The Hottest Taco Joint in Every State (#16 Is Old-School)

If you have strong feelings about corn vs. flour, carnitas vs. asada, or two-bite street tacos vs. larger flour tortillas, this list is for you. 

With so many great places to get a taco throughout the U.S., it's not easy to narrow down the list of the best ones in every single state. However, we've been able to help you do just that.

From roadside stops to beloved locations, grab your top travel credit cards and check out these iconic taco joints from coast to coast.

Taqueria El Cazador is an unassuming spot in Birmingham for Mexican food, where locals go for the food rather than the service.

It's classic Tex-Mex, where you can grab a la carte tacos at a budget-friendly price. There are several other locations throughout Alabama.

Lane's Quickie Tacos first debuted at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market, and their six original tacos from those early days are still on the menu.

Order the Alaskan, which is their perennial number-one seller. It's stuffed with pulled pork, diced white onions, cotija cheese, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.

So beloved that they offer nationwide shipping, El Charro Café has been written up by publications including The New York Times and Bon Appetit.

Dating back to 1922, this iconic restaurant is known for its "Charro Style" beef tacos, a staple on the menu since the beginning.

They take a ground beef patty, fold it into a corn tortilla to fry it, then top with peas, radish, and Mexican cheese.

Tacos 4 Life has locations across the Midwest and Southeast, and at each location, the company has the same mission: to donate proceeds from each dish to Feed My Starving Children (FMSC).

This non-profit provides nutrient-packed meals to children in 70 countries. To help the cause, order your favorite from their many taco options, including mango habanero and buffalo chicken.

Operating in the historic Mission District since 1990, Taqueria is a mainstay in San Francisco.

Their straightforward taco menu offers a simple Regular taco with meat, cilantro, and onions. Or go for the Super with your choice of meat, onions, cilantro, sour cream, cheese, and avocado.

With humble beginnings in a small brick house in Denver, La Loma has been beloved by Coloradoans for generations.

Now residing on 26th Ave, the building is as impressive as the tacos, spanning three Victorian miners' houses from the 1800s. Try classic crispy or soft tacos with fish, chicken, or carnitas.

Agave Grill in Hartford is known for their signature blue corn tortillas, which taste as close to authentic Mexican street food as you're likely to find in the Northeast.

Order the chicken adobo, spicy beef, grilled vegetables, spicy BBQ pork, or spicy chorizo sausage.

Order tacos for brunch, lunch, or dinner at El Toro in Wilmington, where you can enjoy authentic Mexican flavors like Chicken Quesabirria Tacos or Tostada De Tinga.

And since you're by the water, try the Tacos de Tilapia or Tacos de Camaron.

With locations in Miami (from Wynwood to Coral Gables), Fort Lauderdale, and more, Coyo Taco promises the freshest Mexican street food you can find.

Sit under their striking blue and white decor and enjoy a gulf shrimp taco.

Originally founded in Atlanta, Taqueria del Sol has expanded across Georgia and Tennessee. Try Southern-inspired flavors like the Memphis with chopped, smoked pork, brisket, or fried chicken.

You can find Maui Tacos across Hawaii's islands, and the combination of Mexican and Hawaiian flavors is a favorite of tourists and locals alike.

They've been featured on Food Network, and the best thing to order is the fish or shrimp tacos.

Morenita's Restaurant serves laid-back, huge portions of classic Mexican dishes, including tacos. You can't beat the Taco Supreme with freshly made tortillas.

Whether you're looking for a classic al pastor taco with pork and pineapple or craving something vegetarian, Big Star has it all.

Try the papas con rajas with potatoes and poblano peppers or the classic walking taco. It's a great meal that will also help you keep more money in your wallet if you're living in the big city.

Specializing in tamales, The Tamale Place also makes some of the best freshly made white corn tortillas in the Midwest, which means they also make some of the best tacos.

You won't get anything less than the best authentic Mexican food here.

After two years of operating from a food truck, La Regia Taqueria opened up its brick-and-mortar business.

Order classics like carne asada or al pastor, or go for the delicious and crispy fried shrimp.

This hole-in-the-wall restaurant is serving classic tacos, so classic that this place is cash only. Bring your hard-earned dollars and order tacos al pastor or a simple steak with lots of cilantro and onion.

Head to Bardstown in Louisville for Mexican favorites like the pan-fried carnitas, fried chicken, fried Oregon rock fish, and more. 

Founded in 1995, this spot has been a mainstay for Louisville locals for nearly three decades.

You may not often associate New Orleans with tacos, but you should.

For 20 years, Taqueria Corona has operated on Magazine Street, owned by an El Salvadoran immigrant who found his way to restaurants after a career in hospitality.

Want some hot, spicy food to warm up the long Maine winter? Try out Taco Escobarr, where you can get soft, crispy, and, yes, even the famous puffy taco.

Haven't heard of a puffy taco? It's made with a deep-fried corn tortilla.

If you need taco Tuesday plans, Taqueria Los Primos has you covered. Their Tuesday deal is four tacos for $8 — a great deal if you're in the DC area.

In an unassuming commercial district in Waltham, Taqueria El Amigo is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant serving hot and crispy tortilla chips and mouthwatering street tacos available in orders of four.

Street tacos with both well-known and lesser-known types of meat in America, like lengua, tripas, cabeza, and pastor, are all served at Taqueria Lupitas.

Owned by second-generation family owners from Guadalajara, this institution prides itself on offering an authentic experience.

Since 2012, Maya Cuisine has been serving reasonably priced Mexican food in Minnesota.

Choose from nearly a dozen different meats as a taco base, including pollo entomatado, pollo enchipotlado, tinga de pollo, cochinita pibil, and more.

This tucked-away spot in Madison is known for its authentic Mexican food and other Latin dishes like fried plantains.

Order the Tacos de Birria or the Asada Taco for a burst of vibrant, warm flavors.

Founded by two brothers from California, Session Taco was started to bring their love of California street food to the Midwest.

They've combined West Coast street tacos with St. Louis craft beer for a winning combination. Plus, they've committed to paying higher wages and benefits to their employees.

You're not limited to the basic tacos at El Rodeo in Bozeman. There's something new to try every time you go.

Get your choice of meat on a fresh tortilla with all your favorite toppings, and wash it down with a sweet Mexican Coca-Cola. 

Founded in 1976 and family-owned and operated, Maria's Mexican Restaurant in Ralston is a beloved institution where you can get freshly made, from-scratch puffy tacos.

Keep it simple and delicious with beef, fish, chicken, steak, and carnitas.

The team behind Tacos El Gordo has been making Tijuana-style tacos in the United States since 1972 and opened their first Tacos El Gordo location in 1998.

They're now in both San Diego and Las Vegas and are known for their big dollop of fresh-made guacamole.

For over 30 years, diners have been flocking to Hermanos Cocina Mexicana for tacos, but there's also something more.

You can have live jazz entertainment while you eat on Sunday through Thursday evenings in this historic building in downtown Concord. Tacos and tunes — what could be better?

Taqueria Downtown started as a food truck and now has locations in both Jersey City and Lower East Side Manhattan.

The cilantro-heavy salsa and guacamole are the perfect accompaniments to their authentic taco flavors.

It all started with two kids selling their mom's beef tacos in Espanola, New Mexico. Over six decades later, El Parasol is a New Mexico institution. You can still order those iconic beef tacos.

Started by three friends from Tijuana, Mexico, and Brawley, California, Los Tacos No. 1 is one of the best places on the East Coast to get authentic Mexican and West Coast taco flavors.

Order the Nopal (grilled cactus) for a unique, authentic experience.

Operating out of a food truck that parks in either Lenoir or Boone, NC, El Tacorriendo makes homemade corn tortillas and sources all of its ingredients locally.

Their salsas are made in-house, and they pride themselves on making everything from scratch.

Tacos and music? Sounds like a good combo. Vinyl Taco keeps the tunes on all day while also churning out incredible tacos.

Try the chicken tinga with spicy, marinated smoked chicken with pico, cilantro, queso fresco, and blanco crema.

La Loma specializes in authentic Mexican seafood, freshly baked Mexican breads, pastries, and a Hispanic market.

But, of course, their tacos are also a classic. Their birria tacos are a must-order.

Previously voted America's Favorite Food Truck by Food Network, Big Truck Tacos' reputation extends far beyond Oklahoma City.

They started with just one truck and a small restaurant and have added two more trucks to keep the tacos coming to more people.

Bring your dog and nosh on tacos outside at Portland's Por Qué No?

You'll find nearly a dozen different tacos, including staples like carnitas or barbacoa, and unique flavors like venduras (vegetables) and hongos y papas (potatoes and mushrooms).

El Vez prides itself on its vibe as much as its food, and both are top-notch. The vibrant decor always makes things feel like a fun party, and the crisp mahi-mahi tacos and cauliflower tacos al pastor are menu favorites.

Tallulah's Taqueria keeps things simple with its tasty Chicano street food for authentic Mexican perfection.

Each taco comes on a corn tortilla with guacamole, onions, cilantro, salsa, and radishes. You just need to choose meat, seafood, or veggie.

The crunchy beef with chihuahua cheese or the charcoal chicken with mole coloradito, cotija cheese, and pickled red onion are delicious.

If you want fresh seafood in your tacos, however, the grilled shrimp and fried fish options are also highly recommended. 

Sit down for authentic Guatemalan food with a side of tacos at Jacky's Restaurant in Sioux Falls.

Sip on a horchata while you order your birria tacos? That sounds like the recipe for a pretty good meal to us.

Take a seat on the relaxing outdoor patio at Mas Tacos Por Favor and settle in for an experience far from Broadway's flashy lights. Order an authentic meal with pork tacos, elote, and an agua fresca.

Torchy's Tacos' reputation goes far beyond Texas these days, and for good reason.

Their creative flavor combinations include fried chicken, jalapeño cheddar sausage, smoked beef brisket, and blackened salmon. And for an authentic Texas experience, order the fried avocado.

You can also stretch your dollars on your taco trip if you use one of the best cash back credit cards.

Inspired by all the flavors their team brings to the table, Taqueria 27 looks to create tacos that are authentic to them — not any one cuisine.

You'll find grilled pears and roasted beet, grilled portobello, and duck confit tacos. There's also a large selection of tequila and mezcal available.

A Vermont take on Latin cuisine would, of course, offer a selection of craft beer. And that's exactly what Mad Taco does.

Order the smoked pork and kimchi, roasted yams, or go more traditional with carnitas.

This tiny spot serves up big flavors with authentic Mexican tacos, including steak, chicken, and barbacoa. You can go traditional with your toppings, cilantro and onion, or mix it up.

This is the perfect place to grab a quick lunch of tacos and an ice-cold Jarritos.

When at Tacos Chukis, get the namesake taco. The Tacos Chukis has adobada pork, grilled pineapple, melted cheese, onion, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole on a soft corn tortilla.

But if pork isn't your favorite, you can order steak, beans, or any of the other classics.

Plaza Maya is a delightful taco spot where you can order all of the classics you can dream up.

Favorites include the California fish, pollo tapatio, and the Maya special tacos. 

Belair Cantina is a Milwaukee staple, bringing fresh ingredients and authentic Mexican cooking to Wisconsin.

Try the the house-made chorizo, or the ninja pig with crispy pork, hoisin glaze, cucumber salsa, green onions, and jicama slaw.

You'll order from a simple walk-up counter and have some of the best tacos you've had in a long time at Taqueria Mexicana Mi Tierra in Cheyenne.

Fried pork, carne asada, and other classic taco fillings are even better in their fried taco shells.

You don't need to use your credit card points and travel to Mexico or Latin America for authentic tacos. Instead, you can save money on travel by going to the right taco stop in every state. 

From chefs who've brought their home country's flavors to kitchens adding international cuisine to taco shells, there are great tacos from coast to coast — and we'd like to try every one.