If there are two foods every Austinite loves, it’s tacos and brisket and Tyson’s Tacos flawlessly combines the two with its burnt ends taco. The taco stand with an old Austin feel sits about 10 minutes away from the UT campus on Airport Boulevard, a street that is well-known in Austin’s food scene. Its burnt-ends taco features a house-smoked brisket that is perfectly juicy and topped with fried onions for a touch of crispiness. It’s kept simple with a touch of cilantro and served on a homemade flour tortilla. The crispiness of the fried onions provides a perfect balance between the juiciness of the burnt ends. 

 

Every taco comes wrapped in tin foil with sides of red and green salsas. Without salsa, the taco itself is flavorful enough to get by, but the homemade salsa adds its own touch. The classic chunky red salsa provides a sweet but spicy touch but isn’t overwhelming of the rest of the flavor of the taco. The green salsa, however, is a creamy one that provides more heat than flavor. The rest of the menu features a unique combination of tacos that bring a Mexican flair to Austin-style combinations. 

 

The stand-alone restaurant features all outdoor patio seating and has a family business feel with lots of decorations. Flower pots line the parking lot and the outdoor patio areas are covered in stickers, writing and posters for local businesses and artists. Stained glass windows line the front of the patio, and the back faces a trailer where the brisket smoker sits. A disco ball adds a fun touch to the patio for those who are enjoying a daytime meal or a late-night snack. It’s clear why Tyson’s Tacos is a local favorite, as it has embraced all aspects of Austin.