Taco Places

[Johnresa]

This weekend I want to take my family out to get some tacos, burritos, nachos, that sort of thing. I am looking for some place that has crunchy tacos, ground beef filling, and is reasonably priced. Would be even better if it was on or near the Red Line.

[JudyHP]

Zuma Tex Mex Restaurant in Faneuil hall would fit your bill. They have crunchy tacos, and also the other usual tex-mex fare. Good chips and salsa too. Better than the Border Cafe (for whatever that's worth!).

[jogo7375]

oh man, that's easy - go to On the Border in Woburn ... you will find the standard mexican fare you and your family crave, including tacos, burritos, tostadas, empanadas, nachos, chimchangas, etc.

There is a huge selection of this stuff.... if you take your family to one of these little authentic mexican places like Tacos Lupita or el Pelon on a weekend night, I gaurantee someone will be dissapointed.

[Bob Dobalina]

I had a heavenly steak burrito from Tacos Lupita last night - friggin' manna, I'm telling you...but I don't think my folks would appreciate it. It sounds like what you're really asking for is Tex-Mex -

I was recently at Rudy's - it was extremely so-so. I would not go back for the food - not really a family vibe either.

I have a feeling your best bet will be the Border Cafe in Harvard Square.

Zuma's is ok too - it's a surprisingly decent place in the Faneuil Hall area.
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[Alcachofa]

Even Border Cafe does not do the crunchy taco thing. I think Border is much better than Zuma's, so that tells you something about Zuma's!

[bee]

I second that tex mex family deal is definitely the thing at On the Border in Woburn. It's over by the mall and the old W.R. Grace building.

[Prav]

I think Border Cafe in Harvard Square may have the crunchy taco experience you seek.

[kbw18]

I'd second Fajitas and Ritas on West Street. It sounds like the kind of food you're looking for. The walls have recently been washed, so you can see the murals that had been covered by years of crayon scribbles. And they still give you a box of crayons to write on the paper covering the table.

Nearest Red Line stops are Park Street and Downtown Crossing. Follow the signs pointing to the Silver Line - it's only a block or two away depending on which exit you take from the stop.

None of the Mexican-style restaurants downtown serve the fried crunchy-style taco shells. I suspect that Mexican and Tex Mex places would avoid serving the fried shells in order to avoid being associated with places like Taco Bell.

[missthebagelsbadly]

Amigos! Get yourselves some real tacos, please. Or, just buy the taco kit at the supermarket.

Best tacos, by far, in the Boston area, can be found at Taco Lopita in Somerville. I'm there at least once a week and the tacos are always perfect. Shredded chicken, beef, pork, and tongue.
Soft tacos, home-made salsas, sliced avacado. A basket of 3 costs around 6 bucks. In fact, I might have to lunch there today.

[Johnresa]

Personally I value the authentic experience, but my mom is a little picky and doesn't like to stray from what she is used to.

[LStaff]

I would rather eat a crunchy shell taco than one that comes with a floppy uncooked or steamed corn tortilla that most taco joints in the area serve.

[Joshua B]

Lupita's chips & salsa are great too. You never know if you're going to get fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa verde, or red salsa or a combination of maybe two of those. :-) All are great.

[heathermb]

Rudy's in Teele Square (about a 7 minute walk from the Davis Square T) may be a good bet.

[MC Slim JB]

It sounds like you want a casual, family style Tex-Mex kind of place. Perhaps the Fajitas and Ritas on West Street, a short walk from the Downtown Crossing stop on the Red Line, would do. It's the kind of place where you can scrawl on the paper tablecloth with crayons, serves frozen margaritas, does a pale imitation of barbecue, etc. No crunchy tacos, though.

A place that does offer crunchy, ground-beef tacos that many people like is Jose's Mexican, on Sherman St in North Cambridge. That's a bit of a hoof from the Red Line (I'm not sure if Porter or Davis would be closer). This is another decidedly Yanqui take on border food.

Neither of them are completely awful, but I don't really like this kind of food. They are nothing like El Amigo (which also happens to be my favorite place for authentic Mexican tacos, and which I think is worth driving to Waltham for), or the many fine taquerias in East Boston, e.g., Taqueria El Rancho Grande.

[bee]

Alewife is the closest stop to Joses.

[a l i c e]

I think that's a question best left to google.maps and not this forum, but I think the amount of time from Porter or Alewife would be about the same (but somehow, walking from Porter just seems closer).

[elbev]

Sometimes folks do crave that north of the border style crispy taco with ground beef thing (rarely myself, but anyway..). For that Jose's is probably the best place around here. Some might say this is not a 'real' taco (whatever that means), but it it a staple on Tex-Mex menus and enjoyed by many. It bears mentioning that the burrito is hardly authentic Mexican food either (especially filled with beans and rice as most places do it), and there is literally no such thing as a chicken fajita (the term itself refers to a tough cut of beef).

Google maps, by the way, does not give public transportation info for anywhere but London.

[Luther]

If you want "crunchy tacos" with "ground beef filling," that's not really a taco, that's Taco Bell.

I'm actually curious now who would sell that besides Taco Bell...

My general taco prize goes to Taqueria El Amigo in Waltham, although I'd say it just barely registers as a destination spot (but should be if you're on a taco hunt).