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As Americans prepare for Cinco de Mayo, Guy Fieri is revealing his picks for the five best taco spots in the country — from California classics to unexpected East Coast standouts.
The “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” host has spent years traveling the country in search of standout local eats, making him one of the most trusted voices on where to find great food.
A roundup of Fieri’s top taco picks includes five spots across the U.S., featured on his popular Food Network show.
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They showcase everything from classic West Coast fish tacos to bold, unexpected flavors in cities you might not expect.
Below are five taco spots worthy of a trip to Flavortown.
From California to Florida, Guy Fieri’s taco picks showcase regional variety and inventive culinary approaches. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
1. Haggo’s Organic Taco — Encinitas, California
Haggo’s Organic Taco has built a following for its fresh, organic approach to tacos.
The taco spot, located just north of San Diego, advertises “100% seed-oil-free, organic, grass-fed, grass-finished beef and wild-caught fish.”
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Fieri called the spot’s Cousetaux Taco “a rock star fish taco.”
The dish features wild-caught fish (typically halibut or mahi-mahi), topped with cabbage slaw, crema, salsa cruda, mango and cilantro.
Haggo’s Organic Taco near San Diego serves grass-fed beef and fresh seafood options that helped earn Guy Fieri’s approval. (Google Maps)
2. Lone Star Taco Bar — Boston
Lone Star Taco Bar is located in Allston, a neighborhood near Boston University.
If you don’t think Boston tacos bring the heat, think again.
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“Dude, that is smoking hot!” Fieri said after trying the barbacoa taco.
The taquería’s flavors “are both familiar and robust, inspired by the open-air markets and taquerías of Austin, Dallas, Los Angeles, Oaxaca and Mexico City,” according to its website.
The tacos at one of Fieri’s favorite spots in Boston (not pictured) bring the heat. (iStock)
Despite its Boston location, the website says that the Lone Star’s owners spent their early years in Texas and Southern California.
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“At Lone Star, our focus is on mezcal, tequila and Mexican street food,” the site states. “We utilize fresh ingredients prepared in a variety of ways to produce a complexity within simple fare.”
Lone Star Taco Bar emphasizes Mexican street food traditions with flavors inspired by Austin, Los Angeles and Mexico City. (Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
3. Señor Sisig — San Francisco
Señor Sisig serves tacos with an interesting twist: bold Filipino-American flavors.
Its menu includes sisig tacos — made with chopped, marinated meat in a Filipino style — along with burritos and rice bowls, plus loaded nachos, fries and wings.
The restaurant has locations in San Francisco and Oakland, plus food trucks across the Bay Area.
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“The signature sour pork Sisig tacos at Señor Sisig have been a hit with Los Angelinos, Filipino-fusion fans and Guy himself, who called these tacos ‘salty, spicy goodness,'” the Food Network’s website states.
“If you want to ramp up the spice, make sure to grab a plate of the Buffalo wings glazed with a savory adobo-chipotle sauce.”
Senor Sisig has built a following with its signature sisig tacos, combining Filipino cooking styles with classic taco formats. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
4. Garbo’s Grill — Key West, Florida
Garbo’s Grill serves tacos and burritos with a Caribbean and Korean twist, including fish, Korean BBQ beef and shrimp.
The spot is located in scenic Key West.
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Fieri “was won over by the Umamiburger smothered in chipotle Gouda, calling his first taste of this topping a ‘history-making moment in Triple D,'” the Food Network’s website notes.
“The sweet, spicy Korean BBQ tacos are also a hit,” the website adds.
Garbo’s Grill in Key West, Florida, serves tacos with Caribbean and Korean influences, including seafood and Korean BBQ options. (Google Maps)
5. Mas Tacos Por Favor — Nashville, Tennessee
Mas Tacos Por Favor is a no-frills restaurant in the Music City serving Mexican street-style tacos.
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Fieri commended the restaurant’s vegetarian quinoa and sweet potato taco, as well as its holiday tamales.
“As for the pozole verde soup? He says the ‘depth of the broth is ridiculous,'” according to the Food Network’s website.
Mas Tacos Por Favor in Nashville, Tennessee, focuses on Mexican street-style tacos with simple ingredients and strong flavors. (Google Maps)
Digital reached out to Fieri for comment.
