While carne asada is king in the Sonoran desert, don’t dismiss the fish.
Fish tacos don’t need to be complicated. The fish should be juicy and taste fresh. If they’re fried, they need to be crunchy. Everything else is a bonus.
Here are our picks for the best fish tacos in Tucson. (P.S. If a place has a great fish taco, it’s safe to assume their shrimp taco is great too.)
BOCA Tacos y Tequila
533 N. Fourth Ave.
Whether you want grilled or fried, BOCA has you covered. The Salmon is marinated with citrus and grilled, while the Pescado features beer-battered whitefish. The tacos are dressed simply with chopped cabbage for crunch, while the daily changing salsas make it so you won’t get the same flavor experience twice regardless of how often you visit.
For more information, visit bocatacos.com.
Cocteleria La Palma
1143 S. Sixth Ave.
A food truck in the middle of the desert might not sound like the best place for seafood but trust us here. The seafood at La Palma is exceptional, and the fish tacos are no exception. Get some of their fantastic seafood tostadas while you’re there.
Keep up with Cocteleria La Palma on Facebook.
El Berraco
2960 N. First Ave.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnosqsQjoqV/?taken-by=el.berraco
El Berraco utilizes dressed-up components for their fish tacos. Their classic Fishi taco features battered fish, cabbage salad, guaca-cilantro, creamy chipotle dressing, pickled onions, and cilantro. El Tombito features grilled swordfish, cheese, and La Verde and ahogo de chipotle salsas on a flour tortilla.
For more information, visit el-berraco.com.
Taco Fish
4841 S. 12th Ave.
For a mishmash of seafood, order the Taco Gordo at Taco Fish. The goliath of a taco is topped with fried fish, fried shrimp, and a pepper stuffed with meaty shredded marlin.
For more information, visit tacofishtucson.com.
Taqueria Pico de Gallo
2618 S. Sixth Ave.
The soft, thick corn tortilla is actually the star at Taqueria Pico de Gallo. Get at least three of these babies in your order.
For more information, call (520) 623-8775.
Honorable Mention: Seis Kitchen
130 S. Avenida del Convento Ste. 100 • 1765 E. River Rd.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh4T3g8DMJF
While fish tacos aren’t always on the menu at Seis, you better catch them when you see them on special.
For more information, visit seiskitchen.com.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed 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 Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
