Decided to give this place a try after intending to go to a different restaurant in the same complex. It's a giant restaurant where you order at the counter and they provide your food a few minutes later. The person at the counter was very friendly and engaging, and I got my food quickly. Portion size is decent and the taste was fine. They have a great salsa bar where you can get guacamole and a few different salsa options. I ordered a combo, which gives you a side of rice and beans. Everything comes in its own Styrofoam plate. I would prefer to have all been on one single plate where you could mix everything up, but that's just as a personal preference. read more

Backyard Taco - Two Taco Combo al pastor and birria. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Been passing Backyard Taco for a while and finally decided to stop by. I got a chicken taco and al pastor taco. The lady who helped me told me to get the chicken taco in a corn tortilla and the al pastor in flour. Both looked delicious! Filled fully with meat and other toppings! Love that they had a salsa bar with a mix of options including guacamole salsa, pickled onions, and limes! Unfortunately even the salsa bar could not save these tacos! The meat was very dry and did not have any flavor at all. I was very disappointed and saddened by each bite. And it socks because I was super hungry! This was a let down. Three stars for the amazing and attentive staff! They were so kind and helpful! Also I love that they offered a free drink for Veterans! read more

Backyard Taco - Al pastor and chicken tacos - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Lots of seating plenty of sauces and a straight forward menu. The staff is friendly snd efficient and the pricing is decent. I was able to get 3 plates for $40. I enjoyed the sauce options be careful they're on the spicy side. I tried the chicken tacos. Simple, flavorful and made fresh. read more

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I ordered a Birria potato with extra meat and it was to die for. Loaded with flavor. Side of beans and chips with rice was so good. Seriously can't wait to finish the leftovers!!! read more

Backyard Taco - Beans and rice - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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The restaurant is clean, offer tables for large groups, the staff is friendly and they have a really nice salsa bar. They offer a variety of food items from tacos, quesadillas, grilled tostadas, gorditas, burritos, bowls, crazy potatoes, family packs and more. I would like their vegetarian options to offer more flavor to the food items. read more

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I have liked this place for years. The carne asada always has the best charred flavor, and all the salsa on the salsa bar are delicious. I'm picky about rice, c and I really like their rice. The young man (Ezekiel) helping us was also great. I liked that he had a conversation with us. The prices are right for such delicious food. read more

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Service was good. The place is nice inside. However the food was flavorless. I do not recommend the birria. It was all grease and left much to be desired. read more

Came in today! I got a ton of things Ashley helped me out up front was amazing, fast learner for only being her second day!! Jesse the manager was fantastic as well!! AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE, AMAZING ENERGY! I felt so welcomed! These two are definitely an asset to the company!! Thank you Ashley and thank you Jesse! Oh yes and food is amazing as always (try the horchata shake) read more

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

Checked out Backyard Taco with some friends over the weekend. I've heard mixed reviews of the place and wanted to vet it out myself. It's not bad, solid 3.5 stars. This spot is in a somewhat of a high traffic area, but the place was clean and tidy. The staff were all smiles and friendly. Loved all that! I opted for the bean and cheese burrito and a carne asada taco. The bean and cheese was good, I'd hit it again. The taco was good as well, but it's more of a street taco and for myself, while I love street tacos, I have to buy like 10 of them to fill me up and I'm not about to drop $30 on just tacos :) On a scale of 1 - 10, I'd go back if that was the consensus of the people I'm with, no complaints, but it wouldn't be my first option. The food is good though. read more

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We decided to do a family lunch today and we came here. The place is amazing great selection and you can tell it's freshly made food. I got a bowl of it carne asada and mom and other half got the carne Asada quesadilla. Service is always great here from ordering to the pickup. I love that they have a salsa bar or toppings. The patio is was nice even tho it was hot today it's shaded and a nice breeze. read more

Backyard Taco - Bueno Bowl - Carne Asada with sour cream and guacamole. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I love mexi food, so when I find a good taco place I'm there! Walk in nice spacious seating area open drink fountains, order at the front sit down and they'll call your number shortly after, then which you'll walk up to the counter and grab your food, I ordered carne asada tacos as well as my bf, got my kids a ninos meal- which is pretty simple but have option of a taco and I think quesadilla comes with side of rice OR beans. Chips and salsa were ok, salsa was good chips coulda been better, I like when they make em fresh these tasted fresh outta a bag maybe.. they have a condiment table set up for any additions the usual stuff for tacos salsas pickles onions which I love I'll just eat those hahah, cucumber radish sort stuff. Service we were treating right when we walked in and she made it clear she was ready when we were. So carne tacos were a definite hit! read more

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Went on a Friday at 11:30am and there was no line. First time trying this place and I was pleasantly surprised. The burrito hit the spot and I love the condiments bar. Service was extremely nice telling us how the place worked and if we needed anything else to let her know. Food was delicious and filling, cheese and sour cream is extra cost. A bit cold in there, place is clean. I will be coming back! read more

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I've been here a few times during the pandemic, but I haven't really been back since more taco spots opened around me. I stopped by today for a work lunch treat and was pleasantly surprised that everything was still good! I ordered a 6 for the office, and there were some issues during the pick-up, but the service was very helpful! I had never been inside. We had always ordered delivery or drive-thru, but it was so spacious inside and really well decorated. We ordered tacos and quesadillas! The salsas were all so good and had the flavor. My birria quesadilla was exceptionally delicious, and I can't wait to come back for more office lunches.. read more

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Food was okay. Just great service, price is reasonable. Big place for dine in . Clean and neat

I'm gave them a four because there is nothing different from other street tacos. Chips and salsa were fresh. Rice and beans were ok read more

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Food was good, service is good. Place is very clean. Both times we been inside it's never been too busy. read more

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

Tacos were great. Some interesting flavors. Very fast service. Nice environment inside. Offers drive thru.

After having a great dining experience at their Higley Ave location, I was eager to try this one out. I was really impressed again. There's a large seating area, it's really clean and the staff is fully on point. Tacos are worldclass, fresh and delicious with great salsas from the condiment bar. My bean and cheese burrito was probably the best I ever ate. I give bonus points for the mexican non alcoholic bottled Sangria. read more

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Open and ample elbow room. My 400lbs frame fit in here like a Sailor and a butthole. LDL and HBP were meh, satisfied. read more

Backyard Taco - Two pastor. Far left. Two asada on the right. Their red spicy salsa was fire. Actually had a kick. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

COVID TACO This place is NOT COVID safe. My BURRITO was utter DISAPPOINTMENT COVID Safety- they do not excercise ANY precautions. You would think they would have more safety measures in the midst of a pandemic especially with the spike in the Delta variant. Salsa bar is self-serve and had the sneeze guard glass over the top but it was so high above the condiments that it doesn't really serve a purpose. But does not shield Kids or anyone under 5' 3". They don't have lids or anything covering. There's NO HAND SANITIZER anywhere. The workers do not wear FACE COVERINGS or GLOVES. NO BARRIERS at the registers. I feel like in food service that is the expectation these days. AL PASTOR BURRITO- The salsa is what must give it flavor because the pork, although seasoned, was pretty bland alone. The worst part was the chunks of pineapple in the burrito! They use CANNED PINEAPPLE CHUNKS, not even fresh pineapple. And the amount of pineapple in the burrito was astonishing. I felt like I was eating a DOLE FRUIT CUP. I understand Al Pastor is cooked with pineapple but to add whole chunks in the burrito was not appetizing. You may argue that pineapple may or may not go on PIZZA, but it sure as hell should not go in a burrito. I rarely say a burrito is gross, but this was gross. I remember them using pre-packed salsa they would hand out upon request earlier this year. Why did they stop? I am really disappointed because this place used to be one of my favorites for tacos as fast casual Mexican, but I won't be coming back. read more

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I swear I just had the best Al Pastor crazy potato tonight. Whoever made it deserves some credit. Picked up around 8pm. Well done

I really wanted to love this one, but it just wasn't there for me and I'm not too sure I'll ever return. Here's why: Prices: In one word, overpriced. Just under $50 for my husband and I. You can spend about $25 less at a multiple taco spots within the mile. Sometimes it's worth it spending a little more when splurging on great delicious food, but that's not the case here. Food: The trend seemed to be that the food was unseasoned/bland. The carne asada tacos were full and portioned well, but very tasteless. So, we thought we'd put some salsa on them from the salsa bar... also very bland. Disappointing. We ordered a chicken quesadilla and it came out at an overstuffed chicken taco with no cheese holding it together, and it was cold. We went back to the counter and ordered a cheese quesadilla instead and that came out partially cooked and stuffed with unmelted/cold cheese. Everything from the salsa bar was flavorless, and the veggies were soft and bitter, signaling that they've been sitting out too long. The only thing we enjoyed was the refried beans, chips and salsa (the salsa that isn't at the salsa bar, or comes with the "chips and salsa" order). Overall the service was just okay. We waited about 10 mins when the restaurant only had a handful of people inside including us. The atmosphere is modern and the bathrooms were clean. The big picture: our experience here was overpriced food that we didn't even enjoy. read more

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If you want the best bean and cheese burrito in town, this is your place. The chips and salsa are also really good. The Stapley Drive (Mesa) location is really nice and big and clean, and the salsa bar is so much better and more accessible than the original location on University. The new location on Stapley also has plenty of indoor seating compared to the minimal seating at the University location. I like the drink bar at the Stapley location too so you don't have to stand in line to wait for a refill. The carne asada is delicious at both places. Once it was pretty fatty, but the last several times it has been much better. Tacos are great--go on Taco Tuesday for the best read more

Backyard Taco - All that is left of the deliciousness at Backyard Taco-Stapley! Love this place! - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Thank goodness I don't have to hunt for my food. I don't even know where tacos live. Backyard Taco is the kinda place you have to stop into no matter how full you are. If you see it, you go to it. From birria to carne asada, al pastor to pollo, there's something for all taste buds. Get it on a corn tortilla or a flour tortilla! Want a quesadilla or a tostada? They got it! They also serve burritos and papas loca. Don't forget about their Taco Tuesday deals ($2.25 for carne asada and birria. $2.00 for al pastor and pollo.) It might be more than what some of the other places charges but BYT will get your skirt flippin'! Trust me, I love me some tacos. Is it the best carne asada? No, Priscila A.'s dad makes it the best but they still got the best al pastor tacos! COME HERE! It's the third BYT location I've been to and the only way they could be better is if they open a location closer to my house already. I need them grilled meats~ Yum! read more

Backyard Taco - Carne asada and al pastor tacos! A little smooshed but still darn tasty! - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Delicious Mexican food! Staff were very kind in assisting me with ordering something I would enjoy. The rice is amazing. I love how they keep out the hot sauces and guacamole out for customers to grab their own serving. The restaurant is set up nicely. read more

The food was delicious. The salsa bar is outstanding ordered. Two tacos and rice and beans ended up being a lot of food with leftovers. The Queen Creek is closer to where I live so I think I might check them out next. read more

My wife and I have been going to Backyard Taco since it first opened in Mesa. We used to drive out of our way just to eat there. It's grown a lot since then, now with five locations. One thing I've always loved is the smell of the charcoal and the tasty meat. But, I've got to say, things have changed. I used to go there a lot for lunch and to meet up with friends from work. But over the years, I've noticed that the quality isn't as good. The burritos don't have as much meat as they used to, and the meat itself doesn't taste as good. I remember it being really flavorful, but it's just not the same anymore. It's a bit sad to see a place you liked so much start to cut corners. I hope Backyard Taco can get back to how it was when we first started going there. I'll give it another try just wish it didn't become so corporate. read more

Stopped in mid-afternoon today for some tacos with my daughter and granddaughter. We got in just in time to see one of the employees tending the wood burning grill WITH A LEAF BLOWER to build up the embers!! This was totally cool all by itself and worthy of a 5 star review. I also added a few tacos to compliment the leaf blowing ember show, carne asada and al pastor, and they didn't disappoint. Be sure to ask for a side of grilled pepper and onions and consider mixing a bit of guacamole and birria sauce from the salsa bar to amp up the tacos a bit. We had a great dinner, restaurant was in good shape, employees were very friendly, and we got to see them literally fanning the flames on the grill. Looking forward to visiting again soon! read more

Backyard Taco - Carne asada and al pastor tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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This location is so nice and spacious! It feels brand new; there are misters outside if you dare sit in the heat. Parking is plentiful because this shopping area is pretty widely spaced out. Tacos here are not too bad. They are reasonably priced but small. The al pastor tacos were not as great as I expected them to be though. I wish they served us some complimentary chips even though we were taking it to-go. You have to come on Tuesday to get the taco Tuesday deal! read more

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I got the Al Pastor Bueno Bowl. It's soooo good! make sure to load it up with salsa, guacamole, onions and limes. I promise you won't go wrong. read more

Gotta say this place is pretty good for there street tacos. Has very good flavor to them. Lots of space not a small joint to eat at. Lots of outside sitting. The street tacos are a little on the pricey side$3 per each. Im used to like $2. But it's worth it. For a try. Not sure if I would keep going back though. But always worth a try read more

Backyard Taco - Menu looks good - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Backyard Taco is one of my favorite restaurants. Their food is always consistent & delicious, I've always enjoyed my meal every single time. This location is relatively new and it's my first time here. We decided to try it instead of going to our original favorite spot on University because of the heat. Before having a baby, it was ok for us to sit outside. The misters were good enough and we mostly went after it was dark. But now, we want a cool place with good ventilation to keep the baby comfortable. The restaurant is very spacious with beautiful decor and outdoor patio seating. No matter how long the line is and how busy the restaurant is, the line moves so quickly and the food is out in no time! Very impressive! We ordered our usual, carne asada tacos on corn tortillas and birrã on flour with everything on top. We skipped the veggie crazy baked potato this time. We also ordered 1 Jamaica. We added all the toppings we normally put on our tacos from the salsa bar. The salsa bar here is bigger than the original place, which makes it easier to go through it quickly even if the restaurant is busy. The food was pretty good, but the old restaurant location remains the best. I don't know what it is, but the flavors were not all there. When you have a 5 star meal consistently, it's hard to go for less than that! Overall a good experience but we still prefer the original location. read more

Backyard Taco - Birria my favorite! - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Stopped in on a Monday night at my partner's suggestion and ordered 3 carne asada tacos on flour. I was impressed not only with the taste and quality, but also with the amount of steak they serve up in their tacos. Ive had my fair share of street tacos but I've never had ones as loaded up as these were. The tacos are a bit pricey at $3/per but rest assured you absolutely get your money's worth of food here. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and the tables are nice and spaced out. I will absolutely be coming back for more! read more

Backyard Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Had the birria burrito! Nothing special, half of it was fat in the meat. I get there's a little fat on the meat but this was nasty. Without the beans, the meat was minimal,and having all the fat in it didn't help. Walking in to the place, everyone looked at me and noone said good morning,even after I acknowledged them with a smile. The place had 2 existing customers so it wasn't busy. The counter lady came up and she was pleasant. I ordered, left a tip and sat down. I won't be back! I've had better birria (IMO). Training is important! Customer Service is important. The place was clean and the salsa bar tastes great. read more

I would consider Backyard a solid 3-star location--this isn't a bad thing, in my opinion, considering Backyard Taco is more of a chain restaurant. The food here is what it is--nothing great but nothing bad. If you're looking for a convenient place for tacos, this is the place. I normally come here on Tuesdays to take advantage of their taco Tuesday pricing, and even then $3.00/$2.75 per taco is the most I'd pay for non-discounted tacos from Backyard. I did get their Chicken Quesadilla this time, and it's...more like a giant chicken taco with a little cheese. When I think about quesadillas, I think about a super cheesy food, but I guess I had the wrong expectations here. Service was fast and friendly, and the restaurant was spacious and comfortable. Pair it up with a beautiful day like the day I visited, and it's a perfect place. My rating is 99% based on their food. It's tasty, but mediocre, and again, my 3-star rating isn't a bad thing for a chain like Backyard Taco. read more

This is probably the biggest location. It is very nice inside. Indoor and outdoor seating areas. They do have misters for summer time. You order at the counter or can pick up drive through. They have many options for meats (protein) and also variety of vessels for said meat including- tacos, quesadillas, grilled gorditas, grilled tostada, crazy potato. They have soft drinks and aguas frescas which are great in the summer time. Prices are reasonable. They definitely give you plenty of meat. My favorite is the birria. Taste very close to how my mom makes it. They also have fresh salsa- 5 DIFFERENT KINDS!!! And they are all very good ranging from mild to very spicy. Today, ordering through the drive through was challenging. Definitely got many of the items wrong. Should read order back next time. Otherwise, great place for street tacos! read more

Backyard Taco - Mexican Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Mesa location, Asada taco had very little flavor meat was cold. rice was from a thaw and sell bag also little flavor. Owner needs to get back to the basic Mexican taco recipe. " sorry would not recommend to anyone. Cooks need some cooking lessons. read more

Food and service is alway exceptional. Love this place for great tacos. This location is bigger and is so nice to sit outside this time of year (March). This is one of our go to places for great tacos and burritos. read more

Have I mentioned that I LOOOOVVVVVEEEE the papa loca at backyard taco? I feel like a that is such a matter of fact in my life that I don't know if I ever even bother to say it out loud anymore...well it's been said so go try a papa loca for yourself! It's only a wonderfully fluffy baked potato piled high with the most amazing grilled meat and Mexican toppings you could imagine. If you decide to pair it with their salsa bar then you'll probably run into me hogging a ladle, but please make sure to top yours off with even more fresh Mexican deliciousness. There is not a salsa you could go wrong with. read more

love this spot, always great service. food is fresh. I've been here dozens of times! just need one on the west side!