I love the original Backyard Taco on University. The fantastic thing about the two newer locations (here plus the one on Higley) is that they are so spacious, and both have huge patios. This new branch is gorgeous: very nicely laid out indoors, with roll-up doors that open up to a huge, amazing patio. Unfortunately, this location has some kinks to work out with the food. Our cheese quesadilla's cheese wasn't melted. We know the meat quesadillas have a sparse dusting of cheese so we asked for extra cheese on our carne asada quesadilla - but they did not provide that. We also had to go back to the counter for two missing items that weren't on our tray. Granted, we didn't complain about any of it. We didn't have a lot of time and didn't want to wait for items to be remade. I'm sure the workers would have remedied the problems and we did ask for our missing items. We still like BYT, but may wait for this branch to perfect their cooking and attention to detail before we return. read more

See all

As far as the food is concerned, it's usually very flavorful and decently priced. Unfortunately, last night my drive through experience was disappointing. The operator was snarky and impatient during the entire interaction. Completely unprofessional and definitely makes me reconsider returning to this establishment. read more

In Tempe moving our son into the dorm. Stopped for lunch and decided to come to Backyard Taco. You place your order at the counter and go sit and wait on your number to be called. It's Taco Tuesday so we took advantage of that and ordered tacos. We had steak, chicken, and pork. All was good but the portions were pretty small for us. Maybe that is authentic size - but we were a little surprised. Husband ended up ordering more food because he was still hungry. We also ordered a burrito bowl and chips and salsa. The burrito bowl was pretty bland as the chicken needed seasoning. The chips and salsa was good. I felt like the food was just ok. Husband and son enjoyed their food and said it was good. Wasn't a terrible meal just wasn't great! read more

See all

We love this place. Lots of open seating. Nice large tables for big families like ours. Salsa bar is open again-we missed it! nice fresh cucumbers and radishes to snack on. great variety of salsas also. Can't go wrong with anything here. Make sure to ask for the grilled onions and peppers-muy bueno!!! Taco Tuesday is a great night to come try this place out! read more

Backyard Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Trust me- go to another taco shop. As simple as carne asada tacos are, they've messed them up 2 of the 5 times I've visited. Flour tortillas that were undercooked and greasy can be overlooked one time, but twice? So undercooked and dropping with grease that I couldn't stand to eat even one. Plus, after discussing the salsas I wanted 3x, they still gave us the wrong stuff. I tossed these in the trash and headed to Tacos Tijuana. They didn't disappoint, check them out instead. read more

Backyard Taco - Steak Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

If you're looking for al pastor tacos this is a hot spot you should try! The steak tacos are also delicious. I give it 4 stars because it's definitely on the pricier side - $3 for a street taco. Good but definitely not a regular spot with that price tag. The guacamole sauce is super good!! and comes with the tacos. read more

Backyard Taco - Al Pastor Taco and Steak Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Love this location as it's closer to me. But just as good as the other in mesa. Nice and big plenty of seating. Love the outdoor patio seating with heaters during the cold weather. Service: is quick and friendly. Tacos come out pretty quick after ordering. Numbering system. Pay attention to your number Food: Al pastor is my choice of meat. But I have tried the birria and asada. equally fine to eat. Big this is the salsa bar. So much to choose from. Love all the sauces especially the spicy orange one. Always filled and fresh. Come here for taco Tuesday. read more

Backyard Taco - Patio view - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

This was just okay for me! I was expecting to be blown away because of the reviews, but sadly I wasn't! Oddly enough they had a salsa bar with other condiments, but you still had to buy chips and salsa for $2.59? That doesn't make sense to me! I might try it again, but I'm not really sure! Perhaps if I'm starving and all of the other Mexican restaurants are closed then I might go back! #Doubtful read more

Backyard Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Nice and Open Atmosphere, OK Food... Choosing my rating here isn't easy as I like the layout and atmosphere here and on my 2 trips here the first being awesome service, the second being ok... The tacos I have gotten twice here and they are super small and not really flavor packed much at all. It's like eating something that the seasoning was forgotten on. It just doesn't really have much happening. They have a good salsa selection at the salsa bar. read more

Backyard Taco - Chicken taco and steak taco with chips and salsa.... - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I've been a fan of backyard taco since they were only one location. This particular location has a nice open seating area perfect for families or groups. Over the years they've stayed consistent with food quality, even with their growth. I always enjoy the Al Pastor; and if I'm in the mood for a treat; the crazy potato is always nice and hot. Service has always been excellent as well. As far as prices; with our turbulent economy, backyard taco has stayed relatively cheap! We will be back! read more

I Just went back for the first time in about six months. I've always loved their tacos and their salsa bar. It seems this place has gone downhill since the last time I was there. The meat was so dry. My chicken in my taco was hard because it was so dry. The flavor is definitely changed as well. There was no real flavor to the chicken and my son had Carne Asada and the same thing. It was dry and unflavorful. Love the salsa bar, but I noticed they had a lot of employees just standing around looking at each other when the salad bar could use some tidying up and cleaning. Nothing drives me crazier than seeing employees sit around when there's always work to be done. Disappointed! read more

Backyard Taco is the best new entry into the fast food family taco restaurant space. This is actually real Mexican food made in the local Arizona influence and tradition. The burritos are amazing (try the Al Pastor to start!), the tacos are real street tacos with lots of ingredients, and the quesadillas are just like your dad used to make on the grill- backyard grilled quesadillas. The prices here are a bit higher than fast food chains, but comparable to more sit down locations. There is a large seating area, and the immediate feel of the place is open and excellent for huge gatherings. The salsa bar is exceptional and full of things you love about real Mexican food places. This isn't the commercialized Mexican American food, but it is amazing and you will love it. It also isn't the foo-foo Mexican dishes that Americans keep trying to make with french cooking and artisan touches to it in so many Scottsdale restaurants- yuck. No this is the real thing, and you will love it. Try the burrito, but realize that you won't have room for much else. Then the next time, try a quesadilla and a single taco. It's all really excellent stuff. read more

See all

Always amazing their salsas are great, I wish their pastor tacos were more authentic and had better flavor and less fatty pieces, but the chicken is always my go to read more

I finally checked out Backyard Taco! We met up here for a friend's casual birthday get together. There were 15 of us and they handled our rush with no problem. Horchata was good! The staff were friendly. Lots of parking. I tried the chicken, pork and carne asada tacos. Tortillas were good and the prices were right. The meat was a bit dry and I felt like I needed to add lime and salsa to add enough flavor to them. They did have some good salsa options! I'd stop here out of convenience and for fast food - but it wouldn't be my first option! That's why I'd rank it "A-Ok!" There is no reason you shouldn't give this place a try... but I'd turn elsewhere if you're looking for THE BEST tacos. read more

I absolutely dig this place. The chicken, pork and carne asada is flipping amazing as are the chips and salsa. Just the smell in the air as you cross the parking lot is intoxicating. There is plenty of seating which is nice, especially the outside patio seating now that the weather is perfect, and the prices are right on. I just don't understand why they have 3 registers but no matter how busy they get they rarely open more than one. On a side note, this place is even better to go people watching than Walmart! read more

375 for the smallest Taco I've ever seen. I opted for the combo with rice and beans. The rice was cold beans not so much. Hasta la vista backyard. read more

I give it 3.5 stars. Tacos are pretty good and quesadillas are really good. Loses points for only having 4 meats. No tongue or chorizo? Doesn't make sense for a taco joint in AZ. Dumbest thing is no beer. Gotta have cervezas with tacos. Prices are a little higher than should be for portions, but that's what u get with a chain. And the prices are still OK. Super clean place, good fast service, but not my favorite quick taco/burrito/quesadilla place in the valley. Orange salsa called "birria salsa" is called extra hot for a reason. It is legit fire and is crazy in color. read more

Backyard Taco - Owner's story. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I'm usually in town every other week, this quickly became one of my stops while in Az! The food is FIRE!

I'm struggling with this review. I use to take my kids to the original location in Mesa years ago. There was a line out the door, no where to sit, and the taco's were always an A+. They've expanded and gotten larger, I get it. I visited this location and at the very first bite of my taco was shear disappointment. It wasn't the same as the original location. I'll give it 3 stars just because the salsa, radishes and cucumbers were still up. I have to give this place another shot, but for as big as it was and hardly anyone in there (and only 3 workers visible) maybe that's all that needs to be said about this location. read more

This was my first time eating at this establishment. I ordered two Carne Asada tacos the meat was so dry I was unable to eat the tacos. I also ordered one chicken taco and the meat tasted burnt. A female employee approached me and asked how did the food taste. I expressed the taco meat was very dry. She told me maybe next you should order something else and then walked away. I will not be going back especially after the amount I paid for tacos to go into the trash. read more

Food was good, but they gave me someone else's order (drive through)! Also, no napkins or utensils in bag. read more

Taco Tuesday rocks! We love the ambience - casual yet date-nite-worthy! Their patio dining is quite enjoyable during sunset or early dinner get together... especially around this time of year for us Arizona peeps. Prices are decent and you do get a bang for your hard earned dollar. The spot is clean, and the condiments bar is well stocked. The peeps at this place are helpful and friendly too. read more

See all

I was out and about with a friend when we were looking for a good Mexican place to eat. I was thinking of another time when I was out and a friend took me to another location, and I just remember thinking how good it was but couldn't remember the name! Well, my friend called HER friend and he recommended this place. When I looked it up, I thought, "no way?! It's THE SAME PLACE!" Clearly, word on good food gets around. This particular location is spacious, organized, and clean. Ordering was a breeze, and I couldn't help myself. I had an al pastor taco, a chicken quesadilla, and a carne asada gordita. The taco was delish! Al pastor (in my opinion) MUST come with pineapple. It's that extra oomph you didn't know you needed! My favorite part about this place... the salsa bar. THREE green salsa options. Anywhere you go, I feel like it's always about red salsa. Well, I'm a green salsa kind of gal and I was thrilled to have so many options. All of which were delicious!! I highly recommend checking this place out. Delish! read more

See all

Overpriced for the portions received. The tacos are street taco size, but cost 3.40 dollars. After eating two tacos, I was still hungry so ordered the carne asada papas. This was just some mashed potatoes with small bits of meat and some other light toppings. I am not sure what the topping was, but it did not look like steak of any sort . Tried it once, will not return. Dining room was really nice and large and pleasant. read more

Look I like their tacos. But the cost per taco per food portion is getting pretty ridiculous. Nobody wants to start paying $4 to $5 per taco, so please fix the price gouging or you will be losing sales and return customers. I'd hate to see one of my favorite taco places go the way of the dinosaur if they can't get a hold on their pricing is a reasonable manner, but it might be time to look for tacos elsewhere. read more

In area so decided to try this location. Similar to one on Higley. Salsa bar is clean and well stocked. I love the crazy potatoes so had one with carne asada. Absolutely wonderful; full of meat. The carne is tender and chopped small. Small portion of minced cabbage and sour cream. Wife had four carne tacos on corn tortillas. Chock full of meat and cabbage and they double the tortillas. My personal taste prefers guacamole that is chunky and they blend theirs into a sauce. Added some lime and salt and it was doable. Crispy chips and mild salsa but you have a full salsa bar to doctor as you wish! read more

I have had a few bad experiences here. First of all the soda has either been flat or clear without syrup. Today I went and they are so busy I couldn't get a seat. I waited and someone cut in front of me. Then I waited and again someone took the table. And I stood there with my food at the counter waiting. Finally after five more minutes with flat soda and cold food I noticed the line was still very long. So I asked fory money back which they refused to do. It was 110 degrees outside according to my phone and my option was that or take it togo. Glad they are busy but how about some service like help getting me a table and making sure my food isn't cold. There has been a few times that the order was wrong. When I say a few it's been every other time. I'm not going back and I'm sad about it. I even told theanager this was one of my favorite restaurants but I can't take any more. read more

Backyard Taco - Jalapeño salsa spicy just how I like it - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Exactly what one might expect getting "tacos" in Gilbert. This is exactly the place that your auntie might recommend for "Mexican food." It's like Starbucks to coffee. You can get some generic, Americanized and soulless food here. No joke, you're better off just fully whitewashing tacos and going to Taco Bell. read more

This place is a good spot for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is clean, the employees are friendly and the salsa bar is off the charts. This salsa bar has many great choices including pickled onions, cucumbers, and radishes. I had the carne asada burrito (with everything) and a chicken taco. Both were delicious and tasted like the meat was cooked on a "backyard" grill. It was smokey and delicious. The carne asada is cooked "well done" which is my only complaint as I prefer my meat cooked "medium". Also the meat is finely chopped almost to the point of being ground beef. But, im being picky. This is a very good place to eat, easy 4 stars. If you check in on yelp, you can get a free medium fountain drink. So , I got a free drink, and cost of one carne asada burrito and one taco, almost $17 . read more

I was told to come here by a friend who said these were more authentic mexican tacos than other places here in Arizona. I have been going here 1-2 times at least per week! I have tried all of the tacos. I prefer chicken and steak tacos on flour tortillas. I also love to get a side of chips with beans and cheese. There is a hot sauce at the salsa bar that I love! I like to mix it with the beans for a spicy dip (way better than serranos). If they had margaritas and shrimp tacos, I would probably go there even more! Love this place! :) P.S. service is fast and the staff is so nice! read more

Backyard Taco - Chicken & beef tacos (both on flour tortilla). Chips with beans & cheese. Side of grilled onion & jalepeno. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Not Impressed!!! Ordered a carne asada quesadilla. Never had a quesadilla where the cheese wasn't melted. It was cold and very dry. Hubby had carne asada taco. Was very dry. Wont be back. With all the good reviews we were excited to try it, now I wish we had gone somewhere else. read more

This places is highly recommended because it was so good no wonder why they had a award for 5 year straight since 2015. It was my first time going to this place I believe last week and I ended up going this place twice. Thank you so much keep up the great work. read more

Best tacos is the East Valley! This is the third location and it's by far the biggest location they have. Also they have a drive thru which is perfect to grab some delicious food on the go. The perfect thing about it is it's right near the AMC so grab some food before a movie. Everytime I go here, I get chicken tacos cause they're the best! They grill all their meats over a nice smokey grill that adds such a great taste. Never go without the guacamole salsa too. It's the best! Also you always have taco Tuesday to get your taco on. Love this place! read more

Tacos? In my backyard? Don't mind if I do. Backyard Taco is at the north end of the Stapley AMC complex. A huge plus for me, as you may know, is online ordering. Ordering online is fast and easy. Picking up is also easy, though I wouldn't say fast. I will also tell you this: check your order. On this occasion, I waited for what seemed like forever, though I arrived in the window that the order advised me to. "What's your name?" "Oh, you ordered online?" "What's the name again?" I was then handed my bag, and told to have a nice day. Not so fast! I know your deal! My chips and beans? Well, no chips. That can probably be an issue, unless I just guzzle my beans like a caveman. Also, I ordered drinks. So there was another wait and a bag of chips and my drinks materialized. All that aside, their food is good. I am a fan of the Loco Potato, but I get it meatless. Mr. P is a fan of the carne asada and al pastor street tacos. He gets 2 of each. I personally find the meat to be a little fatty for me, but Mr. P loves it. The beans are creamy and have good flavor. I do recommend visiting Backyard Taco. Just remember to check your order before you drive away! read more

Its was just okay.... a laid back atmosphere with patio seating available. You enter and must go thru a line, order and cash out . Then they call your #. Food was very basic street tacos. Carney asada was good. They have corn or flour soft tacos, I'm a crunchy taco gal tho. Hubby had a stuffed quesadilla. No cheese ! They topped each item with fresh finely chopped cabbage and red onions With a red sauce. Not really my cup of tea. The salsa bar was good, all but for the so called guacamole " sauce ".. not real guacamole in any way shape or form!!! Really won't go out of my way to go back!!! read more

Backyard Taco - Carney Asada taco.. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

This is a brand new location for the Mesa/Chandler area, and my goodness am I happy that they are here! I never knew about this chain, and I'm beyond ecstatic that I was able to eat here the other day. I will break this down into different categories to make reading easier. Decor: The decor is very simple, almost think like rustic barnyard type. Comfortable seating, metal walls, I can't explain it well lol. I loved the colors, the taco bar, everything was amazing. And very open, plenty of seating inside and out. Customer Service: Everything was nice, the lady taking my order was very kind. She helped explain things in the menu that I didn't understand. I was able to see the food being cooked on a open grill right behind of the registers. Otherwise, there was zero complaints for me in this department. Food: Ok, I moved from California, so I'm super picky when it comes to tacos. I LOVED THESE BAD BOYS. OMG, lol I can't begin to explain how good they were in my opinion. I had 3 carne asada tacos, and tried the spicy pork as well. They come with onion, cabbage, and salsa. You will need all three to make it perfect. The seasoning on all the different tacos was spot on, and the portions were generous to say the least. They are normal street taco sized, so not the American giant ones. But it was overflowing with delicious goodies. They also have horchata and many different drinks there as well. There is a condiment bar with all different varieties of salsa, pickled onions, limes, etc. Overall: Honestly, for 2.40 a taco, and 1.99 on Tuesdays, I will can't complain. Is it a chain restaurant, sure. I would rather support local smaller businesses. But until I can find one that has the same quality ingredients and attention to detail, I will make the drive to this location. And you should too! read more

Backyard Taco - Three Carne Asada tacos, FREE DRINK FROM YELP, chips and salsa. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Pretty hard to mess up a bean and cheese burrito. But I guess if they don't give it to you at all that's just as bad. We don't even live nearby to make it worth driving back to get the burrito they didn't give us. We keep our expectations low these days but how about just making sure your drive thru customer actually gets what they paid for!!! read more

Backyard Taco - Ordered 3 burritos and only got 2. $5.85 we won't be getting back. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Love their al pastor taco!!!! Seriously love! But was very disappointed by the long hair i found in my togo ;( Should've been a sold 5 star! read more

Backyard Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

I give this location 5-stars simply based on the parking situation. It's far superior to the sub-optimal experience at the Gilbert location. Love the Santa Maria mesquite flavor of their meats. Plus, you get a mountain of food with any of the menu items. And unlimited salsa at the bar. What's not to love? read more

See all

The service was 100%, food was hot and well packed. We ordered tacos (family pack) to go, they were hot and given so many options. It was perfectly done. We enjoyed our tacos! I got to try the Gordita, it was so hard it hurt my molars. It was really crunch unfortunately. Tacos were the way to go! :) read more