Tacos of asada, al pastor, carnitas, and chorizo might be the most popular tacos in every taco spot. But have you tried tacos de cabeza (head), lengua (tongue), or tripa (intestines)? If you haven't, give it a shot. It might sound like a complete food turn off at first, but you will be surprised at how tasty these tacos can be.
Growing up in Mexico, taco restaurants and taco stands where about everywhere. They were like the McDonald's of my childhood, and there wasn't a single place I went to where I didn't see at least one taco stand. I have always loved tacos and they are very special to me. So when I moved to California, finding tacos was a must to me. Lucky for me, all the San Francisco Bay Area never let me down. And to be honest, Los Angeles lives up to its reputation about having some of the best street tacos (good job, LA).
Now, as a girl born and raised in Mexico, I know damn well tacos are not the only good part of Mexican cuisine. However, any good Mexican knows tacos are not only the most popular food from Mexico, but it's also one of the tastiest, mouth watering foods ever created.
So while I was able to enjoy one of my favorite foods back in California, I was a bit worried about finding the same in Michigan. I was not very familiar with the area where I moved, and I didn't think I was going to find good street tacos so far up and closer to Canada. And boy, was I wrong!
Not only were the tacos in Michigan delicious, they were also one of the best tacos I've ever had here in the US. I literally found one of my favorite taquerias where I didn't expect it: West side of Michigan (yes, you can find good tacos that far up from Mexico and the border states).
The name of the taqueria is Tacos El Cuñado. This taqueria offers some real, traditional Mexican street tacos. And although from the outside it may not look like the most glamorous place, it is worth to visit. Their tacos are stuffed with the perfectly seasoned meat of your choice, and just the right amount of cilantro and onions. The meat is so incredibly tender and flavorful, it honestly makes me drool each time I think about them.
My favorites were the cabeza and lengua tacos. Yes, these are meat from the cow's head and tongue. No, they're not gross. They're honestly some of the most tender, juiciest tacos you will ever try. If you don't believe me, give it a shot! The worse that could happen is you end up ordering asada or pastor tacos instead if you dislike them. And still, you get to enjoy tacos (a win-win in my opinion).
So if you ever are in search for some authentic Mexican sweet tacos, and you live close to the west side of Michigan, you have to stop at Tacos El Cuñado. I believe there are several locations of these (Grand Rapids, Holland, and Wyoming). But here's my favorite location from my time in Michigan:
Cabeza, lengua, and tripa 🌮🌮🌮
Tacos El Cuñado
Address: 455 Burton St SW
Grand Rapids MI 49507
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-12am
Friday 9am-3am
Saturday 9am-12am
Sunday 9am-12am
Phone: (616) 248-9099
P.S. Please be supportive of small business such as this taqueria during these hard times. I visited this place several times while I lived in Michigan. I no longer live around the area, but these tacos are still one of the best in my book. I would highly recommend to call ahead to check if their hours have changed, or have been affected due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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