13 Tacos From Del Taco, Ranked

I enjoy a good Del Taco meal. I'm often compelled to buy a couple of affordable, small burritos or take advantage of whatever paper deal I get in my mailbox; it depends on my mood. I've eaten a rainbow of the most popular Del Taco items, from the pink hue of a strawberry shake to the green guac, red tomatoes, and a blend of other colors in the carne asada steak fries. Not only that, but I've taste tested a selection of Del Taco burritos, so it's only natural that my curiosity shifts to its taco menu. I've tried several of them on random occasions over time, but not all at once. 

So, I ventured to the Mexican fast food chain to order every taco available at my San Diego-area location; you might see some differences based on your location. That way I could compare them at the same time to understand the nuances of the textures and how the flavors come together. From flatbread and crunchy taco shell bases to beef patties and fish as the protein base, there's an array of options in this part of the (admittedly enormous) menu. I tasted a bunch and ranked them based on how the flavors, texture, and proportions come together. Mostly this comes down to your personal taste, as things like crispy chicken versus carne asada offer totally different experiences. Alright, let's taco it.

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

I don't particularly like the carne asada at Del Taco. It has a strange texture, and I finally understand why. It's more like a carne asada blend made with beef stock, food starch, potato starch, and other ingredients. So, it's more comparable to imitation carne asada rather than straight beef. 

Still, it's nicely flavored with things like garlic powder, smoke flavor, and lime juice powder; then the Big Fat Taco itself has cheese, lettuce, tomato, secret sauce, and flatbread. I'd say this is my least favorite because of the carne asada in general, but the sheer mass of it on the flatbread also feels overwhelming. A lot is happening here, and it isn't impressive. 

The chewy meat and soft flatbread don't make a great pairing, but I like the freshness of the lettuce and tomatoes. Spare yourself $4.69 and get something else. This doesn't offer an authentic carne asada experience. Not only that, but even if it weren't marketed as carne asada and was just beef, it still has a strange texture that keeps it low in the rankings.

Carne Asada Steak Street Taco suffers from the same textural issues as its Big Fat Taco counterpart. This time it costs $3.29 and gets served on a smaller corn tortilla. It has onion, cilantro, and the marvelous green sauce that I love so much. I just can't get behind the carne asada, and that's the main reason it ranks so low. 

Admittedly, the corn tortilla seems fresher and lighter than the flatbread, while the green sauce adds moisture and flavor. Both help make the carne asada more interesting to the senses. I love the tangy heat of the sauce and the freshness of the cilantro. These toppings mimic a street taco I'd get at any number of eateries here in San Diego, but, of course, the carne asada is subpar by comparison. Definitely better than the previous one, but I would never feel compelled to return to this taco, given the many other options.

The Carnitas Big Fat Taco uses slow-cooked pork carnitas with the chain's savory secret sauce. Cheese, tomato, and lettuce add vibrancy and freshness, all rolled in the large flatbread. The main issue with this taco is the lack of moisture in the carnitas. While I appreciate the general taste, the texture is quite dry; even the sauce can't help with that. When I took a bite of the sauce-covered carnitas, it felt like separate ideas that didn't mesh well. 

Still, I like the heartiness of this taco, and the carnitas is pretty good. It's not excellent, but it works for a fast food Mexican chain. For. $3.99, it will absolutely fill you up. Interestingly, the carnitas is cooked in lard, which sets it apart. The seasonings are simple, with salt, garlic, and some other additions, but the secret sauce imparts the most intrigue. There's vinegar, soybean oil, egg yolk, and buttermilk solids, so it's a mix of creamy and tangy. It adds flavor to the carnitas, but it does not penetrate to provide any real moisture. The sauce and flatbread feel like we've veered off course from what a carnitas taco is, but I admit it's way better than the carne asada.

Hey, I like an affordable fast food option. It's not easy to find dollar menu items anymore. And while the Snack Taco is over a buck ($1.49), it still fits the cheapo profile, and it works in that regard. However, I'm not here to tell you everything is hunky dory. I have some actual insights to share: The proportions here are a bit off. There's a lot of taco shell, a huge layer of cheese that's just kind of stuck together, and then there's a smidge of meat at the bottom. 

It doesn't feel very satisfying in this format, even though I would opt for something similar (more on that later). The cheese is fully loaded, but there's still quite a lot of uncovered areas, which means this isn't too filling. The photo on the website looks way more filled and stacked with seasoned beef, lettuce, and cheese. So, the execution of the final product holds it back in the ranking, but the overall taste is there. I like the corn flavor and crunch of the crispy shell, while the seasoned beef is perfectly seasoned.

The Carnitas Street Taco comes in a set of three tacos for $8.99, making it a solid option based on value alone. In addition, I appreciate the overall execution and presentation. It still lacks moisture like the previous carnitas menu item, but it's better. I prefer the simplicity here, which lets the pork shine more. It needs some moisture, yes, and the filling is a bit sparse compared to the image on the website. In person, it's a fair amount of meat, but it looks nothing like the product photo. 

The dryness is a bit more obvious here because of the minimal ingredients — corn tortilla, onion, and carnitas — but sometimes simplicity works better. It also includes the green sauce and could use a more generous portion to offer some flavor intrigue to the taco trio. A lime wedge would also be beneficial. It's a fine taco but nothing especially memorable. As you can deduce, the carnitas tastes the same in this taco as in the Big Fat one, which keeps it low in the ranking. Maybe this was a one-time issue or a location problem, but it still affected the quality of the food. Overall, I preferred the final product more than the Snack Taco but found it too bland to rank higher.

The Ranch Crispy Chicken Taco reminds me of McDonald's Ranch Snack Wrap. If you ever have a craving for one but only have a Del Taco nearby, it may satisfy the itch. Del Taco's creation costs $2.29 and includes a flour tortilla, shredded cheese, lettuce, a chicken strip, and, of course, ranch. It has all the familiar favorites, but in a taco form. This combination doesn't seem much like a classic taco, but I am a fan of all the elements. 

Chicken and ranch is a welcome combination, with a creamy herbal kick that gives the chicken some life. The flour tortilla adds a soft texture and neutral flavor to the taco, allowing the chicken and ranch to remain the focal point, and I think that's a fantastic idea. I have no issues with the taste or even the texture, and I could see this being someone's favorite. I think the textures are pleasant with a creamy richness that's more enjoyable than the dry carnitas. If you like ranch, get this. However, I think some other options offer a bit more intrigue, where I'd select them over this one. I wouldn't go to Del Taco specifically to get this ranch creation, but I would for the next pick.

The All-American Burgertaco costs $5.99 and comes with two beef patties and two American cheese slices, on a flatbread. It also includes lettuce, tomato, onion, and burger sauce for a flavor mishmash that works. I enjoyed the All-American Burgertaco when I reviewed it on its debut day. I think it is great on its own, but I can't deny it felt jarring to eat it with things like carnitas or battered fish. The sliced tomato gives it a hamburger-like quality, but I feel like diced tomatoes would have been easier to bite. Still, something about this combination works. 

It's not very taco-like, but it's basically like a different take on a burger. I love the medley of flavors here, and the burger sauce really makes a difference. I would happily repurchase this (I mean, I technically already did), and the price is excellent for what is effectively a double cheeseburger. Enough is happening here to make it more interesting than the ranch taco, and it's executed well, placing it toward the middle of the ranking. That said, this is the best use of flatbread, even compared to some higher-ranking options that use it. I think the burger-flatbread combo is peak.

Let's go back to chicken strips for a second. The Crispy Chicken Big Fat Taco, priced at $3.19, has a lot going on. There's a chicken strip, plus chipotle sauce, flatbread, and the classic trio of tomato, lettuce, and cheese. I like the comforting nature of this taco. I have to say, I've never made a chicken strip taco at home or ever had one (nor seen one) at any of the taco shops near me — but maybe I haven't been looking hard enough. 

I'm always down for a chicken strip, which is made better with the complexity of chipotle sauce. The flavors complement each other, and everything, including the veggies, comes together to create a flavorful taco. I'm not the biggest fan of the flatbread here, though, as it all feels like a lot of breading for how much chicken there is. There's not enough lettuce or other taco toppings to justify the size of the bread either. Still, I think I'd be inclined to order it over the All-American Burgertaco because the chicken and chipotle work wonderfully together. There are some things I'd change, but it is still a tasty, enticing product.

I adore grilled chicken; it is my favorite way to cook the poultry, as I find it imparts the most flavor, even if you keep the seasonings simple. That flavor I love comes through in this Del Taco version, too. The Grilled Chicken Big Fat Taco has grilled marinated chicken, freshly grated cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, and a soft flatbread. Everything is topped with a chipotle sauce that is finger-licking good. 

The chicken marinade uses an array of ingredients, including spices, sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and lime juice solids, which means the chicken by itself is enjoyable to devour. The chipotle doesn't lack either. Every bite is delicious and flavorful. The chicken pieces are already bite-sized, so you don't have to chew much to break them down. Again, the flatbread feels a bit overwhelming, but at least the chicken has so much flavor that it sets this dish apart from everything else. For $3.19, you can't go wrong, though. This is the highest-ranking flatbread-based taco thanks to the complex ingredients.

The Chipotle Crispy Chicken Taco finally gets the proportions right, compared to the previous option, which felt too flatbread-heavy. This time around, we get the crispy chicken strip, which is certainly very processed, with that kind of smooshed-together formed texture strips are known for — as opposed to something like a breaded chicken tender, which is just a piece of breaded chicken. The strip fits in with the flour tortilla, and pairs nicely with lettuce, cheddar, and chipotle sauce. 

It ranks toward the top because of the combination of flavors and the complexity of chipotle. The ingredients include soybean oil, buttermilk, vinegar, chipotle peppers, ancho chili peppers, paprika, and a bunch of other additions that ensure it packs a flavorful punch. I found myself particularly enjoying this taco, and the chicken and chipotle are more balanced and easier to eat than any of the other crispy chicken taco iterations. Add this to your order for $3.19.

The Grilled Chicken Taco is the best grilled chicken (or any chicken) taco at Del Taco thanks to its combination of ingredients. For $2.29, there's marinated grilled chicken, secret sauce, lettuce, and a sprinkle of cheese, all inside a flour tortilla. The secret sauce isn't so tight-lipped once you read the ingredients: primarily soybean oil, egg yolk, vinegar, buttermilk, and a few others. This delightful taco is one of many Del Taco menu items that could use a little more love. 

Admittedly, I prefer the chipotle sauce over the savory one, but I think the flour tortilla is so much better than the flatbread in the Grilled Chicken Big Fat Taco. Given that switching up the sauces is one of the ordering tips for Del Taco's tacos, I may actually go this route next time. Still, this is satisfying and flavorful with a wonderful balance of ingredients. There's a fair amount of chicken, and I feel like I get some in every bite, which simply isn't the case with the Big Fat Taco types. I like what the fresh, crispy lettuce and creamy cheese bring to the final product. The flavorful chicken and its great, non-woody texture are standouts, while the other taco ingredients help solidify its third-place spot.

I eat a lot of tacos and often cycle through the proteins, but I typically order at least one fish taco every time — that means I've eaten them at many eateries. Del Taco's spin on this taco is clearly one of its best offerings. The wild-caught Alaska pollock (one of the best fish to use in fish tacos, by the way) has a crisp, even beer batter seasoned with lime, jalapeño pepper, garlic, and other ingredients to ensure it's flavorful from start to finish. 

This taco is thoroughly loaded with cabbage, which only further enhances the taco's crispness — now coming from both the beer-battered exterior and the veggie. It's fresh and crunchy, adding a touch of brightness. This taco is the only one served with a lime wedge, which is essential for a fish taco (though a few other tacos would have benefited from the acidic addition). This is a great taco that tastes and feels fresh — nothing fishy (pun intended) here. At $3.29, it's a bit pricey for where I'm based, and I could likely find another fish taco at a cheaper price. But the price doesn't change the fact that it is one of Del Taco's shining stars. This doesn't look or taste like a fast food chain taco — big win there.

It's fitting that the top taco has the brand's name in the title. The Del Taco is my winner because it's the ideal combination of fantastic flavors and peak texture. The crunchy taco shell is wonderfully corn-forward, with an earthy quality and a spectacular crunch that helps juxtapose with the soft beef filling. This taco has everything in the Snack Taco, but more of it — and it works. In the photo, the ingredients are so packed they're basically falling out. The beef is beefier, and the lettuce, cheese, and tomato seem more piled on, making a perfect pairing with the corn shell. It's sturdy and hefty, with a crunch that doesn't fall apart when I bite into it. The beef is really great and thoroughly seasoned with small, easy-to-eat pieces. No gristle or funky bits. 

I found myself going back to this taco and eating it in its entirety. In contrast, I started picking around my favorite parts of other tacos, like nibbling on the cabbage and battered fish or just scooping out the grilled chicken from the Grilled Chicken Big Fat Taco. Oh, and the price is right. You can get The Del Taco for $2.79. This has a fast food taco vibe, but I like it. 

I bought the tacos via Del Taco's app, picked them up, and ate them at home. Therefore, I was somewhat more lenient on textures, knowing that something might change in the 20 or so minutes it took to get home and take photos. In this case, I was more inclined to judge how things added contrast or intrigue, such as diced tomatoes for a chewy mouthfeel or crisp lettuce. But I was aware that something like beer-battered fish or crispy chicken might have lost some of its crispiness, so that was not factored in. 

Mostly, I was judging the taste and final execution; it was important for the ingredients to mesh well together and have a pleasant seasoning. Blandness, lack of filling, or unfavorable texture made tacos rank lower, whereas the best tacos had the most flavorful dimension, and were so enjoyable you wanted to eat more. I often opened the taco for the photo so you could see better what was inside; otherwise, most were closed. I noticed some differences between the global Del Taco menu and the one at my store, so you might see slight differences at yours.