El Taco Loco in Joplin, Missouri has some pretty incredible foods. Not only do they have authentic and delicious Hispanic food but they also like to get a bit creative and think outside the box. I've been going there regularly for the past year or so and they never cease to amaze me or shock my taste buds with some incredible food!
They have two locations. The first restaurant they opened is located on 7th Street downtown Joplin. The second is in Webb City which is perfect if the Joplin location is too far away while you're on a lunch break or short on time!
The Hidden Menu
There's actually a hidden menu at El Taco Loco that not a lot of people know about! I was lucky enough to meet the owner a while ago and we talked all things El Taco Loco. From food to selling salsas and even their future plans (they have some cool things in the works, trust me).
Turns out a few items on their hidden menu include the
- California Burrito (has french fries inside of it)
- Valley Quesadilla (served with avocado Verde salsa (it's incredible!))
- Flaming Hot Cheeto Burrito (my personal favorite)
- Torta Cubana (Cuban style with ham and hot dogs (it's delicious))
- Marroquin Torta (a deluxe torta packed with a ton of tasty things)(also, I don't remember the exact name of this one because the owner told me it like eight months ago...)
- Quesabirria Tacos (served with broth)
- Quesabirria Ramen (if you like ramen and Hispanic food you've gotta try it!)
They also do soups seasonally around the Fall and Winter. Not to mention, they sell their salsas and they're really good.
There's a style of preparation, usually with tacos, called quesabirria which has recently blown up in the United States and become the new "thing" to try in a lot of places. El Taco Loco makes quesabirria ramen and quesabirria tacos and let me tell you, they're pretty tasty!
They're packed with onion, cilantro, cheese, and shredded beef all wrapped up in a beautiful corn tortilla. What about the ramen variation, you ask? Well, it's the same thing but without the tortilla basically!
They cook ramen noodles and then put the broth in the cup along with all the ingredients I mentioned in the tacos and voila! quesabirria ramen! You can get it regular or spicy. I love spicy foods but I typically order this one with regular spice because I think the flavor is perfect.
Another food item from El Taco Loco I enjoyed a lot was their carne asada fries. They're not only massive but are the perfect entre to share! In fact, all the burritos at El Taco Loco are great entrees to share since they're all huge. When I go with friends, it's pretty common for us to share and split halves of the burritos since about half of a burrito can feed most people.
My Suggestions
They say to never trust a skinny guy when it comes to food. However, I'm asking for an exception just this once! Try some of my favorites and if you don't like them then let me know in the comments and you'll have credible proof that you can't trust a skinny guy when it comes to food opinions. I think you'll be pretty happy with my recommendations!
If you want to try something pretty tame I'd suggest their
- Chipotle Burrito w/ Steak (slight spice)
- Torta w/ Steak (goes great with their Rojo salsa)
- Valley Quesadilla (salsa served with has a bit of a bite)
- Burrito Panzon w/ Steak (tons of flavor)
Note - Their steak is really good. It's good on pretty much everything they sell. Their pork & chicken is good too but I just have a hard time getting away from the steak.
If you want to try something unique I'd suggest their
- Flaming Hot Cheeto Burrito w/ Steak (It's amazing and the steak makes this burrito for me)
- Quesabirria Ramen (if you like ramen and Hispanic food you'll like it)(can be slightly salty if you ask for spicy)
- California Burrito w/ Chicken (their Verde salsa goes well with the fries and chicken)(this one isn't one of my favorites but if I'm in the mood for it then it hits the spot 100% of the time)
- Burrito Loco (this is a $40 burrito that weighs 6 lbs and it delicious and also pretty good reheated)
Specials
You can find daily specials on the El Taco Loco Facebook page!
They have new daily specials including the Taco Tuesday special which is 12 tacos for $18.99.
Check out El Taco Loco and show them some love!
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