Tacos El Gordo

Las Vegas has no shortage of terrific taco spots. Yet in any discussion of what stand, or cart, or kitchen produces the best, most would agree that Tacos El Gordo deserves one of the top spots. If you need proof, visit their Strip location around midnight on a warm Saturday night, and witness upward of a hundred people, all still in their fancy night-out attire, grabbing some late-night tacos, (sometimes waiting over an hour for them). Fortunately, all their local spots stay open late -- until 4 a.m. on weekends.

Founded in San Diego in 1998 before coming to Vegas in 2010, the tacos here are legit. And the nine varieties go well beyond basics like adobada (pork), carne asada (grilled beef) and suadero (brisket), to include options like cabeza (beef head), buche (pork stomach), lengua (beef tongue) and tripa (beef guts). The menu has more than tacos of course: carne asada/adobada fries, quesadillas, sope, tostadas and the all the other usual suspects.

The kitchen works like a machine, cranking out many thousands of tacos each night. So the only way to order is to get in line with your order ready, then watch in awe as they seemingly throw together your tacos as soon as the words come out of your mouth.