Though this spot has now been franchised, its tacos are consistently the real deal. Each location offers up a huge salsa bar with various options (e.g. casera, verde, pico de gallo). It also throws in cucumbers, jicama, fresh chips, and cheese for free. Everything is available 24 hours and there is a drive-thru for late night mischief. If choosing to dine in, get a michelada or an agua fresca. Even better: Taco Palenque is expanding to Austin.

The cash-only Taqueria Los 4 Vientos offers it all: open air dining, thick corn tortillas, items like molleja and tripa for the somewhat adventurous, and curbside service for quicker food. It dishes out a giant baked potato, but instead of just casually topping the spud with meat and cheese, everything is mixed together and twice baked. Careful with that salsa — it’s nuclear.

Anyone who spent formative years in the Valley is well-acquainted with the legendary El Pato. Founded by Lillian “Mrs. G” Gonzalez, people would line up outside the tiny building each morning to get a taco filled with their choice of filling. In 1997, the brand and the recipes were purchased by the Van Burkleo family and they subsequently expanded into several new locations. Mrs. G’s daughter returned to the food business to in 2003 to open Mrs. G’s, a nod to her mother and an approximation of the original El Pato experience.

The “super” in Orale Super Tacos leads to super big, super stuffed, and super delicious. These tacos are lovingly wrapped in a huge tortilla. Of the signature tacos, the most outrageous one comes full of beans, fajitas, white cheese, bacon, guacamole, pico de gallo, and Mexican sour cream.

Another border transplant, Nana’s is found in an old house in Weslaco. It brings the flavors of Nuevo Progreso to America with tiny but mighty tacos, all full of flavor. Another thing to keep an eye out for are the lonches — a fun-sized version of a bolillo roll which are fried and then packed with bistek or pastor. Don’t skimp on the housemade spicy garlic salsa.

You’ve never, ever seen a taco this big. The 14-inch tortillas are hand-rolled in the back of the restaurant by a sweet lady with a rolling pin, and then cooked on a flat top. It can last for three meals, if you so choose. Manuel’s migas and machacado are taco winners, but the Con Todo is the star of the show as the proverbial kitchen sink taco.

A taco from Taqueria Ultimo Taco will set you back 97 cents. It’s open late night and, yes there is usually a 2 a.m. rush that rivals Whataburger. While the tacos are famous, be sure to order the frijoles especiales: charro beans topped with queso fresco, cilantro, and your choice of meat.