BarTaco
Taco Score: 4.5/5
BarTaco is a one-of-a-kind taco experience. The tacos here are a unique contemporary fusion of the modern world and a simple street taco. BarTaco seems to be a place for any occasion. I’ve had girls nights and date night here, I’ve eaten in and taken to-go. On cinco-de-mayo, which felt more like quarantine-de-mayo, my friend picked up a taco kit from BarTaco and we had a picnic in my backyard. Always have to make the best of every situation you’re in, and Bar Taco seems to always help.
One of my favorite weird quirks of BarTaco are their chips and salsa. Their salsas are full of flavor (my favorite is the verde), and the chips are large corn tortillas, not cut in a typical chip fashion. I am always surprised by this when I order chips and salsa, even though I’ve been countless time and truly should know better at this point. Sadly, Bar Taco does not serve so I cannot give them a queso score. They do offer many vegetarian and vegan options, and trust me they are phenomenal. Another of my favorite fun quirks of BarTaco is that every month they have a #bartacosecret, a special taco on the menu. In May of 2020, that taco was a tempura fried avocado taco and to this day remains my favorite taco of theirs I have had! That’s not to knock their other high-quality taco options, which are so many. You order one taco at a time, allowing you to mix and match to create your perfect taco pairing.
Portobello: portobello mushrooms roasted with poblano peppers and garlic, served with queso fresco and topped with cilantro onion
In recent months mushrooms have surprised me, and have quickly become one of my favorite vegetables. This taco does my love of mushrooms justice. The taco bursts with flavor, and the poblano peppers gives the mushroom just the perfect amount of kick. Without the queso, this is a great vegan option!
Cauliflower: roasted cauliflower topped with a romesco sauce
I will always remember eating this taco, sharing a laugh with my friend sitting in my backyard, enjoying a glimpse of reality in a rather strange time. The good times just further enhance the excellence of the taco itself. I love roasted cauliflower, and the romesco sauce is the perfect sauce to balance the flavors.
Rocco’s Tacos and Tequlia
Taco Score: 4/5
This is one of my favorite spots in Orlando. It’s my go-to for any girls night, a perfect “let’s get margs and tacos” night. The atmosphere is incredible, the movie Coco is ALWAYS playing in the bathroom, and the food is on point. They recently brought back the table side guacamole and I cried tears of joy. Their guacamole is my favorite. I love that as a dipping option with the queso and guac you can have vegetables: carrots, celery, peppers and more! You can’t go wrong with getting a pitcher of margaritas for the table (I recommend the mango). My favorite taco at Rocco’s is the Hondos. For this adventure, I also tried their most popular taco (as recommended by both the waiter and my best friend) the Carne Asada.
Honods: vegan mushroom, tequila, jalapeno, garlic.
This taco is simple, and to me, a classic. The mushrooms are cooked and marinated to perfection, not needing to much on this taco to overpower how naturally good they taste. To my vegetarians and vegan friends (or any friends who love mushrooms), this is a MUST TRY!
Carne Asada: marinated grilled steak.
Hey carnivore friends, your time to shine! The marinated steak in this taco is so savory and grilled to perfection. This is a rather tasty taco. When my best friend comes here, she usually gets two or three because that’s how much she loves it. I will definitely be getting it again next time!
Pig Floyd
Taco Score: 4.5/5
Not what I expected from a BBQ joint, this Orlando spot surprised me with some pretty incredible craft tacos, with that spicy and tangy barbeque flare. No queso at this joint to rate, but honestly the roasted chicken and pork were just so good that I can’t complain! Something I loved about this place was the options for my vegetarian and vegan friends. You could sub tofu in the place of each of the meat options in the tacos for NO CHARGE! This way you’re able to try and enjoy every flavor. I got two tacos when I went: the Butter Chicken Taco and the Pork Al Pastor Taco.
Butter Chicken Taco: Jasmine Rice, topped with yogurt marinated chicken thighs, tikka masala sauce, pepitas, jalapeno and cilantro
This taco was incredible, and I can tell why it’s identified as a fan favorite! To my friends who like the spice—this taco packs all the flavor and brings the HEAT. The jasmine rice is a unique addition to this taco, bringing a flavor that I have not quite experienced before but would definitely try again.
Pork Al Pastor Taco: Pulled Pork with roasted pineapple, onion, cilantro and ancho pepper sauce.
Ohhh my gosh. This was my favorite taco here! What can I say, my southern heart loves pulled pork and my tropical soul loves pineapple. The savory of the pork and the sweetness of the pineapple just blend so well together, and this taco is no exception. The ancho pepper sauce was the perfect topper as it balanced the elements together so well.
Overall my experience at Pig Floyd was remarkable. They are staying safe and courteous as well! The man who took my order was helpful in regard to what I should get and offered recommendations. Pig Floyd also has quite the selection of craft canned local brews! Wanting to sit outside, my friend and I found a table, but it was in direct sunlight at one o’clock in central Florida… so it was HOT. Once a table opened in the shade, an employee promptly cleaned and sanitized the table, offered it to us, and helped us move our stuff. Being so kind, considerate, and SAFE with GREAT FOOD-- Pig Floyd’s is at the TOP my list to return!
Tin & Taco
Taco Score: 4/5
I love a unique taco-- taking ingredients that you don’t think would go together, but blend perfectly when combined in a tortilla (with a Parmesan crust, too in Tin & Taco’s case). They have some INCREDIBLE combinations of tacos. Including a Mac & Cheese taco! I will say that vegetarian and vegan options are limited, so be aware of that. Once I had a moment to take in the vast menu, I decided on two tacos to try (with recommendations from the employees): the Al Pastor Style and Chic Magnent… and NO taco trip is complete without a side of queso.
Tin & Taco make their queso with a different draft beer everyday (extra points here). The flavor is nice, however it is very runny. It seems more like a cheese sauce, rather than a nice dip. I had to continually dunk my chip to prevent the cheese from running OFF my chip!
Al Pastor Taco:
SMOKED PULLED PORK / SHREDDED LETTUCE / PICO DE GALLO / FRESH PINEAPPLE / MANGO PINEAPPLE VINAIGRETTE / COTIJA CHEESE
This was my FAVORITE. I don’t know, I’m a sweet kind of girl and this taco had such a great mix of savory and sweet, with the pulled pork and pineapple. I took a bite and felt like I was in Hawaii, on a tropical getaway. I definitely will be getting this again!
Chick Magnent:
SHREDDED CHICKEN / SHREDDED LETTUCE / PICO DE GALLO / WHITE CHEDDAR / GARLIC CILANTRO SAUCE / COTIJA CHEESE
This taco was also outstanding! A little bland, I will admit. I am not a HUGE spicy person; I enjoy a little kick, but I’m not the kind of person who will douse my taco in habanero. However, I feel like that is what this taco was missing. I still ate the entire thing, don’t get me wrong! I think next time I’ll skip this taco, and try something new.
Of course I couldn't leave without a photo at their iconic wall, taking my iconic bite picture!
Whole Enchilada
Taco Score: 3/5
The drinks and the atmosphere here are beautiful. Downstairs, The Whole Enchilada is a bustling quick-service style restaurant. Upstairs, the location transforms into a contemporary rooftop bar with excellent drinks and beautiful views… well as beautiful views as you can get sitting on the second story of a small downtown. While sitting at the bar, look off to the left you see a quaint little downtown and the hustle of people. To the right, a parking lot. I mean you can keep checks on your car while you drink though, right? That’s a positive.
The drinks here are incredible, and you cannot go wrong with any of the margaritas listed on the menu. My go-to is a frozen strawberry margarita (basic, I know), but I enjoy other drinks on the rocks and recently tried one of their watermelon margaritas, which just continues to add to my point that they do not disappoint when it comes to drinks.
Their food is only rather decent. I tried their shrimp tacos, and I honestly can say that I was not that impressed. They were good, however after trying how many tacos during my research for this blog, comparatively I have had better. On Tuesdays though, they have a Taco Tuesday deal that is hard to beat. They do have some pretty great queso, which you know is important to me. The next time I went here I ventured and got a burrito instead, but got the tortilla on the side so that it was more of a rice bowl situation and THAT I thoroughly enjoyed.
My recommendation here is to go for the drinks and the atmosphere. You can’t beat sitting on a rooftop enjoying the views while sipping on a margarita, you just can’t. In the weird world that we find ourselves living in, this is something that can take us back and fill us with serotonin, even if just for a moment.
Hunger Street
Taco Score: 5/5
I loved this place so much. Walking up, the first thing I noticed was the vibrant murals that decorated the building, bringing so much light and culture to the quaint taco spot. All seating is outdoors, with a take-out window for pick-up food. Hunger Street is maintaining social distancing SO well, and still had some incredible business as well for noon on a Monday.
The atmosphere was just a sliver of the experience—the main attraction was the tacos. Oh. My. Gosh. Served on blue flour tortillas, these tacos looked incredible and tasted amazing. These were definitely more along the lines of authentic street tacos when compared to other tacos we’ve had on our list. Something I also loved is that you had the option for a regular corn tortilla, a cheese shell or no-shell at all, compensating for any dietary needs. They had an array of vegetarian and vegan options as well! My friend tried all four of the vegan taco options (her favorites included the Black Bean and Rajas Taco, and the Black Bean and Gauc Taco). I got the Pollo Con Mole and the Fried Avo Taco:
Pollo Con Mole: Shredded Chicken, Sesame, Pepitas, Cilantro, Red Onion. (contains nuts/seeds) (Mole Rojo Contains Pork)
Oh my goodness this taco was AMAZING. I got the chef’s favorite, mole verde sauce on top of the taco, and it transformed the taco in the best way. The shredded chicken was seasoned to perfection. The taco had just enough kick for me to enjoy. It’s a taco my friends who love flavor and spice would thoroughly enjoy!
Fried Avo Taco: Panko Breaded & Fried Avoacdo, Cabbage, Red Onion, Cilantro Crema, Cilantro, Queso Cotija, Salsa Roja
Avocados are one of my new favorite foods, so when I saw that they had a fried avocado taco on the menu you know I HAD to try it. This taco again, incredible. The avocado was breaded and fried to perfection—and they were GENEROUS with the slice, too. The cilantro crème with the salsa roja made for a perfect blend of savory and spice. I will definitely be getting this taco again next time I go!
Sadly, Hunger Street Tacos does not serve queso so I cannot give them a queso source. After much research, I can say that Hunger Street Taco were my favorite tacos in Orlando.
Gringos
Taco Score: 4.5/5
Gringos is late night downtown FAVORITE. The amount of times I’d stumble in after a long night on Wall Street... when UCF got one on their campus it was a game changer. For this adventure, my friend and I went to one of the original locations in the Milk District. I always get the queso and usually the chicken sloppy taco. Gringos is known for their Double D tacos— which is a taco that has two tortillas with a layer of queso in between! Their queso is SO good, too! It has just the proper thickness needed to be a dip. The cheese is savory with a touch of kick, but not too much. The side also is the perfect portion size, so I don’t feel so heavy after eating the entire thing. Gringo’s also has multiple options for my vegetarian and vegan friends, including the Gauc Taco (minus cheese and sour creams for my vegan friends). The Gauc Taco is my friend’s favorite here, it’s what she gets every time!
Sloppy Taco:
GROUND BEEF (I get Chicken) IN A FLOUR TORTILLA TOPPED W/ CHEESE, LETTUCE, PICO & SOUR CREAM
It’s hard to go wrong with a classic sloppy taco. For me, when I imagine a simple taco- this is it. Meat, cheese, lettuce and pico wrapped in a flour tortilla. I like to take my queso and cover the Taco because cheese is life. Gringo’s has solid tacos, and no matter the location they’ll do it right. There’s a reason I keep going back!
Agave Azul
Taco Score: 4/5
I LOVE this place. I had been before, just picking up a to-go order of chicken and rice during this pandemic, but I had yet to step inside and oh my GOSH. The atmosphere is beautiful, and everyone was so friendly.
My friend and I met up here one Sunday night after we both got off work. After a long day, it was essential that we ordered a cocktail. I requested the “sweetest margarita you have.” They did not disappoint as a festive cup was placed in front of me and the bartender said “get drunk and enjoy” as he walked away.
Looking around the room, I saw a variety of cocktails, frozen and non frozen of all shapes and sizes! The next time I went, I ordered a margarita that had a bottle of champagne sticking out the top… it was incredible and everything I could have ever wanted in a drink.
Okay, now that drinks are out of the way let’s talk about the next important thing at a Mexican restaurant: the chips and salsa. Agave offers bottomless chips and salsa. The salsa had just the perfect amount of kick in it for me, with the chips salted to perfection. After the long week we had, we ordered both guacamole and queso and WOW they did not disappoint. The guacamole you could TELL was made fresh. A perfect balance of flavors, and it went well on my taco later, too. The queso was exquisite, with the perfect dip consistency and cheesy taste. I may have finished the entire cup myself.
I ordered the Taco Week deal, the Chicken Mole Taco: Rotisserie chicken, mole salsa, Mexican rise, queso fresco, and pickled jalapeno. Oh my lanta was this a good taco. I tried to take my time to really enjoy the flavor and taste, but it was just so good I think I finished it in a matter of seconds. Whoops. What can I say? It was just that good.
Agave Azul is my new go-to restaurant when craving chips, queso, margaritas and a night out with friends. With a lively attitude, great food and incredible drinks, this restaurant has all the ingredients for an incredible evening!
STP
Taco Score: 4/5
Sloppy Taco Palace. My fellow coworkers at Universal know that STP is the place to be. I discovered this restaurant/bar about three years ago after working an event at Universal Studios, all my friends had convinced me to come out to this bar after the shift was over around 11 p.m. Little did I realize that it was Tuesday, and what that had in store.
$2 margaritas, $2 tequila shots, $2 tacos.
Talk about a great Taco Tuesday. It is hard to beat a deal that good, but the food does not disappoint either. I always get the lime margarita on the rocks with two chicken sloppy tacos, and the occasional tequila shot (mood depending). For a long time, STP was my favorite place in Orlando to get tacos. It remains in my top to this day, even after discovering some other incredible tacos in the city.
STP is filled with incredible memories with friends I’ve made in Orlando through the years and paired with the great food this location holds a special place in my heart.
The Gnarly Barley
Taco Score: 4.5/5
This place surprised me. A quaint, whole-in-the-wall bar has a beautifully lit back patio and friendly service with a seemingly endless beer menu. After a long day at work, I happily ordered their mimosa cider while looking over their food menu. My heart stopped. I could not believe my eyes, but there it was… the RIP potato taco.
I was heartbroken when Taco Bell removed potatoes from their menu. The potato tacos and grillers were my go-to there, so seeing the item on the menu at The Gnarly Barley made me ESTATIC. I also got the opportunity to try two other tacos as well. All three were incredible, and I highly recommend this spot for a chill evening, relaxing with a drink outside on a patio under twinkling lights.
R.I.P. Potato Taco: flour tortilla, crispy potatoes, lettuce, cheese, chipotle sauce, side taco sauce
Wow. Still feeling the sting of Taco Bell removing potatoes from their menu? It’s okay, because The Gnarly Barely has a BETTER potato taco than them anyway. This taco satisfies my potato taco craving, and they make it so much better. It’s hard to describe, you’ve just got to try it for yourself.
The Zak Taco: flour tortilla, black beans, red onions, arugula, avocado, goat cheese, fiesta lime ranch
Such an interesting and phenomenal taco. I am a sucker for avocado and goat cheese, so when I saw these on the ingredients list, I knew this taco was a must-try for me. It’s a quirky combination of ingredients, especially for a taco, but wow do these ingredients work well together, combined to create a unique and flavorful taco experience.
GNar-BQ Taco: flour tortilla, BBQ pork, shredded cheese, tangy coleslaw
At this point, you know I’m a sucker for BBQ pulled pork. I think it is the southern gal in me, but when I see it on a menu that’s usually what I get. BBQ is another unique item to place in a taco but paired with the cheese and coleslaw I felt like I was back home in Alabama.
Overall, the Gnarly Barely offered its own unique spin on tacos in a chill and relaxing setting. I would recommend going here for a chill night for drinks with a friend, or even a small group.
OVERALL:
What's the best taco in Orlando? Hunger Street Tacos. Hands down, the best authentic taco in the city in Orlando.
Best taco ~experience~ overall (considering chips, queso, and drinks)? I would say either Rocco's Tacos and Tequila or Agave Azul. Both locations have such a lively atmosphere with phenomenal drinks to get you feeling good.
Have you been to any of these locations? Did I miss a place? Let me know any recommendations and what YOUR favorite taco is in the comments below!
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