Who doesn’t love authentic Mexican food!? One of the first questions we get asked from new transplants is: “Where’s the best Mexican food in the Treasure Valley?” So we sought out to answer that question by doing the research ourselves, one bite at a time! You’re welcome. Our Idaho Wild team compiled a list of our top 3 Mexican food eats in the Treasure Valley — before we continue that sentence, narrowing it down to 3 was not an easy task!!! — there’s many authentic Mexican restaurant options that we will feature in the future as the Treasure Valley is beyond blessed to have amazing cuisine! As we ventured out in search of the best taco, our Idaho Wild team asked the owner or manager of each restaurant one simple question: What is the most popular taco on the menu? And well, of course, we just had to try it for ourselves! We rated the tacos, and gave our honest opinion. Congratulations to our top 3 Mexican food choices: El Gallo Giro, Calle 75 Street Tacos, and Pablo’s Tacos.
So who had the best tacos!? Watch the video above and read our review below to see who won us over!
El Gallo Giro in Meridian
*Idaho Wild’s average rating: 7.9
We were greeted with a warm friendly welcome by the owner, Lucio, who co-owns the restaurant with his father. A warm basket of fresh made tortilla chips was placed on our table with a mild salsa and bean dip, this is when you learn how much self control you really have, we have none 😉 Lucio told us their most popular item on the menu was their special, the Birria taco, which is made with beef shank sirloin and explained as the French Dip of Mexico. The tortilla is dipped in the sauce of the meat and then grilled until it has a perfect crunch. It was delivered to our table on a beautiful plate accompanied by rice and beans. We squeezed the lime on the taco and dipped it in the stew sauce. Every bite was a burst of savory and slightly spicy flavor. Perfectly crisp tortilla, ooey gooey cheese, and tender, fall apart meat make up this juicy and delicious taco.
Very good score but we still had two more places to go! Overall, we enjoyed our experience at El Gallo Giro. If you are looking for an authentic Mexican food experience, this is a great place to go!
Calle 75 Street Tacos in Meridian
*Idaho Wild’s average rating: 7.2
A little taco kiosk inside the Village at Meridian was our next stop. You walk up to order, and they call your number when it’s ready, so make sure you don’t throw away your receipt (speaking from experience here)! On Taco Tuesday, they have a special, 3 tacos for the price of 2! 3 Carne Asada street tacos were served hot and ready to eat! So we ate. The flavor of the Carne Asada was delicious, but unfortunately that was the only thing that stood out. The tortilla was dry, and slightly hard but not crispy, more like a stale texture or not completely warmed up. The taco comes topped with Pico de Gallo, which has a good flavor but mostly tomatoes. We agreed that adding a little cilantro and a better tortilla would add a little bit of spice to the taco.
Good place to go if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, and happen to be craving a taco, but not if you are wanting an authentic experience.
Pablo’s Tacos in Nampa
*Idaho Wild’s average rating: 9.5
A taco truck, mmm, doesn’t the best food always come from a food truck? We were hopeful, but unbiased. Pablo’s Tacos in Nampa is owned by an incredibly hospitable husband and wife duo, Pablo and Daria, who relocated from San Diego, California. If you have ever traveled to San Diego, you understand, they know how to do Mexican food.
“What is your most popular taco?” Idaho Wild asked.
“Carne Asada!” the owners said, and we were not disappointed. The carne asada was tender and flavorful, served in a soft, freshly made, hot tortilla and topped with their house made guacamole, onions, and cilantro. On the side was a grilled pepper and grilled onions. They offer a red and green salsa, but we forgot to add it because it was so delicious, we didn’t even need it!
After we finished our tacos, Daria offered to make us their other most popular item, the California Burrito. The burrito was made with carne asada, the same marinated delicious meat in the taco, but accompanied with crispy, savory seasoned french fries, and guacamole! Are you kidding us?!?! It was incredible!
Even on a cold, rainy and windy day, we waited because it was just THAT good. We were left speechless (mostly because our mouths were full) and all we could say to each other was “YUM!” We unanimously found our winner! We highly recommend Pablo’s Tacos in Nampa. Along with the amazing authentic Mexican food, you are served by an amazing authentic Mexican husband and wife team! What more can you ask for!
