Taco John's Menu Items Ranked Worst To Best
Though the taco truck that came to be known as Taco John's in Cheyenne, Wyoming may have seemed small in 1969, the powers that be had more in mind for this place than allowing it to simply stay a tiny hub of great food that fed the local community. Two businessmen knew the great flavors of the tacos couldn't stay put in one place. People all around the country needed to know about them. Thus began the long history of Taco John's. According to the brand's website, Taco John's is the establishment that actually coined and trademarked the term "Taco Tuesday." So, yeah, we think it's pretty clear that this place takes its version of Mexican food very seriously.
Over the years, Taco John's began expanding throughout the country and began adding a lot more to the menu than just tacos. So, what happens when you find yourself standing in line Taco John's today? If you arrive there without a single clue as to what's worth your money and what you want to pass up on, where can you start? You pay close attention to this list, that's what you do. Take some notes here, folks, and your next visit to this fast food spot could be spectacular. These are some of the most popular Taco John's menu items, ranked from worst to first.
14. Bean Burrito
Beans, beans the magical fruit, the more you eat them the more you... well, you know. That famous little jingle from your childhood basically warned anyone diving headfirst into a plate of beans that a bout of gas might soon follow. Well, if you're looking to avoid that embarrassing moment in the first place, it might be best to look past the Bean Burrito from Taco John's. True to its name, this thing is packed with refried beans, to the point where it can start to feel a little overwhelming.
Listen, to say that refried beans aren't tasty would be to lie. They do pack in some good flavor here, and the texture is pleasantly creamy. The burrito also contains shredded cheddar, diced white onions, and a mild salsa. All of the ingredients do work well together, but at the end of the day, it's just a ton of refried beans in a tortilla. If you're not absolutely in love with that flavor or texture, it can feel like too much to handle. Ordering up a side of refried beans might be the right play instead.
13. Super Nachos
Few things are more shareable and fun to eat than a good plate of nachos. The tray of tortilla chips is practically always splattered with different colors from the variety of fixings on top, and when you get those special chips that seem to have a little bit of everything on it, it's nothing short of pure bliss on your palate. With that experience in mind, we'll grant that the photo of the Super Nachos on Taco John's menu looks pretty epic. But unfortunately, the reality is that the end product just isn't as appealing as the photo.
The nachos from Taco John's come with melted nacho cheese, ground beef, refried beans, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, and a scoop of both guacamole and sour cream. The ideal plate of nachos allows for most of the chips to contain at least more than one of the ingredients, meaning you'll get a good mix of flavors and textures in a single bit.That's not often the case here. Instead, many of the chips underneath the heap of topping remain dry, and it's difficult to disperse the fixings over them all without creating a big mess. You may want to pass for something better constructed and slightly neater.
12. Taco Bravo
If every one of the meals you ate for the rest of your life had you stand up and happily say, "Bravo!" afterward, then you'd be the most well-fed person on the planet. Unfortunately, not every single thing we eat can warrant loud praise, with one of those items being the Taco Bravo at Taco John's. Although the word "bravo" is in the name, in the end you'll simply wish you had spent your money on something else more deserving of loud praise.
The Taco Bravo has all the fillings of a regular crispy taco, namely lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheese, ground beef, and mild sauce. Yet, instead of a hard taco shell that houses all of the ingredients, you get a soft tortilla that's covered in a thin layer of refried beans. This might seem like a great idea in theory, but the combination of the beans and soft tortilla make for a very mushy vessel that tends to fall apart when you handle it. Tacos are already a somewhat messy food, so the last thing you want is to get even messier, right?
11. Crispy Taco
You don't always want your food to have a million different ingredients sending your taste buds in a thousand different directions with every bite. So long as the ingredients are of decently high quality, just a few of them will do the same job of leaving your appetite completely satisfied. This is where the Crispy Tacos at Taco John's come into play. If you're looking for something intricate and full of different flavor profiles that will have you contemplating your meal long after the final bite, you'll want to look elsewhere. But, if not, then these might just hit the spot. Well, sometimes.
The Crispy Tacos have five simple ingredients: a hard shell, ground beef, shredded cheddar, lettuce, and mild sauce. Obviously the beef is the most prominent ingredient here, and it does typically taste super fresh. That's a relief to anyone who has bitten into a taco and felt like the meat was a few days old. But, one of the issues that can often happen is pretty prevalent here: the taco shells become slightly soggy due to the juice dripping down from the ground beef. This means that you won't necessarily get that nice crunch with every bite, which is disappointing when you've specifically ordered crispy tacos.
10. The Boss Burrito
The boss of a company is the Head Honcho. The Big Cheese. The person riding high on the hog. So, you'd expect something called the Boss Burrito to be the burrito that looms above the rest from high on its meaty pedestal. To be fair, the Boss Burrito at Taco John's does its job as an intimidating menu item for you to face down. It's a massive stuffed tortilla log of cilantro-lime rice, black beans, and your choice of chicken or steak. It's a behemoth of an item, sure, but it may not be for everyone.
The biggest challenge to overcome is the cilantro-lime rice. Cilantro, which is pretty popular in Mexican cuisine, can be a very polarizing flavor, with some even claiming that it tastes soaps. And this rice is very cilantro-forward. Since the burrito weighs over a pound, you're talking about a lot of cilantro flavor that you may have to consume. If you do like the herb, then the only challenge really lies in having a large enough appetite to tackle over a pound of food. If you don't, let the Boss Burrito lord itself over someone else.
9. Mexican Donut Bites
Something a little sweet is almost always awesome to enjoy after you've had something a little savory. That's why dessert is so prevalent, after all. After a hearty meal of rich, coat-your-mouth flavors, your palate craves something from the other side of the flavor spectrum to cut through all the heavy tastes your tongue just encountered. At Taco John's, customers can indulge in the Mexican Donut Bites to counteract all the rich taco and burrito flavors. However, this dessert isn't all it's cracked up to be.
When you order these donuts bits, all you'll receive is a cup of bite-sized pastries rolled in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with cream cheese icing. Think that sounds fine? Here's the problem: The first few bites you eat are hot, soft, and absolutely delicious. The cream cheese icing is warm and thick and the kick of cinnamon complements the sweetness perfectly. However, the bites quickly cool off, which means the last half the cup hardens up to an unpleasant consistency, rendering the last pieces almost inedible. They start off strong but end very weak, so unless you're a fast eater, you could be sorely disappointed.
8. Meat & Potato Burrito
When your appetite is throwing a tantrum, you want something that's going to shut it up for hours. You certainly don't need that little pest poking its head around again any time soon. However, that doesn't mean you want something so filling that your stomach feels like it's going to explode and you have to cross everything off your to-do list for the remainder of the day. That's the problem with the Meat & Potato Burrito at Taco John's. Will it stop your stomach from squealing? Absolutely. But, will it also render you useless for the rest of the day? It just might.
This burrito packs a heck of a lot of flavor, which obviously makes it an enticing option when you're staring at the menu. It's stuffed with your choice of ground beef or crispy chicken, Potato Oles, nacho cheese, sour cream, lettuce and diced tomatoes. We assure that this thing tastes really good. It's just that it's also so heavy and filling that you might want to bring a buddy in to help stave off a potential food coma immediately after.
7. Fried Chicken & Potato Oles Snacker
So, you find yourself at Taco John's but suddenly realize you're not in the mood for a taco or a burrito but something you can dunk into a delicious dipping sauce. Well, friend, never you fret, because Taco John's has a menu item that checks off all those boxes. The Fried Chicken & Potato Oles Snacker will scratch that dipping fix, so go ahead and get your dunk on, Taco John's style.
The dish comes with three crispy all white-meat chicken tenders, a cup of Potato Oles, and your choice of zesty chipotle lime or spicy jalapeño ranch dipping sauce. It's the dipping sauces that completely steal the show here. Sure, the chicken tenders are crispy and decently juicy, while the Potato Oles have a great outer crunch and a warm soft center. But everything on the plate is enhanced tenfold with a swift dunk into the sauce. The zesty chipotle lime is elevated by the addition of lime, while the jalapeño ranch has a wonderful kick of heat and creamy texture. The sauces definitely make this dish worth exploring, though the rest of the meal might be a little humdrum.
6. Chicken Grilled Burrito
Melted cheese is so much better than the regular stuff. It's just a fact. There's something about that pull-apart gooey nature of melty cheese that hits your appetite right where it counts. So, if you love yourself a hefty amount of gooey cheese alongside a slew of other great ingredients, then the Chicken Grilled Burrito at Taco John's just might have your name written all over it.
The burrito comes stuffed with all-white meat chicken, creamy ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, and the chain's signature Potato Oles. The chicken is nice and tender, while the flavor of it is amplified immensely by the large amount of gooey cheddar and creamy ranch dressing. The ranch adds a tang of flavor to the protein, to start. The crispy Potato Oles lend a nice crunch with each bite, too, so you get a great mix of textures throughout. It's a gooey, crunchy, and flavorful handheld treat you should try, so long as that urge for gooeyness is strong in you.
5. Spicy Chorizo Breakfast Burrito
What better way to wake yourself up in the morning than putting a hefty amount of spice into your breakfast? If that's your plan, then you need something that's gonna hit your palate like a lightning bolt and get your mind firing on all cylinders. If you're looking for something at Taco John's that'll satisfy your urge for breakfast while letting you know it's time to kick your morning into high gear, look no further than the Spicy Chorizo Breakfast Burrito.
This spicy log of tortilla-wrapped goodies comes with fluffy scrambled eggs, chunks of rich chorizo sausage, sliced jalapeños, and spicy salsa. One bite of this and your tongue immediately knows it's dealing with something serious. The eggs are super soft and light, which really helps complement the far heavier chunks of chorizo. Both the jalapeños and spicy salsa hit your mouth roundhouse kick of spice that's sure to take every sleepy cell in your mind and shake it awake. If you like spice in the morning, this is a great option. If not, run for the hills.
4. Scrambler Burrito
If breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day, then, by golly, you need to make sure it's super satisfying and full of delicious flavor. Surely, you want to start your mornings off right and go on to conquer every hour until the sun sinks low and it's time to hit the sheets. Taco John's wants all of their customers to start their day the right way, and one way to do that is to order up the Scrambler Burrito. This thing is chock-full of ingredients that'll have you showing up to work ready to get that raise you've always wanted.
Fluffy scrambled eggs? Check. Nacho cheese? Double check. Crispy Potato Oles and your choice of bacon or sausage? Yes to all of the above. What's more, you'll also get diced poblano pepper, onions, and tomatoes for a bit of veggies. This burrito is a breakfast beast that's sure to fill you up proper. The eggs are light and fluffy, while the nacho cheese gives it all a smooth and silky texture. The Potato Oles add an awesome crunch to each bite, and the protein is a little rich and carries a bit of salt to give each bite that indelible umami flavor sensation.
3. Street Tacos Trio
When the original taco business that eventually became the Taco John's chain first began, employees there were simply slinging street tacos to locals who were looking for a quick but delicious bite to eat. Rightfully recognizing the joy of its original menu, Taco John's wanted to pay homage to those beginning days of the taco grind by offering customers its Street Tacos Trio. Taking it back to the simpler times when just a few ingredients were used isn't always a bad thing, and we think that these tacos prove it.
Customers who order the Street Tacos Trio get a choice of either sirloin steak or grilled chicken as their protein. The meat is then loaded into a soft tortilla and topped with lettuce, tomato, garlic-lime sauce, and crumbled Mexican cheese. Whether you opt for the grilled chicken or sirloin steak, know that the protein will be seasoned really well and will also be quite juicy. The garlic lime sauce is creamy and has a nice tang to it that helps balance out richer flavors. The crumbled Mexican cheese is slightly salty and melts a bit when it's placed onto the hot meat, giving the whole taco an additional layer of creamy texture.
2. Super Potato Oles
The Potato Oles are a widely beloved signature item at Taco John's. We think it's safe to generally conclude that the signature items anywhere are usually pretty darn good — otherwise, they wouldn't be signature, right? So why not try the Potato Oles while you're at Taco John's? Only, instead of just getting the basic order of those little potato rounds, why not go for the Super Potato Oles and enjoy the most extreme version of them available? This is a dish chock-full of flavors and textures, and it could just be the perfect way to introduce yourself to Taco John's most recognized signature item.
The Potato Oles here come served in a big bowl with ground beef, refried beans, nacho cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, guacamole, and sour cream. It's a big ol' delicious "salad" of meaty, cheesy flavors. The potatoes are coated in a crispy casing so you get a lovely crunch with every bite. Meanwhile, the ground beef is rich and seasoned really well. All the cheese binds everything together with its warm, salty goodness permeating the whole experience. However, we'll argue that it's the cool, smooth texture of the sour cream that really makes this bowl extra awesome. Every warm and rich flavor is sliced through by the sour cream so you never feel like you're indulging in something overly heavy.
1. Fried Chicken Taco
Just imagine: fried chicken on a taco. It's one of those foods that likely floats through your dreams when you go to bed hungry. Both fried chicken and tacos on their own are delicious, but when those two heavy hitters of the food world join forces, you better watch out. That's because something epic is about to go down in culinary town. This is exactly why you have got to try the Fried Chicken Taco at Taco John's. In this menu item, two worlds combine in a handheld vessel of totally awesome flavor.
Even though this taco doesn't have a slew of different ingredients like some of the other items on this list, it definitely has everything it needs to get a gold medal. A warm soft tortilla hugs crispy all-white meat chicken tenders, lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, and a drizzle of either zesty chipotle lime or spicy jalapeño ranch sauce. At the same time, the chicken is crunchy and super juicy and works perfectly with the soft tortilla. But it's the sauces that take this taco and punts it into overdrive. Both work amazingly with the crispy chicken. If you're feeling especially bold, put them both on the taco for one heck of an amazing Taco John's experience.