El Come Taco

If you like Tacos La Banqueta but hate waiting in line, try El Come Taco, a 6-year-old Old East Dallas taco joint that’s well on its way to becoming an institution. Everything at El Come is good, even the simple Jose taco with beans, cheese and avocado, but look out for unusual offerings like tripe, lengua, sesos (veal brains) and chapulines (grasshoppers). Big projectors make this a good place to watch a soccer game, too.

Top pick: This is cheating because it’s technically a separate business, but our top pick here is to slide through the bathroom hallway to the adjacent mezcal bar, La Viuda Negra, from the same owners. La Viuda has its own separate, ever-changing food menu to pair with its showy cocktails. The bar is, however, extremely small, which means that seats fill quickly, especially if pandemic restrictions are in place.

Fun fact: La Viuda Negra’s entrance is disguised as a dilapidated bridal shop.