Taqueria El Asadero

"Tortas are one of my favorite foods to eat at home in sweatpants. When I was researching for a guide to some of the best in the city, the one I tried from Taqueria El Asadero, a Mexican spot on Rainier that operates out of an old school bus, really stuck with me. Specifically, their torta with birria. The juicy meat has flavorful drippings that soak into the toasted roll so quickly that I couldn’t help but eat the entire thing right away in the car. I have El Asadero and their delicious torta to thank for my new takeout mindset—why the hell should I wait to get home if I can eat a phenomenal meal in my car? Especially if I’m already wearing sweatpants? -CM" - carlo mantuano, aimee rizzo

"Your Order: Birria torta If there was ever an episode where Ms. Frizzle resigned as a teacher and turned The Magic School Bus into a taco truck, we’re pretty sure it would look something like Taqueria El Asadero. They operate out of an old bus on Rainier near Columbia City, always have a line of people during lunch hour, and serve one hell of a torta on a toasted roll. If you’re planning to eat right away, you should absolutely order yours with the falling-apart birria - which could be the star of an episode where Ms. Frizzle explains the science behind how the juicy meat dissolves toasted bread. However, go for carnitas (which has excellent crispy skin) if you’re driving back home and/or have enough self-control to not devour this thing immediately." - carlo mantuano

"If there was ever an episode of The Magic School Bus where Ms. Frizzle resigned as a teacher and turned her set of wheels into a taco truck, we’re pretty sure it would look something like Taqueria El Asadero. They operate out of an old school bus on Rainier where Mt. Baker meets Columbia City, always have a line of people during lunchtime, and serve one hell of a torta. If you’re planning to eat right away, you should absolutely order your sandwich filled with tender birria. It makes us wish Ms. Frizzle were real (instead of an animated fictional character) so that she could explain the science behind how juicy meat dissolves toasted bread. Go for the carnitas with excellent crispy skin if you’re heading back home and/or have enough self-control to not devour this thing immediately. Though this is a taco truck, we enjoy the tortas, mulitas, and burritos a bit better than the tacos themselves—they don’t come with as much meat as we’d like, and we find them to be a bit small. But even so, they’re only around $2, and the rest of the menu follows suit: hardly anything is over $10. That makes this spot one of our favorite options for a lower-priced lunch or dinner. Food Rundown photo credit: Nate Watters Tortas Some of the best in Seattle. Both the birria and carnitas are fantastic meat choices." - Carlo Mantuano

"This low-key spot between Mount Baker and Columbia City may not look like much, but it serves some of the best tacos and burritos in the city." - Megan Hill