Review: Taco Bell's New Salt & Straw Churro Ice Cream Taco Isn't About To Steal The Choco Taco's Crown

Klondike's Choco Taco was a core memory for me. I used to get one for dessert at Americanized Mexican chain restaurants in the late '90s and early aughts. It was the epitome of cool, and I wondered if the Churro Ice Cream Taco — the result of a partnership between Taco Bell and the ice cream chain Salt & Straw — could deliver similar results. However, this isn't the first time the brands had created a mashup; the two released a similar taco concept in 2024, but customers could decorate the treat themselves with three different sauce options. The 2026 version employs dark chocolate, Churro Ice Cream, and puffed rice as key players.

Taco Bell has plenty of items to choose from, so I never have to worry about a lack of choices; this limited-time taco ice cream is just one more addition to its already long menu. I expected interesting and compelling flavors that enticed me to buy it again, as well as delivery on all of its advertised components. Let's see if this option is worth a pit stop at the drive-thru or if you're better off leaving it for someone else to try.

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region.

I went to my local Taco Bell location in the San Diego area to pick up the Churro Ice Cream Taco. I ordered it and ate it in-store to ensure freshness and limit melting. I tried it about a minute after buying it. I had high hopes because I am quite fond of Salt & Straw and think its ice creams are usually captivating, flavorful, and often go beyond the basics. 

I'm looking for each flavor component of the taco to offer delightful flavor and texture. Each element should be flavorful on its own, but still work in harmony with the others. And given that it costs $4.99, I wanted it to be a worthwhile purchase. 

If you like to eat with various senses, including your eyes, I encourage you to look away. This taco ice cream is not very appealing. It looks like it has had an intense journey from wherever it was initially manufactured to my Taco Bell. It is physically beat up, cracked, and the chocolate looks smashed and snapped in some places. It looks like something I'd find in the long-lost crevices of my freezer, long forgotten after two years. 

I took a first bite of the Churro Ice Cream Taco, and ... it fell apart in my hands. The entire flat bottom came off in one huge piece, and another large chunk of dark chocolate broke off as well. On the plus side, it helped expose the lovely churro-flavored ice cream hidden inside. It's clearly spiced, as there is what I assume to be cinnamon swirled throughout it. The spice works nicely with the creaminess and sugar of the ice cream base. 

The dark chocolate is a nice touch, adding earthiness but also a crisp snap. The main issue is that the waffle cone itself doesn't provide much crunch; instead, it feels soft — not soggy or wet, but not anywhere near firm enough to be comparable to an actual waffle cone. The puffed rice doesn't add much textural intrigue either. The best part of the waffle cone was the chocolate lining the interior. The chocolate portion provides some textural snap to help juxtapose the too-soft cone.

This creation is probably quite appealing to millennials like me who grew up on Choco Tacos. If you're looking for some nostalgia, you may find it in this Churro Ice Cream Taco collaboration. Of course, it has different flavors than the Klondike version, so that's something to keep in mind. 

Here's what I like: the idea, dark chocolate, the ice cream. The list of what I don't like, however, is longer: the price, appearance, waffle cone, and the overall final product. That said, I don't recall the Choco Taco being the peak gourmet product either. I think if you go into it just hoping for a good time, you'll get it. If you want an elevated ice cream experience most would associate with Salt & Straw, you may want to look elsewhere. 

The ice cream itself is great, richly spiced with creaminess that feels silky as it goes down your throat. The dark chocolate is snappy and bittersweet, making it the perfect complement to the spiced ice cream. The waffle cone, well, I ultimately just scraped off the dark chocolate with my teeth and left the remaining cone shards for the garbage. 

The final cost after tax was $5.40, which made it feel expensive for such a small Taco Bell offering. I would prefer a fresher, more aesthetically pleasing taco with a firmer waffle cone. I'd rather just spring for a pint of one of Salt & Straw's popular ice cream flavors and make a chocolate hard shell to pour over my bowl instead.

The Taco Bell x Salt & Straw Churro Ice Cream Taco appears to start at $3.99, though mine cost $4.99 plus tax. The taco-shaped ice cream bars are being sold for a limited time as of September 1, 2026 at participating locations. I am not sure how long they will last, so if you're interested, you should head to Taco Bell to pick one up.