Carne Asada Taco at Karamelo King (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)

Taco Tuesday in Tucson: Karamelo King


February 4, 2020
a man wearing a hat
By Jackie Tran
By Jackie Tran

Karamelo King cooks their carne asada with salt on a mesquite grill.

“Taco Tuesday in Tucson” is a column where we explore the unique tacos stands throughout Tucson… on Tuesdays.


When it comes to late-night tacos, Karamelo King earns the self-given royalty in its name.

The taco stand at 3752 E. Grant Rd. earned its late-night following with its exceptional tacos, Sonoran hot dogs, and of course, quesadillas and caramelos.

Karamelo King cooks their carne asada with salt on a mesquite grill. The beef shines in its simple preparation with the beef and smoke flavor at the forefront. They also spoon on a brothy tomato sauce—for extra juiciness—just before serving. Make sure to eat the taco swiftly so it doesn’t get soggy.

Carne asada taco at Karamelo King
Taco Tuesday in Tucson: Carne asada taco at Karamelo King (Credit: Jackie Tran)

If you can handle the heat, try the creamy-looking red salsa; it’s the hottest one there, loaded with fiery chile de arbol.

For daytime tacos, visit their brick-and-mortar location at 5224 E. Pima St.

Karamelo King is located at 5224 E. Pima St. from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Saturday and at 3752 E. Grant Rd. from 4 p.m. – midnight Monday – Thursday, 4 p.m. – 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Keep up with Karamelo King on Instagram.

Upcoming Events

View all events
Double-click this headline to edit the text.
This is a block of text. Double-click this text to edit it.
Double-click this headline to edit the text.
This is a block of text. Double-click this text to edit it.
Double-click this headline to edit the text.
This is a block of text. Double-click this text to edit it.

Article By

Jackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon...

Related Stories