Ta’Carbon Mexican restaurant in Glendale named one of the best in US
Look inside Ta’Carbon, a popular Mexican restaurant in Glendale, named one of the best in America by USA TODAY.
Phoenix residents have long known about the hidden gem that is Ta’Carbon, at least if the consistently packed tables and groans of recognition when it’s mentioned are anything to go by. But this week, the small, local taco shop received national attention.
According to USA TODAY’s 2025 Restaurants of the Year list, the local taqueria is one of the top 44 places to eat in America.
Owner Gilberto Trujillo said being named one of the restaurants of the year was a huge honor. “Hopefully it can bring more customers!” he laughed.
Trujillo opened the first Ta’Carbon location in Glendale in 2008 with his childhood best friend turned business partner Manuel Aldecoa. Since then, they’ve expanded to three locations across metro Phoenix, due to the high demand for their tacos. But the unique charm of the original Glendale location is hard to replicate.
What makes Ta’Carbon stand out
When it first opened in 2008, Trujillo said it was one of the first taquerias in Phoenix to use a charcoal grill. The style was more popular in southern Arizona and northern Mexico, but Trujillo and Aldecoa wanted to bring it to Phoenix. And those who live and eat tacos in the Valley are certainly thankful for it.
Flour tortillas and beef are quintessential to Sonoran cuisine, thanks to the introduction of cattle and wheat by Spanish missionaries in the 1700s. And Trujillo and Aldecoa uphold the tradition with a menu that’s heavy on the grilled beef and served on either corn or massive, stretchy flour tortillas.
Ta’Carbon only uses certified USDA prime Angus beef. The carne asada is so tender and juicy, it almost doesn’t even need any toppings.
“The meat is the most important,” Trujillo said. “Everything else is an accessory.”
Thanks to the success of Ta’Carbon, Trujillo was able to achieve another childhood dream: He opened an ice cream shop next door to the Peoria location.
What to order at Ta’Carbon
The standout dish at Ta’Carbon is the taco hazz, made with carne asada, cheese and grilled strips of green chilies. Trujillo said he and Aldecoa didn’t invent hazz, but they have certainly perfected their own version.
“It’s been around for centuries in Mexico, in the northern part. It’s like we’re born knowing how to cook the hazz,” Trujillo said. “We are very traditional. We don’t change too much about it.”
Other meat options include al pastor, tripa, cabeza, barbacoa and lengua. Meats are served as tacos, burros or platos, which come with a stack of tortillas and a side of their silky refried beans. All orders come with access to the generous salsa bar.
To drink, try an agua fresca or Mexican bottled soda.
Ta’Carbon offers a distinctive taste of Southwestern history that simply never disappoints.
See the full menu.
Ta’Carbon in Glendale
Details: 5834 W. Camelback Road, Glendale, Ariz. Additional locations at 2929 N. 43rd Ave., Phoenix, Ariz. and 6750 W. Peoria Ave., Peoria, Ariz. tacarbon.com.
Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @EndiaFontanez on X, formerly Twitter.
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Publish date : 2025-02-11 20:09:00
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