Potatoes. Eggs. Cheese. These are the base ingredients for a breakfast taco.

With so many restaurants offering breakfast tacos, it can be hard to choose which one serves the best. This is why I’ve tried the simple yet delicious combination that is potatoes, eggs and cheese breakfast tacos at three different restaurants to determine which one is truly the tastiest.

Up first is Rusty Taco. Established in 2010 and located on Greenville Ave., this masterpiece is a blend of rustic ’80s highlighted with wood tables and bright colors, giving it an eccentric atmosphere.

Once the taco has been opened up, there is a round flour tortilla with potatoes and soft scrambled eggs sprinkled with melted cheese. The eggs made me feel warm and at home while the potatoes brought a smooth texture. The cheese accentuated the rest of the flavors without going overboard, and the sauces brought a spice to the taco.

Rusty Taco also has plexiglass dividers between customers and the cashier to have the least amount of face-to-face contact. The open exterior also allows for people to stay 6-feet apart and socially distant without it impeding the experience of the food.

Next is Resident Taqueria. Located in Lake Highlands Plaza, the small restaurant was established in 2015 and serves delicious tacos and sides. The restaurant gives a cozy feeling, decorated with wood throughout the interior and a quaint exterior that is hidden from the road giving customers a peaceful place to eat and enjoy the food.

Unwrapping the tinfoil, the first thing I noticed was the heavy flour tortilla full of food. Once the taco is opened up, the perfectly charred and crispy potatoes can be seen. The egg is cooked and spiced to perfection and results in a perfect ratio of egg, potato and cheese. The sauces also brought spicy pop of flavor to the taco. With three different options of smoky, mild and hot, customers can choose how spicy they like their breakfast tacos.

The restaurant tries to reduce the spread of germs by only allowing two people at a time to come in. They are focused on keeping customers and employees safe with plexiglass in between customers and the cashier. They also have a required mask mandate and stickers on the floor to designate 6-feet apart for social distancing.

Last, and unfortunately least, is Whataburger, a popular fast-food chain in the South founded in 1950. They have an option to order a breakfast taquito, which in reality, is just a taco that comes with potato, egg and cheese. It comes in the signature Whataburger bag with orange and white stripes and the big W. The taco is wrapped in yellow paper that is not very efficient. It’s impossible to open up the taco without it falling apart due to how much cheese is inside.

The potatoes are more hash brown than chopped potatoes. They are deep-fried and somewhat greasy but taste good. The egg is subpar. It does not have enough space nor texture quality of a good egg. The cheese is the worst part of the entire taco. It was overloaded with plastic-like texture making it super stretchy and was unevenly spread throughout the taco.

While there is a plexiglass divider in front of the cashier, the restaurant is overall not very sanitary and doesn’t do much to adhere to the coronavirus restrictions. All employees wear masks, but there aren’t any dividers in between tables inside.

Overall, the best tacos and the best experience goes to Resident Taqueria. The workers and chefs make everything worth the trip. The environment is friendly, and the food is top notch.