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how do the bay area and chicago stack up in this??? I haven't eaten enough in the other places to know... From what I've seen...they both have BIG mexican populations and a ton of good food both street/restaurant, foodie havens. I think they should at least be in the running over phoenix/dallas/las vegas...
No offense but, Over Phoenix and Dallas?? Really? I do realize Chicago does have a large Mexican population, but over phoenix and dallas? I think Chicago sholud be in there but not at the expense of those 2.
San Francisco and San Jose have the best taquerias I've ever been to, hands down...the flavor of the meats, the quality of the cheese and sour cream, the homemade tortillas, the fresh avocados. It's amazing. And no, true Mission burritos are NOTHING like the tasteless cardboard, unedible chains that claim to have that style (e.g. Chipotle, Qdoba, etc.) Thats like saying Taco Bell is "SoCal" style.
For sit down mexican, my vote goes to Tucson and Albequerque.
San Diego is vastly overrated...French Fries in a burrito?!
Here's a pic of the best taqueria Ive ever been to, El Farolito in the mission district of San Francisco:
I like that elevator to BART sign. Looks like you could take the public transit straight from home to the Mexican restaurant.
Why in the world isn't chicago in the options?? Chicago is actually one of the best cities for mexican food. Just go visit 26th Street and you will know what I am talking about.
1) Chicago
2) Los Angeles
3) Houston
4) Dallas
5) San Antonio
It amazes me that Chicago isn't in this list. From what my Mexican friends tell me, Chicago has the most diverse Mexican population in the States...representing almost all regional specialties.
Chicago has the 3rd largest Mexican population after LA and Houston, and srguably the most diverse Mexican population...meaning most diverse food.
Man... old thread... but i'm bumping this cause some of these comments are ridiculous. No.. the taquerias at San Francisco are not good. The food is bland and its just made for high consumerism. Go to South california where mexican food is prepared the right way slowly and with care.
I also agree that New Mexico has hands down just flat out some of the best foods I've ever eaten. I was a kid when we lived in Las Cruces, NM. All the foods... I mean all of the foods we ate was just phenomenal. This isn't just some of the best mexican food... its some of the best food I've ever put into my mouth. The tamales are tiny little spicy suckers and they will leave you crying for the rest of the day. The enchiladas, menudo... oh dear the pozole. The champuradas! Good heavens, I wanna go back there!
The thing is that I grew up eating mexican food. Not in restaurants but at home. So as a hispanic my taste buds differ greatly from americans just growing up eating mexican food at restaurants. If you want to vote cities like San Francisco based on that merit alone, you're on your own. The food here is simply generic. I just left a taqueria a few hours ago and I noticed they had flautas. I spoke to one of the workers who was from mexico city and we started talking about how the mexican food here is different and generic. We were also speaking in Spanish... so I think we're quite qualified to give our two cents on the subject.
I am also partial to San Antonio and Houston mexican food. In San Antonio there are places where they make super tacos. These aren't the San Francisco godawful type of super tacos where they put the entire deli menu in a tiny little tortilla. These are big super tacos... bigger than burritos. They are prepared fresh with homemade flour tortillas. Let me repeat that.... HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS. crispy, fluffy, warm and soft the way the good Lord intended it to be. I don't think I've ever been to any city anywhere else where they make them like that. I don't know how in the world the mission burritos got more popular than San Antonio's super tacos.
You ever eat naan bread at an indian restaurant? You know how intoxicating the scent can be and how appealing the texture of it it feels in your hands? That's how the homemade flour tortillas in Texas taste like... and don't get me started on the border towns. Anyone ever been to Eagle Pass, TX?
But if I were to put up my favorite cities with the best mexican food here they are in no order at all.
Anywhere in NM, El Paso, San Antonio, LA/SD, Houston, Anywhere in the border towns of TX.
Austin and San Francisco just simply have this flavor that's too white and touristy for me. I dunno but that's just me. Although I will say that San Jalisco on South Van Ness and 18th is pretty decent. And there are a few places in Austin that I miss like Habanero, and Taqueria Jaliscienses. Also I've never been to Phoenix... but something tells me that the mexican food there might be pretty decent.
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