5 things to try from Mexican fast-food restaurant Del Taco

At 11:18 a.m. on a rainy Wednesday the line to order’s already more than halfway towards the front door. Del Taco opened their Huntsville location late February and people here are clearly stoked. It’s the California-founded Mexican fast-food company’s third Alabama restaurant, following Opelika and Phenix City.

The Huntsville Del Taco, whose neighbors include a Bass Pro Shop, is strategically located near Research Park and Bridge Street Towne Center. Redstone Arsenal’s not far either.

Del Taco has a rep of being a fresher superior alternative to Taco Bell. Their tagline’s “Better Mex.” USA Today’s 2024 list of 10 best fast-food chains ranked Del Taco at one, thereby dethroning Chick-Fil-A’s dynastic run.

Recently I was assigned a Del Taco story: Try the Huntsville location and make five food picks. After eating at Del Taco thrice over six days, below are my recommendations.

Chicken Queso Loaded Nachos

One bite. All you need to tell this is fast-food dialed up a click. The Chicken Queso Loaded Nachos’ ingredients and assembly seems closer to mom-and-pop fare than The Border. Good balance of bird, tomato, beans, jalapenos and cheese. The toppings to chips ratio is right too. A better than OK start to our Del Taco recon.

Epic Carne Asada Steak Cali Bacon Burrito

Worthy of its 15-syllable, “Simpsons”-gag worthy name. Freshly grilled steak with cheddar bacon, chipotle sauce, sour cream and, yes, crinkle-cut fries wrapped in flour tortilla. Heavy as a Black Sabbath riff and tasty as a Jeff Spicoli wave. But because this burrito’s clean for fast-food, you won’t hate yourself 30 minutes after eating it.

8 Layer Veggie Burrito

One of the best things about Del Taco is their slow-cooked beans, a part of the restaurant since its 1960s origins. Tastes like they came from a kitchen instead of a factory. They anchor the 8 Layer Veggie Burrito also filled with house-made guacamole (tastes like guac and not just green mayo), tomato, zesty sauce, cilantro lime rice, sour cream and house-grated cheddar. Bursting with natural flavors. A nuanced and satisfying eat, whether you’re vegetarian or not.

Steak Quesadilla

There are some off-menu moves at Del Taco. Most famously, you can “bold” just about any item, which means adding fries and secret sauce into it. This hack started out for Del Taco burritos, but it’s also for tacos, quesadillas and burgers. (I’ve read good things about the burgers here. But I don’t eat pizza when in New Orleans, you know?) Second time at Huntsville’s Del Taco, I asked the cashier what she ate here. She recommended the Steak Quesadilla, noting it isn’t listed on the menu. Solid rec. This generously stuffed quesadilla gives comfort food kicks without getting too greasy as quesadillas often do. Enhanced with dabs of peppery sauce from packets you can grab at the counter.

The Del Taco

Most entrepreneurs won’t name their business after a product that sucks. Del Taco’s namesake menu item doesn’t suck. A crunchy corn shell stuffed with seasoned beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes. Evokes the average American family’s taco night at home. At $2.09 in Huntsville, the Del Taco is more than a 30-cent improvement on Taco Bell’s $1.79 crunchy taco.

Bottom Line

Despite what USA Today says, to me Chick-Fil-A’s still the fast-food chain to beat. That said, Del Taco’s fresh flavors give them an edge over Taco Bell, although not so much bougier options like Taco Mama or Qdoba. Is Del Taco going to make Huntsvillians forget local standouts like Taqueria El Cazador, Bandito Burrito and Celia’s Kitchen? Nope. But as Huntsville grows, it’s exciting to have top chains like this added to the mix.

Del Taco Huntsville: 5 things to try from beloved Mexican fast-food chain