Let’s Taco Bout the Best Tacos in McMinnville

When you’re hungry RIGHTNOW, nothing quite beats the flavor and ease of tacos.  McMinnville, Oregon is known for it’s farm to fork wine country cuisine but sometimes, as you teeter on the edge between hungry and hangry, there’s just no time for anything too fancy.

We sent our stalwart reporter Dominic out to taste test McMinnville’s taco offerings.  He was up to the task – but, we encourage you to test for yourself!

Tequila Grill:
While all the tacos I tried were good, I personally loved Tequilla Grill’s street tacos because of the amount of customization you can add onto the meat packed corn tortillas they hand over to you fresh off the skillet.

I got one each of azada, chorizo and carnitas and topped them with a cabbage and cilantro slaw, habanero salsa, radishes and extra cilantro. While I only chose my favorites, they also offer 3 other salsas of varying heat level, pickled vegetables, onions, slow cooked pinto beans and limes that you can get self-served.  Drink options include sodas, beer, and horchata.

Their outdoor seating consists of picnic tables with a few heaters within the plexi-glass walls to keep you warm if you choose to dine in. Their deck seating options available during the summer make for a great evening accompanied by their array of tacos and burritos.  Prices are great, too!

Mini Super Hidalgo:
This is another food cart taco experience. They have tarp enclosed seating at rubber covered metal circular picnic tables. I ordered an azada, carnitas and chorizo tacos and received three very traditional street tacos. They have a few options for customization with add ons besides their green or red salsas, and they have a variety of other options on their menu like burritos, tortas, etc.

Great if you’re looking for simple tacos with a little salsa if you’re on the go and need a little something to tide you over. All the tacos were $2 apiece, and very flavorful.

Los Molcajetes:
Beautifully lit seating, very vibrant and colorful and the staff is very friendly. I ordered the taco combination that they offer for $9.95 and the plate came with a side of rice and beans with three delicious hard-shell tacos (two carnitas, one azada). It’s a great sit-down option that includes bottomless chips and salsa for free with a plate of food that is sure to have you bringing home leftovers.

Drink menu has everything from sodas and beers to cocktails and wines as well. Not a quick place to grab tacos but a great place to sit back and relax to take a break from shopping up and down Third Street!

Muchas Gracias:
Muchas Gracias was always a hometown favorite growing up due to quick turn out on food, it’s proximity to the high school in the main part of town and 24 hour availability.

The amount of meat, guacamole, cilantro and radishes that I received on my tacos was very pleasing and I was stuffed by the end of this meal. Two tacos here would have been a more comfortable level of “full” than the three I ordered trying to be consistent.

They have pickled vegetables and both red and green salsas available upon request and have horchata and fountain sodas available for drinks.  Having mainly eaten burritos there my whole life, I was extremely impressed by their tacos.

If you would like additional add-ons like rice, beans or guacamole (if it doesn’t come on the specific taco you ordered), you’re welcome to order them extra for a small charge.

Pura Vida:
Since I hadn’t eaten any fish tacos yet, I decided Pura Vida, a local favorite right on Third Street, had to be the exception.

The sautéed shrimp tacos came cooked perfectly and were topped with cabbage, cilantro, radishes, a bit of queso fresco and gallo pinto.  Sides that came with the tacos were seasoned rice with some beans sprinkled throughout and pickled onions to add an extra flavor option to the tacos or rice.

You could order soda, cocktails, beers, and wine for drinks. Staff is fantastic and the seating at the restaurant is very bright and commonly bustling with locals and tourists alike. If it’s getting close to dinner time and you have a few people craving tacos, I would call ahead and get a reservation (only allowed if party is larger than five) otherwise you may have a small wait for a table.

These tacos are extremely filling and found myself requesting a box to take one home with some rice and onions for a midnight snack.