A 55 pound taco was sent to the President. Where to enjoy National Taco Day 58 years later

National Taco Day is Oct. 4, and as the tasty holiday lands on Taco Tuesday, many restaurants will be hosting discounted taco prices for the tasty holiday.

However, National Taco Day didn’t start with tacos, but a giant 48-pound tamale, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. The holiday was started by a San Antonio, Texas city councilor, Roberto L. Gomez in 1961 who tried to arrange a motorcade to deliver the massive tamale to President Kennedy for the President’s birthday. Although the tamale never made it to President Kennedy, Gomez continued to send gifts to the White House, including a 55-pound taco in 1964 to President Lyndon Johnson.

As these gifts paved the way to creating the National Taco Council and National Taco Week, it wasn’t until Del Taco, a popular food chain, declared Oct. 4 as National Taco Day in 2009 that the holiday was recognized, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

The Bellingham Herald has found 10 local restaurants with high ratings for you to try on National Taco Day:

El Tapatio - Bellingham and Ferndale, WA

▪ Tacos are $2.50 each with choice of carne asada, chicken, carnitas, marinated pork, veggie. Tacos with tilapia, camaron, tripa, chile colorado, lengua, barbacoa and cabeza cost $3.50 each. Tacos are topped with onions and cilantro.

▪ El Tapatio has two Bellingham food truck locations and one Ferndale location. The first Bellingham location is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and is located at 4100 Strider Loop Rd. The second Bellingham location is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is located at 2034 James St. The Ferndale truck location is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and is located at 2504 Grandview Rd.

▪ El Tapatio has received a 4-star rating from 18 reviews on Yelp.

El Agave - Bellingham, WA

▪ Tacos are $3.50 with a choice of chicken or ground beef. Shredded beef tacos are $4.50.

▪ El Agave has three Bellingham locations that are open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. El Agave locations are at 207 N. Samish Way, 1111 Harris Ave. and 4 Club House Circle.

▪ El Agave has received an average 3.8-star rating from 223 Yelp reviews across its three restaurant Yelp pages.

Tadeo’s Mexican Restaurant - Bellingham, WA

▪ Tacos at Tadeo’s Mexican Restaurant can be purchased a la carte in groups of three tacos. Three fish or tongue tacos are $18.55, and three barbacoa or carnitas tacos cost $17.39.

▪ Tadeo’s is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, and is located at 207 E. Holly St.

▪ Tadeo’s Mexican Restaurant has received a 4-star rating from 204 reviews on Yelp.

Nopal Mexican Family Restaurant and Bar - Ferndale, WA

▪ Tacos start at $2.95 each for beef, chicken or picadillo tacos. A Cindy taco is $7.95 and includes a taco shell filled with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and your choice of beef, chicken or picadillo, wrapped in a flour tortilla. Customers can also order Tres Street Tacos which include three carne asada or pork tacos served with cilantro, onion and a house sauce for $15.95.

▪ The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and is located at 6104 Portal Way.

▪ Nopal Mexican Family Restaurant and Bar received a 2.5-star rating from 41 reviews on Yelp.

Black Sheep - Bellingham, WA

▪ Black Sheep is a bar, so visitors must be 21 years of age and older.

▪ Tacos start at $9 for a plate of two tacos and toppings, with a choice of carne asada, chorizo, pork belly, rockfish, chicken, tinga and carnitas. Roasted cauliflower or butternut squash tacos are $8 per plate.

▪ The bar is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Black Sheep is located at 211 W. Holly St.

▪ Black Sheep has received a 4.5-star review from 338 reviews on Yelp.

Tacos El Tule - Bellingham, WA

▪ Tacos start at only $1.50 for chicken, ground beef, steak, pork, fish or tongue tacos. Tule tacos are $2.25 and include meat or veggies, onions, cheese, cilantro, lettuce, avocado, pico de gallo and lime.

▪ Tacos El Tule has two taco truck locations in Bellingham that are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The first truck location is at 200 Prospect St., and the second location is at 3548 Meridian St.

▪ Tacos El Tule received a 4.5-star rating from 40 reviews on Yelp.

Marta’s Cocina - Lynden, WA

▪ Tacos at Marta’s Cocina come as a plate with three chicken or steak tacos, Spanish rice, beans, onions, cilantro and lime for $14.50.

▪ Marta’s Cocina is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and is located at 1710 Front St.

▪ Marta’s Cocina received a 4-star rating from 73 reviews on Yelp.

California Tacos & Fresh Juices - Bellingham, WA

▪ Tacos start at $1.95 each, although the Bellingham Taco filled with meat, cheese, beans, avocado, onion and pico de gallo, then wrapped in two corn tortillas cost $3.85 each. Regular tacos with meat, onion and cilantro cost $1.95, and super tacos with meat, onion, cheese, avocado and cilantro are $2.75 each. Fish tacos cost $3.75, and veggie tacos are $3.50. Visitors can choose from various meat options including chili verde, ground beef, tripe, pork, carnitas, asada, cabeza and shredded chicken.

▪ California Tacos & Fresh Juices is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and is located at 4252 Cordata Parkway Suite 104.

▪ California Tacos & Fresh Juices received a 4.5-star rating from 332 reviews on Yelp.

Taco Lobo - Bellingham, WA

▪ Most tacos at Taco Lobo are $3.25 each, including chicken, pork, carne asada, veggie, and chorizo. Lengua or beef tongue tacos are $4.50 each.

▪ Taco Lobo is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is located at 117 W Magnolia St.

▪ Taco Lobo has received a 4-star rating from 188 reviews on Yelp.

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