These days, you don't even need to go to a Mexican restaurant to find a tasty taco.
A lot of fast food joints now have tacos on their menu.
Don't know where to start?
Let's talk tacos, and help you locate the best fast food tacos around.
You can find some hidden gems on Burger King's value menu that are perfectly edible and sometimes
even delicious.
However, the Crispy Taco at Burger King is a complete and utter abomination and an embarrassment
to tacos everywhere.
Everything that can be wrong with the Crispy Taco is wrong.
First of all, it lacks flavor.
Secondly, the texture is too mushy.
And to put a somber sombrero on the top of the disappointment, this Burger King disaster
is even smaller than you're imagining.
The ingredients in the Crispy Taco are nothing out of the ordinary.
It's a crispy tortilla shell filled with beef, shredded lettuce, taco sauce, and American
cheese.
Unfortunately, Burger King apparently forgot to factor in taste.
The beef doesn't have enough seasoning, the taco sauce is basically reddish water, and
the shell is about as exciting as a stale tortilla chip.
While Taco Bell is home to a lot of tacos that are worth ordering, the Double Decker
Taco should be avoided.
In theory, it makes sense because it basically combines the best aspects of a soft taco and
a crunchy taco.
Unfortunately, in the real world, it's just a failed, loveless marriage.
The middle of a Double Decker Taco is a regular crunchy taco with seasoned beef, shredded
lettuce, and shredded cheese.
That crunchy taco is then wrapped with a flour tortilla that has been slathered with refried
beans.
The problem is that if you even wait a couple of minutes to eat this taco, the refried beans
turn the inner crunchy taco into a soggy mess.
It's also a taco that tends to fall apart in your hands while you're eating it, and
that only amplifies the despair that comes when you realize something so good is oh so
bad.
"No!
God, No, God, please, no!"
Unless you're stranded at a Carl's Jr. and you really, really want a taco, this thing
isn't worth your hard-earned money.
Carl's Jr. goes with the typical formula when creating their Crunchy Beef Taco: seasoned
beef, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, and taco sauce resting inside of a crispy shell.
While the seasoned beef isn't anything to write home about, and the shell is forgettable
at best, you will be pleased with the cheese and the sauce.
The cheese is actually a blend of four different kinds of cheeses, while the sauce adds an
acceptable amount of kick to the equation.
If you want to live dangerously, order the Grilled Shrimp Taco the next time you visit
Baja Fresh.
This taco is either quite good or really bad.
It all depends on the quality of the shrimp Baja Fresh has on hand.
The grilled shrimp is held by two corn tortillas and is joined by avocado salsa, avocado slices,
pico de gallo, and shredded cabbage.
The pico de gallo, which is made fresh at the restaurant, is particularly tasty.
But, again, it all comes down to how the shrimp tastes that day.
Sometimes at Baja Fresh, biting into a grilled shrimp is like biting into a piece of rubber.
Other times, the shrimp is everything you're hoping for.
Also, be advised that the Grilled Shrimp Taco is small so you'll need to order a pair of
them to make anything close to a meal.
Nobody knows why the Two Tacos deal at Jack in the Box is so addictive.
The tacos don't taste amazing and they're certainly not authentic, but despite their
mediocrity, they will have you coming back again and again.
Jack in the Box has been serving tacos since the 1950s and there's no chance they'll stop
anytime soon.
In fact, they sell more than a half a billion tacos per year.
While these tacos aren't revolutionary by any means, don't be surprised if they become
one of your quick go-to snacks when you're pondering your fast food options.
For a long time, the Two Tacos deal at Jack in the Box was just 99 cents.
While the price is now a little bit higher, you can usually still find that 99 cent price
tag if you order from the Jack in the Box app.
If you want a perfectly average taco, hop on over to Taco Time and order a Soft Pork
Carnitas Taco.
First of all, don't be confused by the appearance of this taco.
Taco Time wraps their soft taco like a burrito, but still calls it a taco.
This taco is adequately authentic, tastes good enough, and won't set you back much when
it comes to your bank account.
It's not memorable in any way, but if you're new to the world of tacos, it could serve
as a gentle introduction to what a quality taco tastes like.
If you've never had pork carnitas, it's basically pork that has been simmered in lard until
it has become tender.
To do it right, the pork needs to be simmering for at least two to three hours.
Give Taco Time credit, they obviously don't take any shortcuts because the pork is tasty
and tender.
The minimal amount of disappointment is because of what else is in the Soft Pork Carnitas
Taco.
The cheese isn't flavorful and the diced tomatoes lack discernible taste.
The flour tortilla is often overly chewy, too.
That said, the pork is good enough to mask most of those flaws.
If you love fish tacos, you'll enjoy the Beer Battered Fish Taco from Del Taco.
The fish in the taco is a crispy fillet of Alaska pollock, much like you might find at
a fish and chips eatery or inside of a fish sandwich.
The fish has a pleasant taste and the beer batter adds to the yumminess.
In addition to the fish fillet, Del Taco includes pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, and a secret
sauce that is made mostly with egg yolk and buttermilk.
Del Taco will also give you a lime wedge with each of their Beer Battered Fish Tacos.
The lime wedge is a necessity, not a recommendation.
"Almost didn't make it here today because I almost stopped at Del Taco on the way."
"Yeah save that, that's funny!"
Taco Bueno's Beef Muchaco is definitely worth trying.
The ground beef is seasoned scrumptiously, the shredded cheddar cheese is flavorful,
and the freshness of the tomatoes and lettuce add to the goodness.
Best of all, the refried beans used in this taco are amazing.
Taco Bueno claims the refried beans are slow-cooked to perfection, and your taste buds will agree.
The aspect of the Beef Muchaco that may turn some people off is that the tortilla has been
replaced by pita bread.
Sure, it's not terrible, but there's just something questionable about a taco that uses
pita bread.
Who doesn't love Chipotle?
You can get freshly made food at a very reasonable price.
That said, while the tacos at this restaurant taste really good, you'd be wise to never
order the tacos at Chipotle.
The reason for that stance has everything to do with value.
At Chipotle, you get much better bang for your buck if you opt for a burrito, a burrito
bowl, or even a salad.
If you opt for their tacos, you'll basically be flushing money down the toilet because
you'll get less meat and other fillings for the same price, or sometimes even more money.
If you're only talking about taste, the Soft Taco at Chipotle should be near the top of
this list.
That's especially true if you add their fantastic guacamole and tomatillo-green chili salsa.
But when you add value into the equation, Chipotle's tacos take a hit that is impossible
to ignore.
At Qdoba Mexican Eats, you are free to customize your order however you see fit.
When it comes to their tacos, though, there is one rule you should live by: go with their
grilled steak.
While the other meat options at Qdoba are fine, especially the grilled adobo chicken,
nothing really compares to the steak.
The meat in the Grilled Steak Taco is not only hearty and filling, it tastes like it's
fresh off the grill.
Along with the grilled steak, don't miss out on their pico de gallo and guacamole.
Add either one, or both of them, if you want the ultimate experience, to really take the
steak to the next level.
If you're ravenous and just need some tacos to fill you up fast, it's tough to beat the
Grilled Chicken Tacos from Del Taco.
These tacos are easy to eat, as the flour tortilla seemingly melts in your mouth.
The grilled chicken is very tender but also very tasty, while the cheddar cheese, shredded
lettuce, and white savory sauce will leave you salivating as you await your next bite.
The key to enjoying the Grilled Chicken Taco is to make sure you eat it shortly after you
order it.
The flour tortilla loses a lot of its luster if you don't eat it while it's still warm.
The white sauce can also turn gooey if you let it cool off.
While they aren't known for having fancy food, you will leave pleased, and filled to the
brim, if you eat your way through three or four Grilled Chicken Tacos.
"Do tacos get any more kick butt than this?!"
"They're about to!"
At Taco Cabana, a chain of Mexican fast food restaurants that has locations in Texas, New
Mexico, and Oklahoma, you will discover some of the best breakfast tacos on the planet.
While there are a number of breakfast taco options, if you want to take baby steps go
with the bean and cheese or the potato and egg.
Alternatively, if you want to dive right in, a brisket, egg, and cheese breakfast taco
will open your eyes to a whole new world of breakfast food you never knew existed.
Before you leave Taco Cabana, make sure you get something from their salsa bar.
A breakfast taco needs salsa to truly be a breakfast taco, while these might not be completely
life-changing, they're pretty close.
The chicken at El Pollo Loco is legendary.
The main reason for that is the chicken is authentically Mexican, as the founders of
El Pollo Loco are actually from Mexico.
You can taste the knowledge and the love that goes into each of their tacos.
If you're looking for the best taco on their menu, you have to go with the Grande Chicken
Avocado Taco.
This taco is wrapped with corn tortillas and features their legendary chicken along with
lettuce, cabbage, and pico de gallo.
To cap off this fiesta, El Pollo Loco adds sliced avocado.
Even if you think you don't like avocado, taste El Pollo Loco's avocados before you
finalize that opinion.
Their avocados are perfectly ripe, and have a strong but not overpowering taste.
Apparently, along with knowing how to cook chicken, they know how to pick the exact time
when an avocado is ready to be sliced.
People from coast to coast who love fish tacos have Rubio's Coastal Grill to thank.
Why?
Ralph Rubio, the man behind Rubio's Coastal Grill, is the person credited with bringing
fish tacos to the United States and making them popular.
Nearly 40 years later, Rubio's Coastal Grill is still leading the way when it comes to
fish tacos.
While they still have the Original Fish Taco on their menu, that innovation has now been
surpassed by their Wild-Caught Mahi Mahi Taco.
Ask for the fish to be blackened and you'll think you've died and gone to fish taco heaven.
After the mahi mahi has been blackened, it gets doused with olive oil.
It's then put in a corn tortilla and is accompanied by cilantro, roasted corn, cabbage, onion,
and a chipotle sauce.
Although most locations of Rubio's Coastal Grill are in the West, the fish tacos here
are so good that it's worth a trip if need be.
While there is a Taco Bell on seemingly every corner in America, and while Taco Bell has
been the butt of many jokes, there is nothing laughable when it comes to their Crunchy Taco.
There's a reason it's been around for so long: this taco is legitimately good.
Sure, it's not the most authentic taco you can find, but it's a taco you can enjoy unconditionally.
The simplicity of the Crunchy Taco is undeniably part of its allure.
It's just a crunchy tortilla shell filled with seasoned beef, finely shredded cheese,
and lettuce.
You can also add hot sauce to the mix but it's not absolutely necessary.
The Crunchy Taco's awesomeness revolves around how good the crispy tortilla shell tastes.
And while Taco Bell's seasoned beef isn't going to win any awards, it goes perfectly
with the tortilla shell and the combination of the cheese and lettuce.
Another big plus about Taco Bell tacos is you can order them by the 12-pack.
You shouldn't be surprised that the best fast food taco is served at Moe's Southwest Grill,
as it's the best Mexican fast food restaurant around.
The taco is appropriately called the Overachiever Taco and it's sure to win over each and every
one of your taste buds, no matter which of the protein choices you select.
Joining your chosen protein inside of this taco is pico de gallo, cheese, beans, and
mind-blowing guacamole that is made from scratch.
You can get this taco in a crispy tortilla shell, but it's better to go with a flour
tortilla because you don't want one drop of the greatness to fall out of this taco while
you're eating it.
While Moe's has only been around since 2000, they've quickly made a name for themselves.
And with the Overachiever Taco, they're now home to the best taco you can find in any
fast food eatery.
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