Taqueria Al Pastor

In a neighborhood that has more delicious Mexican restaurants than it does fire hydrants per capita, Taqueria Al Pastor consistently makes our favorite tacos. You should, of course, order at least one of the titular al pastor variety. It’ll come piled with strips of crispy marinated pork and cubed pineapple, and a single hefty taco will make for a respectable snack.

The sneaky truth of Taqueria Al Pastor, though, is that their carne asada tastes even better than their pork. Cut into chunks the size of seven-carat diamonds, the grilled beef is more garlicky than most versions we’ve had. Each taco gets blanketed by a generous slap of guacamole, supported by a housemade corn tortilla that stays sturdy and provides the right amount of chew. One night when we were here, they ran out of corn tortillas, and the duo behind the counter made our tacos with flour ones instead. The result? An equally outstanding handheld meal.

Stop by this casual spot in Bushwick for what’s likely to be the best 10 minutes of your day. There are a couple of stools along the wall, but Taqueria Al Pastor doesn’t have any tables or alcohol. It has something better: some of the best carne asada tacos in the city.

Food Rundown

photo credit: David A. Lee

Carne Asada Taco

Don’t let the name of this place fool you, these are Taqueria Al Pastor’s best tacos. And that’s mostly thanks to the pungent garlic on the strips of grilled beef. Each taco gets a big cafeteria-style glop of jalapeño-studded guacamole. The result tastes spicy and salty all at once.

photo credit: David A. Lee

Al Pastor Taco

Claim at least one al pastor taco while you’re here. Not just because they’re notably crispy from their time living on the trompo, but also because it might feel boring to eat the same carne asada taco three times in a row.

photo credit: David A. Lee

Volcanes

If you prefer crispy tortillas, you’ll love Taqueria Al Pastor’s volcanes—crunchy corn tortillas topped with grilled monterey jack cheese, onions, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, plus your choice of meat. There’s no graceful way to eat this, so just forget about grace. She’s boring, anyway.