The Taco Stand Taqueria

The Taco Stand is exactly what downtown Birmingham needed and didn’t quite have: honest, no-frills Mexican street food on Hamilton Row. Warm corn tortillas with your choice of meat, cilantro, onion, and lime; tortas, quesadillas, and those gloriously excessive California burritos stuffed with fries. It’s counter-service quick and priced like a taqueria should be — a rarity in a town where dinner usually comes with a wine list and a wait.

There’s not much more to say, which is the whole appeal: it does a few things and does them well. We have it on our list as Birmingham’s go-to for a fast, family-friendly taco fix that won’t blow up the evening — lunch on the go, an easy weeknight, or a pit stop between errands. Get the asada, add the green salsa, and don’t sleep on the carne asada fries.