Los Tacos No. 1 located inside Chelsea Market in New York City
Located in a small corner of Chelsea Market is Los Tacos No. 1, an unassuming taco stall serving up some of the best tacos in New York City. For something so simple, it’s surprising how hard it is to find a decent taco on the East Coast, until now.
The goal of Los Tacos No. 1 owner is simple: fresh ingredients and family recipes. The place is legit when fresh tamarindo, jamaica, and horchata sit on the counter.
Arrival at Los Tacos No. 1
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The word is out.
Unless you plan to visit midweek, you can always expect to find a line of hungry customers waiting in front. Don’t let the long lines detour you. On my visit, the line moved quite quickly. The whole operation ran like a well-oiled machine with a two-lined system.
The first line was to pay (credit cards accepted except American Express, $5 minimum). The second line was to submit your ticket to the cooks behind the counter.
Corn or flour tortilla? It is an important question. Make sure you make up your mind by this point. The cook will ask you this question and ask if you want everything on your taco, meaning onions, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole. You can’t go wrong with corn tortillas with everything.
If you plan to stay and eat, you might have to stand. There was no seating area, so it was every man for himself trying to snag one of the coveted standing-only spots at the bar.
Los Tacos No. 1 Menu
The simple menu found at Los Tacos No. 1
The menu at Los Tacos No. 1 was simple.
You had tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, and mulas with your choice of carne asada (grilled steak), pollo asado (grilled chicken), adobada (marinated pork), and nopal (grilled cactus). You can’t leave without trying the red chili and vinegar marinated pork adobada taco.
There was also a fried quesadilla, known as the especial, which I heard was delicious. If you like chips, you can order chips with salsa or guacamole.
Rumor has it there was also a secret menu that included a taco with a tortilla made entirely from grilled cheese.
Tak your pick of salsas: mild, medium, or spicy
With tacos in hand, it was time for the condiments. An assortment of salsas, sliced radishes, limes, grilled peppers, and dried arbol peppers for more heat was available. Here, you could dress your tacos to your heart’s content.
However, the location of the condiments on the counter was an issue. Reaching for them, blocked by a wall of people standing at the counter, was easier said than done.
Adobada (Marinated Pork) Taco
The famous pork marinated adobada taco
There are certain foods I would not hesitate to fly halfway around the world to try. The marinated pork adobada taco ($3.50) is one of those foods.
You want to order this, and this is why people put Los Tacos No. 1 on their food bucket list.
Although the taco might have been small, it contained so much, including pork, onions, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole on a handmade corn tortilla.
All you foodies out there will appreciate that the tortillas were made fresh by hand from masa. Each tortilla, grilled to order, resulted in a soft and spongy blanket perfect for toppings—just the right thickness without having to layer two tortillas.
Nothing beats a freshly made tortilla. Don’t even get me started on those tortillas you get from the supermarket, which taste like cardboard. You won’t find those here.
The star of the taco, the spit-roasted pork, was sliced fresh to order, al pastor style. The pork was cooked to perfection, which only happens in my dreams. The edges of each piece were crispy and charred, giving each bite a texture that complemented the juicy and tender melt-in-your-mouth pork.
With each bite, I could immediately taste a good kick of heat from the red chili vinegar marinade. Controlling the heat was a generous amount of creamy, almost refreshing, guacamole. This guacamole wasn’t the chunky type you’re used to, but more of a puréed version. Balancing out the spicy and creamy explosion of flavors was a hint of sweetness and acid from two small pineapple slices.
This taco was legit. You need to try it for yourself.
Pollo Asado (Grilled Chicken) Taco
Pollo Asado, a grilled chicken taco
I almost ordered a second adobada taco, but I knew I couldn’t leave without trying the pollo asado (grilled chicken) taco on a corn tortilla.
This taco’s composition was almost identical to the previous: a soft, fluffy, handmade corn tortilla packed with grilled chicken, salsa, guacamole, cilantro, and onions.
Instead of being spit-roasted, the chicken was fire-roasted on a scorching hot grill until slightly charred and crispy outside, which I think is the best way to cook chicken.
Each bite of the cubed chicken was juicy and crispy outside, with just the right amount of flavor from the grill. The creamy, rich guacamole and slightly spicy salsa perfectly matched the smoky grilled chicken.
While the pollo asado chicken was fantastic, it just couldn’t compare to the unique flavor of the adobada taco.
Service at Los Tacos No. 1
As for the service, I don’t have much to report other than it was quick and efficient. The operation at Los Tacos No. 1 was like a well-oiled machine. Even when lines appeared, the wait was never long as each employee seemed to know their role.
The line moved quickly due to limited interaction between customers and employees. When you are hungry for delicious tacos, lines are never fun.
Conclusion
The hype is real.
If you are in NYC, you must visit Los Tacos No. 1. If you visit Los Tacos No. 1, you must try the marinated pork adobada taco. It was that good, dare I say, the best tacos in New York City.
The tacos here might be more expensive than those at other taco joints in the city (remember you are at Chelsea Market), but for the quality of the food and freshness of the ingredients, you can’t go wrong with Los Tacos No. 1.
Pros
The best tacos in New York City by far
The pork adobada taco
Fresh, handmade flour and corn tortillas
The whole operation was run well, ensuring the shortest wait possible
Best. Tacos. Ever!!!!