Good Morning America Came to Dallas Today in Search of the Best Tacos in America

Before the sun was even up this morning, there was a taco showdown in Dallas.

Good Morning America's United States of Tacos Tour kicked off in Chicago on Monday and landed in Dallas today. It will head to Miami on Wednesday and Atlanta on Thursday.

A panel of guest judges in each city picks the first-round winners between two local restaurants. The winners go on to a live, in-studio show on Friday, Sept. 1, for a shot at $20,000 and the crowning of the best tacos in America.

The two Dallas restaurants were Milagro Taco Cantina (440 Singleton Blvd.), which is one of our Top 100 restaurants, and certainly has some outstanding tacos (we're partial to the salmon folded into griddled cheese).
Milagro went up against Mami Coco (4519 Bryan St.), a quintessential gas station-attached spot in East Dallas that offers a tight menu with big flavor. It's super small, so don't everyone flock there at once, but definitely make time to try this spot if you haven't yet.

The Dallas taco judge panel included NBA player Grant Williams of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Istook from WFAA and chef Evelyn Garcia of Houston. Because they couldn't find a chef from Dallas to judge the taco competition?

Milagro put its finest foot forward with a costra de salmon (our above-mentioned favorite) with asadero cheese on a corn tortilla topped with a mango salsa and avocado.

Mami Coco went the traditional route with barbacoa tacos topped with cilantro and onions and an option of three homemade salsas.

Williams chose Milagro Taco Cantina as the winner, and the other two — Istook and Garcia — went with Mami Coco.

Mami Coco's owner, Gustavo De Los Rios, will travel to GMA's studio in New York's Times Square for the final taco competition this Friday, where he'll compete for the $20,000 grand prize. His barbacoa tacos will go up against other first-round winners from Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.