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Where to Find a Tasty Taco in Northern Virginia

These local restaurants are serving up authentic and original takes on the classic Mexican food.

tacos with blue corn tortilla shells
Specialty tacos are $4.25 at Taco Rock, so it just makes sense to order a few. (Photo by Alice Levitt)

It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is — you can never go wrong with tacos. Whether you’re looking for an authentic street taco or a Tex-Mex option, these NoVA restaurants are serving tacos that’ll keep you coming back for more. 

El Jaripeo 

Authentic, freshly made Mexican cuisine awaits at this popular family-owned spot. The menu of affordable eats includes tacos al pastor, tacos de carnitas, and combination dinners where you make your own plate from a choice of tacos, enchiladas, rice, beans, and more. 623 Frost Ave., Warrenton 

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Fish Taco 

Taco lovers can choose between street tacos on corn tortillas, tacos del mar on flour tortillas, and taco platters that come with rice and beans or salad.. While Fish Taco offers 11 different proteins to stuff in your taco, one of our food critics recommends the blackened fish taco. It’s served with tangy chile-lime sauce, cabbage, and pineapple-chile relish. 1644 Boro Pl., McLean 

La China Poblana Taqueria

Craving Mexican street tacos? Find more than 10 different varieties here. Whether you’re looking for a cheesy, juicy birria taco, or prefer a taco filled with steak, shrimp, pork, or beef tongue on a corn tortilla, you’re in luck. All a la carte tacos are served with cilantro, onions, and limes. 9792 Center St., Manassas 

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Taco Bamba 

Named the Best Tacos in Best of NoVA, this local chain has spent the last 10 years creating more mouthwatering tacos than we could dream up. With nine NoVA locations — and even more outside the region — each menu has a few dishes unique to that location. Try one-of-a-kind tacos like Fairfax’s Granddaddy Fish OG served with crispy grouper, poblano cream, and baja slaw; or Shirlington’s Red, which comes with corn-crusted crispy shrimp, mango slaw, and sweet corn aioli. Multiple locations 

Taco Rock 

From classic to veggie to specialty to breakfast tacos, you might have trouble picking a favorite dish from these 27 varieties. Fillings of note include braised beef BBQ brisket, jerk chicken, ahi tuna, spicy glazed pork belly, and fried avocado. And don’t skip the housemade blue corn tortillas. Alexandria, Arlington, and Falls Church 

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Feature image of Taco Rock by Alice Levitt

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