Houston · Taco trucks
Best Tacos in Houston? My Three-Truck Barbacoa Comparison
Houston has taco trucks everywhere, so Thomas and I made a morning of trying three: Tacos Tierra Caliente, Tacos La Sultana and Taconazo. We drove straight from one stop to the next, comparing the meat, toppings and sauces.
My favorite was Tacos La Sultana, while Thomas picked Taconazo. Since La Sultana didn’t have its pork tacos available when we arrived, my final comparison was specifically about the barbacoa.
From my video published September 9, 2026.
My Houston taco truck comparison at a glance
- My barbacoa pick: Tacos La Sultana. Piping-hot, tender meat with a generous serving.
- Thomas’s pick: Taconazo. This stop also had my favorite sauces of the three.
- Tacos Tierra Caliente: I preferred the tender barbacoa to the pastor, which was drier than I wanted.
These are my personal picks from one visit to three trucks. I compared barbacoa at all three; La Sultana’s pork tacos were not available when we arrived.
What I ordered
Tacos Tierra Caliente: Pastor and barbacoa
The first piece of pastor I tried had so much flavor and a smoky taste I liked. Once I ate it as a whole taco, though, the meat was drier than I expected. The pineapple helped, but it wasn’t my favorite.
I preferred the barbacoa. It was tender, with an herby flavor and fresh cilantro and onions. I would have liked a little more salt, but it was good with the toppings. The sauces were just okay to me; I preferred the green one with the taco.
These were small tacos with plenty of meat. We went back to the car to eat.
Tacos La Sultana: Barbacoa
We arrived around 10 in the morning, when they only had menudo and barbacoa tacos available. I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t compare the pork, but that gives me a reason to come back.
I ordered one barbacoa taco, and the serving of meat was huge. With the two tortillas, I could have made two smaller tacos. The meat was piping hot, tender and flavorful. It reminded me of the barbacoa Thomas makes at home.
The sauce was just okay for me, but the meat really stood out. They also had an area where we could sit and eat, and I was impressed by the neat packaging.
Taconazo: Barbacoa and trompo
The barbacoa tasted more like beef stew to me on the first bite, but I enjoyed it more once I put the taco together. There were different textures in the meat, and the sauces here were my favorite of the three stops.
The trompo had outstanding flavor but was a little dry for my taste. The grilled onions, cilantro and pickled toppings made the whole taco better. I rated that pork taco about 5.5/10 because I wanted the meat to be juicier.
I also tried a bite of Thomas’s lengua taco. He loved it, but it was just okay for me. We didn’t have the same favorite, and that’s part of the fun of comparing food together!
How much was it?
- Tacos Tierra Caliente: $7 for four tacos, or $1.75 each. The posted menu said $2.50, so the amount we were charged was lower than I expected.
- Taconazo: $3 per taco. My two tacos were generously filled and each came with two tortillas.
Those were the prices from this visit. Check each truck’s current menu before ordering.
What would I get again?
The barbacoa at Tacos La Sultana would be my first pick. The tenderness and flavor were exactly what I wanted. I’d also like to come back when the pork tacos are available so I can try those.
Taconazo won on sauces for me, and it was Thomas’s overall favorite. This was a comparison of our meals at these three trucks, and your favorite may be different from mine.
Restaurant details
Tacos Tierra Caliente
Address: 2003 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77098
Find on Maps ↗
Tacos La Sultana
Address: 7011 Capitol St, Houston, TX 77011
Find on Maps ↗
Taconazo
Address: 4003 Fulton St, Houston, TX 77009
Find on Maps ↗
Use the maps to confirm locations and hours.