This week the search for the best tacos in Chatt town brings us back into my neighborhood inside a store off Rossville Blvd called, Tienda Maya #5.
I’ve driven past this grocery store countless times and while their sign is large and colorful, it wasn’t until recently that I noticed it also said it was a butcher shop and a taqueria.
When I pulled up to the store on a Saturday afternoon, there was a lady outside standing by this cute miniature fire truck which turned out to be a freezer where they store and sell their homemade Guatemalan-style ice cream. I didn’t get ice cream this time but may go back and try their mango flavored ice cream served in a cup or cone.
Step inside and you’ll find a grocery store on the left side of the building and the restaurant on the right side of the building with a huge dining area. The grocery store had a lot of Guatemalan items, incredible looking mangos and even large, bundled banana leaves used to wrap tamales. Towards the back of the store was the meat counter and butcher shop area.
The dining room has several large and small tables, and you just pick where you want to sit. The menu is on the wall and specials are written on the chalkboard. A second chalkboard lists the various smoothies, aqua frescas and milkshakes they offer. You can also get regular soft drinks or bottled water.
The proteins offered for their tacos, quesadillas and tortas are Mexican sausage, steak, beef tongue, tripe, shredded beef, Al Pastor pork, chicken and shrimp.
I sat at a table which faced their large screen TV. The server said they often invite the public to come and watch the Guatemalan soccer team when the games are televised. Apparently, they had a standing room only crowd when Guatemala played team U.S.A. last month. During my visit the movie “American Gangster” was on, and I couldn’t stop watching Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe and Josh Brolin speak but hearing Spanish coming out of their mouths.
I ordered two beef tongue tacos and a Sprite. She set down my plastic bottle of Sprite retrieved from the store’s refrigerated soda station and brought out a bottle of salsa verde, so spicy, it took several minutes to stop crying and get any relief for my tongue.
The house made corn tortillas are smaller than what I’m typically served. These were roughly three inches in diameter and double stacked. The beef tongue was plentiful as was the cilantro. Small, diced onions also topped the tacos, and it came with a lime wedge. The tortillas were hot and tasty.
The beef tongue was tender but not as seasoned as others that I’ve had in the past. It just needed a little more marinade or something. Still, I gulped down those tacos and headed into the store where I grabbed some mangos to take home for mom.
On a subsequent visit Monday afternoon. No ice cream parked outside, but it was parked inside, possibly waiting for the next batch of ice cream. This time I got a shredded beef taco and a shrimp taco.
The shredded beef was moist, tender and had plenty of flavor. It was delicious. The shrimp was diced into small pieces and not overcooked. The shrimp taco was topped with tiny diced red onions. Once again, a terrific taco.
This place was packed both times I visited. I noticed most of the regulars just grab their drink of preference from the store and then get a table and order their food. The store and restaurant are open daily from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. They take cash or credit, but there is a small upcharge for debit and credit cards.
Tienda Maya #5
- 3511 Rossville Blvd., Chattanooga, TN
- (423) 702-5956
- Facebook: facebook.com/tiendamaya5
- $ - $$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com