Take a Ride on the Taco Trail

Searching for the perfect taco? Hunting for the hand-held holy grail of fresh-roasted meat and bright salsa wrapped up in a warm corn tortilla? Head to Sylvania Avenue and 28th Street on the East Side to find more than two dozen taquerias, food trucks, and sit-down restaurants to explore on your epic taco quest. Each outlet offers a unique take on the ubiquitous Mexican street food, with taqueros (taco chefs) dishing out everything from trendy beef birria and spicy chorizo to chicken and vegan eats. But don’t overlook the suadero and deshebrada — unfamiliar meats are a good indication that the taqueria is more authentic. 

Another good sign: No hablan inglés. Some taqueros don’t speak English, so you might want to brush up on your menu Spanish before you go. Most of these taquerias are small family-owned businesses, many with inconsistent hours and no websites. Some take only cash, and ambiance is lacking in general. Yet with vibrant flavors and modest prices, this string of taco shops is the ideal destination to broaden your gustatory horizons. 

Just remember, the only rule when it comes to tacos is, there are no rules. One man’s barbacoa is another woman’s tlaquepaque. You say cabeza, I say cachete. Is it al pastor, trompo, or adobada? The only way to discover the truth is to try them all, which is exactly what we did to bring you the ultimate Tex-Mex foodie adventure: the Fort Worth Taco Trail.

We’ve chosen a dozen of the top taco spots to include on the Fort Worth Taco Trail, a route that covers five miles from Guapo Taco to Tres Betos — so you could theoretically visit all 12 eateries on one heroic bicycle ride. Mere mortals can simply pick and choose, following new paths to your favorite fillings … and finding even more to love about your hometown.

1. Guapo Taco

You can’t judge a book by its cover, nor a taqueria by its gas station environs. Situated in the back corner of Dave’s convenience store (and stumbling distance from Martin House Brewery), this hidden gem serves up street tacos and mess-worthy birria tacos made with lamb or beef barbacoa. Guapo’s three signature tacos show up on flour tortillas, a default that you won’t see elsewhere on the Taco Trail, where corn tortillas reign supreme. The tacos showcase the vivid colors and flavors the taqueria is known for, with a rainbow of ingredients like purple onions, red guajillo crema, and blistered yellow corn. They’re the brainchild of chef Angel Fuentes, who captains the griddle and crafts the house-made chorizo. His elote loco (crazy Mexican corn) is tricked out with tangy Takis chips and cotija cheese, along with crema, mayo, and chile lime dust — one of the best side dishes on the Taco Trail. Fuentes’ not-too-hot red salsa goes well with his flame-kissed asada, and the green is thick and lush. Guapo Taco transcends every other establishment around for vegan cuisine with a whole menu of plant-based eats and specialty tacos loaded with proteins like soy asada, al pastor-seasoned cauliflower, and mushrooms with pico. 

Tastiest taco: Asada

Standout salsa: Red

Best for: Taco lovers with a thing for vegetables 

Heads-up: You won’t see them on the menu, but you can order mini churros drizzled with chocolate and/or caramel sauce for dessert

Dine-in? Yes

Credit cards? Yes

301 N. Sylvania Ave.

2. Taqueria Don Taco

Parked in the lot of Stagecoach Ballroom just south of US 377, this green and yellow truck plays it a little differently with a few of its fillings. Al pastor lacks the pork’s standard vermillion coloring, which comes from a marinade of chile, pineapple, and achiote (a red-orange paste made from seeds). Yet it’s missing none of the potency — it’s juicy and dripping with deliciousness. The carnitas seem more like roast pork, tender instead of crispy, with a peppery taste. Asada is also a solid bet. All the tacos come with grilled onions and lime, plus some of the freshest corn tortillas on the Taco Trail. You’ll need the citrus to balance the cabeza, a fattier cut from the beef cheek. The elote is basic but cool and creamy with mayo and heaps of cotija, and you can wet your whistle with a Topo Chico or Mexican Coke. For dessert, peruse three shelves stacked with Mexican candies and packaged pastries like caramel empanadas, guava rolls, and pineapple coconut bars.

Tastiest taco: Al pastor

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers with a sweet tooth

Heads-up: Both red and green salsas are hot, hot, hot

Dine-in? No, but there is a card table with four chairs in front of the truck

Credit cards? No

309 N. Sylvania Ave.

3. Taqueria Adrecs

With an alchemic blend of seared, sweet, savory, and hearty flavors, Adrec’s asada is one of the highlights of the Taco Trail. Whether its secret is in the seasoning, the cut of beef, or the wood smoke — this blue truck attracts a thick crowd from all walks of life to the convenience store parking lot it calls home. Another hit: adobada, one of al pastor’s closest cousins. The two pork fillings share similar marinades, but al pastor is traditionally roasted on a spit while adobada is grilled or braised (fried lightly then stewed). Adrec’s braised adobada is saucy and dripping with goodness, an outlier in the street taco realm of drier meats. It also serves tasty trompo and uber-tender barbacoa, although asada is its top seller. Adrec’s scorchy red salsa pairs with all three, while the grassy green one proffers a smoldering burn that lingers on the lips long after your final bite. Tacos come in fluffy corn tortillas and are sprinkled with chopped cilantro only (instead of the usual cilantro and onion mix). Instead, you’ll have a mound of grilled onions on the side with a hunky charred jalapeño, sliced radish, and some lime. Thirsty? They bust out the house-made horchata around 7:30 p.m.

Tastiest taco: Asada

Standout salsa: Red

Best for: Taco lovers who hate onions

Heads-up: If you think you’re seeing triple, you’re right: Taqueria Adrec’s has three locations. The blue truck mentioned above is directly north of U.S. 377 on N. Sylvania. There’s also a white truck on N. Sylvania about three blocks north and a dine-in location on NE 28th inside a convenience store. But the menu items are not consistent, and the blue truck is our favorite.

Dine-in? No

Credit cards? Yes

401-403 N. Sylvania Ave. 

4. Calisience

Stuffed with slow-simmered beef and a pillow of melted cheese, then griddled to a golden crisp and dipped in rich consommé — birria tacos have taken Fort Worth by storm in the last few years. And we have the owner of Calisience, Jacqueline Anaya, in part to thank for that. Her wildly popular food truck showcased birria tacos and stoked the fires of the toothsome trend, which we all hope is here to stay. Her award-winning brick-and-mortar (opened in late 2022) keeps the delectable beef birria front and center, starting with her signature tacos dorados (golden tacos). Every element is infused with the luscious consommé: the succulent beef, the corn tortillas, and the final bite as you drip it from the bowl to your mouth. The consistent crispiness of the tortillas and deep nuances of the broth set Anaya’s birria tacos above the rest. All the other entrees feature birria as well. The birria ramen shines with a zing of lime, and the seared cheese sandwich is fall-apart heaven. You’ll end up dipping it in your bowl of consommé, too, or maybe in the mild salsa verde. Calisience is also known for its strawberry horchata, and the mango is just as tempting — an iced-down tropical creamsicle that’s the perfect foil to the birria’s savory verve.

Tastiest taco: Birria

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers who want to dine in style 

Heads-up: A liquor license is in the works and will hopefully arrive soon

Dine-in? Yes

Credit cards? Yes

2707 Race St., Ste. 117

5. Tortilleria La Nueva de Zacatecas

“BE PREPARED TO SPEAK SPANISH.” Don’t be intimidated by the sign on the window at La Nueva de Zacatecas; they’re super nice inside and graceful about mangled attempts to pronounce their menu items. With 10 branches scattered around the DFW area, this tortilla shop sells takeout tacos in addition to its house-made tortillas fresh off the comal (tortilla griddle). You can also pick up to-go containers of its nopales (cactus) salad and seven types of salsas including habanero, avocado, and tomatillo. As expected, its tortilla game is on point: supple and warm with flecks of char and a springy texture. Wrapped around rajas (strips of onion and poblano) and molten Monterey Jack, they’re cozy and comforting. The menu here is more diverse than many, with 15 fillings including veg-focused options and three barbacoas (beef cheek, tongue, and lamb). Small hunks of potato hide in the beef picadillo, and the mellow deshebrada (boiled beef) plays well with the soft corn tortillas. Most of the meats need a little salt, which you might be tempted to amend by dashing on the brilliant red arbol salsa. Be wary: Its brawny, nutty flavor is soon usurped by a raging inferno in your face. Luckily, there are jugs of milk and juices (beet, carrot, and cactus) in the fridge to douse out the firestorm.

Tastiest taco: Rajas con queso

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers looking for the freshest tortillas

Heads-up: If you want to take home a package of tortillas, get there early — they run out before the end of the day

Dine-in? No

Credit cards? Yes

831 N. Sylvania Ave.

6. Tacos Los Irresistibles

A knife-wielding skeleton chef with a dramatic mustache greets you at the door of this well-branded establishment, which specializes in tacos de trompo. A spit-roasted pork with a citrus-chile pep, trompo is al pastor’s cousin from the Mexican city of Monterrey. Los Irresistibles stacks it up high and offers complimentary pineapple if you’d like (just ask for piña). You’ll also get a generous pile of grilled onions and access to the condiment bar, the only one on the Taco Trail (with minced onion, cilantro, lime, pickled vegetables, a satiny green salsa, and a toasty red sauce). The juicy pork chicharrón arrives sauced up already, but the frijoles charros preparados (prepared charro beans) steal the show. Bits of trompo, ham, hot dogs, cheese, onion, and bell peppers fight for space in the beer-based broth with a few puny pintos at the bottom. Nacho cheese fries are mountained with asada and best enjoyed on the late-night trip after you’ve had a drink or two (try them in a flour tortilla). Try to save room for dessert: cajeta-filled churros so dense and rich that they need a little ice cream to lighten them up. The piping-hot caramel will likely squirt onto your hand when you take the first bite — so totally worth the first-degree burn.

Tastiest taco: Trompo

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers who like a big menu

Heads-up: Tacos de trompo are just $1 each on Tuesday and Thursday

Dine-in? Yes

Credit cards? Yes

1308 N. Sylvania Ave.

7. Comedor El Zabrosito

With a comfy dining room and cold Modelo in the fridge, this highly rated Salvadoran restaurant is worth the swerve around Central America from Mexico into El Salvador. But there’s still plenty of Mexican cuisine to try. Asada, barbacoa, pollo, tripas, and lengua tacos share the menu with traditional Salvadoran dishes and seafood. They also sell dreamy pupusas made to order, hot and buttery corn flatbreads stuffed with melted cheese and vegetables or meat. Other Salvadoran delights include yucca con chicharrón (deep-fried cassava root with nobs of pork) and curtido (a tangy fermented cabbage slaw with carrot, onion, and oregano). The earthy green and thin red salsas are the mildest on the Taco Trail; try the slaw on your tacos instead for a blast of pizzazz. It’s especially appealing with the oh-so-soft lengua (beef tongue) and the stewy pollo, which is made with chicken thigh and a touch of tomato. Friendly, attentive service matches the restaurant’s upbeat atmosphere, though the food takes a while to arrive. Just put a little lime and salt in your cerveza and relax, Central American style.

Tastiest taco: Pollo

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers who don’t do spicy

Heads-up: Ask about their off-menu dessert specials, like quesadilla Salvadoreña (a sweet cheese pound cake)

Dine-in? Yes

Credit cards? Yes

1712 N. Sylvania Ave.

8. Taqueria Temo

Vehicles crowd the Texaco parking lot around this long-standing taco truck that hands out pagers to keep track of all the orders coming through. Temo’s specialty is the crowd-pleaser al pastor, and its version of the peppy red pork has an edgy sharpness and just enough kick. The crumbled, smoky asada and tender barbacoa are quite tasty too — you may have a hard time deciding your favorite. The juicier barbacoa fits with the creamy green salsa, which isn’t very acidic but works nonetheless. Temo’s also makes sincronizadas. A bit like quesadillas on steroids, sincronizadas are half-moon tortilla sandwiches full of meat and melting cheese with tomato, onion, avocado, and pickled jalapeños. Wash it all down with a bottle of Sangría Señorial, a nonalcoholic fruit soda with hints of cola and wine.

Tastiest taco: Barbacoa

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers running on empty

Heads-up: You might want to ask for extra salsa; their portion size is a bit small, especially for larger orders

Dine-in? No

Credit cards? Yes

2611 NE 28th St.

9. Tacos El Barrio

Neon-colored signage beckons you into Tacos El Barrio with the energetic promise of TACOS, and the cheerful mood continues inside with yellow and turquoise walls. It serves tacos estilo D.F. (in the style of the Federal District aka Mexico City), a catch-all label for classic, no-frills street tacos. For the most authentic experience, try the suadero — it’s the only taco to originate in Mexico City. A thin cut that’s found between the sirloin and flank, this slow-cooked beef has a smooth and slightly chewy texture. It’s fatty in a good way, as is their chunky barbacoa. Each table here is set with two saltshakers and no pepper, but you’ll have spice enough in the fiery red sauce. The green gives off more back-end heat, and both salsas might necessitate an icy glass of agua de jamaica (sweet hibiscus-flavored water) to cool off. Side dishes? There are none unless you want to count the alambre, a full-size slathering of steak, chopped bacon, onion, bell pepper, and cheese with a short stack of corn or flour tortillas.

Tastiest taco: Suadero

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers who don’t need bells and whistles

Heads-up: “Gringas” on the menu is basically a quesadilla: a flour tortilla filled with meat and cheese then folded in half and griddled

Dine-in? Yes

Credit cards? Yes

2705 NE 28th St., Ste. 108

10. Gorditas Mi Durango

This white-and-yellow food truck has fewer taco fillings on offer (al pastor, asada, buche, and cabeza), but that’s because gorditas are the star of the show. Its slow-roasted cabeza brings a beautiful balance between flavor and chew. If you love barbacoa and want to branch out, cabeza is a great place to start. Skip the asada in favor of the al pastor and be sure to sample the red and green salsas. Both hit the Goldilocks spot in the middle of the road: not too spicy or too bland, not too thick or too watery — just right. And for some classic Mexican comfort food, don’t leave without trying a gordita, a cushy disk of masa bursting with soul-soothing goodness like beef picadillo, pork chicharrón, eggs or beans, and cheese. Cold cans of soda are in the ice chest at your feet.

Tastiest taco: Cabeza

Standout salsa: Red

Best for: Taco lovers who must have melted cheese

Heads-up: If you stop by on Saturday or Sunday you can try the menudo, especially if you’ve tied one on the night before. It’s a traditional Mexican hangover cure.

Dine-in? A few outdoor tables with seating and shade

Credit cards? Yes

3321 NE 28th St.

11. Tacos Estilo DF

You’ll find a warm welcome and feel-good vibes at this red taco truck. Asada and suadero are high on the list here, and the al pastor has a subtle sweetness that’s set off by a squeeze of lime. But don’t sleep on the robust, ruddy chorizo. It doesn’t even need the palate punch of the red and green salsas, which dance right on the line of almost too hot but not quite. Little touches like a baggie of rations (sliced carrots, radishes, red onions, and lime) add a homey feel that’s amplified by the friendly faces. Still hungry? Add a zippy Mexican shrimp cocktail, prawns, and raw veggies in a cold tomato soup. Or if you didn’t come to play, try the pambazos: the messiest sandwich known to humankind. Torta bread is dipped in a red guajillo sauce and fried, then packed heavy with meat, potatoes, refried beans, crema, queso fresco, jalapeños, onions, lettuce, and tomato. 

Tastiest taco: Chorizo

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers who brought some wet wipes

Heads-up: With the noisy traffic of 28th Street so close, you’ll probably prefer to take your food and go

Dine-in? No, but there are three random chairs and a small side table

Credit cards? No

3501 NE 28th St.

12. Tres Betos Taqueria

Located west of Interstate 35, this strip mall restaurant has an extensive daily menu for breakfast and lunch, plus dinner on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can order huevos rancheros and pork chops anytime they’re open, but we’re here for the tacos. Choose the queso taco combo for a birria-like experience. Fluorescent orange tortillas have been steeped in consommé, less salty and rich than some — which just makes you want to sip it. Monterey Jack oozes out of the tacos, with some bits cooking to a crisp on the griddle. Street tacos are on the greasy side and come with copious lime, grilled jalapeño, and onion; asada is the fan favorite. The chilled green salsa is velvety and thick, and the free-flowing red one will curl up your toes. Good thing that Tres Betos’ drink menu is off the chain, with watermelon agua fresca and strawberry horchata served in giant cups with lots of fruit. But their eye-catching michelada wins the prize. Five jumbo shrimp hang on for dear life beside a pile of sliced cucumbers, all doused with spicy sauce and seasonings that climb right up the straw. Salud! 

Tastiest taco: Queso/birria

Standout salsa: Green

Best for: Taco lovers who need a picture menu — or a drink 

Heads-up: Serving sizes are large, including the beverages

Dine-in? Yes

Credit cards? Yes

2408 NE 28th St.