tacos in Austin, but the truth is sometimes you need a drive-thru option. And these are the best drive-thru tacos in Austin.
They're certainly not bad! (I'm just not going to rank them as high as the tacos at Nixta or De Nada.) But if you want some delicious Austin tacos AND you don't want to leave your car, El Tacorrido is your best bet.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
I'll finish by saying this: “best tacos in Austin” is kind of a broad statement. After all, there are breakfast tacos, Mexico City-style tacos, bbq tacos, fusion tacos, and a whole myriad of other options out there. Some places make their own amazing tortillas, and some places claim to make their own tortillas, but they honestly taste just “meh.” And, of course, there’s a big difference between dining at a formal sit-down restaurant (like Suerte) versus craving a greasy boat of 3 mini taquitos from a late-night food truck.
All this to say: there’s a taco for every time in life. This list of the 20 best tacos in Austin was created to be a well-rounded guide to help point you to both the fancy AND the casual taco joints. And please note: this is a guide to lunch/dinner tacos. If you’re really craving the best breakfast tacos in Austin, click here.
This post is part of the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance City Guide! To see more guides to the ATX food scene, click here.
Related posts:
Kid Friendly Restaurants in Austin That Actually Have Good Food
Here it is! A round up of my very favorite kid friendly restaurants in Austin…
Read More
Best New Restaurants in Austin (With Map) – December 2024
It’s hard to keep up with all the new restaurants opening in Austin! Use this guide + map to find something new to try near you.
Read More
What Are The Most Romantic Restaurants In Austin?
The sexiest, most romantic restaurants in Austin for when you’re ready to pull out all the stops.
Read More