A Taco Bell finally opened up where I live, and we are going to go try it tonight. What should I try and what should I avoid?
Of course I know I should try another restaurant and avoid Taco Bell, that’s too obvious, but what is life without a little Adventure.
Crunch wrap supreme.
This and the mini Cinnabon balls, holy shit
This, OP. If you’re going to do this to yourself, at least do it right.
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Legit, your first thing to try is a taco. One soft, one crunchy. That’s actually the best and simplest food they have. You’ll get an idea if you actually like the way they tend to spice things, and that matters because it’s where most of the flavor comes in. Then try the dorito version. It’s disgusting, but in a good way.
There’s really nothing to outright avoid unless you have a sensitive gut. They don’t have much that’s super spicy, and they mark it clearly. But the grease factor runs very high on all their beef options, so if that’s not something your gut likes, you will be spending some of your next day jogging back and forth to the toilet. Since that grease tends to pick up any spice, the hotter options amplify it.
Being real, Taco Bell doesn’t deserve the hate it gets any more than any other fast food. It ain’t real Mexican, it ain’t real southwestern or texmex either. It just takes “inspiration” from that kind of thing.
Now, back in my younger days, running d&d games with other teenagers and early 20s monkeys, taco bell was the only option late at night for those long sessions. So I ate way more of it than I should have lol.
My personal favorite was the 7 layer burrito. That shit was bomb. But you can mimic it. Order a cheesy bean & rice burrito change it to “fresco”, add three cheese blend, lettuce, guac, plus tomatoes and sour cream. You will be farting! But it is worth it.
Now, the “Mexican pizza” is another classic that they’re famous for. My best friend was super into them, it was all he ever got back in the nineties. It’s not bad. Not great, but not bad either. Kinda just a taco with extra steps, but the way you end up eating it has the ingredients hit your tongue in different ways.
There’s the black bean crunch wrap supreme too. It’s a giant, fart causing calorie bomb, but the black beans really are nice.
I find chalupas and gorditas to be a gimmick that isn’t worth the extra cost over tacos.
One of the surprisingly addictive things they have is the grilled cheese burrito. It’s kinda nuts. 700+ calories. Beef, rice, cheese sauce, sour cream, cheese mix, chipotle sauce, and “fiesta strips”. Now, I have no fucking clue what is in the fiesta strips. Maybe it’s chitlins made from the guts of immigrants, maybe it’s a magic spell, but fuck me running, they make that fucking burrito rock. It is a gut bomb from hell, but it’s worth it.
You kinda gotta try the cinnamon twists too, even though they’re kinda shitty. It’s like the downs syndrome version of a churro.
Thing with Taco Bell though, you gotta get the sauce packets. Mild is mostly pointless tbh. It adds a little zing, but you have to use two packs per taco to really notice it’s there. The hot is probably not going to do your gut any favors, but calling it hot is a bit of a stretch when it comes to spiciness in the mouth. The fire though? You’ll know it’s there even if you just add a little. It’ll make your lips tingle a little. I don’t recommend the Diablo unless you like heat over flavor. If you really like heat, buy a better sauce that tastes good as well. It’ll light you up decently, but that’s really all it brings imo. The other “levels” have decent flavor under their heat.
Their quesadillas are all “okay”. They’re basic, mild flavored, but can fill you up decently. If I go that route, I like little extra sour cream on the side and a generous drizzle of sauce.
Again, don’t expect this to be some kind of 5star dining. It’s cheap, it’s fast, and it’s designed to hit you with enough salt and fats wrapped in some carbs that you’ll feel plenty full. If you want something with nuanced flavors and depth, taco bell ain’t it. But there’s really no other chain food like it.
LOL, OP could not have found a better answer.
/thread
Bruh lmao
I have never eaten at taco bell before but now I feel like I have. Thank you for this high effort as fuck post.
OP, listen to this man, he knows his Taco Bell.
You should do a food critic video series.
I chortled at the churros lolol
Taco Bell doesn’t deserve the hate it gets
I knew a health inspector. He commented that guaranteed the cleanest restaurant kitchen in every town was a taco bell. Apparently they aggressively train employees and managers to clean way more than other restaurants.
My boyfriend is a Taco Bell fanatic. I asked him and he told me “a grilled cheese burrito, a crunchwrap supreme, and nacho fries if they have them”. Enjoy!
Appreciate the recommendation.
Cheesy Gordita Crunch and Crunchwrap Supreme.
I’m also a fan of the Beefy Five-Layer Burrito positively smothered in Fire sauce.
I’m also a fan of the Beefy Five-Layer Burrito positively smothered in Fire sauce.
I don’t know if it’s everywhere, but the Diablo sauce has a better flavor in my opinion. I am a sucker for the Beefy Five-Layer Burrito though.
5-layer, sub beef for potatoes. So good.
Yesssssss thissss!!!
Taco Bell is a unique style of crap that’s pretty good. I’d go for the classics: a beef taco and a bean burrito. Maybe a bowl of pinto beans. Everything needs to be covered in the packets of hot sauce. The hot and fire are the only good ones (I’m going by memories from the 90s btw).
I’ve never found an acceptable substitute for their nacho cheese sauce (sure it’s probably basically plastic. But it’s plastic I crave) or the chalupa shells. Nothing is close to either of those.
I’m a big quesarito fan, but I’m basically happy with my own of that.
Imagine you recommend anything but Diablo sauce. Are you serious? Why would you even go to Taco Bell?
I haven’t eaten at Taco Bell in at least 10 years and I don’t think they had Diablo Sauce then.
Diablo sauce is gross, though. It’s really no hotter than Fire (and neither is very hot) but it tries to do something smoky and citrusy or some shit, and being Taco Bell, they can’t pull it off. Better to just go with the tomato and vinegar and powdered jalapeno in whichever concentration level they can handle.
This is the answer. It’s only remarkable if you can’t quickly get tacos anywhere else. It’s kind of its own thing, though and it sort of hits the spot sometimes.
If I actually want Tex-Mex fast food, living in Texas I’d usually take any of the following before Taco Bell:
- Taco Bueno
- Taco Casa
- Taco Cabana
- Rosa’s Cantina
- Taco Delite
There is another taco place in town, but its absolute ass. Tbell was about on parr with a store bought taco kit, and I’m ok with that.
Spicy potato soft taco. Small item overshadowed by others, but a solid go to when you want something small. Potatoes, spicy ranch and lettuce in a soft tortilla. Nothing fancy, just tasty.
Any burrito that contains fritos or potatoes is a good choice.
what should I try
The restaurant next door.
That still might give you the shits by association. Best go to the next block.
I’m partial to the beefy 5 layer burrito and the cheesy bean and rice burrito.
@lazylion_ca it’s a fast food version of Mexican.
I like crunchy tacos with one packet of hot sauce per taco. Crunchy taco supreme is good. Burrito Supreme is good, too.
Sauce is very important, though. You have to have it. Start with the hot sauce (orange packets), and work your way up if you need to. They used to have green sauce that was pretty good, but it’s only available in grocery stores now. 🙄
For a drink, you need to try a Baja Blast. It’s like their signature thing. Very sweet, has its own flavor you can’t really describe.
Just keep in mind that it’s fast food. It’s not casual fast like Chipotle or Panera - - more Macdonald’s or Wendy’s.
One thing Taco Bell has had over a lot of fast food places for a long time is that vegetarians and vegans can actually get edible meals there. It’s basically all of the same ingredients, just mixed around differently.
They also have bowls you can get. They’re not terrible. I prefer my old standard menu items that haven’t changed in 40 years, though.
The other thing that just occurred to me - - most of us in the thread responding to you are suggesting their old timey comfort favorites. I’m no different (54 years old and had my first Taco Bell when I was 9), so at 50, your palate may not understand or have the associations with this place that ours do.
I’m really curious what you’re going to think about it, though. I think most people going in with realistic expectations don’t wind up hating it, though.
Mexican pizza before they take it off the menu again. Also, ask for all of the hot sauces. The workers won’t care.
You’ve got some people saying you gotta slather it in the hot sauces, and other people saying to get ready to have the shits.
Uh, you can avoid the shits by not using the hot sauces.
What did you get and how was it?
Tried the chicken chalupa and fries. Not bad.
Get quantity over quality (many small tacos)
Live mas
I did consider getting the party pack, but I wasn’t ten taco hungry tonight.
Taco bells menu is like 10 different ingredients combined in various ways, it nearly all tastes identical with the exception of the various protein options (I suggest vegetarian).
Yes! Taco Bell is the go-to fast food restaurant for vegetarians. I suggest the black bean chalupa supreme, veggie mexican pizza, and cheesy fiesta potatoes. Unfortunately, that meal and a beverage will probably cost about $17 usd these days