Yelp released a list of America’s top 100 Taco Shops in honor of National Taco Day which is led by a San Diego restaurant and includes several establishments in Chula Vista.
Tacos are considered American comfort food with its widespread popularaity.
“In honor of National Taco Day—and accounting for the wide range of taco tastes in this country—we’ve curated the top taco spots across the US, based on your ratings and reviews. You led us to some of the most popular restaurants, taco trucks, taquerias, and cantinas, as well as hidden gems known only to local fans,” Yelp reports.
Topping the chart is Ed Fernandez Restaurant Birrieria in San Diego for their beef birria tacos.
“There was no birria here back [then]—no one had it,” co-owner Jose Fernandez, a Mexico City native told Yelp. “I wanted to do something different.”
According to Yelp, Fernandez’s beef birria features slow-stewed beef simmered with California chilis and smoky guajillo, drenched in a “potent” hot salsa. They are known for their Quesataco Extremo, a signature birria taco featuring handmade tortillas filled with loads of birria, cheese, onion, and cilantro, dressed with the special house hot sauce.
Ranked in 11th place is De Cabeza in Chula Vista. The establishment specializes in the Sinaloa and Sonora delicacy of “Cabeza en su Jugo” (head in its juice). According to Yelp, they are best known for their Cabeza Taco but have other choices which include beef tripe, pork belly, longaniza (spicy sausage), and more.
Taking 15th place is Mariscos Mi Gusto Es, which is “really a bright blue taco truck in Chula Vista”, according to Yelp. The establishment "cooks up just about every edible sea creature you can think of, and those in the know make a multi-course meal out of it."
They are known for their crispy shrimp tacos, but fish tacos are also very popular, according to Yelp.
Tacos El Gordo in Chula Vista ranked 41st on the list.
“No matter what type of tacos you prefer, there’s something for everyone on our list of the Top 100 Taco Spots in the US. And remember: National Taco Day may only happen once a year, but any day is a good day to try the top tacos in your area,” according to Yelp.
In order to compile the list, Yelp identified businesses in the restaurants and food categories with a large concentration of reviews mentioning “taco,” then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning “taco.”
"If a chain appeared on the list more than once, we only included the highest-rated location. When available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of June 29, 2022," Yelp reported.
View Yelp’s Top 100 Taco Spot list at https://www.yelp.com/article/yelps-top-100-tacos-in-the-us-2022.
