13 July 2 - 8, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents booths and decor from decades ago. The sal- sas are some of our favorites because they ride the line of being too hot, but the flavors are so complex and craveable that you have no choice but to continue putting it onto your tacos and suffering through. A word of ad- vice: soften the blow with a horchata. Jazzy’s Tacos Pop-Up Weekly location changes We think about Jazzy’s Tacos. We drool. This pop-up taco spot is on the move weekly, and you never know where they’ll be next. Well, you will with the pinned post on their Instagram, but we’ve spotted them in Oak Cliff, Addison, Fort Worth and Car- rollton, which means they’re likely coming to a storefront near you. The menu is small because they’re a pop-up, but they’re maxi- mizing every inch of grill space with quesa and street-style tacos, ramen, pizzadillas, tortas and regular quesadillas. Everything they make is overflowing with meat and cheese, and it won’t matter where the next pop-up is, you’ll be there. La Excelencia Comida Mexicana 4605 Maple Ave., Medical District When we see this little pink and orange color-blocked building a few turns off the tollway, Honey, we’re home. The smells when you walk in will make you levitate. They serve made-to-order dishes, which come with fresh salsa made daily and a va- riety of sauces to experiment with. Cau- tion: these are hot. Try your español when ordering, so as long as you know the basics, you’ll be fine. La Salsa Verde Taquería 2950 W. Northwest Highway, Near Love Field Check the comments of any online video claiming to have the best tacos in Dallas, and someone is going up to bat for this taqueria. La Salsa Verde Taqueria is a Dal- las micro-chain (how’s that for a niche) known for its tacos de cabeza, or tacos stuffed with meat from a cow’s head (and a good amount of cheek). It has locations across the metro, but one of the best is near the airport off Webb Chapel. Cabeza is an obvious order here, and we enjoyed the birria so much we almost asked for a straw for the consomme. Maskaras Mexican Grille 2423 W. Kiest Blvd., Oak Cliff Texas Monthly recognized Maskaras Mexi- can Grille as having some of the 50 Best Ta- cos in Texas, so absolutely, they’re serving some of the best tacos in Dallas. Maskaras is all about a love for tacos and Mexican wres- tling, and it’s brought to life with the luchador memorabilia and masks decorat- ing the interior walls. Staples like the tacos ahogados (drowned tacos) from owner Ro- dolfo Jiménez’s home state of Jalisco keep the line long and steady, but the different styles of tacos, burritos and tortas are all solid as well. Rayo’s Taqueria 11411 E. NW Highway, White Rock Late Rayo’s Taqueria serves a menu of heavy hitters just East of White Rock Lake. The breakfast burritos are a gluttonous and filling way to be introduced to the menu, but you’d be remiss to not order a plate of tacos at some point. Plus, there is a SpongeBob painting on the glass outside. It’s perfect. Revolver Taco Lounge 2646 Elm St., Deep Ellum Revolver Taco Lounge is another Texas Monthly pick, taking the No. 4 slot in its 50 Best Tacos in Texas. Owner Regino Rojas has pushed the boundaries of the taco scene in Dallas for over 10 years, filling corn and flour tortillas with duck breast, ruby red trout and the pulpo al pastor. This taco, filled with a whole, large Mediterranean octopus tentacle grilled al pastor-style, is served with grilled pinapple, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño salsa verde rolled up in an extra-large corn tortilla. It’s what put them in the top five on Texas Monthly’s yearly round-up. Rosi Taqueria 225 W. Illinois Ave., southern Dallas No social media. No website. Just tacos and vibes under the Chevron gas station lights. This food truck makes fresh tortillas by hand to order, and they’re exactly what we’d expect a maiz cloud to feel like. Packed into them are fajitas, a few different cuts of beef, and other fillings, including nopales (cac- tus). They’re open Monday through Satur- day from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., and closed on Wednesday and Sunday. Depending on the day, be prepared to wait in a line and get there at a decent hour in case they sell out. Señor Oink 12990 Bee St., Farmers Branch Last summer, Maurico Gallegos, who is also of Xaman Cafe and Ayahuasca in Oak Cliff, opened this brand new spot for carnitas. Just carnitas. Gallegos imported two cazos, traditional copper cooking pots from Mex- ico, to cook five different cuts of pork, and they all make up a menu of mostly tacos, a handful os specials and by-the-pound-or- dering for groups and families. Last year, Se- nior Oink won the Observer’s Best of Dallas award for carnitas, and we loved that they could be dressed in five different ways and be paired with house made drink mixes. Tacos La Banqueta Puro DF 1305 N. Carroll Ave., Oak Cliff East Dallas is a haven for low-key taquerias, and Tacos La Banqueta Puro DF is one of ’em. They do tacos, quesadillas, alambre, tortas, plus a whole section dedicated to gringas. They have a few different locations, but the one off Carroll Avenue (and the one in Arlington, but that’s not Dallas) are the two best. The tacos with corn tortillas are priced at a generous $2.70, which is a steal. Add $0.30 if you want them on flour. Re- member, while the red salsa is usually hotter than the green, they swap them here. Taquería El Si Hay 601 W Davis St., Oak Cliff I mean, duh? Right. This resident taqueria has been an Oak Cliff staple for over 25 years. People will stand in the rain before this tiny, bite-sized restaurant just for one of their styrofoam containers full of grease and flavor. It’s simple. Tacos, drinks, and an elote cart off to the side. Everything they serve is $3 and under, and cash only, so hit an ATM before you go. Arriove early so you don’t get there right as the last cup of elote is sold be- fore your eyes. Taquería Los Pinos #2 837 E. Irving Blvd., Irving This vibrant little taqueria may be a bit dis- creet, but it’s no match for our sleuthing skills. We know a gem when we see it. If it can be created with meat, cheese and a torti- lla of the corn or flour variety, they have it here. The chata plates are a great value at $13.99, which includes two tacos, two gordi- tas, rice and beans. It’s all made-to-order, so it comes out piping hot. They also serve breakfast, which looks just as stellar as their lunch and dinner items. On Tuesdays, they host a killer taco deal where you can grab 10 tacos for $18 or 20 tacos for $30. Aarem Prody Taqueria Los Pinos is one of our favorite local taquerias. DALLAS IS PROUD OF ITS TACOS, AND IT HAS GOOD REASON TO BE.
