Take the L Train: The Best Tacos in Williamsburg and Bushwick

For several reasons, tacos have replaced burritos as my favorite Mexican entrée. Burritos top my list of foods to avoid on dates, unless I’m sure the dude will find it adorable when I drop half my meal in my lap. It’s easier to scrape up enough change from your bag to pay for a few tacos then a huge-ass burrito. Also, the burritos in New York are subpar, while the tacos are damn tasty. Cheap tacos are a main staple of my diet, and here’s my list of the best taco places in Williamsburg and Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Mr. Taco: Knickerbocker between Jefferson and Starr Streets, Bushwick
Mr. Taco doesn’t have a menu so much as a list of different foods drawn on poster board. The only sign outside is window paintings in the colors of the Mexican flag. The tacos are exactly what tacos should be'”double wrapped with corn tortillas and garnished with hunks of avocado, cilantro, and cotija cheese. The owners speak limited English, but their 12-year-old son is fluent enough to insist that his name is Marshal Mathers.

Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos: 271 Starr St, Bushwick
For a while, my favorite part about living in Bushwick was smelling the tortilla factory I passed daily. Then I discovered Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos, which is a taco stand inside of a tortilla factory. The menu is pretty basic, just tacos and tostadas, but do you really need much else when you get to watch your tortillas get made?

Grand Morelos: 727 Grand St, Williamsburg
When I go to Grand Morelos, I spend the time waiting for my food wishing I knew Spanish while I get hypnotized while watching telenovelas. I completely forget about my desires for higher learning when I start inhaling my tacos. Their spicy green salsa is my favorite I’ve had outside of Austin. Grand Morelos also has the best selection of traditional meats, like chorizo, tongue, and even sometimes goat. Bonuses: they’re open 24 hours and have a bakery case full of five-for-a-dollar cookies. (I promise five is enough to make you feel like you developed diabetes in ten minutes).

The Taco Truck in the back of Union Pool: 484 Union Ave, Williamsburg
You can make all the jokes you want about going to Union Pool to do coke or a flannel wearing dude/girl in high-waisted shorts, but you should really be going there for the taco truck. The tacos are drenched in a sweet, spicy red salsa, covered in cilantro with a bit of green onions'they’re so freaking good that you won’t care if eating like a slob ruins your game.

LA Burritos
67 Wilson Ave, Bushwick; 287 Bedford Ave and 345 Graham Ave, Williamsburg
I get confused when I go into each LA Burrito location. They all play completely different music'”one will be playing 80s love ballads and another plays mariachi music. While the local chain ranks last for authenticity, they rank first in being brokeass friendly. A basic taco with black beans, pico de gallo, and jack cheese starts at $1.25, and goes down in price the more tacos you get. This means two tacos cost $2. I’m not a mathematician, but I’m sure it would cost you more to buy all the ingredients to make that yourself.