HOW TACO VOTING WENT DOWN ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31 >>>

Over the past two weeks we've pitted 64 of the greater Tacoma area's best tacos against one another in the mother of all taco brackets. You've seen the carnage: No. 1 seeds fell, powerhouses butted heads, and surprise shells made a run at the prize.

The final round of the Spicy 16 was held yesterday - a day that saw the most votes cast to date. Here were the match-ups:

Taqueria El Rinconsito vs. Hidalgo Mexican Restaurant

Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant vs. Tacos Guaymas

La Huerta International Market #2 vs. Taqueria Burrito Loco

Tijuana Taco vs. Powerhouse Restaurant and Brewery

Who advances to the Elote Eight? Which tacos took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

"El Rinconsito by far has the best tacos in town. It makes me feel like I'm back in the mother land:-)" typed one voter. Apparently many felt the same way. Taqueria El Rinconsito grabbed 51 percent for the vote to advance to the next round.

Tacos Guaymas received more comments claiming that its tacos were "authentic tacos like the ones on the streets of Mexico" than any other restaurant involved in the Tournament of Tacos. That said, Moctezuma's big, friendly and polished restaurants serving giants plates of Mexican goodness crushed Guaymas with 82.8 percent of the vote. Unbelievable. Moctezuma's has consistently motivated its loyal customers to get out the vote in the competition, with some of the highest tallies of any of the matches.

Taqueria Burrito Loco can bring out the crowds to vote for their authentic tacos served in an ultra-friendly environment, while La Huerta International Market #2, housed in a former video arcade popular in 1982 at 56^th and Pacific Avenue - and possibly doesn't even know this tournament is going on - transports visitors to Mexico with its shelves filled with Latin grocery goods and Mexican daytime television blasting away in the center of the store. When all said and voted, Burrito Loco took 57.7 percent of the vote, moving out from behind the gas station that screens it from public view and advancing to the next round.

Yesterday's final game pitted Lakewood's long time Mexican fast food joint Tijuana Taco against the popular Puyallup brewpub Powerhouse Restaurant. Both of these places have rabid fans and die-hard supporters. In the end, speed ruled. Tijuana Taco took 58 percent of the vote to advance to the Elote Eight.

Confused? Read our Tournament of Tacos introduction here.

Today's games are on. Vote here.

Filed under: Contest, Food & Drink, Lakewood, Puyallup, Tacoma, Tournament of Tacos,