If you live anywhere near Story Road or Alum Rock Avenue, you already know the rule. The best tacos in San Jose are not hiding in some new downtown hotspot. They are parked in strip-mall lots and tire-shop corners on the East Side, run by families who have been feeding this neighborhood for years.
The stretch from Story Rd to Alum Rock Ave holds the strongest concentration of family-run taquerias in the city, and the rivalry between the two biggest trucks is a genuine local meme. One local guide described the battle between Tacos Los Tres Reyes and Tacos Chencho as “like siding between Ford and Chevy.”
Pick your team.
Here are the hidden-gem spots worth the drive, in no particular order…