Taco Bell's Best Taco Is A Beautiful Mess

Taco Bell has a cult following, and for good reason. The chain's unique and creative takes on Mexican favorites, from tacos to burritos to quesadillas, are delicious and fully customizable. Plus, new products are constantly debuting to keep your taste buds on their toes. We recently tried every Taco Bell taco, ranking each one on its balance of ingredients and flavor. And our favorite taco to date is one of the latest to reappear on the 2026 menu — the beautiful mess that's the shredded beef dipping taco.

First launching in 2023, the shredded beef dipping taco features a crispy white corn tortilla coated inside and out with a melty three-cheese blend, then stuffed with braised shredded beef and a creamy jalapeño sauce. It's served with a thick, tangy red dipping sauce. You're going to want to pick up some extra napkins when you dig into this taco and it's a glorious harmony of textures and flavors. The shredded beef is deeply seasoned and slow-cooked, with a birria-like quality that brings out savory, spicy, umami notes right away. The cheese and crisp tortilla help hold everything together when dipped into the barbecue-like red salsa, while the jalapeño sauce and dipping sauce cut through the richness and add extra depth. Overall, we felt the shredded beef dipping taco was closer to an authentic street taco than a typical fast-food menu item.

We aren't the only ones who want the shredded beef dipping taco to become a permanent fixture on Taco Bell's menu. One Facebook foodie review praised the textures and flavors, stating, "the meat was well seasoned, the taco shell was crunchy, and the dipping sauce was delicious & not spicy!!"

A review on Reddit thought it was "like a TB version of a quesabirria." While Taco Bell's version doesn't come close to the real thing, the flavor of the braised shredded beef is an impressive attempt to honor the newly viral Mexican tradition. Another Redditor wrote, "I was skeptical when I saw creamy jalapeño sauce, but I thought it went well with the flavors of the beef." The creamy jalapeno sauce also has a favorable ranking in our tasting of Taco Bell sauces. Plus, you can always swap out a mild red sauce for a fiery Diablo sauce if you want to bring on the heat. The main complaint across Reddit was the price, which many customers considered exorbitant for a single taco. Some even questioned whether $4 was worth it, especially once add-ons like shredded cabbage, cilantro, and onions pushed the price even higher.