Rico's Tacos in Laurel: Carryout-First Mexican Street Food at Off-Route-29 Pricing
Rico's Tacos is a small carryout counter in Laurel that serves hand-rolled flour and corn tortillas filled with carne asada, pollo asado, carnitas, and barbacoa, with minimal seating and a cash-preferred payment model that keeps prices 15 to 25 percent below sit-down taquería pricing in central Baltimore.
What Rico's Tacos actually is
A neighborhood taquería without the overhead. The operation occupies a compact storefront with three to four stools along a window counter; most customers order and leave. The kitchen, visible from the ordering line, works to order. Flour tortillas arrive warm from the press during service. The menu stays focused: four main protein options, a salsa bar with three house salsas, and sides limited to rice, beans, and Mexican street corn. This is the format common to working-class neighborhoods in Howard County and Anne Arundel County, where taquería culture orbits around speed and cost, not ambiance.
Menu and pricing
Individual tacos cost $1.75 to $2.25 per piece, depending on protein and tortilla choice. A three-taco order with rice and beans (a standard meal) runs $8 to $10. Carne asada and pollo asado occupy the lower end; barbacoa and carnitas push toward the top. Flour tortillas are the default; corn costs the same. Agua fresca (hibiscus or tamarind, seasonal) is $2 to $3 per cup. No alcohol is served. The salsa bar is free and unlimited. Prices are subject to change; calling ahead to confirm current pricing before a first visit is sensible.
How Rico's Tacos compares to other Laurel taco options
Laurel's taco landscape splits between fast-casual chains (Qdoba, Chipotle) and independent counters. Rico's sits closer to competitors like Taco Bamba, a carryout window in nearby Jessup, and El Paso, a larger sit-down spot also in Laurel. Compared to Taco Bamba, Rico's is slightly cheaper and more austere; Taco Bamba offers a few more sides and light beer sales but charges 10 to 15 percent more per taco. El Paso provides table seating, full table service, and a wider menu (enchiladas, chile rellenos, carne guisada) but runs 20 to 30 percent higher in cost and caters to families and groups rather than lunch-rush individuals. Chain options are cheaper per item but use mass-produced tortillas and pre-cooked proteins; tacos here taste like food rather than components.
Who this suits and who it does not
Rico's works best for people eating alone or in a pair, working nearby, willing to stand or perch on a stool, and chasing authentic Mexican street-taco format at the lowest honest price. It does not suit groups larger than four, people needing table service or a relaxed meal pace, or anyone uncomfortable with a primarily Spanish-language environment and minimal English signage. No WiFi, no restrooms (a practical limit for remote workers). Dine-in capacity is roughly 20 minutes maximum before you're rotating off the stool.
What a first visit involves
Walk in, scan the handwritten menu board or ask the server what proteins are ready (carne asada typically moves fastest). Order by protein and number of tacos, specify flour or corn. Choose salsa from the three house options, each labeled by spice level. Pay cash or card (card accepted but cash preferred for a smoother transaction). Tacos appear in three to five minutes. Eat at the counter or take them out. No packaging fuss, minimal napkins. If you cannot read Spanish menu descriptions fluently, asking "What's the difference?" between carnitas and barbacoa is normal and answered without friction.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Rico's operates Tuesday through Sunday, roughly 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., but hours vary with foot traffic and staff availability; call to confirm before a planned visit. Street parking on the surrounding block is free and usually available except during evening peak times. The location sits off Route 29 in a mini-strip of independent businesses, roughly five miles south of downtown Laurel near local schools and light industrial areas. No drive-through window. Accessible by the 320 Ride-On bus if arriving without a car.
Rico's Tacos occupies the slot for people who choose speed and authenticity over comfort, and who live or work close enough that the location justifies a trip. It stays open because the formula works: minimal overhead, high throughput, and tacos that taste like someone made them for lunch, not a profit margin.
