Best Tacos in North Carolina
The top-rated taco shops in North Carolina, ranked by the Taco States of America community. 74 shops and counting.
| Rank | Name | City | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Happy Taco - Mebane | Mebane | 50 |
| 2 | Tacos California | Hillsborough | 41 |
| 3 | Taqueria Cruz | Durham | 27 |
| 4 | Taqueria Michoacan | Hillsborough | 25 |
| 5 | Taqueria Mariposa | Hillsborough | 18 |
| 6 | El Machete's Tacos | Durham | 15 |
| 7 | El Toro Loco | Raleigh | 15 |
| 8 | Tacos el coco loco | Durham | 13 |
| 9 | Two Brothers Food Truck | Durham | 5 |
| 10 | Tacos El Niño | Chapel Hill | 3 |
| 11 | City Bus Burritos and Tacos | Carrboro | 0 |
| 12 | El Taco Amigo | Chapel Hill | 0 |
| 13 | Xolos Tacos Y Tlayudas | Chapel Hill | 0 |
| 14 | Toledo's Taqueria | Carrboro | 0 |
| 15 | Que Chula Craft Tacos | Chapel Hill | 0 |
| 16 | Monterrey Mexican Food Truck | Chapel Hill | 0 |
| 17 | Taco King Food Truck | Chapel Hill | 0 |
| 18 | Carburritos | Carrboro | 0 |
| 19 | The Latin Effect | Chapel Hill | 0 |
| 20 | Bandidos Mexican Cafe | Chapel Hill | 0 |
About North Carolina's Taco Scene
North Carolina is home to a growing community of taco lovers and independent taco shops. From traditional taquerias to innovative food trucks, the state's taco scene continues to evolve.
Our rankings are powered entirely by community ratings — no paid placements, no algorithms favoring chains. Just real people rating real tacos.
How Rankings Work
Shops earn points through user ratings. Five-star ratings give the most points, and ratings submitted via QR codes at the shop earn bonus points. Points decay over time, so the leaderboard always reflects recent performance.
Help Build the North Carolina Leaderboard
Know a great taco spot that's not listed? Nominate it. Already see your favorite? Create an account and start rating to help them climb the rankings.