Austin B.
Yelp
tl;dr don't be overwhelmed by the extensive menu at this hole-in-the-wall Tucson taqueria -- order plenty of costillas tacos and thank me later
Tacos Apson is a well-regarded, Sonoran-style taco shop that's been in operation for over 2 decades. Owner Francisco Durazo named the restaurant after Los Apson, the Mexican rock-and-roll band that his father performed in. Since opening, very little has changed about Apson, and Durazo continues to take pride in his traditional ingredients and transparent preparation process.
The record-and-guitar-themed logo is painted directly onto the white brick wall. Industrial fluorescent lighting and large fans hang above the semi-enclosed patio, and plenty of bright-red tables with built-in benches are scattered around the space. The black, white, and red menu is plastered next to the order counter, with a supplementary banner running underneath a window that peers into the kitchen. A compact, stainless steel salsa bar is well-stocked in the back. Spanish language music plays quietly around the space.
My partner and I arrived for weeknight dinner, and Tacos Apson boasted a steady stream of customers, all locals and regulars. We opted for Horchata and 4 tacos: Cabeza, Apson, Costillas, and Gringa Tacos. Within minutes, we were handed a black cafeteria tray laden with styrofoam dishes.
Notably, each taco was flavorful enough to enjoy without any fix-ins, but the salsas each rocked. Further, the medium-sized flour tortillas were served warm but slightly gummy.
Far and away, our favorite was the costillas, loaded generously with juicy, savory meat. My only complaint was that the meat defaulted to pre-chopped, rather than on-the-bone. We also enjoyed the rich albeit slightly chewy cabeza, as well as the quesadilla-esque Gringa and it's flavorful but fatty carne al pastor. In contrast, we were less fond of the Apson-style, filled with a clashing blend of carne asada, queso, chile verde, onion, bacon, and mushrooms. Finally, the horchata was largely forgettable, overly sweet, and not particularly cinnamony.
Each tortilla is generously filled, and tacos run approximately $3-5 each, and our meal worked out to about $25 total. While most of our tacos ranged between good and mediocre, I'll be dreaming about the costillas -- it alone is reason enough to visit Apson.
