Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of Cincinnati®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are the coolest and which shops are your best bet for dropping a pretty penny. When that Taco Tuesday feeling hits (whether it is actually Tuesday or not), you need to know where to go in Cincinnati to find the perfect tacos. From places where you can pair classic, mouthwatering tacos with refreshing margaritas to those with more out-of-the-box options, these are the taco spots in the Queen City our readers can’t stop talking about.
Best Tacos No. 10: Pata Roja Taqueria
52 E. Court St., Downtown
Must-Try Taco: Get the Al Pastor Taco, featuring marinated pork and pineapple for a well-balanced savory-sweet pairing.
Best Tacos No. 9 (TIE): El Coyote
7404 State Road, Anderson Township
Must-Try Taco: Taco Salad: Mixed greens, taco meat, cheddar, tomatoes, diced onions and black olives served in a tortilla bowl.
Best Tacos No. 9 (TIE): Taqueria Mercado
100 E. Eighth St., Downtown; 6507 Dixie Highway, Fairfield
Must-Try Taco: Give the lengua — or beef tongue — taco a try to experience a more unique protein.
Best Tacos No. 8: La Mexicana
642 Monmouth St., Newport
Must-Try Taco: The tripa (seasoned beef tripe) taco is something you won’t find many other places around Greater Cincinnati.
Best Tacos No. 7: Gomez Salsa
2437 Gilbert Ave., Walnut Hills; 107 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine
Must-Try Taco: Gomez is best known for their “Turtles,” basically an elevated Crunchwrap Supreme, but don’t sleep on the tacos. Diners love the barbacoa paired with the Diablo style — rice, pickled jalapeños, crema, habanero hot sauce, lettuce, cheese and Gomez’s Kowabunga Salsa.
Best Tacos No. 6: Bakersfield
1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Must-Try Taco: Huitlacoche Taco: Corn truffle, roasted poblano peppers, corn, onions, cotija cheese and cilantro.
Best Tacos No. 5: Tortilleria Garcia
5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill; 11774 Springfield Pike, Springdale; 4200 Aero Drive, Mason
Must-Try Taco: The carne asada (grilled steak) is one of Tortilleria Garcia’s most popular orders. It comes on a flour tortilla with your choice of toppings, including cheese, tomato, cilantro, guacamole and more.
Best Tacos No. 4: OLLA Taqueria Gutierrez
302 W. 12th St., Covington
Must-Try Taco: Diners love Olla’s birria tacos, featuring a spicy beef stew on a grilled corn tortilla with cilantro, onion, radish, a lime wedge and some roja and verde salsas on the side.
Best Tacos No. 3: Condado Tacos
195 E. Freedom Way, The Banks; 3329 Vandercar Way, Oakley; 7961 Kenwood Road, Kenwood; 7877 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Township; 5070 Deerfield Blvd., Deerfield Township
Must-Try Taco: We’re big fans of the build-your-own taco option, but if you need some help deciding, the Lucy’s Fire offers some heat. It comes with the Sweet Lucy shell (a soft flour tortilla paired with a hard corn shell and a layer of melted queso and guacamole), Firecracker, roasted chicken, lettuce, cilantro, onions, smoked cheddar, corn salsa and cilantro-lime aioli.
Best Tacos No. 2: Mazunte
5207 Madison Road, Madisonville; 6216 Madison Road, Madisonville; 611 Main St., Downtown
Must-Try Taco: Order the Mixed Tacos so you can try a combination of Mazunte’s tacos. Pick three among chicken, chorizo, dorados (rolled and fried crispy with braised chicken), fish, pork, steak or veggies.
Best Tacos No. 1: Agave & Rye
635 Madison Ave., Covington; 3825 Edwards Road, Norwood; 7125 Fountain View Drive, Liberty Township
Must-Try Taco: For a little more traditional take, try The Alderman — carne asada, street corn salad, cotija cheese and spicy chile de arbol salsa. If you want the Agave & Rye experience, pick a taco with mac and cheese, like The Bomb — carne asada, chopped bourbon-poached shrimp, mac and cheese, A&R Spicy Chili & BBQ Jam and tobacco onions.
