A brief downpour on Thursday night was hardly enough to stop more than 2,000 festival-goers from enjoying unlimited tacos, cocktails, live music, and lucha libre wrestling at DiningOut Events’ second annual Top Taco festival.
Like last year, the one-of-a-kind food fest popped up in the front lot of POST Houston with the twinkling lights of the Downtown skyline serving as a backdrop. Sponsored by Buckhead Meat & Seafood, Top Taco gives its attendees the chance to sample unlimited tacos from more than 40 local chefs and restaurants, alongside craft cocktails, beer, wine, and more. Top tier talent, including restaurants like Loro, Space City Birria, Ostia, Lupe Tortilla, Tiki Tacos & Michelads, and Polanquito lined the area, with a live music stage and a lucha libre wrestling ring anchoring the sprawling festival grounds.
Contenders competed in two main categories: Best Traditional Taco and Best Creative Taco. Critic’s choice was determined by a blind vote form a panel of judges made up of Houston food professionals, while People’s Choice was decided upon by votes given by attendees. A separate title for Best Cocktail, among participating beverage professionals across a range of spirits, was also up for grabs.
VIP ticketholders had exclusive access to the Asada BBQ Showdown, a dedicated section with a DJ, private bars, and lounge seating where restaurants like Guard and Grace and Gulf & Prairie were competing for Best BBQ Taco. Buckhead wowed VIP guests with its chef demo station, which showcased the roasting of a whole suckling pig.
Despite the rain, the energy remained high throughout the evening, with loads of guests crowding the main stage for the awards ceremony at the end of the night. Here are this year’s winners of the coveted title of Top Taco (and Top Cocktail):
Best Traditional
People’s Choice: 713 TNT
2nd place: Taco Palenque
3rd place: Space City Birria
Critic’s Choice: Tiki Tacos & Micheladas
2nd place: Space City Birria
3rd place: L’Jefe Jaliscience
Best Creative
People’s Choice: Gordo Nino’s
2nd place: Guard & Grace
3rd place: Comatl
Critic’s Choice: Ostia
2nd place: Tiki Tacos & Michelads
3rd place: Fish Company Taco
VIP Asada BBQ Showdown
People’s Choice: Gulf & Prairie
2nd place: Guard & Grace
3rd place: Tellos Tacos & Barbecue
Critic’s Choice: Miguelito Grill
2nd place: Tellos Tacos & Barbecue
3rd place: Gulf & Prairie
Cocktail
People’s Choice: Blanco Tacos & Tequila – Heaven Hill | Ocho Tequila
2nd place: La Pulga – Guard & Grace
3rd place: Polanquito – Excellia Tequila
Critic’s Choice: Loro – Rosaluna
2nd place: Polanquito – Excellia Tequila
3rd place: Lupe Tortilla – Cointreau & Don Julio
The DiningOut Events festival season continues in Texas with Dallas hosting its inaugural Rare Steakfest at Levy Plaza in Irving in May and Rare returning to POST Houston in October; along with a lineup of events, including Top Taco, Surf Seafood Challenge, Chicken Fight, and Rare, across Denver all summer.
