Are you an adventurous eater who is always looking for new foods to try? Do you feel limited in what and where you can eat because of your diet or food restrictions? You can use our menu hacks to your advantage!
At Backyard Taco, we champion authentic Mexican cuisine by offering food made with high-quality, fresh ingredients alongside our traditional meal preparation techniques. We also encourage customization by providing our amigos with numerous ordering options to cater to their personal preferences or dietary limitations.
Menu hacks can be just as fun as they are useful. That’s partially because not every hack can be included on the menu, especially since new hacks are constantly being devised!
What Exactly Is a Menu Hack?
A menu hack, sometimes called a food hack, is a way of ordering your food in a non-standard way that is different from what’s explicitly listed on the menu. These hacks often spread through word of mouth or become popular after being shared on social media. From there, they become specific ordering suggestions that result in a nuanced or enhanced menu item. Menu hacks typically originate from one customer’s creative musings but may also be created and promoted by chefs and restaurateurs themselves.
Versatile Menu Hacks at Backyard Taco
To get you started, we’ve created our own list of Backyard Taco menu hacks. Keep in mind that this is in no way a comprehensive list because our Backyard Taco team is constantly thinking up new creative menu hacks to try! Still, we hope some of these ideas inspire you to lean into your adventurous, curious side.
If you’re a Backyard Taco regular looking for something new to try or are curious about our “secret menu,” you’ll definitely find some good ideas here.
Turn One Taco Into Two Tacos
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When you’re ordering your taco of choice, ask for a corn tortilla instead of flour. Why? Because it comes with two! With dos tortillas, you can split the filling, whether you ordered double protein or not. Then, pile on the various toppings from our salsa bar, including guacamole and pico de gallo.
Vegetarian and Other Diet Options
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We have lots of vegetarian options at Backyard Taco! Whether you never eat meat, you’re trying to minimize how often you eat carne, or simply aren’t in the mood, you can get any menu item sans meat. You can even personalize a menu item that typically comes with meat to make it vegetarian yet still filling. Feel free to double your portion of pinto/refried beans or rice and add cheese to your favorite dish. We offer numerous toppings and sauces at our salsa bar that are bound to satisfy your craving for that traditional, tasty Mexican flavor.
For those looking for low-carb or keto-friendly options, be sure to request a bed of cabbage in place of a tortilla or rice. Vegans can do the same, adding or doubling up on the portion of pinto beans along with our delicious, fresh vegetables.
For fewer carbs, opt for refried beans instead of whole pinto beans. As always, you can load up on pickled onions, diced cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole, jalapeno sauce, and more at the salsa bar.
Customize Your Go-To Meal
As mentioned, you can double up or substitute ingredients as you see fit for any menu item at Backyard Taco. The combinations are endless! For example, any burrito can be personalized for maximum flavor by adding two proteins, including cheese, substituting for pinto beans, and asking for a side of consomé when you order it with shredded birria meat.
Dip It Real Good!
Consomé, the well-seasoned broth left over from birria stew, is a great and versatile dip for any of our menu items. Try dipping some of your favorites into a side of consomé, like our carne asada (steak) burrito, pollo asada (chicken) tacos, or quesadillas, whether you add birria or not! The soupy dip is a delightful contrast to other chewy or crispy textures, so be sure to ask us to crisp up your dish first!
Mix Your Drinks
It’s no secret we love our homemade aguas frescas at Backyard Taco, but have you ever tried mixing them? Translated directly into English, agua fresca can mean “cool water” or “freshwater.” This authentic Mexican beverage is not only delicious but also healthy, making it a refreshing alternative to sodas, alcohol, and other sugary drinks.
Aguas Frescas are a broad category of drinks with numerous variations and recipes. All incorporate ice-cold water, sweeteners, and fresh ingredients such as fruits and sometimes grains, including rice, pumpkin seeds, and nuts. We recommend mixing two of our agua fresca flavors, Jamaica and limonada, for a unique flavor, you’ll want to keep going back to once you’ve tried it.
You’ve likely heard of limonada, as it’s very similar to the popular American drinks of lemonade and limeade. We make this simple agua fresca by combining cold water with fresh limes, lime juice, and just enough sugar, resulting in a straightforward and crisp beverage.
Perhaps surprisingly, agua fresca de Jamaica was first made in Mexico and not in Jamaica, although the hibiscus flowers used in the drink to bring a refreshing, floral taste were originally brought to Mexico from the island. After the flowers are dried and then boiled with sugar, the resulting tea-like drink is served cold.
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It’s All About the Bowl: Bueno Bowl Hacks
Bueno Bowls can help you meet your unique eating restrictions and try out new ideas at the same time. Whatever you’re looking to get out of your Bueno Bowl, we want our Backyard Taco familia and new amigos alike to know the different ways you can improve your meals with our BYT hacks.
We believe in offering the best Mexican cuisine by honoring authentic dishes and ingredients. But that doesn’t mean we don’t encourage our guests to think outside the box or tailor their food as they see fit. We say: feel free to go loco!
Here are some bowl hack ideas we hope may inspire you to try something new or lead you to stumble upon a new go-to meal.
Double Your Portion of Protein
Burrito bowls typically include a portion of one meat of your choice, such as pork (al pastor), chicken (pollo asada), steak (carne asada), and shredded beef (birria). However, there’s nothing stopping you from doubling your protein! This can make for a more filling meal, satisfy your goal of eating more protein, or make up for removing other included ingredients like rice or beans.
Another pro tip is to include a second protein for your double portion, adding more flavor and texture to your bowl. We like mixing al pastor and chicken, but you can achieve layers of flavor with any of the meats on our menu.
Lower Carb and Vegan Options
If you want to minimize the carbs in your burrito bowl even further, opt for a bed of cabbage in place of Mexican rice. Not many people may know that cabbage, a somewhat unique ingredient in most people’s idea of Mexican food, actually has a long tradition within the cuisine. The mild, fresh flavor and crisp texture can be a pleasant contrast to spicier, juicier textures and flavors.
You can easily make our Bueno Bowl work for our vegan amigos! You can ask for a bed of cabbage to start the bowl, double your portion of pinto beans, and grab some extra pickled onions and pico de gallo from our salsa bar. If you’re vegetarian, you can add cheese to this menu hack if you like or simply order our vegetarian Bueno Bowl as it comes: with diced red onion and cabbage, pinto beans, Mexican rice, guacamole, red tomato sauce, and pico de gallo.
Keep Things Keto!
Bueno Bowl hacks can also accommodate individuals on a ketogenic diet. A ketogenic diet, or keto for short as it’s sometimes called, is a type of low-carb diet that focuses on getting most of your calories from fats and proteins instead of carbohydrates. Some people may be on a keto diet as directed by their physician due to a medical concern or condition.
Those on keto tend to avoid high amounts of bread and grains, beans, root, and starchy (e.g. potatoes and corn) vegetables, among other foods. For a keto bowl, replace rice with a bed of cabbage, and opt for refried beans instead of pinto beans for less carbs and higher fat content. Then, add cheese and a protein of your choice—even choosing to double your meat portion if you like.
Chock Full of Flavor or Extra Cheesy
Who doesn’t love a chance to have mas flavor in their meal? For the ultimate “flavor bowl,” we recommend substituting refried beans instead of pinto beans and choosing shredded, tender birria meat for your protein. Don’t forget to order your burrito bowl with a side of consome, the delectable broth of our birria stew, chock-full of spices and flavor. Finally, you can add cheese (and extra cheese) to any bowl. This is a simple menu hack that we can’t stress enough.
Backyard Taco’s “Secret Menu”
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Menu hacks are sometimes enticingly touted as part of a food establishment’s “secret menu.” However, a restaurant does not usually have a separate menu that’s hidden from the majority of its customers.
Instead, a “secret menu item” is simply a food customization you can request that effectively results in a new creation that otherwise would have gone unknown or secret to you without someone bringing the hack to your attention. Here are some of our favorite “secret menu” items at Backyard Taco.
Caramelos
A caramelo is a quesadilla variation originating from Tucson, AZ, that utilizes the taste and texture of whole pinto beans. You can request that pinto beans be added to any quesadilla off our menu. Our quesadillas are made with a flour tortilla, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and your choice of meat, including shredded beef (birria), chicken (pollo asada), or steak (carne asada). You can also add pinto beans to our plain cheese quesadilla, and bean lovers can opt to add them to our refried beans and cheese quesadilla.
Nachos Galore!
Nachos are a staple Tex-Mex snack dish that comes in countless variations, all entailing crisp tortilla chips topped with cheese, sauces, and other fixings. To satisfy your nachos craving at Backyard Taco, start by ordering a side of chips and beans, which comes topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Then, pour the beans and cheese on top of your chips and go to our salsa bar to finish off your nachos with whatever else you like! We offer numerous toppings and salsas, including guacamole, red sauce, pico de gallo, onions, and more.
Flan Sundae
Enjoy this decadent dessert a la mode by ordering our decadent flan and asking to have it topped off with ice cream. Flan is a traditional Mexican treat that’s creamy and sweet, composed of baked custard with a layer of caramel on top. While perfectly delicious on its own, we can’t keep the secret that it pairs wonderfully with ice cream to ourselves.
Horchata Shake
Horchata is a type of agua fresca that’s traditional to many different cultures and countries, meaning there are numerous variations in how it’s made. In Mexico, the simple recipe for horchata typically calls for steeping rice in water along with cinnamon. This cold and sweet drink is a popular treat enjoyed as is, but at Backyard Taco, we recommend trying the horchata shake at least once.
To order a horchata shake, ask for a vanilla shake made with horchata and ice cream instead of the usual shake mix. We’ll then blend the horchata beverage with vanilla ice cream into a smooth consistency and finish by topping it off with whipped cream.
Try A Backyard Taco Menu Hack Today!
Our Backyard Taco team can’t wait to make more amigos, no matter which location you’re close to. We currently have restaurants throughout Mesa, Queen Creek, Gilbert, and Chandler, and our newest Laveen location will open soon in 2025.
Feel free to check out our menu and decide whether you want to place a delivery order or come see the atmosphere (and salsa bar) for yourself!
Dr. Tyler loves tacos! He is one of the owners of Backyard Taco, and can sometimes be found moonlighting there at night or on the weekends.
Dr. Tyler Robison is an alum of Mesa’s Mountain View High School. He graduted from Brigham Young University before being accepted to the “Top Ten-nationally ranked” University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he earned his Doctorate in Dental Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Oral Biology. He graduated with honors in the top ten percent of his class. Dr. Robison continued at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, where he received a second master’s degree in dental science and his orthodontic certification.
Dr. Tyler enjoys serving in his community. He is a provider for the Smile Back Foundation, which offers scholarships for free dental treatment to underprivileged East Valley students. He is also a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve and served during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008.
Dr. Tyler Robison’s favorite pastimes include spending time with his family on the lake, at the beach, or on the slopes. He is an avid and crazy snowboarder! He has three incredible sons and one sweet daughter: Caden, Jace, Crew, and Bliss.
