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Discuss....

Not possible. I make my own. Even the local non-chain Mexican restaurants can't beat what I make from scratch.

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you also make the tortillas...?

Not overly helpful.

The problem is that I don't know any chains that make tacos the way I like them (like they do on streets in TJ) with 2 small, lightly grilled corn tortillas filled with mystery meat, cabbage, salsa, and white cheese. I can stand a deep fried shell if it's fresh, but the packaged things are gross. And don't even get me started on "soft" flour tortilla tacos...

Ah, the mystery meat, have you noticed that the dog and rat population in TJ is diminishing? hmmmmm

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indeed the street tacos are the best... Who cares what the meat is...?

No, I buy them premade and fry them myself.

I've been unpleasantly surprised more than once to find Old El Paso-type "taco shells" in self-styled Mexican restaurants. :td:

I haven't eaten in an American-chain Mexican restaurant in years and will be interested if anybody can point me in the direction of one with quality food.

Cheers,
Fredd

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not baked...?

I'm thinking maybe the local Mexican restaurants differ in quality in your area than the plethora of Taquerias in the Chicago area?@:-)

I don’t try to make my own as the tacos are too good and cheap for me to bother.

One typically doesnt fry them ;)

You are reminding me of my years in Austin. We used to go to a place that made tacos for sale, but they also would use them for carry our meals. The place was named Dos Hermanos. It was sublime.

I think in terms of chains, and only in terms of chains, Chipotle is head and shoulders above the rest. They are pretty good in fact. Not like a good neighborhood place, but good for a chain.

I think someone on here once said Jack in gthe Box, when they were having them free, because free was always best.....but I find jack's tacos to be grease buckets.

Well, yeah, plus how can it be a "taco" if they use a slice of American cheese?

Can't help the OP's question, but the best tacos I've ever had were the fish tacos fresh off the street in San Filipe, on the gulf side of Baja California...

And thats exactly why they taste so good!

I admit being partial to the disgustingness that is a Jack Taco.

But nothing beats a lengua taco ordered from a converted school bus.. washed down with a mexican coke :)

Once upon a time (a long long long time ago), Taco Bell, when they used to cook the meat in the restaurants, had decent crispy tacos. This probably ended in the 80s. I don't know if there is a good chain taco, crispy or soft. The La Salsa / Baja Fresh, etc. ones are harmless but not that great. Taco Bell is a 'soak up the booze' place. Jack in the Box is a science experiment that has probably killed thousands (throw frozen shells stuffed with meatmush right in the fryer). As for the person who said that Jack's tacos aren't real, neither are pink tacos, but people still like to eat them.

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The best thing about Taco Bell is the Chernobyl Cheddar... :D

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One thing must be said... If the tortillas are not soft shell.... they aint tacos...

Yep!

When I went to the local Chipotle outlet with my US based family members, you would always have at least one patrol car of the local police department parked outside for lunch.

A sign of quality? ;) And, yes, what they do is very convincing at least to a non-American/Mexican. The sauces including guacamole are not bad either.

I buy corn tortillas by the bag, fry them in a little corn oil and fold them over a form. Baked might be better for me but not as crisp or tasty.

We have a pretty large local hispanic population. Mrs BamaVol teaches the first communion classes at the Catholic church and 80% of her class is Spanish speaking. We have lots of Mexican restaurant choices - no, not as many as a big city, but easily one for every 3-5,000 residents in the county.

I guess that's why I like mine better.

That's exactly the way we do it, except we try to appease the nutrition gods with safflower oil, and we also regretfully avoid anything lardlike. ;)

As to baking, we bake tortillas when we bake enchiladas. @:-)

I'll personally admit to eating cold corn tortillas right out of the refrigerator, or sometimes to microwave them before adding a slice of cheese if I'm looking for a snack, but I certainly wouldn't recommend that in a dining forum. :D

Chipotle
 

As the thread topic is "best chain..." and not home made, I'll vote for Chipotle being the closest to the Mexico City taquerias. They're fresh and I'd love to get one of those tortilla warmer things for when I make tacos at home.

When in the Chicago suburbs, Tacos El Norte has outstanding tacos al pastor and is my #1 choice for best chain tacos.

For me, it's a local chain called Muchas Gracias. They're pretty close to authentic (I have a lot of hispanic friends and so of course, nothing matches the real thing, but Muchas comes REALLY close since the owner himself is hispanic), though.

Dang it! Now I want Muchas Gracias!

3 categories of restaurant tacos i eat:

real tacos: from small shady looking independent joints in texas cities

fake tacos: taco bell crunchy taco supreme drenched with fire sauce

americanized tacos: chipotle (for relative quality of ingredients)

avoid mid-range chains

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real tacos = mexican street tacos

I got to thinking about this and there have only been two places I even remember how good their tacos were, and that is Alvarado's Mexican Food in benbrook, TX and Taco Casa in Stephenville Tx

Alvarado's also have some incredible roasted chili salsas on a cold bar at the end of the counter.

the have some mean chicken taco's as well, it is the real deal, a perfectly seasoned shredded chicken.

I didn't realize either was a chain.

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Well, yea but.......

The OP asked for chain tacos. Oh wait, who is the OP? ;)

Seriously, Chipotle is the In 'n Out/Five Guys of fast food Mexican. They have good ingredients (I think they use Niman ranch pork for instance) and are fresh and tasty in my experience.

Sticking with the chains, I would have to add my vote to Chipotle. At least the meat, salsa, and guacamole is fresh...

A distant second would be Dell Taco....

They both have multiple locations in the DFW metroplex but I have not had them at other locations. ^

Freebirds! Mostly a Texas/Oklahoma chain, its what Chipotle wishes it was.

Rubio's
 

Rubio's makes a decent fish taco. Not bad!

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Just a WAG but I suspect Chipotle is pretty happy not to be limited to Texahoma ;)

I love Freebirds, but you don't go there for Tacos. I do like Taco Cabana.

Niman Ranch, are you kidding???

Ok, I haven't braved Chipotle's doors yet, though they're rapidly becoming ubiquitous here. But how can a mass market chain possibly afford to source like that?

In the name of research I'll try them soon, though this thread has me more primed for a stop at the taco truck near my health club (heh). Twenty years ago there was no credible Mexican food in NY, but the situation has improved dramatically.

Im the OP......

If the tacos atm Cozymel’s are as good as other stuff on the menu, they have to be among the best.

Rubios does indeed make a good fish taco, and their other food is darn good too for a chain. The one I'll throw out there is Jimboy's. Started in Sacramento, then Roseville, CA and Lake Tahoe. Lot's of them in No.Cal now. A different take on tacos, and made like BamaVol's. We have been duplicating them at home for 30 years.

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http://www.qsrmagazine.com/issue/76/another_option-1.phtml. From our friend, The Google.