100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 93, Breakfast Tacos at Sunrise Taquito

By Katharine Shilcutt Mon., May 21 2012 at 3:00 PM

Photos by Katharine Shilcutt

This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we're counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston's cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once.

Although it often gets unfairly overlooked because of its location in a Shell filling station, Sunrise Taquitos is the real deal: Mexican madres and abuelitas bustle around the open kitchen each morning, dishing up plates of huevos rancheros with beans and homestyle potatoes or soft flour tortillas stuffed with chorizo and eggs.

If you're feeling extra-hungry, though, you can go ahead and order them both -- it's what I do on sunny weekend mornings -- and enjoy them on the side patio with a surprisingly pretty view of the trees that canopy down into Buffalo Bayou. The potatoes on the breakfast plates are a little bland, but come alive when covered with Sunrise Taquito's warm, mild red salsa.

The tacos themselves rarely need any dressing up, however. You can also order them with beans and/or cheese, but they don't even need that -- it's the fat, griddled tortillas (much fluffier and fatter than the norm, and approaching Chilosos-like levels of greatness) that make Sunrise's breakfast tacos the best. That, and the smiles from the women who fill them up and hand them over the counter to you.

The list so far:

No. 100: Chili cheese mac at Jus' Mac
No. 99: Texas turkey sandwich at Spec's
No. 98: Custard at Petite Sweets
No. 97: Caprichos mixtos at Taqueria Monterrey Chiquito
No. 96: Pineapple-wasabi burger at Lankford Grocery
No. 95: Farmer's MKT Pizza at Phoenicia's MKT Bar
No. 94: Potatoes at Money Cat Brunch

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Location Info

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Sunrise Taquito

5601 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

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Chiloso's Taco House

701 E. 20th St., Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

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100 Favorite Dishes, Breakfast, Breakfast tacos, Sunrise Taquitos

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Diet Meals Delivered

Tacos are tacos. They all taste the same to me.

Wuwu

I catch a bunch of grief around here as I am labeled as negative. When I read that something is in the "top 100" lets put it into perspective. You are an out of towner, you want to trust someone telling you this place is top 100 dishe so you go and try. It's like saying...."go to Luby's their canned green beans are top 100...." It's sad a place like this is even mentioned. The tacos have little if any flavor, the tortiallas are below average and the worst part is when the take your order they don't ask for your name or give you any type of number. Trying going on a Sat morning after all the runners are there and they call out what you ordered and you run up to the counter and fight for your food. This place is poorly run and the food is no where near a mentioning of "top 100".

Now,folks will ask, well Wuwu you are so negative where would you go for the "top 100" brkst taco??.... and I would glady point them to La Mexicana on Montrose, by far much better than this joint. Katherine, do you really deep down feel you are qualified to make such a horrbile call on such an average at best place? Come on girl, can't you do better???? Please try as its utter crap you are writing here,just flat out garbage!

Hbeard85

WuWu, I've never had a taco from this place, so I can't comment on that. But I CAN comment on my personal take of these types of lists...

Last year, Katharine put Dim Sum King on the 'Best Dim Sum' in Houston. I ventured into the corner cafe, waited over 30 minutes for a table with a friend, and had THE WORST MOST GAWDAWFUL dim sum of my life. I even mentioned to her that a few weeks ago Mai had said it was awful. Yet it still made the Press' Best list. o_O I'm convinced it was simply because it was served all day. I don't care if I need a shumai to live at 10pm, you can't make me eat one of Dim Sum King's ever again.

BUT I tried it. And returned to my usual favorite instead. Still, I never would have ventured out of my comfort zone if not for these handy lists.

Corey

Who cares if you're negative if you're making a point, you're entitled to your point of view. And yeah these taco's are not deserving of being on anyone's best of list unless you're a total tourist with no knowledge of good breakfast tacos. But it's all a matter of personal taste, and I support your right to say as you please.

Megan

Oh, you mean the La Mexicana that was ranked #25 last year for its menudo, in which KathArine specifically stated that she LIKED the breakfast tacos there? DO a little research.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/...

Wyatt

"its utter crap you are writing here,just flat out garbage!"

Same thought went through my head while reading your comment. Did you do a hit of crystal before you typed that little diatribe?

Houstess

Seek help.

Bruce R

I don't see a single thing that makes this dish any better than the same thing you'd get at 200 other taquerias. And the styrofoam plates make it a loser. And fluffy tortillas? That's an oxymoron.

Hugh Ramsey

How about this: they taste better than most I have had?

Bruce R

I suppose that's a pretty good reason. But I have trouble believing it based on the picture. Those glistening potatoes look like they've soaked in oil but stopped short of browning -- that alone makes the dish inferior. Mild salsa and fluffy tortillas? I don't know, sounds pretty mediocre.

Houstess

I stopped in here recently for the first time and enjoyed my bacon taco. The bacon was thick cut, like the English style. I feels like Mexico City in there...I loved it. I notice they have enchiladas and fajitas also so made a mental note to run in there on a day when lunch time is short and try those out.

Kelli

While I hugely disagree with Wuwu, I don't totally agree with you either Katharine. They are good but El Gallo de Jalisco or El Taquito Taqueria taco truck is way way WAY better.

Katharine Shilcutt

Hey, we're only at No. 93 on the list here... :)

Kelli

Oh yeah duh! lol :P

Wuwu

are you serious, like really serious or is this april fools...jesus Kathrine, this place is garbage...their bkfst tacos about 5 rungs under a whataburger one....I'm giving up on you girl...

Corey

I'll be at ol' pink and yellow (aka taqueria laredo) before here, blech..