The Search for Good Tacos on O‘ahu: A Californian’s Top Picks

Perhaps it is an unobtainable nostalgia we are after, us Californians. We search and search for things that bring us close to home. But Hawai‘i is not California. So, why do we lament the lack of good taquerias here?

First, “good” is completely subjective. Upbringing, culture and experience determine our taste in food, so my opinion will not be like yours. And Mexican food has so many regional differences and styles that have been adapted to tastes everywhere that it’s no wonder Mexican food in Hawai’i tastes different. Mexican food will taste different around the world.

I grew up in California, both Southern and Northern, and have taken trips to Mexico with friends and family my whole life. I’d love to find the crunchy beef tacos I’d order from taqueria drive-throughs after a night of drinking in San Diego. Tacos from places with names like Alberto’s, Roberto’s, Rosarito’s and Sombrero’s—places that shove shredded beef inside tortillas, bathe them in sizzling oil until crisp, then top them with shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese and a mild taco sauce of chile de arbol, garlic and tomato. Or street tacos from Bay Area taquerias or roadside stands in Baja, Mexico of meat, diced onion and chopped cilantro on a couple of 3-inch corn tortillas warmed on the grill in animal fat.

So what about O‘ahu’s tacos? For this story, I sampled tacos from 20 Mexican restaurants and food trucks. If they made their own hot sauce—or even just had Tapatío, Valentina or Cholula on the counter—they gained points. In my humble opinion, these are the spots that serve up the best.

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Straight Outta Husk

Owners Marhen and Sam Luevano produce Baja-style tacos, each served on a 6-inch grilled tortilla from Sinaloa and packed with heaping spoonfuls of marinated meat prepared in various styles: al pastor (pineapple pork), birria (fatty beef chuck braised in a flavorful broth), pollo asada (juicy chunks of grilled chicken thighs) and more. Marhen Luevano cooks the recipes she learned from her family growing up on a rancho near Ensenada, Mexico. The horchata is also some of the best I’ve ever had.

My favorite: Al pastor taco

Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (expanding hours soon), inside Palama Supermarket, 98-020 Kamehameha Highway, ‘Aiea, (808) 765-1990, straightouttahusk.com, @straightouttahusk

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Da Seafood Cartel

I came for the fish and stayed for the beef. Rarely do I find a taco shop grilling steaks over an open flame to impart smoke and that crucial Maillard crust to its carne asada tacos; mostly what I’ve had is grey, overcooked flank steak chopped to oblivion. At Da Seafood Cartel, each chunk of steak in my carne asada taco is charred to perfection. I cannot stop eating it.

My favorite: Carne asada taco

Multiple locations, daseafoodcartel.com, @daseafoodcartel

Photo: Sarah Burchard

SEE ALSO: Find Umami-Packed Aguachile and Tostadas at Da Seafood Cartel’s New ‘Aiea Restaurant

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Tight Tacos

These guys have nailed the Baja-style fish taco. The beer batter on the fish stays crunchy underneath the chipotle aioli, shredded (green!) cabbage and cilantro, the tortillas are handmade, and the fish is tender and moist. A huge bonus for me is the house-made salsa bar—it’s the only one I’ve found on island.

My favorite: Fish taco

Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 3617 Wai‘alae Ave., Kaimukī, (808) 302-1636, tighttacoskaimuki.com, @tighttacoskaimuki

SEE ALSO: Tight Tacos Brings Luscious Carnitas and Foodie Cred to the Top of Wai‘alae Avenue

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Thyda’s Tacos

If you have 30 minutes to spare, Thyda’s is worth the wait. You’ll come here for street tacos served simply in the traditional way with diced onion and cilantro, but if you order your tacos with “The Works,” they’ll pile pickled jalapeños, radish and grilled onions on top. So far, this is the best spot I’ve found on O‘ahu for lengua (beef tongue) tacos. The meat melts in your mouth.

My favorite: Lengua taco

Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1034 Queen St., Kaka‘ako in front of Tint Shop Hawai‘i across from Whole Foods, call or text orders to (310) 666-4671, @thydastacos

Photo: Sarah Burchard

SEE ALSO: Roll With It: Thyda’s Tacos Proves that If It’s Tasty, They Will Come

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Tacos de Cacheton

Owned by Bevy, Tacos de Cacheton started as a food truck and opened a brick-and-mortar location a few months ago at Salt at Our Kaka‘ako. Tacos are made with Raiz Tortillas, a Kalihi producer that sources heirloom corn from Mexico for its handmade corn tortillas made in the traditional way using only nixtamalized corn, lime and water. I go to Cacheton for the barbacoa cachete—braised beef cheek, with lots of sticky collagen, coated in a thick, rich jus. Don’t worry about grabbing hot sauce, the salsa verde on top complements the meat with the perfect amount of acidity and heat.

My favorite: Barbacoa cachete

Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 675 Auahi St. #129, Kaka‘ako, @tacosdecacheton

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Surf & Salsa

For 10 years, this food truck in Hale‘iwa has been cranking out great Mexican food that locals swear by: handmade tortillas, freshly fried tortilla chips (still warm) and crunchy tacos from what appears to be an all-woman staff. This is the closest thing I have found to San Diego-style crunchy tacos on O‘ahu, complete with shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes and queso fresco on top. The tacos are big; one or two is plenty for me. The mild salsa verde is plenty spicy and excessively addictive.

My favorite: Crunchy shredded beef taco

Monday to Saturday 10:45 a.m. to 8 p.m., 66521 Kamehameha Highway, Hale‘iwa, surfnsalsa.com, @surfnsalsa

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Lahaina Tacos

The family that owns Lahaina Tacos is from the capital city of Tepic in Nayarit, Mexico. The taco counter’s strong indigenous influence can be found in its cochinita pibil—the traditional Mayan preparation of pork marinated with achiote paste and seville orange, slow-cooked in banana leaves. Tortillas are handmade daily, which is impressive for such a small operation. You can tell they are done right because all you need is one per taco, and they don’t break.

My favorite: Cochinita pibil taco

Monday to Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pioneer Plaza, 900 Fort Street Mall, #190, Downtown, @lahainatacos

Photo: Sarah Burchard

SEE ALSO: Lahaina Tacos, Downtown’s New Taqueria, Opens Today in Pioneer Plaza

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Sabrozon

I’ve got a sweet spot for scrappy food trucks—buying tacos from these just feels right. I like Sabrozon’s Baja-style fish tacos of mahi mahi, a good sturdy tortilla, shaved green cabbage, pico de gallo and jalapeño crema. The fried fish stays nice and crisp, and the toppings taste super fresh. You’ll find the truck parked across the street from Mother Waldron Park in Kaka‘ako, with two picnic tables in the shade behind the truck if you want to eat there.

My favorite: Fish taco

Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 575 Cooke St., Kaka‘ako, (808) 482-9445, @sabrozon_hi

Photo: Sarah Burchard

Sarah Burchard is a contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i.