In 2018, a couple of Courier Journal reporters set out on a yearlong mission to discover which Louisville-area Mexican joint can serve up the best taco.

A lot has changed since then as the city's restaurants battle for survival against constantly changing COVID-19 restrictions across the state. Many locations now offer curbside pickup, carryout and delivery options. And nothing spices up a night in like a taco.

The end result was a list of more than 70 restaurants — and growing. Former Courier Journal reporters Justin Sayers and Danielle Lerner made it to 42 of them. Yes, including Taco Luchador.

Here were the top places, starting with the highest ranking:

La Tropicana Co.

Address: 5215 Preston Highway; Phone: 502-964-5957

Danielle: "This unassuming Mexican grocery store has been around for 22 years, and it's easy to see why once you taste the food. The grilled meat in the tacos is juicy, flavorful and complemented perfectly by the two kinds of salsa available tableside. Try the chicken taco paired with salsa verde."

Justin: "The meat is cooked perfectly, the tortillas are soft, and the salsa is flavorful. The no-frills tacos are perfectly topped with cliantro and onion. It's as simple and delicious as a taco should be."

Israel's Delicias de Mexico

Address: 1515 E. Market St., New Albany, Indiana; Phone: 812-725-9139

Website: www.facebook.com/Israels-Delicias-De-Mexico-gourmet-799057103520017

Danielle: "Israel's is a sit-down restaurant and a bit pricier than some places on our list, but be prepared to waddle out of there after consuming huge portions of rich food. One order of carne asada tacos comes with three heaping piles of steak topped with queso fresco, onions and cilantro. Also worth noting that their smothered burrito is among the best things I've ever eaten."

Justin: "This place manages to find a perfect line between both quality and quantity. The tacos are savory, and come with ample amounts of both rice and black beans."

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El Mariachi

Address: 9901 La Grange Road; Phone: 502-413-5770

Website: www.elmariachilouisville.com

Danielle: "The gorditas here are hands down the best thing on the menu. Perfectly seasoned meat tucked into a slightly crunchy corn tortilla pocket. Nothing like the ones you get from Taco Bell but just as cheap."

Justin: "At El Mariachi, you can stuff your face for under $10. The tacos are good, but don't sleep on the gorditas."

Bandido Taqueria Mexicana

Address: 423 University Blvd.; Phone: 502-996-7788

Website: www.facebook.com/BandidoTaqueriaMexicana

Danielle: "The burritos are what got me in the door at Bandido, but the street tacos are pretty amazing too. I love that you can customize your food at the salsa bar and add fries to your burritos like I'm used to from back home."

Justin: "After ranking them in the No. 1 spot last year, they hung up a copy of our article. I hope they don't take it down after they slipped to No. 4. It's worth stressing that the drop is by no means a testament to the tacos themselves. They missed the top spot by a single point."

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Guaca Mole

Address: 9921 Ormsby Station Road; Phone: 502-365-4822

Website: www.guaca-mole-restaurant.com

Danielle: "Two words: Veggie tacos. I know, I know, but you'll just have to trust me on this one. Maduros were a surprising yet welcome addition to the corn poblano, black beans and guac."

Justin: "Guaca Mole's vegetarian taco is one of the best in the city. That and the generous portions make it worth the trip."

La Rosita

Address: 5059 Preston Highway; Phone: 502-618-2883

Danielle: "Corn tortillas to die for in a colorful, casual setting with a butchery, bakery and ice cream counter attached. They brew their own horchata, too."

Justin: "I said last year that this place has the best carne asada in the city. While they may have lost that title, they didn't lose my high praise."

El Barrio Tequila & Whiskey Bar

Address: 129 W. Main St.; Phone: 502-583-5505

Website: www.elbarriolouisvilleky.com

Danielle: "The best tacos downtown Louisville has to offer and another good option for vegetarian tacos. Get the lunch special and enjoy two tacos with rice or beans, each equally phenomenal."

Justin: "One of the most well-rounded places we visited. Pretty much everything — the tacos, rice, beans, chips and salsa — are good."

More:What bars and restaurants are saying about Beshear's latest COVID-19 restrictions

Panchitos Ice Cream & Taqueria

Address: 2245 Bardstown Road; Phone: 502-749-2375

Website: www.facebook.com/Panchitos-Ice-Cream-Taqueria-In-the-Highlands-1009652165804529

Danielle: "Panchitos bills itself primarily as an ice cream shop, and I must have passed by at least a dozen times before walking in and realizing they also serve tacos, nachos and tamales. Love a place where I can grab authentic Mexican dinner and dessert in one spot."

Justin: "Yes, their tacos are good. But I admittedly have not tried the ice cream yet. That'll be my excuse for a return trip."

Time to say goodbye:These 30+ restaurants and bars have closed so far in Louisville in 2020

El Molcajete

Address: 2932 S. Fourth St.; Phone: 502-638-0300

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elmolcajetelouisville

Danielle: "One thing hasn't changed from last year's list: El Molcajete still has some of the best salsa in the city. Order lengua or chicken tacos and load them up with smoky house salsa."

Justin: "I'll repeat what I said last year about this Louisville taco staple: I liked the chicken, but didn't love the steak. But the salsas — and they have a big variety of them — made me love both."

Here's how the rating system worked:

Only included places that primarily serve tacos and/or Latin fare.

Excluded any restaurants with locations outside Kentuckiana. (All right, we stretched a bit with El Nopal, El Toro and Senor Iguanas, which have locations outside of the area, but are well-known in Louisville.)

Each rated the tacos on a 5-point scale and added those scores together for a 10-point rating.

Tiebreakers were broken based on a salsa rating, again with each of reporter rating the restaurants' salsa on a 5-point scale and adding those scores together for a 10-point rating.

Here's the rest of the list:

MeXa Steak Tacos: 3701 Lexington Road

La Loma: 7319 Preston Highway

Supermercado Guanajuato: 6201 Preston Highway.; 9901 La Grange Road; 5624 Bardstown Road

LATino (food truck): Check facebook.com/LatinoFoodTruckLouisville for location.

The Ville Taqueria (closed)

Coconut Beach: 2787 S. Floyd St.

Taqueria Don Juan: 615 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, Indiana

Havana Rumba: 12003 Shelbyville Road; 4115 Oechsli Ave.; 2210 Bardstown Road

Santa Fe Grill: 3000 S. Third St.

La Rosita Sol: 8730 Westport Rd.; 6334 W. Highway 146, Crestwood

Con Huevos: 2339 Frankfort Ave.; 4938 U.S. 42, Northfield

Taco Steve: 415 Bank St., New Albany, Indiana

Taco City: 1283 Bardstown Road

Ramiro's Cantina: 253 Spring St., Jeffersonville, Indiana; 2350 Frankfort Ave.

Mayan Street Food: 514 Baxter Ave.

Taco Luchador: 938 Baxter Ave.; 112 Meridian Ave.; 500 W. Jefferson St.

La Lupita: 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, Indiana

Mi Cocina: 520 S. Fourth St.; 2060 S. Hurstbourne Parkway

Señor Iguanas: Multiple locations

Los Aztecas: 530 W. Main St.; 1107 Herr Lane; 9207 U.S. 42, Prospect

El Mundo: 2345 Frankfort Ave.

El Torazo: 1850 S. Hurstbourne Parkway

El Nopal: Multiple locations

Cafe Aroma: 2020 Brownsboro Road

Sabor Latino: 1273 S. Brook St.

Mango's Mexican Grill: 6201 Dutchmans Lane; 4632 Hendrik Dr.

Sol Aztecas: 2427 Bardstown Road

The Kentucky Taco Company: 502 Warnock St.

Bazo's Fresh Mexican Grill: 1250 Bardstown Road; 4014 Dutchmans Lane; 428 W. Market St.

El Tarasco: Multiple locations

Some restaurants have been removed from the original list due to closure.