If your personal motto is to live every day like it’s Taco Tuesday, you’re in luck. There are plenty of taco restaurants in Orlando ranging from hole-in-the-wall casual spots to date night-worthy destinations topped with ambiance. If you want to win some serious bonus points with your taco-loving other half, here’s where to take them for a delectable dream date.
Updated January 2024 by Meghan Roth
Authentic Tacos in Orlando
Let's start off with taco restaurants in Orlando that have the most authentic recipes and flavors. Then keep reading for taco spots that are date-worthy as well as unique cocktails and creations.
Black Rooster Taqueria
Two locations
1323 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL
3097 Curry Ford Rd, Orlando, FL
Every taco love affair has to begin somewhere, and for me, that place was Black Rooster Taqueria in the Mills 50 District. Here, the tacos are dressed simply (cilantro, onions, salsas, shaved radishes and the like) because the flavorful meat and homemade tortillas are so amazing you really don’t need all the extras. The restaurant is helmed by husband and wife duo John and Juliana Calloway.
Inside, Day of the Dead décor contributes to the vibrant and artsy interior, while the open kitchen and steady stream of patrons contribute to the lively atmosphere.
Favorite tacos include the crispy fish, chicken tinga, and signature Black Rooster asada. Several vegetarian options are also available. Whatever you do, make sure to order the made-to-order fresh guacamole. Just a heads up, the restaurant closes daily for a few hours between lunch and dinner, so get your fix before 2pm or after 5pm. Both locations are also closed on Mondays.
Bonus: Black Rooster is located next door to The Guesthouse and the two combined make for an amazing double date.
Hunger Street Tacos
Two locations
2103 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL
Inside Plant Street Market, 426 W Plant St Winter Garden, FL
Every aspect of Hunger Street Tacos is a celebration of Mexican culture, from the authentic Mexico City street food fare to the colorful murals lining the walls (painted by Lapiztola, a group of four artists) and the passionate brothers, Joseph and David Creech who own the business. Taco lovers owe thanks to Joseph’s wife, Seydi, whose taco craving led to the formation of a catering business and eventually the restaurant in Winter Park. Pay homage to the restaurant’s roots by ordering the taco that started it all, the signature Suadero taco.
While the tacos are fantastic, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not branching out to order more than just tacos. Dishes like the indulgent black bean and mushroom sope and squash blossom quesadilla shine a spotlight on the talented chefs and act as a wonderful introduction to authentic Mexico City cuisine. This is a yummy place to take the vegan or vegetarian in your life, too.
FYI: Parking is available behind the restaurant and across the street in the church parking lot. All seating is outdoors under a covered patio.
Rookies Cantina
140 S US Hwy 17 92, Longwood, FL
Step inside this family-owned and operated gem in Seminole County. Rookies Cantina has been a staple of Longwood for many, many years. The super casual atmosphere is friendly and inviting.
Locals love enjoying lunch here and Friday nights are filled with patrons coming to celebrate the end of the work week. The menu is extensive! Tacos range from shrimp, mahi fish, and gringos style to traditional street style with simple cilantro and chopped onion. The carnitas are tender and full of flavor – available as a dinner or 3 taco platter.
Sip on cold drinks including Mexican craft sodas. Enjoy the traditional music as you try to resist devouring the entire bowl of chips and salsa as your fresh, authentic tacos are prepared.
Ocoee Taco Company
40 Taylor St, Ocoee, FL
Colorful details and a warm, inviting staff will make you feel right at home at Ocoee Taco Company. This hole in the wall taco joint in Ocoee quickly reaches capacity at dinner hours when families and couples from near and far stream in to pick up to-go orders or nosh on budget-friendly eats.
Tacos are around $2 each and there are a variety of meats to choose from, like carnitas, asada, pollo and more. Order at least three to fill up, with your favorite Jarritos flavored beverage of course. To make it a complete date, head over to Toll Road Brewing Company for a craft brew before walking down W Oakland Ave for a sunset smooch at Bill Breeze Park, located on the shores of Starke Lake.
Fancy tacos for date night
Reyes Mezcaleria
821 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL
Happy Hour: Weekdays 4:00pm-7:00pm with small plates and drink specials
Anything restaurateurs Jason and Sue Chin create is guaranteed to be a hit and Reyes Mezcaleria is no exception. You’ll find this stunning restaurant serving upscale Mexican cuisine in the heart of the North Quarter District. You can certainly get your fill ordering an assortment of tacos (there are six options on the menu), but make sure to save some room for appetizers and dessert.
Start with something hearty like the sharable ceviche (made with citrus-cured local light caught fish, Serrano chiles and olives) or elote. Don’t skip a cocktail; Reyes has a large selection of mezcal and tequila and plenty of craft cocktails to imbibe.
bartaco
7600 Dr Phillips Blvd Suite 28, Orlando, FL
Happy Hour (High Tide): Weekdays 3:00pm – 6:00pm with beer and cocktail specials
The hearty trays of tacos at bartaco make for pretty Instagram photos (guilty) and thankfully the tacos taste delicious. Thanks to their small size (each taco is about 3 bites each) you can shamelessly order a whole tray of tacos for yourself. The restaurant is located in a strip mall in Dr. Phillips, but the lush outdoor patio and bright interior exude beachfront vibes that will transport you to your own personal taco paradise.
There are multiple taco varieties on the menu, but I recommend the baja fish (made with tempura-battered cod), the glazed pork belly, and the savory roasted duck. Make sure to ask your server about the current “bartaco secret”, an off the menu taco special that rotates frequently.
Kavas Tacos
9101 International Drive, Suite 1198, Orlando (1st level of Pointe Orlando)
Kavas Tacos + Tequila is a vibrant new Mexican restaurant that brings together delicious food and great vibes on International Drive. Their diverse menu combines Tex-Mex flavors with creative twists on Mexican street food, all carefully curated by the same team behind Tapa Toro and Taverna Opa Orlando.
Whether you're craving classics like Guacamole, Esquites, and Queso Fundido, or looking to indulge in a variety of Mexican-inspired cocktails, they have something for everyone. But we can't pass up their THREE FOOT taco board – yep, you read that right! The three-foot taco board comes with a dozen tacos (4 Grilled Chicken, 4 Carne Asada, and 4 School Tacos), but you can upgrade to a dozen of their Quesabirria tacos as well. Make it a real party and add on one of their three tequila flights.
Unique Tacos
Tin & Taco – multiple locations
Taco Tuesday: Most locations offer a selection of simple tacos, 2 for $6.50
Owned by the owner of Gringos Locos, Robert Bair, Tin & Taco became a fast favorite when it opened its first location in downtown Orlando. Now, this local brand's presence encompasses multiple locations, and still growing.
Cheese-crusted flour tortillas come stuffed with things like craft beer mac & cheese (the Mac Attack—I recommend swapping the ground beef for brisket) and traditional tacos get an upgrade with the addition of crushed Doritos (the Tacosaurus, my personal favorite). Besides a massive variety of taco options, you can place any of the filling combinations on other menu items like rice bowls, nachos, or crispy fries. Some locations even have brunch!
Tako Cheena
948 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL
Beloved by many as one of the best places in Orlando to grab a very late night bite (Tako Cheena is open until 4am Friday & Saturday), Tako Cheena’s fusion tacos taste just as good during the daylight hours.
Owner Edgardo Guzman serves up tasty Asian fusion tacos like the Thai peanut chicken (topped with cabbage, cilantro, scallions and crushed peanuts) and Chinese BBQ Char Siu pork belly (with crispy pork rings and ginger scallions). There are seven tacos to choose from.
If you feel like going on a taco scavenger hunt, take your date to Tako Cheena’s semi-secret location at the Massey Cadillac dealership on John Young Parkway (open Tuesday-Friday from 8:30pm-2:30pm).
Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa
1326 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL
Mills 50 is the ideal area for a taco crawl, with Black Rooster Taqueria, Tako Cheena and Pig Floyd’s all within a quarter-mile of each other. Yet each maintains its own distinct offerings in the taco realm, with Pig Floyd’s claim to fame being lip-smacking good BBQ and global fusion tacos with Indian, Mexican and Korean flavor.
For a taste of the BBQ, order a Pork Belly Taco or a Shrimp and Sausage Taco. Make sure to order a side of maduros (sweet plantains) to share.
Must-Have Margaritas
The Whole Enchilada
129 W Plant St, Winter Garden, FL
Where can you sip a fresh margarita on a rooftop, make your Taco Tuesday dreams come true, and explore a hip walkable neighborhood? Answer: The Whole Enchilada in downtown Winter Garden. This local favorite on Plant Street is revered for its colorful and spacious rooftop bar. Tropical details and an upbeat playlist set the low-key party vibe upstairs, while bright foliage and neon signs in the downstairs dining room up the ante on the fast-casual concept.
This is not the place to go for authentic tacos, but the food is tasty and the guacamole is a must. Ordering a margarita is a necessity; each is made with fresh sour mix and fruit and flavor varieties include mango, watermelon, prickly pear, and strawberry.
Agave Azul
Multiple locations
Agave Azul is far from a dedicated taqueria, offering a borderline overwhelming menu of Mexican cuisine aside an equally large assortment of margaritas. There are multiple locations around the greater Orlando area, each with a lively, yet polished atmosphere and a bar where you could easily lose a whole afternoon as you share chips and salsa and one margarita turns into two, then three, and so on.
The restaurant’s signature taco offering is the platter of pork carnitas tacos. The Dos Equis-soaked pork is slow braised for 24 hours and the tacos come garnished with cilantro and onions atop three corn homemade tortillas. Frozen house margaritas come in an assortment of fruity flavors like strawberry, mango and raspberry, while the specialty margaritas are slightly more exotic. The Amor y Odio margarita is a feast for the senses made with 1800 Silver, blood orange liquer, blood orange puree, lime and a splash of grapefuit juice.
Cocina 214
151 E Welbourne Ave, Winter Park, FL
Happy Hour: Monday – Friday, 4:00pm – 6:30pm with food and drink specials
Another Winter Park favorite, Cocina 214 is tucked just off of Park Avenue. Serving a hearty menu of Tex-Mex fare, this is the ideal place to take any taco lover without sacrificing the atmosphere. The rich, trendy interior gives way to a bright covered outdoor patio ripe for people watching while you dine.
Must-try dishes include the queso fundido appetizer (add chorizo!) and the classic rotisserie chicken tacos topped with Poblano salsa, roasted corn and queso fresco. All your favorite margarita options are on the menu along with a few unique concoctions. The Pop Rocks Rita is a party in your mouth, comprised of Tierras organic tequila, agave, fresh lime and cranberry garnished with a Pop Rocks rim.
Taco Kat
11 S COURT AVE, ORLANDO, FL 32801
Happy Hour: No happy hour, but cheap margaritas
Head to downtown Orlando for fruity margaritas and delicious, simple tacos. Taco Kat is open until 3am (closed Monday, and midnight on Wednesday) for your late night taco and margarita fix. The margaritas at Taco Kat are available in traditional, spicy, mango, strawberry, kiwi, and passion fruit. These margaritas are only $5!
And if you want to sip on even more cocktails, see if you can slip into the Cool Cat Club speakeasy.
Web Story: Orlando Taco Spots with Unique Creations!
More tacos in Orlando we love:
- Tortas El Rey – Orlando
- Gringos Locos – Orlando
- Frontera Cocina – Disney Springs (walk-up window also available)
- Wako Taco – Longwood
- Over The Border Taqueria – Taco Pop-Up
For more yummy eats, explore the Best Burgers in Orlando, and our Local's Favorite Places for Pizza.
All photos by Stephanie Patterson unless otherwise noted
