This explosive taco empire started out as a trailer on the banks of East Bouldin Creek, and that one is still our favorite location: a winning conglomeration of food and fun, with picnic tables, strings of lights, and live music in good weather. It’s totally Austin. Locations further out in the ‘burbs lose this eccentricity somewhat, but still bring a much-needed sense of laid-back humor to those neighborhoods.

These tacos don’t speak a word of Spanish, but it’s hard to resist the “Trailer Park” taco: fried chicken strips and green chile—ask for it “trashy,” and they’ll hold the lettuce and pile on the queso. Torchy’s queso, you see, is another guilty pleasure: salty, spicy, with a strong salsa kick. Chips here tend to be almost unmanageably greasy—don’t waste the room.

Other generously stuffed tacos include the “Dirty Sanchez” (if you have to ask, don’t): a wonderful combination of tangy-hot escabeche, scrambled egg, and deep-fried poblano pepper. Green chile pork tacos, with juicy, savory pulled pork and queso fresco, are also terrific. Get them all with flour tortillas—Torchy’s corn tortillas aren’t up to the job—and keep in mind that the red-orange salsa is lava-hot. Torchy’s has its detractors, but even the purists admit that these tacos—for what they are—are pretty damn good.