In This Post, You’ll Learn:
- How Backyard Taco’s story started
- Why Mexican food traditions matter to our menu
- What makes tacos al carbon special
- How fresh ingredients, salsas, and aguas frescas shape the experience
- What “Mexcellence” means to us
- How food brings families and communities together
Hispanic Heritage Month is a meaningful time to celebrate culture, history, family, and tradition. But at Backyard Taco, honoring Mexican food traditions is not something we save for one month out of the year.
It is part of who we are every day.
You can taste it in our tacos al carbon, cooked over a mesquite grill. You can see it in the fresh salsas, lime, cilantro, tortillas, and aguas frescas. You can feel it in the way families gather around the table, share food, and make memories one taco at a time.
Backyard Taco was built on tradition, but it was also built on love, hard work, family, and the simple idea that fresh Mexican food should taste like it came straight from the backyard grill.
If you are looking for authentic Mexican food in Arizona, this is the story behind the flavor.
A Backyard Beginning
Backyard Taco started with the kind of food people remember.
Before the restaurants, before the drive-thrus, before the catering and online ordering, there was a backyard grill. Ruben and Marisela began by cooking carne asada for family and friends, serving the kind of food that brings people together naturally.
People came for the flavor, but they stayed for the feeling.
The smell of meat cooking over the grill. The sound of people talking, laughing, and reaching for another tortilla. The freshness of salsa, lime, and toppings. The feeling that you were not just eating a meal. You were part of something.
That backyard feeling still matters to us today.
As Backyard Taco has grown, so has the team, the community, and the vision behind the brand. But the heart of it has stayed the same: fresh Mexican food, made with care, served with warmth, and rooted in tradition.
To learn more about the food and flavor behind our menu, read our guide to Backyard Taco’s menu history.
Mexican Food Traditions That Inspire Our Menu
Mexican food is not just one thing.
It is regional, personal, colorful, creative, and deeply connected to family and community. Recipes are passed down, adapted, shared, and remembered. Some foods are tied to celebrations. Some are tied to everyday meals. Some are tied to the person who always made them best.
At Backyard Taco, our menu is inspired by that same spirit.
We keep the food simple, fresh, and full of flavor. Our tacos, burritos, bowls, vampiros, quesadillas, Familia Paks, salsas, and drinks are all built around the idea that good food does not need shortcuts.
It needs fresh ingredients.
It needs fire.
It needs flavor.
It needs people who care.
That’s why Mexican food traditions are still at the center of what we do. They influence how we grill, how we serve, how we build each plate, and how we welcome guests into our restaurants.
Want to go deeper into this topic? Read more about traditional Mexican food in Mesa, AZ.
Tacos al Carbon and the Power of the Mesquite Grill
One of the biggest traditions behind Backyard Taco is the grill.
Our tacos al carbon are made with meats cooked over fire, giving them the smoky, rich flavor that makes every bite memorable. “Al carbon” means cooked over charcoal or fire, and that cooking method is a big part of what gives our food its signature taste.
At Backyard Taco, the mesquite grill is not just equipment. It is part of the flavor.
Mesquite brings a bold, smoky taste that pairs perfectly with warm tortillas, fresh onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa. Carne asada gets that savory grilled edge. Pollo stays juicy and flavorful. Al pastor brings smoky, slightly sweet flavor. Every protein has its own personality, but the grill ties it all together.
That is why tacos al carbon are so central to who we are.
They connect the backyard where the story started to every restaurant we serve today.
Want to know more about this cooking style? Read our guide to what tacos al carbon means.
Fresh Ingredients Make the Difference
Mexican food traditions are not only about recipes. They are also about ingredients.
Freshness matters.
At Backyard Taco, nothing is frozen in our cocina. Our food is made when you order it, and that freshness is one of the reasons our guests keep coming back.
You can taste it in the grilled meats.
You can see it in the toppings.
You can smell it when the food comes off the grill.
You can feel it when the meal actually satisfies you.
Fresh ingredients do not need to be complicated. A good taco can be simple: tortilla, meat, onion, cilantro, salsa, lime. But when each part is fresh and prepared with care, simple becomes special.
That is the Backyard Taco way.
For more on the flavors and ingredients behind traditional Mexican cooking, check out our post on authentic Mexican ingredients.
Street Tacos, Simple Toppings, and Real Flavor
Some of the best Mexican food traditions are simple.
A warm tortilla. Mesquite-grilled meat. Onion. Cilantro. Salsa. Lime.
That is the beauty of a real street taco. It does not need to be buried under a mountain of toppings. Every ingredient has a purpose, and every bite should let the meat, tortilla, salsa, and freshness come through.
At Backyard Taco, we love that balance. You can keep your taco classic or customize it your way, but the foundation always matters: fresh food, real flavor, and toppings that make the bite better.
Want to learn more about what makes a street taco different? Read our guide to what a real street taco is.
Salsa Your Way
Salsa is one of the best parts of Mexican food because it lets every person make the meal their own.
Some people like it mild. Some like it spicy. Some want salsa on every bite. Some need extra lime. Some go straight for the grilled onions and jalapeños.
We respect all of these choices.
The Backyard Taco salsa bar is a big part of the experience because it gives guests a way to customize each plate. You can keep it classic with onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa, or add cucumbers, radishes, grilled onions, jalapeños, and your favorite toppings.
That choice matters because Mexican food is personal.
Everyone has their way. Everyone has their favorite salsa. Everyone has that one topping they refuse to skip.
Your taco, your salsa, your way.
Aguas Frescas and the Drinks That Complete the Meal
A great meal deserves a great drink.
Aguas frescas are a beloved part of Mexican food culture because they are refreshing, flavorful, and made to pair with real food. At Backyard Taco, our homemade aguas frescas include classics like horchata, Jamaica, and limonada.
Horchata is creamy, cinnamon-forward, and perfect with spicy salsa or smoky grilled meats. Jamaica is bright, tart, and refreshing. Limonada is cold, citrusy, and simple.
Each one brings something different to the table.
And yes, if you want something sweet and creamy, a hand-spun shake is always an option too. The horchata shake is especially good if you want a dessert-style twist on a classic flavor.
Want to learn more about these traditional Mexican drinks? Read our guide to why we love aguas frescas.
What Mexcellence Means to Us
Mexcellence is more than a word we put on a sign.
It is our way of describing the full Backyard Taco experience.
It means fresh food made when you order.
It means mesquite-grilled flavor.
It means warm tortillas, bold salsa, and toppings that make every bite better.
It means treating guests like amigos.
It means honoring Mexican food traditions while still making the experience fun, welcoming, and easy to enjoy.
Mexcellence is not about being fancy. It is about doing the simple things right.
Fresh ingredients. Real flavor. Food made with care. A place where people can come together.
That is what we want every guest to experience, whether they dine in, order online, use the drive-thru, pick up dinner for the family, or order catering for a celebration.
Read more about what Mexcellence means at Backyard Taco.
Food, Family, and Community
Food has always been one of the easiest ways to bring people together.
It happens around kitchen tables, backyard grills, restaurant booths, school events, office lunches, birthday parties, team dinners, and community fundraisers. You do not need a perfect occasion. Sometimes the occasion is just being hungry at the same time as people you love.
That is why Mexican food traditions matter so much to us.
They are not only about what is on the plate. They are about the people around it.
Backyard Taco has grown into multiple Arizona communities, but every location is still connected to that original backyard feeling. We want our restaurants to be places where families gather, friends meet, coworkers grab lunch, and regulars feel like part of the familia.
Whether you are ordering tacos al carbon for lunch, grabbing Familia Paks for dinner, or planning Backyard Taco catering for a larger gathering, the goal is the same: fresh food that brings people together.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Backyard Taco
Hispanic Heritage Month is a meaningful time to recognize the culture, history, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.
For us, one way to celebrate is through food.
Not because food is the only part of culture, but because food carries stories. It carries memory. It carries family. It carries pride. It connects people across generations, places, and languages.
When we serve tacos al carbon, aguas frescas, fresh salsas, and mesquite-grilled meats, we are not just serving a meal. We are sharing part of a tradition that has shaped our story from the beginning.
And we are grateful every day that Arizona has welcomed Backyard Taco as part of its own food story.
FAQs About Mexican Food Traditions
Celebrate Mexican Food Traditions With Backyard Taco
Mexican food traditions are about more than ingredients.
They are about family, flavor, community, and the care that goes into every meal. At Backyard Taco, we are proud to share those traditions through fresh tacos al carbon, mesquite-grilled meats, homemade aguas frescas, bold salsas, and food made when you order.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with us, or stop by any time you are craving the real flavor of Mexcellence.
Find your nearest Backyard Taco location, explore the menu, or order online today.
Fresh food. Family roots. Mesquite-grilled Mexcellence.
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.
