fan favorite

Favorite Texas taco chain ranks high on USA Today 10-best list

Always get the queso.

Courtesy of Torchy's Tacos

Something about Tex-Mex lends itself very well to launching reliable chains. Whatever it is, Torchy's Tacos has it, and it's landed the chain the runner-up position on USA Today's 10Best fast casual restaurants list.

Torchy's made the list in 2023, too, when it came in at No. 4. This time, it was edged out only by Qdoba Mexican Eats, which held steady at No. 1. Torchy's overtook Mod Pizza and BurgerFi to improve its ranking.

A fast casual restaurant is very often a chain that offers a slightly more involved service style or a higher quality menu than a strictly fast food restaurant. The USA Today fast casual list nearly dips into fast food, but that's a separate list. Although an "expert panel" created the ballots, it was USA Today readers that voted Torchy's into the No. 2 spot.

Torchy's Tacos famously started 17 years ago as a food truck, as so many Austin restaurants have. Since 2006, it has grown dramatically to 125 locations in 14 states. Although that's getting big, it's impressive that Torchy's pulled so many votes considering that it only has a fraction of the market share of a restaurant like Chipotle, which operates in all but one U.S. state and came in at No. 10.

USA Today seems to have decided that its description ain't broke, so here it is unfixed, the same as last year: "Torchy's Tacos is spreading the love of Austin tacos across the United States. The tacos at Torchy's have always been experimental, with options like the Mofaux, cowboy-style Beyond Beef with grilled corn, green chiles, peppadew peppers, avocado, and Diablo sauce. And their green chile queso is some of the best in the nation."

Torchy's has changed in taste over the years, but the chain has faithfully held onto its branding, which rests on an irreverence fit for its hometown of Austin, with its original devil logo and boasts of "Damn Good" tacos. The tacos are also still cooked-to-order, and monthly specials keep things fun for repeat visitors.

“Thank you to all our epic fans and Taco Junkies who voted for us to be the #2 Best Fast Casual Restaurant," said Torchy's founder and CEO Mike Rypka in a press release about the win. "Competing against all the great brands out there on a national level is no easy task! We are super grateful to our staff who deliver Damn Good tacos and Damn Good hospitality to our guest day in and day out."

In a 2023 deep-dive into the lasting quality of Torchy's, a conference for developing chain restaurants called Restaurant Spaces found a few practices that seem to be working especially well for the chain: making items from scratch, originating delivery orders at the counter rather than offsite, and tip- or profit-sharing. Rypka predicted that 2024 would be "bumpy for all of us," but the USA Today rating proves that Torchy's has weathered those bumps well.

“At Torchy’s, we do our best to live up to our mission to be Damn Good each and every day," Rypka said in the recent release. "We’ve got lots of exciting news and more things to come to help us keep spreading the taco love across the nation!”

The 10Best fast casual restaurants in 2024, according to USA Today experts and readers, are:

1. Qdoba Mexican Eats
2. Torchy's Tacos
3. BurgerFi
4. The Halal Guys
5. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
6. Mendocino Farms
7. Culver's
8. Five Guys
9. Portillo's
10. Chipotle Mexican Grill

tacos torchy's tacos lists awards usa today news-you-can-eat

dun huang destination

New Chinatown restaurant serves up AYCE sushi and more for $37

Seven Sushi and Robata restaurant exterior

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Seven Sushi & Robata has claimed the former Fu Fu Restaurant space in Chinatown.

The couple behind two of Houston's most dynamic Asian restaurants has added a third concept to their portfolio. Seven Sushi & Robata is the latest project from Grace and Leo Xia.

Located in the former Fu Fu Restaurant space within essential Chinatown shopping center Dun Huang Plaza (9889 Bellaire Blvd, Ste. E209), Seven Sushi & Robata is an all-you-can-eat restaurant that serves sushi, grilled items (robata), and appetizers. The couple also operate Chinese restaurant Duck N Bao and all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue concept Hongdae 33, which is also located in Dun Huang Plaza.

“Chinatown on Bellaire is one of the most exciting dining destinations, and because we already have another restaurant in the plaza, it’s easy to manage both,” Grace Xia said in a statement. “There aren’t many all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants in the area, and with so many offices nearby, we wanted to offer something fresh and approachable for lunch or dinner. And if Hongdae has an overflow crowd, we can suggest guests visit Seven for robata so they can still get their barbecue fix.”

Similar to Hongdae 33’s $36, all-you-can-eat menu, Seven Sushi offers diners the choice of a $37 or $57 menu. The $37 offering includes dozens of choices such as:

Sushi and Sashimi: Salmon, tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, octopus, etc.
Classic sushi rolls: Tuna, spicy tuna, salmon, spicy salmon, Philadelphia, California, etc.
House sushi rolls: Caterpillar, Houston, Volcano, etc.
Cold appetizers: Octopus crudo, black pepper tuna, salmon with mango salsa, etc.
Hot appetizers: Gyoza, takoyaki, spring roll, tempura, etc.
Robata: Chicken skin, chicken wing, teriyaki chicken thigh, Japanese sausage, etc.

Stepping up to the $57 menu brings access to more premium items, including:

Sushi and sashimi: Whole scallop, bluefin tuna, salmon belly
Cold appetizers: Yellowtail and jalapeno, truffle salmon sashimi, scallop with seared krab and fish egg
House sushi rolls: Toro jalapeno, OMG, Chirashi
Robata: Galbi, Hawaiian ribeye, Cajun shrimp, garlic butter shrimp

The restaurant’s extensive beverage program includes wine, beer, sake, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options. Like the food, they’re affordable, with beers at $4 or $6, wines starting at $10 per glass, and cocktails priced at $11 or $15.

The 4,000-square-foot space seats 160. The Xias worked with the same designer as they employed for both Duck N Bao and Hongdae 33 to created a space that stone tiles, brass accents, and a blend of traditional Japanese and Chinese elements.

“I feel really good about this one,” Grace Xia added. “The design is very different from Hongdae’s, but like all our restaurants, we’re sourcing fresh, high-quality ingredients at a fair price. We want everyone to enjoy good food at a reasonable value.”

The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30 am until midnight. It does not accept reservations. Dining is limited to two hours.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Seven Sushi & Robata has claimed the former Fu Fu Restaurant space in Chinatown.