America’s Taco Shop
2041 N. Seventh St
Phoenix, AZ 85073
(602) 682-5627‎

Phx411.com writer Amie Tatalovich and I stopped into America’s Taco Shop for dinner/happy hour on Friday.

We arrived at the lull between the lunch crowd and dinner and were greeted by owner Terry Bortin who proceeded to introduce us to the history of America’s Taco Shop which is very much intertwined with his own history. Listening to Terry it’s clear there’s something present in every dish they serve – America.

America Corrales, Terry’s wife, was born in Culican, the capitol of Sinaloa in northwest Mexico and home to some of Mexico’s largest agricultural operations. America learned to cook from her mother, spending much of her childhood helping prepare meals for her five siblings. Terry, who has 17 years experience in the restaurant industry, met America in 1999. 8 years later, and on their wedding anniversary, they opened America’s Taco Shop in a historic house on 7th Street and Monte Vista in central Phoenix.

Instead of creating a large menu, Terry and America decided to concentrate on just a few dishes and make them better than anyone else in the city. And if you’re using Yelp.com as a guide, it appears they’ve accomplished that goal with their carne asada.

We started by tasting their homemade margaritas. We tried both the Tamarindo, made with fresh tamarind and the Jamaica. I would recommend the Tamarindo over the Jamaica but both were good.
Tamarinda margarita:

Next we tried the Vampiro, which is similar to a tostada. The Vampiro is served with carne asada covered with monterrey jack cheese, guacamole, caramelized onions, and lettuce.

Vampiro:

Terry then served the carne asada burrito and it’s definitely their signature dish. The carne asada was lean, tasty, and served with caramelized onion, guacamole, and a great pico de gallo.

Carne Asada Burrito: