Readers have chosen the Tri-Cities’ favorite taco restaurant. Here are the results
After starting with a field of 32 restaurants and through five rounds of voting, the Herald has an answer to the question it has been asking for the past month: What is the Tri-Cities’ favorite place to grab a taco?
With a tight championship round victory, it’s finally time to announce the winner:
Tri-Cities’ favorite taco restaurant
El Fat Cat Grill
What to know: El Fat Cat Grill has been a staple of the Tri-Cities Mexican food scene for a decade, even undergoing an expansion in 2019. The taco truck is tucked away out of sight behind a car wash, but the family-run business doesn’t let its location hold it back.
“Over the past 10 years, we have built a loyal clientele,” Jenny Sanchez, who runs the business with her husband, told the Tri-City Herald in 2021. “Everything Felix makes is fresh. He marinates the meat, he makes his own salsas. He likes to create. He makes different salsas, and people let him know what they think.”
El Fat Cat offers your typical tacos with a choice of meat but is also well-known for its Fiji Taco with curry marinated chicken and the Green Hornet Taco, which boasts jalapeño cream cheese.
The Runner-up
Chapala Express
7704 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick
What to know: Chapala Express is one of the most authentic places for Mexican food in the Tri-Cities region, which played a part in its runner-up performance.
The restaurant is owned by Christian Godinez, according to previous Herald reporting, who opened the first Chapala Express when he was just 19 and the second location in 2019 when he was 22.
Tacos Al Carbon is listed as a specialty by the restaurant: soft corn tortillas stuffed with grilled steak, garnished with onions, tomato, cilantro and guacamole.
Tri-Cities’ other favorite tacos
Although only one restaurant could win, the bracket started with 32 restaurants, taquerias and taco trucks.
Check out the results of the previous rounds below and see if any other local favorites pique your interest:
Final 4 Fiesta: Voting is now closed. See who moved on in our Tri-Cities taco bracket
Round 3 of the Tri-Cities taco bracket is closed. Check who moved onto the Final Four
Round 2 of the Tri-Cities Taco Bracket is closed. See who advanced to the next round
Round 1 of the Tri-Cities Taco Bracket is now closed. Check out who advanced here
