Best Tacos in Puerto Vallarta: 5 Local Spots That Will Blow Your Mind!

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Puerto Vallarta is a gastronomic gold mine. One of the best things to do in the city is to grab a bite at one of the many fun, exciting, and colorful restaurants lining each street. But you can’t talk about cuisine in Puerto Vallarta without mentioning the tacos. I mean, tacos in general are delicious, but nowhere in the WORLD does tacos like Mexico. But with so many options, it can be extremely overwhelming! Especially if you are on a short trip and don’t have time to waste at subpar carne asada. That’s why today I’m bringing you a list of the BEST tacos in Puerto Vallarta!

During my trip, I did take a food tour with Vallarta Food Tours. Not sponsored at all, I found it and paid for it completely by myself. But let me tell you, I HIGHLYYY recommend every single one of their food tours – especially the taco crawl. Two of the places mentioned were on my food tour, but a lot of the places visited are super low-key stalls that won’t pop up on your google maps. Do yourself a favor, and take one of their tours. And then check out the rest of the places on this list, recommended by Uber drivers and locals! Verified by my taste buds 🙂

*Pro-tip: if a taco is too spicy for you, add some salt! It will make the spice more tolerable.

Also, just a disclaimer. I am not a food blogger. So I apologize in advance for the quality of the following pictures hahaha.

Sonorita Olas Altas

Y’all. When I tell you I thought I DIEDDD and gone to heaven, I tell NO LIES. The tacos here are in-freaking-credible. They cook the BEST tacos al pastor in the city! Hands down. So I gotta have them on the list. You can watch the giant slab rotating and roasting in the front, but it looks even better when they get to the table.

Get the al pastor with the lil pineapple up in the taco. It will blow your minddd. This restaurant has a good amount of space, and very chill cute vibes. While the al pastor tacos are a MUST, their salads are also fantastic and a perfect side! And chase it all down with their delicious passionfruit margarita. Or if you don’t drink alcohol, their mocktails and juices are incredible as well! The restaurant is cash only though, so make sure you bring your pesos! If you happen to forget, there is an atm down the street! Just let

address:

Pino Suárez 234, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico

Taqueria El Cuñado

This taco stand was actually recommended to us by a tour guide, and for breakfast tacos. But. I never wake up in time for breakfast, so I stopped by for lunch and the place was boppin! It was right around the corner from my hotel. It is a stand, but there are a few outdoor tables. But just a few. Luckily, the line moves pretty fast and customers are good about leaving once they finish eating. I’d recommend grabbing their Carne Asada tacos, and if you have room, get chorizo too! Wash it down with some Mexican Coca Cola!

Something I wasn’t expecting though – they put beans in their tacos. I absolutely haaaate beans (I know, I know), so if you do too, just let them know when you order! This taco stand is located right by the beach, so they make a good snack after splashing around in the water…or whatever it is people do at the beach. I’m not much of a water person.

address:

Francisca Rodríguez 104, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico

Pepe’s Tacos

I ended up at Pepe’s by accident. I meant to visit another taco spot, but it was closed. So our Uber driver recommended “Pepe’s” down the street. So I went in with zero expectations. IT BLEW MY MIND. First, the prices are really low, which is great. But again, cash only. I personally had the al pastor and the carne asada. Both were absolutely fantastic. I didn’t get a drink or anything since it was my last stop before the airport, and I had run out of pesos, but I’ve also heard great things about their quesadilla!

Also, make sure you try one of their four in-house sauces! From what the Uber driver told me, this place can get pretty popular, with lines out the door. But I went around lunch on a Wednesday and literally there were only two or three occupied tables. There are a lot of tables though, so even if it is busy, you probably won’t wait that long if you go for dinner. But, if you’re short on time, definitely aim for lunchtime.

address:

Calle Honduras 145C, 5 de Diciembre, 48350 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico

Tacos Chilo

YOOOOO THIS FREAKING TACO TRUCK!!! Okay, I dont even have much to say about this one except that it is sooo good. I grabbed two tacos late at night on my long walk 30ish minutes) back to my hotel at like 11pm. I promise I was completely mostly definitely probably sober. Totally kidding. 100% not under the influence. I didn’t forget to take a picture of the truck, but don’t worry, you can find it on Google Maps or just ask around!

Anyways, after stuffing myself all day on tacos, I had to end with a bang. I got two tacos -I’m sorry, I don’t even remember what they were- and it was the perfect way to end the night. THEN. When I thought I had eaten enough food to explode…I ordered more. It’s a great quick spot with great food. If I had any room left in me, I would’ve ordered the pata negra, which looked like just a HUGE plate of different tacos. That said, there isn’t a lot of seating space (like 6 bar stools if I remember), so it’s really just a place to pop in.

address:

48350, Calle Honduras 201, 5 de Diciembre, Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico

Tacos de Cabeza El Chulo

This was another spot I went to with Vallarta Food Tours and I honestly never would have found it without them. I believee this cart is set up later at night, so a perfect spot for pre-gaming before the club, or an after-dinner snack before heading back to your hotel. If I remember correctly, this family-run stand has been operating for decades, and Chulo, once a small boy, is now running the spatula!

It’s a little hard to find on your own, but they should be around the address below! They are also one of the cheapest tacos in the city! Under $1 USD! The taco to get is the cabeza, which is the meat from…a general region of the cow’s head. IT’S DELICIOUS. The meat just meltss in your mouth. Seriously, I think they cook it for like four or five hours. They also usually have a flavor or two of fresca, and it’s the perfect thing to wash the taco down!

Address: 

Aguacate 263-209, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico

Other Notable Mentions:

Of course, eating my way through Puerto Vallarta, I couldn’t get to every taco spot on my list. But, here are some notable mentions recommended by friends who live there and locals. If you manage to eat at all of the above places, check these out next!

• Pancho’s Takos (sit-down taco restaurant)
• El Carboncito (taco stand)
• Tacos El Moreno (taco stand)
• Joe Jack’s (fish tacos)

Best Tacos in Puerto Vallarta: Conclusion

There’s no shortage of amazing tacos in Puerto Vallarta. Surely, I have only just begun to scratch the surface. BUT, this is a good starting point for you! If your taste buds start to crave something OTHER than tacos, then check out my restaurant guide for Puerto Vallarta (coming soon!)

And for a complete weekend itinerary, including where to stay, where to eat, what to do, etc etc, check out my guest post on Mexico in My Pocket : Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide. And while you’re at it, feel free to browse around Mexico in My Pocket for amazing Mexican travel ideas and content!

Or I guess my site too!

• Guanajuato Travel Guide
• Tijuana Travel Guide

Now who’s hungry??? What is your favorite kind of taco? Let me know in the comments below!

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