Look out Taco Bell ... here comes Taco Bueno

Robin, etc:

During (another) recent boring Friday night here in Oklahoma City the lovely bride and I were bemoaning the lack of quality eateries in the local area. (We recently visited your fair city and are absolutely "chomping at the bit" to put this place behind us and relocate to Louisville). Case in point we let our "fingers do the walking" an discovered that Oklahoma City is home to 286 (!!!) "restaurants" that contain the word "Taco" somewhere in their name. Included in that lot were several dozen Taco Bell's as well as several dozen Taco Bueno's. While we have not personally experienced Taco Bueno, the late night drive through lines are noticeably longer there than at Taco Bell...and the cars in the drive through are noticeably lower to the ground. Not sure if this is an indication of overall quality or not. BTW, this city is also are home to 86 (!!!) "Sonic" Drive In's.

You guys don't know how good you have it...Then again maybe you do.

Regards,

Steve and Becky P

Robin, etc:

BTW, this city is also are home to 86 (!!!) "Sonic" Drive In's.

You guys don't know how good you have it...Then again maybe you do.

Wow! And I thought there were a lot of Sonics when I lived in memphis.

Chipotle would be nice in Louisville. Last time I checked they had 3 locations in Lexington and around 15 in Cincinnati. I'm not sure why they have yet to open a location here.

Chipotle would be nice in Louisville. Last time I checked they had 3 locations in Lexington and around 15 in Cincinnati. I'm not sure why they have yet to open a location here.

My running theory is that Qdoba is too entrenched among the populace here, and they fear taking them on.

That theory was somewhat dashed when I found out they both started in Denver, Chipotle two years prior to Qdoba (then Z-teca, of course).

Personally I rather miss Baja Fresh.

I live in Dallas and commute to Louisivlle quite often. I just joined officially to post a comment about Bueno after reading the "Bell/Bueno" article, but have used this site for quite some time to get good advice about where to eat while I'm in town. Taco Bueno has mainly been in Texas and Oklahoma for the past 40 years, but I'm very excited about Taco Bueno coming to the Louisville area. I'm a big fan of all Mexican Restaurants, but Taco Bueno is the best Quick Serve type Mexican Restaurant in the country, by far. I liked Taco Bell 25 years ago when they used to make everything fresh. Over the past 25 years Bell has evolved into something that's hard to stomach. Bueno makes everthing fresh in the store and tastes awesome! I eat Mexican food probably a minimum of three times per week. Qdoba and Chipotle have helped satisfy my craving as I travel (Moes is terrible), and I love to try the little Mom and Pop places. But, I'm really excited to have a Taco Bueno coming to town. You'll see, it's addictive. No question Bueno wins!

[Robin Garr]

I'm really excited to have a Taco Bueno coming to town. You'll see, it's addictive. No question Bueno wins!

Jim, thanks for the testimony, and thanks for jumping out of Lurk Mode. Hope you won't be a stranger, now that you've broken the ice!

No strager here, very good site with very good information!

Chipotle would be nice in Louisville. Last time I checked they had 3 locations in Lexington and around 15 in Cincinnati. I'm not sure why they have yet to open a location here.

My running theory is that Qdoba is too entrenched among the populace here, and they fear taking them on.

That theory was somewhat dashed when I found out they both started in Denver, Chipotle two years prior to Qdoba (then Z-teca, of course).

Personally I rather miss Baja Fresh.

I've eaten at Chipotle several times, and it is fine, but to be honest I am not sure I could distinguish burritos from Moes, Chiptole, Qdoba, Salsaritas, etc. in a blind tasting.

I used to eat at Taco Bueno everyday in Tulsa when I was in law school. It is steps above Taco Bell!

I noticed yesterday that construction of the Taco Bueno on 10th Street in Jeffersonville is complete. They're still doing the landscaping work and it appears training for new employees is underway.

http://www.tacobueno.com

The sign out front announces that they are opening on TUESDAY, April 1st at 9:30 A.M.

That seems a bit early in the day for tacos, but they have an extensive breakfast menu:
http://www.tacobueno.com/breakfastImage.html

It's located across the street from Kroger and Kmart, near Walgreens and just around the corner from the new Our Best restaurant on Holmans Lane, now under construction.

Lois

I grew up in Dallas and spent another ten years in Lubbock, TX and I can tell you that Taco Bueno is more than a cut above Taco Bell, but at a similar price point. One great thing about them is their small, but serviceable salsa bar, with a couple of good salsas, diced onions, jalapeños, and pico de gallo to accompany your meal.

Their chips are typically quite fresh and I believe that they make their guacamole in-store daily (at least they used to advertise that). Taco Bueno's "MexiDips and Chips" appetizer of queso (Tex-Mex yellow), beans, and guac in little tostada bowls and a "Muchaco" (flatbread taco) is one of my all-time comfort foods.

To be honest though, I'm a little embarrassed that my first post on this great forum is about Taco Bueno's fast food and not some undiscovered little gem of a full-service restaurant Oh well.

Best Fishes,
Chris

Why is this place even being compared to Taco Bell? Taco Smell just totally sux. We now have a Taco Tico and it seems as though Taco Bueno may even be better than that. Down with Taco Hell.

Why is this place even being compared to Taco Bell? Taco Smell just totally sux.

Don't really agree. Certainly not great food, but have their food sometimes. The head cook of the house, not me, sometimes picks up to go at Taco Bell. Nothing to write home about, but decent.

[Robin Garr]

Don't really agree. Certainly not great food, but have their food sometimes. The head cook of the house, not me, sometimes picks up to go at Taco Bell. Nothing to write home about, but decent.

Do you have something against pronouns?

Seriously ... I might have agreed with the above a few years ago, but I've been watching Taco Bell, KFC and the other Yum properties, and I'm absolutely convinced that all their properties have seen serious, significant cost and corner cutting. Taco Bell isn't what Taco Bell used to be.

How often to you actually go to these places?