Eating Fast, Casually and Deliciously at Real Taqueria

Real Taqueria

1869 Murray Holladay Road
Mon–Thurs: 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
801.432.7962 | realtaq.com

In a bright pink building tucked in a corner on Murray Holladay Road, you can find a local restaurant with great food, helpful service and convenient drive-thru options. Real Taqueria boasts a strong menu with a variety of proteins to customize each dish. What started as a Salt Lake City food truck is now a brick and mortar location with all the comfort of local food and the ease of a drive-thru window.

On lazy days, it is hard enough to drive to a restaurant, let alone go inside and pick up my food. That’s why I’m always excited to find a local place with a drive-thru. Real Taqueria is perfect for a weeknight meal, or a Saturday picnic that is both low key and a pleasure to eat. It’s worth noting that the line for the drive-thru can get long from time to time, but the service is good, and the line generally moves quickly. I promise—the food is worth the wait.

The Real Taqueria menu has entree selections like burritos, quesadillas, tacos and nachos. From carne asada to veggies or fish and shrimp, there is a protein to satisfy most any pallet, and the flexibility of the menu means the combinations are almost endless (well, not endless, but there’s a lot!). I love seeing how the experience of a particular protein can change dramatically in a new format. The simplest menu option is the taco, which comes to $2.99 a piece when paired with classic toppings, or $3.59 for fish or shrimp. Though simple, the menu provides plenty of room for eaters of many tastes.

A Burrito as Big as Your Face

Before you visit, it’s a good idea to know portion sizes are huge, so you may want to share, but it’s delicious enough that you may not after all. The burritos come in two sizes, but even the small is quite large and could feed two people pretty easily. Generally, the tortillas and chips don’t survive well as leftovers, but the toppings and fillings do. If you save your leftovers, the meats, beans and sauces could make for a new set of nachos, or honestly could just be eaten by themselves.

The Al Pastor Burrito comes in at $8.99 for the regular size, a great choice for your hungriest days. The meat is tender and well-seasoned and is complemented by the fresh pineapple hidden throughout. The only complaint here is that more pineapple would make it even better. I love the way this fruit adds acid and sweetness and cuts through the richness of the pork.

For $7.49, you can get the Chico version of the Nopalitos Burrito. In addition to the customary beans, rice and cheese, this has cactus and eggs. The eggs make this burrito feel slightly breakfast-y, while the cactus adds great crunch and a combination of savory and sweet that is appropriate for any meal. The beans and rice are really flavorful and have a chance to shine in salty contrast to the nopal. I added their creamy green sauce to this burrito, and it gave a nice kick that worked well with the other flavors.

This December, Drink Some Horchata

If you are feeling like a real feast, you can’t go wrong with the Carne Asada Nachos, priced at $11.48. Though this is one of the more expensive menu items, it can feed and satisfy a few eaters, or stretch even farther as a side shared among many. The toppings are plentiful, and a thick layer of cheese protects the chips keeping them crisp and heavily loaded (the true goal of any plate of nachos). There is something satisfying about the crunch of these chips, loaded with flavorful meat, beans and veggies that will keep you coming back bite after bite.

No trip to Real Taqueria is complete without an Agua Fresca ($2.19) which comes in cantaloupe, pineapple or horchata. I find the horchata flavor a little sweet, but it’s still tasty and has a nice kick of cinnamon that provides some balance. The cantaloupe and pineapple varieties both taste like summer-fresh fruit.

Next time a Mexican food craving hits, stop at Real Taqueria for a satiating meal. This eatery makes getting delicious Mexican food on the go easy and satisfying. Make sure to come with an appetite— you’ll be happy you did.