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Categories: Convenience Stores, Food Stands [Edit]
801 S Industrial BoulevardMon-Sun. 12:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
I went to this place just because I saw how many great reviews it has here on Yelp. I tried the tacos, one of each kind to check them out. I do have to admit they are quite good. As authentic Mexican as they get. Minus one star just because they are too small.
I would go again when I am by the area but wouldn't drive across the city like I did to get there again.
I have been to Fuel City several times, and had been putting off writing a review. In fact, I was struggling with the same issues that Ryan S. with Fuel City in his 1 star review. The fact is, Fuel City has great tacos, but this place is a little over-hyped in my opinion and has developed a cult following that isn't entirely warranted.
Fuel City has a great, simple operation. They only offer 5 different tacos on the menu from what I recall (not counting breakfast tacos), and they're all good. To me what really makes their tacos good is the seasoning of the meat, which is very flavorful, and the barbacoa is probably my personal favorite.
Here's the problems I have with FC tacos:
First, they're pretty tiny, even by traditional tacqueria standards, and yet they're also more expensive than other tacquerias. Of course, such differences are mere cents, but if you're loading up on a bunch of tacos (I have friends who will easily go through 10 in a sitting) it can add up to a tall boy at the convenience store next door.
Second, I know it's a food stand-style operation, but there's no where to eat your tacos, not even a bench. "It's a gas-station you idiot!" is what you tell me, but as someone who has tried many gas-station tacquerias, I must tell you that most have a few chairs or a bench or something. Besides which, I've had to drive my ass over here to get these delicious tacos, but i don't want to eat them in my car, and I don't want to have to smell their delicious goodness throughout my drive home (I'm hungry enough already!). Also, since they put all of the tacos together in a to-go box, without individually wrapping them in foil or something, they're susceptible to getting soggy, which is gross.
In the end, the tacos here are really good, but if I'm honest with myself, this is not the best tacqueria in Dallas. I too was caught up in the hype of this place for a while, but the more I try other places, the less impressed I am with Fuel City. I still use FC as a benchmark for taco deliciousness, but given the price, location and limited selection, there are some way better taco establishments people are missing out on. 3.5 stars, but I round down b/c it's over-hyped enough as it is.
Please be aware that I am a proud hater of Fuel City and this is really more of a rant than anything else...
*ahem*
So you read a review in the Observer or Texas Monthly, or D Magazine, or Quick or Dallas Morning News or CNN or MSNBC or SyFy that said that the best place in Dallas for tacos was... wait for it... a truck stop underneath I35.
Look... I know it feels cool: 1) i know it's like nothing you've ever seen before! 2) I know it makes you feel like an insider. 3) I know that you think it's so cheap. 4) I know that those tacos you put into your mouth were like nothing you've ever tasted before.
but guess what. 4) it's because it IS like no other taco you've tasted before because until now, the only place you've ever had them is Chuy's, Taco Bell, or your mom when it was "taco night" and she used those little Old El Paso Taco Kits she got at Kroger.
1)Fuel City could be ANY taqueria within 500 miles of the border with Old Mexico. There is NOTHING special about it except the hype. Stop ignoring the signs in another language around you and next time you're pumping gas at a gas station and read the sign that says "tacos 99 cents". IT'S THE SAME EFFING THING!
and 2) You're not an insider. (see the insane media over-exposure in the introductory paragraph)
finally 4) THEY AREN"T CHEAP. They are almost twice as expensive as most other taquerias for a slightly worse version.
You can brag to your friends about how you went out of your way to get these super cheap, super amazing tacos. And if they ever work up the courage to venture down there, they will tell you how cool you are for "turning them on" to it and how right you were...
and the chain will continue... and people will continue to line up and get these tacos in such a "unique" place and talk about the "great people watching" and "real live mexicans" that are leaning against their trucks eating tacos... all while staring at them... wondering what in the hell these gueros are doing making a big fuss about an ordinary effing taco stand at a gas station.
All this kind of makes me feel sorry for Fuel City, because it's not "bad" per say, but all the hype allows it to deliver what are actually sub-par tacos, with less meat than you deserve for your money and that forces me to knock them off their pedistal with my one-star review... but w/out the hype, they'd get 3.
If you want to really act like an insider, support the taqueria you didn't know existed until you opened your eyes a block away from your house. Frequent THAT place and you'll have a great relationship with the employees and a much better experience.
Try any Michoacana or one of the many amazing joints in Oak Cliff. Although... i know you won't. because i know that the hip factor isn't attached to any other taco stand in Dallas besides Fuel City and that overpriced yuppie one in mockingbird station.
viva la hate
seacrest out.
Good.. The best? Please. Too many reviewers are blindly following the hype. Serve the same food in a normal sit down joint or in a true hole in the wall and it becomes 3 stars - which I gave it.
Would be a 4, now a 3. Would be a 2, but there is some grweat parking lot people watching.
1.95 a taco! Look the tacos are good, traditional mexican style. The pastor and picadillo are well done. However, you lose me at the cost. I'm tired of places in Dallas that were once reasonably priced, being moved up a notch because of demand.
I don't have a lot of reason to go here now.....I have El Atoron (1$ tacos). You can keep your Parking Lot Karaoke Friday.
Ok. So I've heard about this place for 2 years now. Everyone's reviews are quite accurate here. My only suggestion is to not go at around 2:00am. There's a huge rush!!!
I never venture around this part of town. It's crazy ghetto if you don't know where you are. As a newbie here we got 1 of each taco
Picadillo - Ground Spicey Beef. It was good, but it was also spicey. Had great flavour.
Barbarcoa - slow cooked beef stewed meat. This was my #2 fav. It goes well with the green salsa that comes with it.
Fajita - Beef fajita was my #1. Easily the most flavorful.
Spicey pork - A bit spicey, but nothing special about it. Was my least favorite
Chicken - was cooked similar to the pork. red sauce.
Liked the grill onions on the side. The tacos are very memorable. The freshly chopped onions and cilantro are really great too.
I try not to give five star rating too often so I won't make an exception for Fuel City. That being said, I really, really like this place alot. I moved to Dallas from San Antonio over two years ago and was shocked at how truly bad the Mexican food was EVERYWHERE I WENT in North Texas. I tried to reconcile how a city with such a visible contingent from El Sur could not really register them culinarily in any real, meaningful way. Enter Fuel City...
This is easily the most authentic, delicious Mexican food that I have eaten since I have been in North Texas. Fuel City does a few things but it does those things very, very well. I have to say that this place would give some of my favorite taquerias in South Texas and my native New Mexico a real run for their money. WOW, I never thought I'd say that about a Dallas Mexican eatery but there it is.....and it was the heavenly picadillo and the perfectly greasy barbacoa and the spicy tang of al pastor that changed my mind.
That being said, I have, on occasion, gotten extra dry or extra greasy food from Fuel City. Come on folks, it is a taco stand in a gas station. I really don't get how people can complain about stuff like that. You wouldn't complain about getting greasy food from a Waffle House would you? The same applies to taco stands ANYWHERE. If you don't like authentic dining experiences there are plenty of really shitty Tex-Mex places all over Dallas that will serve you the bland, boring white bread fare that has become the North Texas Mexican standard. I'm sure Uncle Julio's, El Fenix, On the Border, or Cantina Laredo will all be happy to take your reservation.
I really, really wish Fuel City made their own tortillas. That is the only thing I would change about this place.
Read several reviews of this place about how great the taco's were so I was determined to check them out the next time I travelled from Allen to Lancaster to visit my mom. Well, I did so on Saturday and I have to say it was well worth it.
Wouldn't u know, I bought 2 potato and egg taco's for $3.00, and along with some cranberry juice sat in my car and chowed down. Well, that wasn't enough. They were so good I went back for TWO more taco's!!! They're nicely seasoned and the fact they give u a choice of flour or corn tortilla's makes it all the more better.
Going forward when I visit my mom every weekend morning at the nursing home a trip to Fuel City 2 will definitely be a must!!!
Forget the fuel, this place should be called Taco City! I accidently stumbled into this place grabbing some gas. I had a hanckering for something to snack on, and the smell of tacos seemed so delish! By god were the tacos so awesome! I started with two, and went back for more twice!
This past Sunday I talked my friend into going to Fuel City 2 for some tacos. Pulling into the parking lot, we both noticed the "open 24 hours" sign. Cool.
So there's a little window on the outside of the building where you can order or you can order inside too the store too. We opted for outside since that's where we were. We ordered two pastor tacos and one barbacoa. If I remember correctly the three of them cost under $5, but it may have been $6...?
I couldn't help but notice the cart near the door that was selling cups of cooked corn. I'm not even sure what it's called, but I love this stuff. It's mixed with mayonnaise, sour cream, butter, hot sauce and parmesan cheese. I get my cup of corn and our tacos are ready about the same time. I thought I remembered there being a picnic area to sit, but I didn't see it. There is a pool (of all things) next to the drive through of the store, and my friend and I found two chairs to sit at by the pool. We both dived into our pastor tacos. My initial thought was that the taco was good. After the second bite it was apparent that the meat was a little dry. That was surprising after seeing all the grease drip out of the tacos. How can such a greasy little taco be so dry? It was. (I'm pretty sure there's a TWHS said there)
The barbacoa taco was better. I could only eat one bite of it, though, because I was stuffed (I had eaten a big lunch earlier).
The cup of corn was greatness. If I order it again I'll have them go easy on the hot sauce, because after a few bites I wanted to plant my lips into the pool water.
I definitely see myself coming back, especially after seeing the car wash in the back of the parking lot. I could see myself dropping off the car and grabbing some food while I wait for the car to be washed.
Just on the outskirts of Dallas City, and on the very fringe of society lies a Mexican mecca of tacos, tucked away inside a gas station. A DJ plays latin mixes while one crazy guy dances in the parking lot. A pool is strategically placed by the drive thru because bikini clad women always attract more business. Fuel City is just a gas station, but has become so much more.
I was so overwhelmed by the experience that it was difficult to objectively rate the tacos based on taste alone. However, after trying all of the tacos (except Barbacoa b/c they're never good), I give Fuel City a solid 4 stars. I think a lot of the 5 star ratings come from people who salivate every time they hear the words "Fuel City", due only to its reputation. These are not the best tacos in Dallas. However, everyone needs to experience Fuel City because it is unlike any other place in Dallas. Roll in on a Saturday night and mingle with people from all walks of life. You will enjoy the tacos, but you will probably enjoy everything else even more.
I thought...Fuel City II...ran out of gas.
If yelp ratings were based only on novel atmosphere they would deserve a token four stars, mostly for having a pool next to the drive through. Were ratings based on the ability of an establishments homeless not to harass patrons, a solid four stars. Gas station cleanliness, four stars.
Unfortunately I have hitherto been under the assumption that yelpers rate restaurants based on their *food*. I went to fuel city with the expectation of decent eats, and on this crucial criteria they were unable to satisfy.
The tacos were a boring combination of greasy and overcooked meat, kinda but not really mex mex (the optional flour tortillas contrast the onion and jalepeno). I will give props to the corn/mayonaise/sour cream/butter/hot sauce/lemon pepper combo which holds up for a half order - until my collapsing arteries guilt me in forgoing more. All said my 5 taco variety pack, corn, and fiji water ran about $12...overrated.
My friend brought me here at 4 AM to eat tacos after an evening of indiscretion involving alcohol and hookah. He said that this place had been receiving alot of publicity after it was featured on Nightline (ironically on a story about gas not tacos) and had received excellent word of mouth since then.
There was a fine selection of tacos ranging from beef, chicken, barbacoa and even al pastor (pork). The lady making tacos even wore a shirt that said "As seen on Nightline." Classy.
The convenience store is full of typical convenience store things, beer, chips, and condoms. The beer selection is pretty decent especially if you like Natty Light or Icehouse.
The tacos are basically the same kind of tacos you would find from a Mexican street vendor in Mexico City or Ciudad Juarez, that is they are tiny tacos, smaller than even the 59cent Taco Bell tacos you could buy, but much much tastier (although just as greasy). Each taco is served in a double layer of small warm corn tortilla and served with a grilled onions, lime and either red or green salsa (both pretty spicy) they threw in a roasted whole jalapeno as well. The meat inside the tacos is small but pretty flavorful, I especially liked the al pastor which was was the most seasoned type of taco filling they offered.
The corn is elotes style so its served in a paper cup with lots of butter and cream. Its not gourmet food, it's street food, from a gas station and its open 24 hours!
The only problem though, is really if you think about it, this food isn't that unique or great. Dozens of taqueria's, taco trucks and food stalls outside of Fiesta grocery stores serve this exact same type of food, and its just as good.
However the selling point is you can get gas, you can get beer, you can get condoms and its open 24 hours. And it was a perfect way to fix a case of late night hunger after a night of booze and apple flavored tobacco.
I'm going up to 5 stars after mi Taqueria taste off. I guess I could cut and paste a bit from my El Si Hay review earlier, but basically El Si Hay and El Atoron were the competitors in a blind taste test that a girlfriend and I had a blast doing. I thought Fuel City would likely win and it sure did. It tasted better than ever to both of us when compared theirs to the others back to back. It made a big difference without going off of pure taste bud memory.
Si El Si Hay for statistics, demographics, randomization, lack of a control group, etc. I did go into more detail in that review, but I'm practicing lazy in preparation for Thanksgiving thank you very much.
I'm proud of Fuel City! With less grease lately my tacos have actually survived the road trip home several times now. My favorites remain to be the Pastor and the Picadillo along with my rotation between Chicken or Beef. If they keep up the good work with less grease I'll probably be buying in bulk and stock up for a few days. Just in case we have inclement weather or something ;) Ya never know.
This is my favorite 5 star Fairy Tale Taco Story and I'm stickin' to it. El Atoron review to come. I know, I know....you're on the edge of your seat ;)
I had to take my out of town friend here for some late night eats after we had dinner at Mia's… Read more »
The reason I went back to Dallas from Pennsylvania. Incredible tacos and sweet, real sugar Mexican sodas. Best to get one of each kind (5) in a Styrofoam box, 2 sodas and head over to the lake for a picnic. Best day ever.
I'm not a Mexico native, but I felt like I was back in '92. I was in Mexico City from Monday through Friday on business almost every week. I had plenty of "real" Mexican tacos during that time, and the samples I had here at Fuel City practically took me back there. My companion ordered flour tortillas, but in Mexico City, it's all about the corn. I asked to see their corn tortillas before I ordered, and upon seeing that they were at least made from white corn (though not handmade), I went authentic.
Each of us selected the five taco sampler (Picadillo, Beef Fajita, Chicken Fajita, Barbacoa, and Pastor). Both of us weren't too fond of the chicken nor the one with potato (picadillo?) but the others were sublime. The pastor, in particular, was most tasty. Even though they were small, they were very filling. The accompanying sauces were very tasty as well, in three heat ranges, the hottest being fairly warm. The tortillas were pretty good for machine made; much better than us gringos would normally get from the store.
I must also point out that, during the day, there's a lady with a "street food" style cart parked by the window, serving an awesome "appetizer". She takes a styrofoam cup and fills it almost half full of kernel corn, then adds (what looks to be) Crema Mexicana, your choice of lemon pepper or cayenne, and some grated cheese that I'm guessing was a mix of queso fresco with a little cheddar. The sequence is then repeated to the top. Add a spoon, and you have a delicious treat. She's fascinating to watch as well, as she prepares the dish.
All in all, this is some great and fairly authentic Mexican (no Tex) chow. If the tortillas were handmade and I could see an authentic spit for the pastor, this would be well on it's way to five stars.
GET.
SOME FREAKING.
CORN.
And get an extra lime with your tacos to squeeze in there while you're at it.
Holy crap. Just... fuck yeah.
That is all; as you were.
Lisa and Fuel City tacos sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
OMG, seriously??! I LOVE you people for…
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Need some gas (no pun intended)?
Why not stop for tacos as well?
Indeed, this is a gas station -- which was initially a surprise when I was looking for good tacos in the Dallas area. However, there is a taco section to this gas station as well. You can order from outside --or inside -- of the gas station via a window.
The tacos at "Fuel City 2" are good. This is especially true when this place is open 24 hours a day. And at about $1.50 per taco? Certainly, unbeatable!
The tacos are freshly prepared. I recommend the picadillo tacos -- which consist of ground beef and vegetables. Be forewarned: the hot sauce is rather spicy.
Additional Notes:
- Cash only.
- Area is a bit sketchy, especially late at night.
It's Saturday night, and I should be prepping for a night out. Instead, what was I doing? Thinking of tacos. Fuel City 2 tacos to be exact.
I have been looking for the right moment to drag BF out to Industrial for these infamous tacos, so I figured what the hell - let's do it. After putting on a darker shirt (useful advice from Katy C - don't wear white!) and gathering up our crazy dog, we took a trip south.
The first thing I noticed was the big neon TACOS sign, then I started looking for the corn ladies. *Gasp!* I didn't know which one to visit first, so I sent BF to get the tacos, one of every flavor because we couldn't decide, and I got the corn. Multi-tasking people, it's what I do best when I'm hungry.
I really wanted to pick up some cold beer to drink with our lovely grease, but based on the patrol officer's look I didn't want to test my theory that we might not get caught, so I settled on water. About 10 minutes later, we had our layered corn cups and tacos ready to go. I suggested to BF that we move from in front of the store to the side so others could have our spot. All I heard was him mumble, "I'm backing in, in case shit goes down."
Whoa, when others say that those tacos are greasy...they MEAN it. Most of them were dripping with orange liquid; and between the cilantro, onions and lime I was all up in flavor heaven. I scarfed down every bite of my corn cup but it only added to the fire that was going on in my mouth. By the time we finished, I was breathing heavily and waving my hand in front of my mouth trying to cool down. Yikes!
We didn't take the time to pick out which taco was which flavor, so I couldn't tell ya which was my favorite. Looks like I'll be getting all 5 tacos again next time...darn it! I do know that the mixture of corn, sour cream, butter, spicy sauce and cheese was freaking delicious.
By the time we got home, I was sick to my stomach full. I laid on my bed for five straight hours curled up in a ball with the worst stomach ache EVER from eating too much before I finally fell asleep. Shame on me!
Was it worth it? TOTALLY.
Yes these are the best Taco's on planet earth. I have had them from a street corner in Mexico City to Uncle Julio's (meh) and Fuel City wins. Needless to say the folks in my party, and my family, basically thought I was a complete idiot taking them to eat at a gas station, but one bite into those delicious manna from heaven and they were sold. We even returned for breakfast tacos on our drive home - needless to say I was upset when I realized they served ALL the tacos 24/7 and I could have had chorizo instead of Egg, however, the breakfast taco's did not disappoint.
If you bother to Yelp, you need to stop at Fuel City.
Having read more than my fair share of both good and bad reviews about Fuel City tacos, I have to say, these are darn good tacos for a gas station. They aren't the best I have ever had, but for the price ($1.40 each) and size (two are just enough to take the hunger pangs away) I would definitely make this a regular stop if I am in the area and jonesin' for a taco.
Along with my al pastor and picadillo taco, I had to give the cup of corn a try.
I thought it was pretty funny when I was treated like a guera (which I am) when I said I wanted my corn all the way, which includes a squirt of bottled margarine, a squirt of crema, and (gasp!) a squirt of hot sauce layered in the middle and on top along with a cap of cheese. Both of the women at the cart raised their eyebrows and one said "it's really spicy" in a way that implied they thought I was treading on dangerous ground with that hot sauce. It must be because I pulled up in a Prius and exuded a north Dallas vibe. You know, I'm just saying....... I think their looks actually made the food taste that much better!
But seriously, the corn put the tacos over the top. Sweet, hot corn, with layers of spicy/creamy/salty flavors....it was like a savory dessert after the tacos.
My advice - don't go here if you are looking for a taco bell experience or designer Mexican fare. This is simple, fresh food, done well, from a gas station. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I've lived in Texas all my life and these tacos are as good as they get! They're simple, delicious, and oh so bad for you! The taco stand is located inside the gas station. They're open late but it gets pretty busy after 2pm. The tacos are about $1.50 each and they're kinda small. I'm a little person and I usually eat about 5 tacos. Although there seems to be a lot of shady looking people hanging around, the gas station is well lit and equipped with at least 2 police officers. Just don't mean mug no one and you'll be fine.
This place is awesome! I've never eaten at a taco shop inside of a gas station, but I decided it was time to change that.
I ordered one of each of the tacos with extra cilantro and they were all amazing! The salsas are awesome too! If you want to save more money, make sure you take drinks with you.
Get a cup of corn too!
Oh, and if you eat them in your car, roll the windows down because your car is sure to smell like Fuel City Tacos for a couple of days. It makes you hungry for them all over again!
Contrary to what Scott L. said, they do have breakfast tacos, but you can't order them in the afternoon.
What to say about Fuel City that has not already been said in the 75+ reviews that precede me. As I sit here thinking, the best I can do is actually agree with the finest reviews here. Fuel City 2 are the best place in the entire State of Texas, nay the Country to have so good 'ole authentic Mexican Tacos. So good dare I say, that you will be jonesing for them the next day, and the day after that, and beyond until you finally an intervention slowly weens you off the Taco/Heroin.
We ended up going there at about 10 PM last night and I must say it is not as bad as people claim it to be, the area that is. Off course you have to be cautious and cant walk around with money in your pocket because even in Highland Park you would still get mugged.
The area at around this time has a little less traffic and the orders come out really fast. I tried their Chicken Fajita, Beef Fajita, and Barbacoa tacos. I must say that their Barbacoa is definitely the best followed closely by the Chicken and the Beef. If you end up going order enough because the average individual can munch on a single taco in about 2 bites. All their tacos are freshly prepared and served hot hot hot and you must go go go. The meats they use are extremely tender and have perfect amount of Spices.
The toppings that are put on every Taco are truly amazing. They have mastered just the right combination of ingredients to make your taste buds sizzle and your mouth water. From the onions, to the cilantro and whatever else. Word of advice you may need a lead lined stomach to eat their Jalapenos as they do tend to get really hot. Their hot sauce on the other hand is somewhat sour but that is due to the Vinegar amount to really make it kick your Sinuses.
The do only take cash as was previously mentioned. But for such amazing Tacos they are priced so low that I am pretty sure you have more loose change in the seats of your car.
One things that is a must with these Tacos is the Authentic Mexican Lime Drink called Jarritos that are available on the bin to the side. They are the perfect drink for this meal. With a taste that gets heightened with every sip.
For the Price/Quality/Taste and overall experience I must say that this is best Taco Place I have ever had and most probably ever will.
quick, cheap and tasty! :) that's all i need!
not a lot of selection to choose from... i ordered one of each- and each was as yummy as the last. they are small- so if you are starving, grab more than you think you need! and at $1.40 each you will not be disappointed! they come with little cups of fresh salsa... get the corn tortillas and ask for extra onions and cilantro- that's the way i like 'em!
something that i didn't notice when i first pulled up, there are 2 ways to get tacos. you can go inside the gas station and turn right to walk up to the order window...or there is a convienent order window that opens to the outside- so there is no need to go inside... unless ya need a beverage or other gas station necessities.
and it is a MUST to grab a cup of corn from the lady with the cart in front of the bulding. it's a deliciuos cup full of corn kernels, butter, spices and some crema and cheese. it's soooo good... and a great accompaniment to the tacos.
i just made myself hungry just typing that! good thing they're open 24 hrs.
3am Saturday morning:
4 Cop cars: You betcha
100 people loitering: Absolutely
Cops yelling at said loiters: Aw yea!
2 guys asking to trade cars with BF: Right on
Homeless man hanging in BF car window: Fantastic
7 yummy taco's purchased: Halleluyah!
Me loving it all: word.
So....get your bibs ready...this one's gonna be a doooozy!
Picture driving home from the bars (with…
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http://www.menshealth....
Ever since I read this article in the Dec 2008 Men's Health, I've been wondering if there were any places in TX that do it right. Sure enough, when I asked a group of yelpers in person they specifically mentioned Fuel City for tacos. And not to mention almost 50 5-star reviews from everyone thats gorged themselves into oblivion. Yesterday was my turn.
Some. Of. The. Best. Tacos. Ever. So good, you almost would not miss a burger with these around.
So I was making my way south from Irving, I pull off 35 onto Industrial and LO AND BEHOLD there it was. Thats right, I found this place for the first time by accident. Ordered 2 each of the barbacoa and pastor tacos with all the standard fixins. Tender meat + fresh onion and cilantro. Only thing I might have changed would be a little more heat. I passed up the picadillo personally because ground beef brings back memories of Taco Bueno.
Someone needs to open one of these further north.
"Taco? At a gas station? Not without tomain poisoning and not in this life."
Those were my thoughts when I first read that the Pastor tacos at this place topped the list of Texas Monthly's "Tacos you must eat before you die." I'd been to a few other the other places on the list, and had the Pastor at Curra's in Austin (also on the list) and there was no f'in way that a gas station could out-do a hometown shrine. No...way...at...all.
I was wrong.
Being a sheltered suburban-born kid, I was a bit intimidated upon driving up. What do you get when you mix a big group of Hell's Angels, a group of Latino youth all wearing "ahem" similar colored hankies, a couple of cop cars and a Longhorn steer that had gotten loose from the corral and was looking amorously at a lime green Volkswagen Bug? The answer is...who the hell cares when you have a mixed box of Barbacoa and Pastor tacos on your lap, red grease running down your arm and you don't care if it stains the seats of your car....it's that damn good.
Sure...looking at the surrounding area you would think that this is the only place in town zoned for pawn shops and bail bondsmen. And this probably is the first stop for your average drunk and disorderly or assault bailout once they get out of Lew Sterret...and I don't blame them. This is the real deal. No tables or chairs except for your lap and the seat in your car or the tailgate of a pickup. You order at the window inside or outside along with every race, color, creed, social level and profession. There's a line 24/7 and they all know what they are getting.
The barbacoa is perfect. Juicy, greasy and it squeaks against your teeth. If you don't know how barbacoa is made, don't look it up. Just eat it and enjoy it. I recommend these on flower tortillas.
The pastor is what people come for. Get them on corn (flour tortillas here are against nature). When you open the box you will be assaulted by the aromas of perfection. Nothing in the box is optional. Squeeze that lime or two over your pork bliss. Spread on those grilled onions. If you are lucky enough to get a grilled jalapeno....what are you waiting for? If you ordered three tacos, you will finish them in six bites....and you'll gladly brave the line with a red grease-streaked arm and a stupid grin on your face for more....and don't forget that you can have any beverage you want. It's a monster gas station with every drink you can image. You can even have a twinkie for dessert.
Plus that, this is a great date spot. Take her there, get her some tacos and a malt liquor, and go sit and eat and watch the burros sex each other up. Then bring that energy home. You won't be disappointed.
One final tip. Don't throw the box away. Keep it in your car on the way home. It's a better scent than that damn pine tree air freshener!
Now go eat tacos, you yabbos!
taco's are realy good and simple, and probably the most authentic with the cleanest digs in town
BUT
no vegetarian options and
no breakfast tacos
no where to sit down and eat....either take it to go, or eat in car.
if I ate meat I'd give it 4-5 stars!
this place gets high marks for the ambiance - it's a huge gas station with drag racing constantly on the TVs, a field of longhorn cattle behind it, 24/7, and a pool?
THEY'RE CHEAP!
THEY'RE GOOD!
THEY HAVE LONGHORNS AND DONKEYS!
These are the reasons why Fuel City Tacos are the best. I like going here on a hot summer weekend, when they have the tejano music blaring and some scantily clad girls promoting something I've never heard of near the swimming pool / water fountain type thing in the back. I usually order 3 chicken tacos in corn tortillas, with extra hot sauce on the side. While they are being prepared, I'll mosey over to the corn lady for some artery clogging goodness. The corn is only a dollar a cup, and layered in butter, cream, cheese, and hot sauce. I'm not really sure why, but they've always had a few longhorn and a donkey hanging out in the side pasture. It's like a whole meal and cow watching for less than $6, it's great!
Amazingly authentic tacos! Corn tortillas are a must (they shouldn't even offer flour ones in my opinion). The best time to go is around 2:30am after a night out. There are always lots of police camped out there so it's super safe. My favorite tacos are the Pastor and Barbacoa. Onions, cilantro, fresh lime, and some spicy salsa...perfecto! Don't forget to bring cash because they don't take American Express....or any other cards for that matter!
I went today around 10pm (not drunk) and they still hit the spot! No cops were around this time and the convenience store was actually open. Surprisingly nice bathrooms inside and a huge selection of beers.
Cons: It can be a hard place to find sometimes. Wish it was closer so I could go all the time.
Lots of reviews, no need for a story here.
Barbacoa was fantastic! The chicken and beef fajita meat was kinda dry, the ground beef was not very satisfying, kinda junky.
I'll only be getting a butt load of their barbacoa from now on. Love it!
Fuel City in Haiku's:
After ladies night
I followed Ang. and Tric. here
For some taco times
I got the pastor
Pork soft tacos are the best
These did not let down
I do wish for seats
When I got home, cold tacos
I live far away.
Since Dallas is raining on my Sunday, I'm going to rain on Dallas and the much hyped Fuel City...
The hubster and I decided to try each type of taco, except for the pastor (since we don't dine on swine). We knew we'd have an awesome meal, because so many Yelpers can't be wrong, right? *cue foreshadowing music here* We ate the tacos in our car, and we looked at each other with puzzlement and said "That's it? Meh"
The salsa was watery and flavorless, there was no tasty grease dripping from the tacos, and the meat was just bland, man. Hoping to salvage our trip, we got a cup of elotes with everything on it. While more flavorful than the tacos, the heat just overwhelmed everything. I'm all for spice, but I gotta taste what I'm eating too!
We love random eating establishments, whether it's a food cart or a hole in the wall, so a gas station serving up tacos intrigued us mightily. No chairs? No Tables? That's what your car and your lap is for! But a novel setting still needs to serve up good food, and Fuel City served us a stinker.
So what if it was located a few blocks down from the Dallas city jail? And so what if you have to carhop your tacos to your own car with a view of horny farm animals and longhorns in sight? Just turn up your crunk radio station, roll the windows down, open the box of tacos and drown out your worries. My girlfriends and I certainly did! The chicken taco was juicy and fork tender and their Al Pastor was moderately spicy and delicious. Service was straight forward and fast (without sacrificing quality). Tacos were kick ass and way, way cheap for $1.40 a piece. MMM.. Me gusta mucho! I'll have 5 please!
The only complaint I could think of was they didn't have horchata to wash the tacos down which would've been perfect. But that's not even a legit complaint since they have coronas and Mexican sodas inside the gas station. We be back!
I stood in a pool. My coworkers silently judged me. I drank a real Mexican Coke. How did all this happen at once? I went to Fuel City on my lunch hour!!!
Yes, the rumors are true. The tacos were great, albeit SMALL. Jay zees, I could have eaten a dozen, they were like donut holes. Still, for a $1.40, you can try all their varieties, which is fun. My favorite was the picadillo. No, the barbacoa. Wait, the pastor. Actually, I like them all.
Grab a Messican coke, like I mentioned earlier. Then sit by their pool (I guess truckers like to skinny dip at night) and get ready to have all that meat juice drip in your lap.
Lunch time is busy, bring cash, and be prepared to stand around and make awkward eye contact with day laborers. Then feel guilty about your cushy desk job. Then buy them a taco and have a pool party!
I used to think that the only food (if you can call it food) worth getting in a gas station was a Big Gulp, but oh man was I wrong. Fuel City introduced me to a whole new standard for tacos!
Their tacos are so cheap I decided to try them all. Don't ask me to pick my favorite because it's just too hard. Every bite was so delicious that we had to invent new words just to describe the experience, most of which included the word "sex" (i.e. sexellent! sextacular!!). My wife even caught me licking the taco drippings off my arm since I didn't want any of it to go to waste.
All the meats were sexquisite, making each taco uniquely delicious. I'm a big fan of the corn tortilla and these tacos highlighted the subtle flavor of these things like none other. The corn tortillas also contributed heavily to the perfect taco texture.
The location of this place couldn't be more hilarious. Hidden behind a full mountain range of beer cases and across from the drive through DWI window is the taco shop. There's no place to sit in this enormous gas station so we had to hang out in our car to savor the flavor. Make sure you don't go on a windy day because the parking lot is always full of cars that look like they don't have any insurance. My car actually got hit while I was eating, but these tacos put me in such a good mood I had no problems forgiving the guy for the small scratch he put in my driver's side door.
So drive your beater over to Fuel City, fill up and grab some amazing tacos while you're there. Your tongue will thank you later.
I must say, Fuel City is by far one of my favorite places to get tacos. Being from San Antonio, I am absolutely in love with barbacoa. Unfortunately, there are very few places that actually do it right. Most of the time you end up with meat that is super fatty, and leaves you wondering if you are going to spend the majority of your evening trapped in the bathroom. But Fuel City does it right!!! There barbacoa is lean meat, well spiced, and has the perfect amount of onion and cilantro to compliment the tasty flavors.
Typically I do not stray from my typical all barbacoa plate, but today I decided to try the chicken fajita tacos. I must say...definitely NOT impressive at all what-so-ever. The chicken way dry and very under-seasoned and left me wanting more. Another disappointment came when we saw a sign that says breakfast is only served until 10am. My friends and I arrived at 11:30, and we placed our order, even though we desperately wanted breakfast tacos. We were all pretty peeved when we looked through the window only to discover that they were still making breakfast tacos?!?!? We contemplated ordering more tacos; however, with the taco-fest we were about to indulge in, we knew there was no way we could possibly eat more.
Overall, I love Fuel City for what it is...a totally random restaurant off the beaten path. Its especially fun to visit on a Friday or Saturday night after clubbing/bar hopping with friends. You will definitely see a variety of Dallas flava in the parking lot, and have quite the experience!
The tacos are cheap and admittedly smaller than other taquerias, but they are by far the best i've tasted in dfw. Its in a gas station and there is no seating, but you can still have a great time eating here. Nothing is better than grabbing an iced cold beer from their wide selection, ordering some corn from the small stand, and scarfing down teeny tiny delicous tacos in the car. :)
yummiclicous!
I usually go and get a variety so that i can taste everything. Al Pastor is my favorite, followed by Barbocoa, and Picadillo.
A must eat in dfw when you are looking for cheap eats and an authentic mexican meal..not tex mex!
I'm not an expert of authentic Mexican street tacos. In fact I've never had a taco in Mexico. All previous experiences with them include Tacos Y Mas and in few other restaurants around Dallas.
I'd put these small and flavorful tacos near the top for the price and considering its a gas station. I got the Al Pastor (pork), Barbacoa and Picadillo. All were very moist (greasy) and came with onion, lime, cilantro and 2 sauces (red,green). It was a perfect size lunch. Best EVAR? No, but darn tasty. If you happen to be close by one day, give them a try.
Things to be aware of:
-This is not the best part of town.
-You will get hit up for change by bums.
-No seating .
-The tacos are spicy, but not in a burning way.
-HAVE a GUM or MINT afterward... your co-workers/spouse will thank you :)
Dallas, TX
Category: Mexican
Dallas, TX
Category: Mexican
Dallas, TX
Category: Mexican
Dallas, TX
Category: American (Traditional)
Dallas, TX
Category: Tex-Mex
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