The 13 Best Places To Get Tacos In Austin, 2023 Edition

It's not exactly a secret that tacos aren't originally from Austin, Texas. After all, these delicious tortilla-wrapped portions of meat, fish, or veggies famously hail from Mexico, where they were popularized by women during the Industrial Revolution. Nonetheless, Austin has a fabulous taco scene thanks to its location close to the Mexican border. And, fascinatingly, the city is actually said to have contributed to the invention of the beloved breakfast taco.

Breakfast tacos were likely created when Mexican-Americans began using the ever-popular tortilla to scoop up their eggs. However, the commercial concept of the breakfast taco didn't take off until the 1980s when Austin resident Anthony Vasquez decided to open the Tamale House. The establishment, which served tortillas stuffed with freshly-made eggs, soon became a success. Before long, the dish captured the imagination of the wider public, with news of breakfast tacos spreading to other parts of the country via rave reviews from visiting food journalists.

Thanks to this major culinary contribution, Austin became a major player in the American taco scene. To this day, the city is home to a number of wonderful restaurants that serve tacos — both for breakfast and otherwise. From the iconic fare served at Tamale House to the heirloom corn served at ATX Cocina, these are the best places to eat tacos in Austin in 2023.

While breakfast tacos are certainly a local classic, the Austin taco scene offers plenty of other good eats. Taqueria Jessica serves premium quality tacos stuffed with delicious meats, cheeses and veggies. Located off McNeil Drive in North Austin, this casual establishment could very well serve the best tacos in town. Its typical, weekday menu offers freshly made corn tortillas stuffed with slow-cooked beef or pork. However, Taqueria Jessica's pièce de résistance is very much their quesa-birra taco plate, which is available only on Fridays and Saturdays. 

In this uniquely delicious dish, homemade tortillas are served with piles of authentic beef barbacoa on top. But, unlike your typical barbacoa fare, these tacos are made with tortillas that have been soaked in the juices of the meat. This culinary tactic will not only give your tortillas a gorgeous orange color, but it will also infuse them with a rich umami taste. The result is a plate of tacos that is tender, fatty, and deeply flavorful. As an added bonus, Taqueria Jessica sells these tacos with a generous side of the consommé that the tortillas are soaked in. This means that if you want to boost the meaty flavor of your tacos, all you have to do is dunk them in the sauce.

If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, this is the spot to go. 3 Hermanas Taqueria may be a food truck, but it is hardly representative of the "trendier" Austin taco spots (you won't find tortillas stuffed with more global ingredients like kimchi or poutine). Instead, 3 Hermanas focuses on traditional Mexican cuisine, posting its fare on a Facebook page that is only published in Spanish.

In practice, this means that 3 Hermanas offers way more than your classic beef or carnitas tacos. It also sells tacos campechanos — a unique type of street food that is most usually found in Mexico. These delightful treats often include a mixture of beef, pork, and chorizo to create a taco that is savory, fatty, and satisfying. In addition to this specialty, 3 Hermanas sells egg tacos stuffed with earthy nopalitos — a type of edible cactus leaf often known as a "green steak." Thanks to their light, vegetable flavor, these cactus leaves pair beautifully with spicy salsa and delicate eggs. They are a must-try.

If you head to a mainstream U.S. taco spot, you'll likely only find the basic "chicken, beef, or fish" options. At Las Trancas Taco Stand, you get so much more than that. When it comes to taco fillings, this food truck offers types of meat that are only rarely available at North American restaurants. In addition to staples like brisket or pork, Las Trancas serves tacos full of ingredients like beef cheeks, pork stomach, tongue, and even pork skin.

Not only are these elements authentically Mexican, but they are also deeply historical. After all, some of the first tacos to ever appear in Mexico were made with organs rather than meat. In that sense, you can count on Las Trancas to transport you back to the true origins of the ever-popular taco.

Naturally, when talking about the Austin taco scene, it is essential to talk about price. It's no secret that the cost of living in Austin has been on the rise, meaning that there aren't too many places to get a good, reasonably-priced meal close to the river. Las Trancas is the solution to this problem. With its relatively inexpensive tacos and prime location on East Cesar Chavez Street, this taqueria is the perfect place to go after a stroll at Lady Bird Park.

If you can't make it to Mexico City this summer, worry not! You need only travel as far as Cuantos Tacos — a food truck normally parked in East Austin. This taqueria stands out from the rest partially because its owner, Luis "Beto" Robledo, perfected his cooking skills at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school before opening his restaurant. Additionally, as the chef told The Austin Chronicle, he spent a full year learning about different taco varieties before deciding to serve Mexico City-style fare. 

Speaking to the outlet, Robledo recalled how he made that decision. "We're in Austin where there's so many types of tacos that are all really great, but I felt like we are missing that 'standing on the curb at night with one light bulb hanging over you' kind that you really miss when you go back to the family." In his view, the only type of tacos that could really offer that unique feel were the Mexico City kind. 

Thus, on his trip to the Mexican capital, Robledo purchased the same culinary appliances used by vaqueros. He also decided to incorporate traditional ingredients, like beef cheek and pork stomach, onto his menu. In the end, Robledo's quest to bring authentic Mexican fare to Texas has been a huge success. The chef even drives hours every week to secure the right-sized tortillas. After all, as he told the Austin Chronicle, "true street-style tacos have to be really thin, small, and already pre-sealed."

Joe's Bakery and Coffee Shop might be considered a breakfast joint, but that doesn't mean it doesn't offer great tacos. This neighborhood gem makes homemade flour tortillas that are produced with the level of care that you can only get from bakers who have been in the business forever. Indeed, Joe's has been up and running in one form or another since 1935 when Sophia and Florentino De La O founded it together. To this day, the restaurant remains in the hands of the same family that created it, allowing the newer generation to continue the tortilla-making traditions of the past.

To get a taste of the De La O family classics, order a round of homemade bacon and egg breakfast tacos. In this delectable combination the fresh, clean flavor of the tortilla offsets the fattiness of the bacon, leaving you with a bite that's both savory and smooth. The eggs round out the dish even further, providing a mild yet rich taste that helps draw the other two flavors together. We cannot imagine a better way to start the day.

Many taco fans love washing their food down with a refreshing beverage, but let's face it — not all Austin taco spots serve amazing margaritas. The good news is that, at Licha's Cantina, this is not a problem. There, chefs put just as much care into their cocktails as they do their house-made tortillas. As explained on the restaurant's website, Licha's Cantina is against serving the pre-made juices that abound at other taco establishments. Instead, they craft all of their cocktails with freshly-squeezed juices. This makes their margaritas and sangrias even more flavorful than your typical fare.

Just because Licha's serves incredible cocktails doesn't mean that their tacos are an afterthought. Al contrario. Just like the restaurant's juices, its tacos are made from scratch. The tortillas are made fresh every day, guaranteeing that every patron will get to experience that perfectly soft first bite. Similarly, the tacos' meat fillings are also prepared at Licha's Cantina via traditional methods like brining. While the locale does have options for vegetarians, it also embraces some of the most classic taco ingredients that traditionalists expect. Overall, with its flavorful cocktails and homemade tacos, this restaurant is the perfect spot to spend an incredible evening.