We visited a Texas taco chain with a cult following that's growing across America. Here's why Chipotle should be terrified.

• Torchy's Tacos has won over a loyal following in Texas with its top-notch queso and tacos with names like the Republican and the Trailer Park.
• The taco-centric chain's expansion could cut into the business of "big burrito"— especially as Chipotle struggles to regain its footing.
• We visited Torchy's to see whether it lived up to its hype and were amazed to find a rare chain that was even better than its cultish fans told us it would be.

We believe tacos are our future.

For too long, the burrito has ruled supreme over the world of Tex-Mex, at least since Chipotle's tentacles spread across the United States with the promise of a mainstream Mission-style burrito. But now, the burrito's reign is coming to an end— if Torchy's Tacos has anything to say about it.

The taco chain started in a trailer in Austin, Texas, in 2006. Since then, it has grown a cult following in Texas and expanded to more than 50 locations.

Toppling "big burrito," however, will require more than some Texan pride. Torchy's needs to back its heady expansion goals with food that lives up to its enviable reputation.

We visited a Torchy's location in Dallas to see whether the chain lived up to the hype. What we found was a chain that could transform the Tex-Mex landscape forever:

SEE ALSO: I visited Whataburger, a Texas chain with a cult following, for the first time. Here's what it's like.

We arrived at Torchy's near Southern Methodist University — a prime location for a chain built for hungry students seeking some reasonably priced tacos.

We were initially paralyzed with indecision while trying to take in the long list of tacos. Torchy's serves 20 traditional tacos plus breakfast tacos, sides, and a handful of other entrées. And, there's a full bar! Clink, clink.

Before noon, the restaurant was already packed. Hungover college students were inhaling tacos alongside families and World Cup fans sipping beers.