Bachelor on the Cheap

552 Oliver, Wichita, KS 67218

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

A good looking assortment of tacos!

Today for a Happy Friday Taco Lunch I went to Tacos Y Mas on Oliver.  A full service restaurant, they're open Tuesdays through Sundays serving up authentic Mexican fare.  Just south of the intersection with Kellogg, they're tucked away in a little strip plaza, right next to Churn & Burn.  Their sign is a bit faded, you can miss the place if you're not familiar with the area.

It's always a good sign when you enter a parking lot and most all the spaces in front of the restaurant you want to eat at are occupied.  Finding a spot farther down the lot, I entered the restaurant at around 11:30am and sure enough, the joint was already busy with a lunch crowd.  It's open seating here, but with carryout in mind, I walked over to the counter where I was greeted warmly and placed my order of four tacos.  I went with a Pollo, Al Pastor, Carne Asada and a Chorizo.  After paying, I found a seat around the corner to wait. 

Seasoned well, succulent, tender...

It didn't take long at all to receive my carryout order, I thanked the gentleman as I headed to the door, pausing to step aside as more patrons entered.  Tacos Y Mas is just a hop, skip and a jump from my neighborhood, so it didn't take long at all to get home.  Popping open that container, I was pleased to see the doubled up tortillas and a good portion of complimentary limes for squeezing, radishes for a little added texture and crunch, cucumbers to cleanse the palate between tacos.  It's a nice touch.

I sampled the Chicken taco first.  The seasoning was excellent, the meat was tender and juicy.  I always sample tacos without adding anything in the first bite, then I hit it with lime if provided in the next, then I hit it with whatever sauce on the side that may be provided in the next.  This is the beauty of tacos, creating layers of flavor.  This taco was stand alone delicious, better with the squeeze of lime, better still with the salsa verde.   The same holds true for all the tacos and the bonus to getting an assortment - more layers of flavor!  The Al Pastor was excellent, the Carne Asada was one of the better ones I've had so far in this Challenge and the Chorizo was good.  All the meats were tender, the corn tortillas held up from first bite to last and the classic dress of cilantro and onion was refreshing, although a bit skimpy in portion.

Costing me $11.83, the Tacos Y Mas lineup of tacos scored 57 out of a possible 63 points, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  Here is another example of why you should eat local instead of national chain fast food.  For about the same money I would have spent at a national chain, I got authentic, MUCH better tasting tacos and I received my carryout out order in about the same time I would have spent in a drive thru during the lunch hour.  Taco Y Mas serves up some great tacos, all worthy of repeat buys!

Located at 552 Oliver, Wichita, KS 67218 the service at Taco Y Mas was super friendly, polite and fast.  When submitting my carryout order, the gentleman working the counter verified my order with me to ensure he got it right, that's a step a growing number of restaurants aren't taking anymore.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

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3526 N Rock Rd, Wichita, KS 67226

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Nicely presented and just look at all the veggie extras, grilled onion & pepper, cucumber and the trademark radish.

Out-and-about on this beautiful fall Thursday running errands to include a stop at Rock's Dugout (what a great shop!), I decided to hit Tacos tj 664 east just down the street.  Here's another story of a successful food truck going brick and mortar.  Getting its start in 2018 with the food truck, Tacos tj 664 went brick and mortar with a spot on the west side in 2019, moved to a bigger spot on the west side in 2021 at 1014 N West Street and with a growing fan base opened up a second location, making east siders happy this summer with a shop at 3526 N Rock Rd. 

I could eat a bowl of that guac

Walking in at about 12:25pm, it was lunch rush time.  The place was about 3/4 full and there were a number of folks ahead of me in line to order but the line moved fast.  It was soon my turn to order which was a good thing because my mouth was starting to water just looking at the menu.  I ordered six tacos, going for the Spicy Shrimp, Adovada, Choriqueso, Prime Carne Asada, Birria and a Pollo (chicken).   Paying for my carry-out lunch I was given one of those little gizmos that light up and vibrate when your order is ready.  I found a spot to wait as the line of folks looking to satisfy their hunger at Taco tjs 664 continued to grow.

I received my order in about five minutes and headed out the door.  On this beautiful day, a day where you can drive with the windows down, well that fresh fall air didn't do a darn thing to tamp down the fantastic aromas emanating from the carryout bag...  I couldn't get home fast enough and seemed to hit all the lights.

Finally home, I took a seat at my bar and opened up those containers of taco delight.  They were all dressed so well, I had a tough time deciding on which one to bite into first...  "Do I do my usual sample from left to right, or do I dive into the Spicy Shrimp first?"  Spicy Shrimp won.  This is a full size taco and you have the option of ordering it with a flour or corn tortilla.  I went with the flour.  This was perfectly cooked shrimp topped with cabbage, cheese, Pico de Gallo, guacamole and a spicy sour cream.  It was as I like to say, "Another Dose of YUM!"  This was layers and layers of flavor and textures, a wonderful taco, my favorite of the bunch.  That's quite a statement considering they were all outstanding!  The Adobada was excellent, served on a doubled up corn tortilla with a great marriage of flavors consisting of marinated pork, cilantro, onion and that dynamite, creamy guacamole.  The Carne Asada was very good, the beef nice and tender and I liked the added touch of pinto bean and grilled cactus.  The Birria was stellar, slow cooked beef goodness, also with the pinto beans along with the authentic classics of onion and cilantro.  I wrapped up all the taco goodness with what Taco tj 664 calls the Choriqueso.  Packing an excellent chorizo, creamy queso AND prime steak into one taco, this is kind of a meat & cheese lovers dream taco, topped nicely with cilantro and onion to balance things out.  This was my second favorite taco of the bunch.

Just look how stuffed that Choriqueso is!

Costing me $20.16 for the six tacos, the Taco tj 664 east lineup scored 59 out of a possible 63 points, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  From start to finish every bite of each and every taco was enjoyable, with all tacos being repeat buys!  With that being said, the Adovada is on special on Thursdays, at just $1.50.  What a delicious bargain!

Located at 3526 N Rock Rd, Wichita, KS 67226 the service at Tacos tjs 664 east was polite, efficient and fast.  The crew handled a steady stream lunch rush like a well oiled machine, a machine with smiles!

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

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2420 Oliver, Wichita, KS 67210

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

For today's Taco lunch I traveled to Road Runner Mexican Food, the Oliver location.  Marketed as Mexican Fast Food, this is a taco joint that started off as a Food Truck operation that has gone brick & mortar.  In addition to the location at 2420 Oliver, Wichita, KS 67210 (their newest, taking over the spot that used to be Walt's Klassics), they can be found at 5255 N Maize Rd #110, Maize, KS 67101 (their first brick & mortar) and in Derby at 123 S Baltimore Ave, Derby, KS 67037.

An order of assorted tacos

Hitting the drive-thru a bit before 11:30am, there were two vehicles ahead of me in line.  The line moved fast, before I was done listening to Don Henley's The Boys of Summer on Classic Rock station 104.5 The Fox, it was my turn to order.   Out of the norm and eating a bit of breakfast early in the day, I went light this lunch, ordering the Carne Asada, Barbacoa, and Al Pastor tacos.  From the time I pulled in line to the time I received my order was about five minutes.

The smells were quite enticing on the drive home, even with the windows down on this beautiful day.  Just minutes away, I was able to handle the aroma tease.  Plopping down my keys after entering my house and parking it at the dining table, I dove in...

Witnessing your tortilla about to give is kind of like watching a dam break...

I sampled the Carne Asada first.  The corn tortilla fell apart in taking that first bite.  The meat had good flavor, but the beef wasn't the most tender I've had so far in this Challenge.  In fact, more than a few pieces of beef had gristle, a bit of a let down. The Pico de Gallo was OK, a bit shy on the cilantro and a lime squeeze was definitely needed to provide more freshness and acid balance to the meat.  Next, I sampled the Barbacoa, my favorite of the three tacos.  This one had the most tender meat compared to the other two, a result of the slow cook approach to this taco type.  But again, a repeated theme here, not the most tender Barbacoa I've had so far in the Challenge.  The corn tortilla did not hold up from first bite to last.  This taco too was a bit shy on the dress, lacking in enough onion and cilantro notes to balance out the richness of the seasoned meat.  The Al Pastor, like the Carne Asada was a bit tough.  It had good flavor, but as far as the pork being nice and tender, not so much...   and once again, I found myself squeezing lime to kick the lackluster Pico de Gallo up another notch. This tortilla was the fall apart worst of the bunch.  Granted, it was the last taco consumed so it had more time to soak up meat and dress juices, but c'mon, I'm convinced what I got was not the freshest of tortillas, they certainly didn't get any kind of pre-assembly warmup treatment. 

Complete shell breakage imminent...

Costing me $9.95 for an assortment of three, the Road Runner line-up of tacos scored 52 out of a possible 63 points, earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  All the meats had good flavor, but tenderness, underwhelming dress and not-so-fresh tortillas prevented a higher score.  The price was reasonable, slightly below the average of $3.69 a taco on a non-taco Tuesday.  I only sampled three tacos during this visit.  I usually also try to sample fish, chicken and chorizo tacos if those options are on the menu, but I hesitate to say I'll give those other Road Runner taco options a shot based on the tenderness, dress and tortilla factors.  It's early in the Challenge, but I've already had better tacos elsewhere.  This was a first time visit to Road Runner for me, I'll chalk it up to an off day?

Located at 2420 Oliver, Wichita, KS 67210, the drive thru at Road Runner is quick, living up to the Mexican Fast Food tag line.  Service was friendly and efficient.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

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Brisket, Chicken & Pork Tacos

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Clearly not QuikTrip.

No, not to be taken seriously as a contender for the Best Taco in Wichita, on a whim I did swing by my neighborhood QT while out-and-about running errands to see just how good or "eh" QT Tacos might be.

For those of you just tuning in, I've been traveling around the ICT, sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Regular Taco Size Flour Tortillas, not the smaller, street taco size.

I'm a regular QT customer, stopping in for the occasional fountain drink and/or a bag of chips, perhaps a bag of ice when hosting a party.  I haven't been a fan of QT Kitchens however, after having a couple less-than-stellar breakfast sandwich experiences a few years back.  Since then I haven't given their food a serious look, until recently purchasing a QT Coupon Card for a fundraiser.  I reviewed their pizza a couple of days ago and it was surprisingly good.

Related: Food Review: QuikTrip Pizza

So today, I figured "What the heck" I'll check out their tacos for lunch.

An inside look of the pork taco, a decent amount of meat.

QT has a lineup of three tacos, Brisket, Chicken and Pork.  Make no mistake, QT isn't going to win any "Best Taco" competitions with these offerings, they're basic, a simple pairing of seasoned meat wrapped in a tortilla.  It truly is a convenience food and made for a warming bin.  So is it worth purchasing with that convenience and your possible taco craving in mind?  I "purchased" all three varieties today to sample, they were free using my QT Coupon Card.  I also got a fountain drink and a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos.

The Brisket Taco has a nice shred, it's tender and surprisingly juicy considering the warming bin environment.  The meat received a decent rub, I picked up the classic notes of chili powder, garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper but it is a bit on the sweet side from the brown sugar in that rub.

The Chicken Taco was a bit dry, with the sliced chicken breast and rib meat treated with essentially the same rub as the brisket, with a little added kick of lime.

All the tacos provided meat in every bite.

The Pork Taco, my favorite of the three was done in BBQ fashion, pulled pork style.  Like the brisket it had a nice shred and I picked up the sauce notes, the vinegar, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, pepper, paprika and sugar.

Like I stated, these are pretty much just seasoned meats wrapped in a warm tortilla, they're a convenience food and they're palatable.  You can (should) doctor these up at the condiment bar and if it's not road food, you could take these home and doctor them up with lettuce, tomato, chopped onion, some cilantro and they'd actually end up being a much tastier taco.  And you don't have to restrict yourself to the warming bin.  You can get made to order tacos to include lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers etc., using the QT Mobile App.

The regular price per taco is $3.69, but you can get 2 tacos for $6.  The total price at the register for 3 tacos then would be $10.41 with tax.  That's a reasonable price and worth the purchase, but ONLY if you're ordering the doctored up versions using the QT app to make them a far better taco than the warming bin version.  As they are, straight from the bin, the QT lineup of tacos scored only 37 out of a possible 63 points, earning 2 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  It may be convenient pulling from the warming bin, but without veggies to contribute to the flavor profile (which you can't do with the warming bin in mind), these things aren't worthy of a repeat buy.  Order using the QT App or take the tacos home and doctor them up.  Better yet, get your tacos from a local Mexican joint.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Today I traveled to Deano's Grill & Tapworks for a late afternoon taco lunch.  Deano's is a really nice sports bar with 23 Big Screen TVs and a stellar menu that is anything BUT typical bar food, featuring artisan oven pizzas, outstanding burgers and yes, TACOS!   Given Deano's Top 10 finish in the Best in the Wichita Metro Burger Challenge 2022 and knowing they have tacos on their menu, I of course had to put them on the Best in the Wichita Metro Taco Challenge 2022 list!

Generous portions of chicken & dress

I walked into Deano's at around 1:30pm and found a seat at the bar.  Sierra the bartender welcomed me, introduced herself and asked me what I wanted to drink and if I needed a menu.  Deano's has a nice lineup of tacos, with options of chicken, fish, shrimp and beef.   You can order either 2 or 3 tacos and they come with a side.  Going for the 2 taco option but wanting to try two varieties for a total of four tacos, I went with the Los Cabos Chicken Tacos with a side of onion strings and the Big Catch Fish Tacos with a side of french fries.  Here are the respective descriptions from the Deano's website:

Los Cabos Chicken Tacos: Flour tortillas, marinated and grilled chicken, red onions, chipotle sour cream, freshly shredded lettuce, pepper jack cheese and black bean salsa.

The apple mango salsa and that "boom boom" sauce rocked!

Big Catch Fish Tacos: Flour tortillas, beer-battered cod fillets, freshly shredded cabbage, apple mango salsa and spicy "boom boom" sauce with lime.

I've enjoyed Deano's pizza (the Doggy Breath is stellar), they've got a Top 10 Burger and their tacos do not disappoint! 

With all the tacos generously dressed in a great presentation, I sampled the Fish Taco first.  I got the nice crunch from the batter, the cabbage was veggie crisp, with that apple mango salsa rocking it coupled with the "boom boom" sauce.  The Chicken Taco was equally tantalizing, with the chipotle sour cream, pepper jack cheese and black bean salsa combo also bringing big flavors to the table.  Both taco options were bountiful, stacked as high and deep with the proteins and dress as I think the tortillas could handle.   

Side Note:  The french fries were excellent, perfectly fried and nicely seasoned, but kicking things up a notch were those onion strings!  They deliver a really nice combination of crunchy exterior and sweet onion interior.

Costing me $22.55 with tax for four LOADED tacos and 2 delicious sides, the Deano's Grill & Taproom lineup of tacos scored 58 out of a possible 63 points, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.   Both the chicken and fish tacos were delightful, it was fun going back and forth with all those great flavors on the plate.  Deano's Tacos are definitely repeat buy worthy! 

Located at 9747 E 21st St N Suite 101, Wichita, KS 67206, the service at Deano's Grill & Tapworks is TOP NOTCH!  Sierra was welcoming, friendly, conversational and didn't miss a beat on making sure I enjoyed my lunch from start to finish.  Thank you Sierra, thank you Deano's!  I look forward to my next visit.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

2330 N Maize Rd, Wichita, KS 67205

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Taco Offerings

My Thursday night taco dinner took me to the West side of town and Las Catrinas.  I was first introduced to this little gem by Vicki S - a foodie in hiding - back in July.  She also helped me compile the Taco Challenge list.

I met up with Vicki at about 6:30pm, we both ordered Margaritas to start things off.  Snacking on the complimentary chips and salsa - Las Catrinas makes a good one by the way - we reviewed the menu and talked options.

Las Catrinas has a variety of taco dinners on their menu and I thoroughly enjoyed their fish tacos on my initial visit (link below), but I didn't want to be restricted to just two tacos.  Las Catrinas doesn't have a "Taco Platter" or sampler on the menu, but in talking things over with our server, Veronica, who was very accommodating, I ordered a la carte, getting a four taco assortment of Carnitas, shredded chicken, grilled steak and a classic ground beef.

a la carte order left to right: Shredded Chicken, Ground Beef, Grilled Steak, Carnitas

When our meals arrived on piping hot plates, I sampled the Carnitas first.  The pork was beautifully seasoned and Las Catrinas puts a nice touch on this particular taco with the caramelized onions.  Coupled with that posado sauce the flavor profile was elevated and bringing things home were the cilantro notes and everything all wrapped up so nicely in that warm, mildly sweet goodness of the corn tortilla.  All the tacos were generously portioned and dressed well.  The shredded chicken was on point, tender and juicy.  The ground beef taco, it may sound like a basic, run-of-the-mill kind of order to some folks, but frankly, if a restaurant can't pack a lot of flavor in a ground beef taco then what does that say about other taco offerings?  Las Catrinas does it right!  My favorite of the bunch was the grilled steak taco.  Not to be confused with an authentic Carne Asada, this steak was dressed Tex Mex style (I was in a Tex Mex restaurant after all...) with lettuce, tomato and cheese.  The seasoning on that beef was stellar, the meat juicy and tender with a wonderful, warm spice kick in the finish.

Costing me $18.77 with tax for the four tacos, The Las Catrinas lineup of tacos scored 56 out of a possible 63, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  They were all quite tasty, but came at an a la carte price.  That wasn't unexpected, a la carte orders tend to be pricier because they're not part of a larger meal or course of dishes.  But ordering that way isn't exactly Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly, with the per taco price breaking down to $4.69 each.  They were regular size tacos, not the smaller street version so that's a plus and I got to enjoy a greater variety of flavors ordering as I did, but strictly in terms of price, I would have been better off sticking with the standard taco dinner offerings on the menu.

Located at 2330 N Maize Rd, Wichita, KS 67205, the service at Las Catrinas was once again, top notch! Veronica was super, she provided service with a smile, she's friendly, informative and didn't miss a beat on tending to all the table needs.  Las Catrinas is SO repeat visit worthy!

Related: If you haven't checked out Las Catrinas Mexican Restaurant yet, you need to

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

300 S Greenwich Rd Suite 151, Wichita, KS 67207

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Just look at those meat portions!

On this beautiful Thursday and continuing my search for the best tacos around, I went to Angela's Cafe III, LLC in east Wichita for lunch.  This place is kind of tucked away in a strip plaza which shares a parking lot with Two Brothers BBQ, so when you see Two Brothers BBQ, pull into that parking lot and keep driving in past the liquor store and you'll see the restaurant on your right.

I walked into Angela's at about 11:15am, the two ladies working the front said hello.  It was open seating so I found a seat at a nearby table in view of two big screen TVs.  Adriana quickly came over and introduced herself and took my drink order.  As she walked off to fill my drink order, I perused the menu, which pretty much had all the base tacos I'm looking for in sampling for this Challenge.  Adriana returned with my drink, the complimentary chips and two portions of salsa, a hot and a mild.  Ordering Carne Asada, Chorizo, Barbacoa, Pastor street tacos along with chicken and beef tacos served on flour tortillas, Adriana left me to place the order as I began snacking on the chips and salsa.

Every taco was generously portioned and packed a ton of flavor to include this Pastor!

Both salsas were good, but I preferred the hot, which wasn't over powering hot, it had just enough of a nice little kick, making sure I knew I wasn't having the mild.  The chips were nice and crisp.  Watching Reece Witherspoon sport the pink bunny suit in Legally Blonde on one screen and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle on another, while Latin music was playing in the background provided for an interesting combination of entertainment.  I was having fun, enjoying chips & salsa with a cold beer, I didn't want lunch to come to an end...

My assortment of tacos soon arrived and the first one I took a bite of was the Chorizo.  This was OMG good!  The sausage was perfectly cooked, very flavorful and I love the Angela's Cafe add of the potato, which soaks up all that Chorizo goodness adding another layer of flavor and texture to the taco.  The tortillas were awesome, warm and soft, but with that touch of a light, crispy exterior.  All tacos came generously portioned and were fantastic stand alone, even better with a squeeze of lime and over-the-top good with the green chili sauce.  The Chorizo taco was my favorite, but I'll tell you what, I didn't want to set any one of them down after I started munching...  These were all, I-don't-care-if-there's-taco-juice-running-down-my-chin-I'm-not-stopping-to-grab-a-napkin GOOD.

Taco Tuesday Deal!

Costing me $19.13 with tax for six tacos, the Angela's Cafe III, LLC lineup of tacos scored 60 out of 63 points, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  Every one of the tacos I sampled was stellar and easily a repeat buy.  Hello Taco Tuesday!

Located at 300 S Greenwich Rd Suite 151, Wichita, KS 67207, the service at Angela's Cafe III, LLC was excellent.  Adriana was friendly, informative and attentive.  The food was stellar and the beer was cold.  I'm looking forward to my next visit!

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

The Chorizo Tacos ROCK!  Well, they all do, but the Chorizo was my fave...

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

11423 E 13th St N, Wichita, KS 67206

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Taco Challenge Bonus: Sampling all the complimentary chips & salsa!

The sudden closure of the Jose Pepper's on the West side of town this date motivated me to hit the East side location for dinner.  I've never eaten at Jose Pepper's before and wanted to check out how good, "eh" or bad they might be.  You have to feel for the employees at the West side location, who showed up for work only to be turned away from a day's pay and bigger picture, without a job.  Employees there were offered spots available at the East side location, but that still left a lot of folks with cash flow concerns.

I entered the East side restaurant around 4pm and was warmly greeted by the hostess.  There were a few patrons here and there, but with only one other customer sitting at the bar, I easily found a spot and parked it on a stool.  I was immediately greeted by Jesse, who took my drink order, a Margarita, it was Happy Hour.  The food menus were already laid out at the bar which I took the time to review.  Before I knew it, Jesse placed the complimentary chips and salsa in front of me.  Ok, I'm already digging this Taco Challenge more than the Burger Challenge, I didn't even consider the complimentary chips and salsa!  Side Note:  Warm, crispy chips with that salty bite and good salsa can be quite addicting.  Seeing the food menu set aside, Jesse took my dinner order, the Carnitas.

A variety of tacos, but no a la carte.

Jose Peppers doesn't offer any kind of "Taco Platter" or a la carte option so you can sample an assortment.  They have Tex-Mex variations of fish, beef and chicken tacos, but nothing in a traditional sense.  The menu forces you to choose a single type of taco, you get two of whatever you choose, served with rice and beans.  This keeps things easy for a high volume kitchen and the restaurant makes more money per plate, rice and beans are cheap.

With my Carnitas order the closest I could get to meet Challenge parameters, I focused on a baseball game and a football talk show while snacking on the chips and salsa.  After killing about half a basket of chips and that first Margarita, my meal arrived.  The plate was super hot, Jesse gave me a heads up as he placed it in front of me, the towel he used to hold it was kind of a tell.  It was a nicely presented plate and Jose Pepper's does a nice job paying homage to the old adage of, "You eat with your eyes first."  The tacos were standing tall in holders which I appreciate as you take a bite and set down, take a bit and set down, the holders make for an easier, slightly less messy eat.  The supporting cast on the plate, the rice and beans looked inviting, complimented by a small side of lettuce and tomato to use as you please.

Nice presentation

Presentation aside, the taco shells weren't exactly filled to capacity, the portions of meat and dress was less-than-generous.  The pork was decently seasoned and tender, but not robust with flavor.  The cilantro and onion provided some authentic Carnitas flavor and the serrano creama was nice, the queso fresco provided the nice light salty, tangy flavor you're looking for and I appreciated the flour tortillas and the slight toast...  But missing from the plate, the side of roasted green chili sauce which I could have used with the pork lacking in robust flavor.

Costing me $11.81 with tax for the taco dinner, the Jose Pepper's Carnitas Tacos scored 55 out of a possible 63 points earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  Good but not great tacos, the price is somewhat reasonable but the portion was less-than-generous and the seasoning on the pork less-than-remarkable.  Coupled with average cilantro rice and slightly above average refried beans, this taco plate is NOT worthy of a repeat buy.  Here's another example of why buying local is SO much better.

Tender port, but not robust with flavor.

Located at 11423 E 13th St N, Wichita, KS 67206, the service at Jose Pepper's was excellent.  Jesse was friendly and attentive.  He didn't miss a beat on anything, from ensuring my meal was good, to refilling my drinks.  Things started to get busy towards the end of my visit, but that didn't phase him, he multi-tasks just fine.

Related: Jose Peppers in West Wichita Closes its Doors

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

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If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

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1580 W 21st St, Wichita, KS 67203

By Mike Thayer

Who makes the best tacos in the Wichita Metro?

Traveling around the ICT, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Fresh tortillas doubled up, lime wedges for squeezing.

For my first meal of the day (I developed the habit of skipping breakfast during my Burger Challenge) I headed over to the west side of town and Alondra's Tacos.  This cash only business is nested in the Riverbend Shopping Center in the corner of a stand alone building that is kind of tucked in behind the Smoke Stax Tobacco Shop.  If you're not familiar with the area and not paying attention, you can drive right by the place before you realize it.

I entered the restaurant a bit after their opening time of 11am and was greeted nicely by a lady busy doing some table prep.  I proceeded to the counter where another lady provided me a welcoming "Good morning."  She provided me a menu, which for a first timer like me was easier to read than the menu board posted above.  I went with my now typical assortment of tacos (before this Challenge is over, restaurants are probably going know I'm present by the order, not because they recognize me), Carnitas, Barbacoa, Carne Asada, Al Pastor and a Pollo.

Generous portions!  Can you say, "Filled to the tortilla brim with taco goodness?"  Yes, yes you can...

After taking my order I took a seat and got busy texting and emailing as I waited.  The smells emanating from the kitchen in the creation of my order were awesome!  I didn't have to wait long for my meal to be boxed, bagged and presented.  I thanked the ladies and headed out the door.  Driving down the road, the enticing aromas were teasing me!  Now if you're familiar with the area, you know that driving eastbound on 21st street makes you vulnerable to being stopped by trains at any one of the numerous railroad crossings east of Broadway.  Well, today I didn't care about having to wait for a train to pass through, I HAD TACOS!  I thought to myself, "Take your time train!"

I opened up the container and a huge whiff of seasoned meats and cilantro pleasantly hit me in the face.  A nice presentation, I was pleasantly surprised that the tortillas were doubled up and there were plenty of lime wedges for squeezing.  All the tacos were dressed the same, with plenty of fresh onion and cilantro.  I got sauce on the side, but frankly, it wasn't needed.  All the tacos were generous in portion and the meats well seasoned, tender and juicy.  All the tacos were equally good, it was hard to pick a favorite and there's something to be said for keeping things simple.  When your ingredients are high quality and fresh, you don't need a whole lot to really get a taco to sing.  Properly seasoned & cooked meats + cilantro & onion + a squeeze of lime + fresh tortillas = A damn good taco, with the Al Pastor tops in the bunch.

Costing me $13.75 for five tacos, Alondra's Tacos lineup of tacos scored 58 points out of a possible 63, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  All of the tacos are definite repeat buys and next time I wouldn't care once again if stopped by a train, but I think I'll dine in should I need to order more!

Located at 1580 W 21st St, Wichita, KS 67203 the service at Alondra's Tacos was polite, friendly and fast.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

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By Mike Thayer

Traveling around the Wichita Metro, I'm sampling the taco offerings from just about any joint that has tacos on the menu.  It doesn't really matter who, I'll be eating tacos from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains.  To determine a true champion of tacos in the metro, a broad sampling has to be taken in order to measure the best.  I'm on a mission in the name of "taco science" (cough). 

Carnitas, Shredded Chicken and Grilled Mahi Tacos

October 4, National Taco Day, a Taco Tuesday and to honor the day, Fuzzy's Taco Shop had select tacos for just $1.50.  Along with Happy Hour where beer was half price, how can a guy pass that up?  I am Mr. Bachelor on the Cheap after all...  Winner, winner, inexpensive taco dinner!

I entered Fuzzy's Taco Shop at about 3:45pm and had a seat at the bar.  The gentleman tending the bar saw me enter and park it on a stool but he soon left the bar area without greeting me or take a drink order and left to tend to something else outside the restaurant.  Not a good start.  After about 10 minutes and the bartender still not back, a lady doing some prep work near the kitchen area noticed the bar unattended and came over to cover the bar, I don't think she knew where the gentleman went either.  I think I overheard his name to be Chris but I could be wrong on that, ticket says "Bar4." At any rate, the lady poured me a cold beer and placed my taco order.  

Ground Beef and Shredded Brisket Tacos

For my order I went with Carnitas, shredded brisket, shredded chicken and ground beef.  Those were the select tacos for $1.50.  For a fish taco sample, I went with the Grilled Mahi which rang up at $2.99.

All their tacos feature the respective seasoned meat, served on a soft corn tortilla topped with their signature garlic sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, and what I think is a really nice add, feta cheese. 

Fuzzy's cranks out some very tasty tacos.  Some would call them Americanized, but what they do is put a modernized twist on old school classics.  The Carnitas is a prime example of an updated version of a Mexican classic.  The meat was perfectly seasoned, moist and tender, their recipe is on point.  The soft corn tortilla was warm and held together from first bite to last. The garlic sauce is a nice spin, an aioli rather than a crema, packing on another layer of flavor. The lettuce was fresh and veggie crisp, I got the cilantro notes along with the slightly melted cheddar - c'mon, who doesn't like cheddar on a taco?  The tomato helped balance things out and putting a little zest in the flavor profile was the feta cheese, another spin from traditional, such as using a Queso or Cotija cheese.  With all the taco dressings being the same - which actually allowed me to better evaluate the main ingredients - the meats were all very well seasoned, nice in portion and were indeed the stars of each taco.  The shredded brisket measures up to a good Barbacoa, The shredded chicken was super tender and juicy, the ground beef was eye-opening good exceeding expectation and my favorite of the bunch, the Grilled Mahi were bites I savored, saving the best for last. 

Now that's a nice tasty looking fold right there, yes'sir...  All ingredients in every bite.

Costing me $8.99 for just the tacos (my total tab was $15.03 with the beer), Fuzzy's Taco Shop lineup of tacos scored 56 points out of a possible 63, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  I got all ingredients in every enjoyable bite and all the tacos are easy repeat buys, even at full price.  But on National Taco Day, it doesn't get much more Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly than that!  Thank you Fuzzy's!

Located at 306 N Rock Rd Suite 30, Wichita, KS 67206, the service at Fuzzy's Taco Shop was less-than-stellar.  The gentleman bartender finally came back, but he remained for the most part inattentive, preoccupied and would disappear again for periods of time.  The lady covering the bar while the gentleman was away did a nice job.  The kitchen was fast and the taco prep spot on.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Related:  Other Taco Joints Reviewed So Far

Enjoy this post?

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram