Last week was auspicious, as two new tacos hit me between the eyes—and, mercifully, below the nose. Both delivered extreme greatness.

Manu Alfau (Manu’s Bodega, Manu’s Bodegita) has established a beachhead inside Pioneer Square’s underground happiness emporium Flatstick Pub, where adults can drink local beers, play 9 holes of mini golf…and now, eat tacos.  Alfau’s main gig is Caribbean food, but he translates those skills to the creation of stewy braised fillings for tacos: fillings like chicken tinga, black beans and cotija, and chorizo potato.

By day he opens a sidewalk window down the block from Flatstick (just east of Second, on Main) from 11am to 2:30pm. I stood in a short line last week to get two of them: one a saucy brisket, with generous chunks of the tender beef along with black beans and sweet slivers of pink pickled onion; the other a stunning carnitas, which recalls Alfau’s storied roasted Puerco asado in flavor and texture, and is decked with pico de gallo. They were overstuffed, delectable, and a steal at $3 apiece.  

The next day I found myself in Georgetown by morning, and driving past Jack’s BBQ I saw the sign: Brisket breakfast tacos. Screech, swerve, stop. And although the Texas roadhouse atmo, right down to twangy country music, might feel a little rich for a Seattleite’s blood at 7:15am—the brisket tacos are perfection, starring Jack’s offset-smoked grass-fed brisket, as tender and smoky as you can quite believe (and stuffed in with a generous hand), along with scrambled eggs, potato cubes, and melted cheese.

I mean, come on. They are as good as they sound. I got one; could’ve used two. There’s also pork or sausage. And they come with your choice of salsas.

All from 7 to 9am.