Cool Down with Aguas Frescas & Shakes in Arizona

Arizona summer is not for the weak.

One minute you’re fine. The next, your steering wheel is lava, your car seat is plotting against you, and the thought of turning on the stove feels personally offensive.
That’s where Backyard Taco comes in.

When it’s too hot to cook, too hot to meal prep, and honestly too hot to be responsible, we’ve got you covered with fresh mesquite-grilled Mexican food, ice-cold drinks, creamy shakes, soft serve cones, paletas, flan, and plenty of ways to cool down the Backyard Taco way.

This is not frozen, microwaved, sitting-under-a-heat-lamp kind of food. Everything is made when you order it, nothing is frozen in our cocina, and our mesquite grill gives every bite that authentic Tacos al Carbón flavor we’re known for.

Add a cold agua fresca, a hand-spun shake, or a vanilla soft serve cone, and suddenly Arizona summer feels a little more manageable.

Arizona Heat Calls for Something Cold

There are hot days, and then there are Arizona hot days.

The kind where you park in the shade even if it means walking across half the parking lot. The kind where errands require strategy. The kind where dinner needs to happen, but the kitchen is not invited.

That’s when a cold drink stops being a side item and becomes part of the plan.

At Backyard Taco, our drink menu is made for the heat. Whether you’re stopping in for lunch, grabbing dinner for the family, or cruising through the drive-thru where available, you can cool down with something refreshing alongside your meal.

Our homemade aguas frescas include:

Horchata is the creamy, cinnamon classic that pairs beautifully with tacos, burritos, and honestly, just being alive in Arizona. At Backyard Taco, our horchata mix is imported from Mexico, which gives it that authentic flavor people crave. Limonada is bright, citrusy, and made daily with freshly squeezed lemons. Jamaica is made from hibiscus flowers, giving it that refreshing, slightly tart flavor that keeps things interesting.

We also have fountain drinks, Mexican sodas, and bottled water for those who like to keep it classic.

The point is simple: if you’re going to eat fresh, mesquite-grilled food in the middle of summer, your drink should be just as ready for the assignment.

Shakes, Soft Serve, Paletas & Other Postres

Now let’s talk about the sweet stuff.

Because sometimes you need more than a cold drink. Sometimes you need a full summer treat situation.

Backyard Taco has hand-spun shakes, ice cream floats, vanilla soft serve cones, paletas, and flan. In other words, we are very serious about helping you beat the heat.

Our hand-spun shake flavors include:

Chocolate is the classic. Strawberry is sweet and refreshing. Oreo is the one you order when you know exactly what kind of day you’re having. The Horchata shake takes a Backyard Taco favorite and turns it into a creamy, cold treat that tastes like summer relief in a cup. And Dulce de Leche? That one brings rich, caramel-style sweetness to the hand-spun shake lineup.

We also have ice cream floats and vanilla soft serve cones. The cones are simple, nostalgic, kid-approved, and just $1.50. Adults love them too, but we’ll let you pretend you ordered it “for the kids.”

Hand-spun shakes, ice cream floats, and soft serve cones are available at all Backyard Taco locations except our original University location. That store is smaller and does not have an ice cream machine, but don’t worry, University still has plenty to love, including cold drinks, paletas, flan, fresh food, and all the original Backyard Taco flavor.

And yes, paletas deserve their own moment.

Paletas are Mexican frozen treats that are perfect when you want something cold, sweet, and easy to enjoy. They’re great for kids, great after tacos, and great when you just need to stand in front of a cooler and make one good decision that day.

Then there’s flan. Creamy, sweet, classic, and always a good idea after a plate of tacos. Some desserts try too hard. Flan just shows up and does the job.

Fresh Off the Mesquite Grill Hits Different

There’s just something different about getting your food right from the grill, grabbing an ice-cold agua fresca, stopping by the salsa bar, and sitting down while everything is still hot, fresh, and exactly how it was meant to be eaten.

That’s the experience.

The mesquite grill brings the flavor. The salsa bar lets you make it yours. The cold drinks and postres cool everything down. The patio misters help keep things comfortable. And suddenly, summer dinner feels less like a chore and more like a little win.

That’s Mexcellence.

Don’t Skip the Salsa Bar

We could talk about the salsa bar all day, but we’ll keep it short.

It matters.

The salsa bar is part of what makes Backyard Taco feel like Backyard Taco. It’s where you take your order and build the bite you actually want. A little salsa here. Some lime there. Grilled onions. Peppers. Fresh toppings. The little extras that turn a taco into your taco.

Fresh mesquite-grilled meat already brings the flavor, but the salsa bar adds the magic.

That’s why eating in or picking up fresh can make such a difference. You get the food while it’s hot, the drinks while they’re cold, and the salsa bar while you’re still deciding how spicy you feel today.

Some days you keep it mellow. Some days you choose danger.

We support both.

Build a Full Meal, Not Just a Snack

One of the best things about the Backyard Taco menu is that you can keep it simple or build a full meal, depending on how hungry you are.

Craving tacos? Want something cheesy? Need to feed the kids? We’ve got options:

Add an agua fresca, a Mexican soda, a shake, or something sweet from the postres menu, and dinner is officially handled without turning your kitchen into a sauna.

Options for Kids, Vegetarians & Hungry Grown-Ups

Backyard Taco is not just for one kind of craving.

Bringing the kids? Our kids menu includes choices like mini cheese quesadillas, tacos, and kids’ bean and cheese burritos, with rice or beans and a fountain drink. Add an ice cream cone at locations with soft serve, and suddenly you’re the hero of dinner.

Looking for vegetarian options? We’ve got those too. The vegetarian Papa Loca and vegetarian Bueno Bowl are both solid choices when you want something filling without meat.

Need something quick and protein-packed? Protein cups are a great add-on, with options like pollo, pastor, carne asada, or birria. Simple, flavorful, and easy to add to your order.

There are also extras like chips and salsa, chips and beans, refried beans, rice, sour cream, cheese, and birria consommé. Basically, if your order needs a little more, we’ve got a way to make that happen.

And yes, there are secret menu favorites out there too. If you know, you know. If you don’t, maybe it’s time to ask.

A Little OG Love for University

We have to give a special shoutout to our Mesa East location on University Drive.

Come In, Cool Off, and Taste the Mexcellence

Arizona summer may be intense, but your meal does not have to be complicated.

When it’s too hot to cook, come to Backyard Taco and cool down with fresh food, cold drinks, and sweet treats that actually make summer feel a little better.

Grab an agua fresca. Try a Horchata shake. Order a soft serve cone for the kids, or for yourself. Pick up paletas. Add flan. Build a full plate with tacos, rice, beans, and your favorite meat. Try a burrito, bowl, quesadilla, vampiro, gordita, Papa Loca, or Familia Pak.

Then make it yours at the salsa bar.

That’s the Backyard Taco way: fresh, made-to-order food, mesquite-grilled flavor, cold drinks, sweet treats, and a full experience that tastes better when you enjoy it hot, fresh, and right from our cocina.

So come in, cool off, hit the drive-thru where available, or order ahead for pickup.

We’ll have the tacos ready. You bring the appetite.