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Taco Bueno

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By JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star

Friday, Oct 26, 2007 - 12:13:51 am CDT

If Taco Bueno reminds you of a Taco Bell or a Taco John’s, you’re not at all off base.

Even the franchisee referenced the two well-known fast food places when talking about the chain.

Bueno has opened two stores — at 1442 O St. and 5012 N. 27th St. — within the past two months and plans to open a third at 84th and Leighton streets on Nov. 10.

Story Photo
The Wholotta Platter is an option on the menu at Taco Bueno at 15th and O Streets. (Jill Peitzmeier)
Taco Bueno

1442 O St.

and 5012 N. 27th St.

Atmosphere: Casual

Specialty: Fast-food Mexican

Payment: Cash, major credit cards; no checks

Cost: Combos, $2.99 to $5.49; platters $3.79 to $5.99

Downtown hours: 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 am. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m Sunday

North 27th Street hours: 6 to 1 a.m. daily

Downtown phone: (402) 477-1466

North 27th Street phone: (402) 742-6157

Web: www.tacobueno.com

Notes: Take-out, no alcohol, Coke products, parking (27th Street), drive-through (27th Street), kids meals, breakfast menu

Food: 2 stars

Service: 3 stars

Atmosphere: 2 stars

Vegetarian friendly: 1 1/2 stars

The Last Bite: Taco Bueno has stormed into Lincoln with two Mexican fast-food locations and a third on the way. The fare is typical of inexpensive fast food.

Rating system: Excellent 4 stars; Good 3 stars; Fair or uneven 2 stars; Poor 1 star

“With so many Taco Bells and Taco Johns around, we wanted to roll ours out and let people know this isn’t a mom and pop operation,” operating partner Louis Waller said.

Indeed, it’s not.

The fast-food joint was founded in 1967 in Abilene, Texas, and today has more than 145 locations, primarily in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas.

The Lincoln franchisee is Central State Bueno, based in Tulsa, Okla.

The chain prides itself on serving beef or chicken burritos, tacos, “chiladas” and “muchacos” and more fast.

A chilada is an enchilada, while a muchaco is a soft pita stuffed with a variety of ingredients.

The store’s signature burrito, by the way, is the “Big Ol’ Burrito” that goes by the name of “B.O.B.”

Also noteworthy is that the restaurant makes its own tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole.

At Taco Bueno, diners can enjoy items a la carte or purchase platter or combo meals, which range from $2.99 to $5.99.

Platters include rice, beans, sour cream, guacamole and chips. Combos come with a medium drink.

I stopped in at Taco Bueno earlier this week for lunch and ordered the “No. 1” combo, a beef B.O.B with a beef taco, for $4.89.

Taco Bueno works like most fast-food places. The staff take orders at a counter and then call names when they are ready.

The food reminded me of what I’ve had at Taco Bell or Taco John’s. It’s typical fast-food Mexican.

I usually avoid fast food unless I’m in big hurry or I’ve been with friends on the O Street bar strip and crave some late-night goodies.

It comes as no surprise that both Taco Bueno locations stay open late. The downtown store remains open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

I’ll be curious to see if Taco Bueno makes it here. The company started aggressively by opening multiple stores.

But so did Taco Del Mar, which closed both of its stores — downtown and SouthPointe — a little more than a year after opening.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.


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John wrote on October 26, 2007 6:38 am:
" One of Taco Del Mar's failings was high prices. You can't charge a lot for fast-food Mexican and expect to succeed. Did anyone notice the "new lower prices" sign before Taco Del Mar closed? "

 Deputy Dawg wrote on October 26, 2007 3:57 pm:
" I'm going to open a new one -- Taco Heartburno. "

 JW wrote on October 30, 2007 11:35 am:
" I feel that they will do well. You can't get fresh chips, salsa or guacamole at either Taco John's or Taco Bell. Plus the platters are a lot of fod for the money. "

 Get the chicken wrote on October 31, 2007 10:02 am:
" I thought their ground beef was terrible but the chicken items are good. "

 Brian wrote on October 31, 2007 10:05 am:
" Yea, Taco Bueno is typical fast food Mexican. Taco Del Mar had the worst fish taco I've ever had in my life, and the chicken taco was nasty. Viva la Oso Burrito, Oso rules! "

 valerie wrote on October 31, 2007 11:44 pm:
" we loved taco bueno when we lived incolorado and texas!we live in georgia now and can't wait to come home to lincoln to visit and add taco bueno to the list of places we love to eat at, along with valentinos and runza! "

 liked it wrote on November 4, 2007 3:12 pm:
" I thought it was less greasy than Taco Bell, I mean the meat wasn't orange...lol. I also thought it was more food for your money. I hope it sticks around. "

 You've got to be kidding me. wrote on November 5, 2007 8:10 am:
" Did you actually do a restaurant review on a fast food joint? This is more proof why Lincoln dining stinks! "

 No Bueno, Gracias wrote on November 8, 2007 1:53 pm:
" They make it sound like a place being a "mom and pop operation" is a _bad_ thing. I would much rather eat at a place where the food is prepared and served by the people who own the restaurant, rather than a surly, barely-literate high-school kid working for minimum wage. I think it's kind of tacky that they opened across the street from the only local taco place on downtown O street, but maybe that's just me. At Oso Burrito, you get personal service from a pleasant, upbeat group of folks who are always glad to see you, you can watch your food being prepared, and they don't have brainlock if you ask to substitute beans for the meat and there's not a button for that on the cash register. The atmosphere is inviting, and there's not a plastic chair or table in the place. Oso is one of the best taco places in Lincoln, and I hope people will continue to support them. "

 Taint wrote on November 9, 2007 12:36 am:
" I like Oso because of the fish burrito, but I hate to say that Chipotle burritos are higher quality for lower price. But their is not comparison for either to Taco Bueno; they are different niches. Taco Bell is the fake cheese value menu goodness parallel to McDonalds. Taco Bueno is more like a Backyard Burger, meant to have slightly better product at slightly higher prices without trying to compete with specialty joints like Oso and Chipotle. Comparisons to Taco Bueno should be limited to places like Taco Inn and Amigos, not Taco Bell or Chipotle. "

 ellfie wrote on November 9, 2007 12:39 pm:
" Just what Lincoln need another Taco joint. FYI Runza, KFC,Subway, Erbert & Gerbert aren't restuarants, they're fast food stops or sandwich shops and shouldn't even be included in restaurant reviews or considered a restaurant "

 But wrote on November 9, 2007 3:44 pm:
" Chipotle IS the McDonald's owned taco place. I beg to differ when you say Chipotle is higher quality to Oso. I found it to be a loaf of salt. Not enough vegetarian options, and I felt like cattle snaking through that line. Viva la OSO! On a side note, yeah, it is sad that the LJS has nothing left to review but fast food. I remember laughing a few years ago when they reviewed Perkins. It has only gotten worse, and I've stopped laughing. Let's get a Japanese noodle bar and some Ethiopian fare in this town! Please! Oh, and some more good American food to compete with Lazlo's. "

 Taint wrote on November 9, 2007 7:22 pm:
" If gotten many a free burrito from Oso by filling up the card. I may have eaten more Oso burritos than Chipotle, but I prefer the latter every time. You're right about review fast food, though. Any word on when that new Indian restaurant near South Point will open? Is that going to be "fast food"? Is it a chain? Less tortillas, more naan! "

 Sorry but if you think OSO wrote on November 12, 2007 4:05 pm:
" is better than Chipotle than you know nothing. Not that Chipotle is the best burrito around but it is 10 times that of OSO (the only thing good at OSO is the fish burrito, but is mediocre at best). But we need a Baja Fresh!! That place blows them all out of the water! And yes it is pathetic LJS can't review any other restaurant's, but that is because this town doesn't support any new kind of restaurant. Nobody in this city goes outside of their boundaries, people here think Lazlos is the only restaurant every made. Want some good dining go to the Blue Orchid. "

 Shinbone wrote on November 13, 2007 1:40 am:
" I ate at a Taco Bueno in Kansas City awhile back and was less than impressed by the food, although it was really cheap (even cheaper than Taco Bell). So, yeah, I imagine it would make for good post-bar grub. My brother and I had fun repeating the restaurant's name over and over again. It's so ridiculous. "

 mmmm...Burritos! wrote on November 15, 2007 4:59 pm:
" I thought i would join in the great burrito debate. Oso's specialty burritos are second to none. If your going with just a straight up chicken or beef burrito, gotta give it to Chipotle. I think that their meat and rice is seasoned better. Oso has way more variety on their menu and their sauces are awesome. Oso's nachos are really good too! Eat Local. Eat Local. Eat Local. "

 Warder wrote on November 16, 2007 8:20 am:
" Chipotle isn't owned by McDonald's anymore. They started out independent of McD's, and then McD's bought a large chunk of Chipotle. Within the last year or two Chipotle bought themselves back. That being said, Chipotle is my favorite. "

 Ben wrote on November 16, 2007 10:08 am:
" I just wish that La Bamba would come back into town...you know "Burritos as big as your head" place. There has been nothing that could ocmpare to them since they left. "

 Dietary Darwinist wrote on November 16, 2007 5:54 pm:
" Eat Tasty. Eat Tasty. Eat Tasty. "

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