11 Del Taco Menu Items That Need More Love

Out of all the Mexican chain restaurants out there, Del Taco is undoubtedly one of our favorites. With a slew of Mexican-American options and generally fresh ingredients, it's the place to go when you want to snag a taco, burrito, or even a milkshake without spending a lot of cash. Honestly, Del Taco's menu is pretty solid across the board, but there are some dishes we think need more love. Some of these items, like the Double Del Cheeseburger, likely aren't what first comes to mind when you go to a fast food taco spot. Others may only be around for a limited time, meaning fewer people have probably gotten the chance to taste them. And still others may already be widely beloved items, but we just want to double down on the love.

We've scoured the internet to find the sometimes unexpected faves Del Taco diners talk about to get the 411 on what to order. If you're wondering what to try the next time you find yourself at Del Taco, these menu items may just be the best place to start.

Now, we know what some of you might be thinking: a cheeseburger? At a taco place? Sure, it may be on the menu, but that doesn't mean it's going to be good. But if you've had Del Taco's Double Del Cheeseburger before, you might be missing out. It comes with two beef patties and two slices of American cheese along with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes with a special burger sauce. It's a simple combo of ingredients, but these are undoubtedly the best toppings for a burger.

It doesn't seem like Del Taco should have such a good burger, but many online agree that it's excellent. One Redditor wrote, "Call me crazy, but I think Del Taco's double cheeseburger is the best." A commenter agreed with their claim, saying, "Yeah it's strange how good the Double Del is. I don't expect to have [a] good burger at [a] taco place." On a different thread, someone echoed a similar sentiment. They wrote, "Burgers better than you might assume, too," in reply to another commenter. Yes, it's a little strange that this taco joint has such amazing burgers, but we're not exactly mad about it. You may never order another taco there again once you taste how good it is.

Fast food desserts can be pretty hit or miss. Sometimes, you get a sweet treat that really impresses you. Other times, you get a sugar bomb that makes you wince when you take a bite ... or you just get told that the ice cream machine isn't working. But at Del Taco, there's one dessert that actually might be worth a try: the caramel cheesecake bites. They're basically little pieces of cheesecake adorned with a rich caramel sauce, then encased in a crispy shell. Yes, it's very sweet and indulgent. But after feasting on your favorite savory Del Taco foods, it can really hit the spot.

One Redditor loves these cheesecake bites so much, they called them "otherworldly." In a different thread, a poster referenced the dessert as one of their go-to orders, saying that they can be heavy but are still worth trying out. Another Reddit user included the caramel cheesecake bites in a similar list. It's definitely not one of the Del Taco menu items you see mentioned most online, but there are enough fans of this treat that it sounds like it deserves even more love.

Whether you love or hate crinkle fries generally is a personal preference — they can certainly be a polarizing form of potato. But according to many, Del Taco's crinkle fries are an excellent side dish. This is another one of those unexpectedly delicious menu items, since you might not think you'd find fries at a taco place (or expect them to be very good). But whether you're ordering a burger or you just want an unconventional side dish for your tacos, they can be an excellent addition to your order, according to some Del Taco customers online.

A Redditor posted on the r/DelTaco subreddit to rave about the fries. They said that, despite how wild their claim sounded, Del Taco might have the best fast food fries. "I genuinely cannot think of any fast food or restaurant with better fries," they wrote. This person isn't alone. Others say the fries are amazing, with one poster even questioning whether Del Taco had the best fries in the U.S. One Reddit user said that they like their Del Taco fries well done specifically. You may not see Del Taco's fries at the top of every "best of" list, but this sleeper side dish absolutely deserves more love.

Most people probably wouldn't look at a menu filled with a large array of more meat-centric items and assume that Del Taco's Bean and Cheese Burrito with Green Sauce was one of the best dishes on the entire menu. However, that really might be the case. In a ranking of 19 different Del Taco dishes, Tasting Table reviewer Carmen Varner put this burrito in the No. 1 spot on the list, writing that the green sauce was responsible for pushing it to the head of the pack. Varner isn't the only one who adores this burrito, though.

The dish has been cited in Reddit threads about what people order at the restaurant, popping up in multiple comments. Someone even wrote that they're the best bean and cheese burritos at any fast food restaurant they'd been to. Another commenter on a different post said that they specifically love the green sauce the burrito comes with but found that they often didn't get as much as they wanted when they asked for extra. The trick? Someone commented to order the green sauce on the side.

Sometimes, you just need to keep things simple, and that's when the Grilled Chicken Taco at Del Taco might be worth a try. It comes in a soft flour tortilla with grilled, marinated chicken, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and sauce. As one of the more basic menu items on the list, it probably doesn't get as much love as it deserves. But there are some serious fans of this taco out there, and they're speaking up for it.

One Redditor wrote that the chicken soft tacos, i.e., the grilled chicken tacos, "will forever slap" — worthy praise. A respondent to this comment said that they were surprised they had to scroll so far on the thread to find someone mention this taco. Another on the same thread said that this taco was part of their go-to order, a meal they eat over and over again. A Reddit user even posted a copycat recipe for these tacos. Generally speaking, if someone has come up with a copycat recipe, you can guess that it's a pretty solid menu item. Ultimately, though, a copycat won't taste as good as the real thing.

We've already addressed Del Taco's fries here, so it shouldn't really come as a big surprise that a dressed-up version of the side dish would also be popular. But just because some people already adore Del Taco's Chili Cheddar Fries doesn't mean we can't heap even more praise upon the dish. So, what can you expect when you order this side (that can definitely function as a main course)? There are those same crinkle cut fries, dressed with beef chili and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese shreds. Yes, it's a simple combo of flavors, but sometimes, that kind of simplicity is exactly what you're craving.

Posters online seem to love these Chili Cheddar Fries, with some going out of their way to post on Reddit about it. One Redditor wrote that it's a part of their go-to order at the taco chain, while someone posted a picture of the fries heaped with loads of cheese just to illustrate how good it looked. Commenters on the original post have mentioned how good it looks. And another Reddit user was so enthusiastic about these chili cheese fries that they wrote, "They are the de facto standard-bearer in chili cheese fries. They are the chili cheese fries against which I measure all other chili cheese fries." If that's not a compliment, we don't know what is. If you haven't tried this dish yet, it might be time to get it if you appreciate chili as much as we do.

It always seems the most delicious dishes are only available for a limited time, and the Jumbo Shrimp Tacos at Del Taco fit perfectly into that category. Of course, you get the crispy shrimp you crave in this taco, but it also comes with cabbage, pico de gallo, and the brand's secret sauce, all housed in a flour tortilla. Maybe if this menu item were around all the time, it would get more love than it already does. Unfortunately, though, you have to time your trip to Del Taco right if you want to snag these shrimp tacos. That being said, more than a few people have mentioned how tasty this specific menu item is on Reddit.

When it was announced that Del Taco was bringing the dish back to its menu, one Redditor posted about it, saying that their favorite item was back on the menu and that they planned to go to Del Taco every day while it was still around. Another mentioned it as one of the items they tend to order when they're at the fast food joint. And even when it's gone, people ask about it — one customer wondered when it was coming back. If you're lucky enough to go to Del Taco when the shrimp tacos are listed on the menu, you're seriously in luck.

You might not think that guacamole deserves its own moment in the spotlight, but this is a Del Taco fave that absolutely deserves more love. The restaurant combines avocado with pico de gallo and a special seasoning to create its deeply flavorful guacamole, which is significantly better than you might expect from a fast food joint. You get that smooth, rich fattiness from the avocados, the acidity from lime juice, and flavor and freshness from other add-ins, like tomatoes and onions. When eating at a Mexican-American or Mexican-inspired restaurant, you want a guac that delivers. Luckily, it really does at Del Taco. 

We're not alone in our praise of Del Taco's guacamole. One Reddit user, who tried the guac on a value hard shell taco, praised just how good it is. Another Redditor expressed surprise that the guac is actually good, ostensibly because it comes from a fast food joint. As another illustration of just how beloved this guac is, a poster even encouraged others to order the chips and guac specifically for the guacamole. Some even order it as a side for a burger, which makes for a meal mashup we can't help but crave. 

Del Taco's beer-battered fish tacos are a crispy seafood classic worth checking out. Unfortunately, this is a limited-time option that usually pops up around Lent. So, you might have to wait to try for yourself. These tacos are made with Alaskan pollock, offering a mild, approachable flavor along with the crispiness you get from beer battering.

Many online who have tried this menu item seem to enjoy them. According to some Redditors, they're one of the best things to get at Del Taco. One poster tried a wide array of different Del Taco menu items and found that the fish taco was a standout. Commenters responded to that initial post, agreeing that the fish tacos are, in fact, quite good.

This is another case in which a Del Taco menu item perhaps doesn't get as much love as it should because it's only around for a limited time. Maybe, just maybe, Del Taco will someday decide to permanently place them on the menu.

Craving some more spice in your life? In that case, Del Taco's Spicy Jack Chicken Quesadilla, another limited-time offer, may just be your next fast food order. According to one Redditor, it's one of the best menu items to order at the fast food chain. And when the news was announced that it would come back onto the menu after being unavailable for some time, there were posters online celebrating. One even said that it was their favorite fast food available at any chain, which seems like pretty high praise. A commenter on the same thread requested that Del Taco make it a permanent menu item. What's the point of taking it off the menu and then bringing it back again, anyway? Another poster even sounded annoyed that it was dropped from the menu in the past, writing, "Why did they get rid of it?!!? ... Stupid corporate decisions that ruin things."

So, what's there to miss? This quesadilla comes with chicken, of course, along with plenty of spicy jack cheese. There's also tangy green sauce to break up those heavier flavors, all served in a flour tortilla and grilled until the cheese is gooey and melty. Yes, this menu item seems to have plenty of fans, but it would probably have a lot more if it were on the menu permanently.

A Mexican-American fast food chain may not be the first kind of establishment you think of when you're craving a good fast food milkshake, but it seems like Del Taco's Strawberry Shake might just be one of the best out there. And no, it's not just a strawberry-flavored shake — the chain actually uses real strawberries in the mix. A Redditor described the strawberry shake as "chunky," insinuating that you actually get a taste of those strawberry pieces when you take a sip. Some are surprised that the strawberry shake tasted so good. One poster even said that Del Taco had ruined milkshakes in general for them because they were just so good, with a commenter adding, "Strawberry is the GOAT."

Would you expect that Del Taco would have a particularly good strawberry milkshake? Maybe not. But since so many people out there love it, it seems like a menu item that deserves more love. If you're craving something sweet and fruity the next time you're at Del Taco, the strawberry milkshake might just be the move.

To create this list, we looked for comments and mentions about specific menu items from Del Taco that are perhaps unexpected, only around for a limited time, or otherwise don't receive the love they deserve. Specifically, we searched for items that are mentioned pretty widely, but that aren't necessarily recognized as the most iconic items on the menu.