Taco Rico — Restaurant in Kansas City

I have only visited Taco Rico twice during the year 2022. The first time my father and I went to the restaurant, we ordered street tacos featuring three different types of meat: beef tongue, al pastor pork, and carne asada steak. Each of those street tacos was delicious, with its distinct flavor from the various meats. When I returned to Taco Rico for the second time in April 2022, I dined in the restaurant, which had a cool interior. I like to think of Taco Rico as a Mexican equivalent of Steak n’ Shake, enhanced by the presence of a panadería (bread bakery), a frutería (fruit stand), and Mexican street food that incorporates snack foods typically found at a convenience store. The only notable difference is that Taco Rico does not offer American-style fast food steakburgers.

Taco Rico features an impressively extensive selection of food options that include tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, tortas, nachos, chimichangas, Mexican-style breakfasts, sweet and spicy snacks with various types of chips, fruit salads, Mexican street corn, Mexican bread, frozen treats, and natural fruit juices. Additionally, there is a wide array of ice cream flavors to choose from, along with assorted ice pop flavors. The spicy snacks resemble gourmet nachos, allowing customers to choose their chips topped with Mexican ingredients. Conversely, sweet snacks are similar to fruit salads but include a mix of vegetables, nuts, sweet cream, granola, yogurt, and even dried fruits. Taco Rico is incredibly generous with their menu because they are known for offering a broad range of food options.

On my second visit to Taco Rico in April 2022, I ordered a Burrito Rico, selecting steak accompanied by various vegetables, rice, beans, sour cream, and mozzarella cheese, all wrapped in a flour tortilla. I also had red salsa on the side that I poured over my Burrito Rico, and I enjoyed a lime-flavored Jarritos soda with my meal. For customers seeking a fast-service Mexican restaurant, I would certainly suggest that Taco Rico is the right place to go. Since Taco Rico’s location used to be a former Burger King, they offer a drive-through option for customers to collect their food for takeout or curbside pickup if they prefer not to dine inside. The concept of Taco Rico would provide a very cool and unique experience for diners.

If Taco Rico ever considers using their drive-through in the same manner as traditional fast food joints, I would advise them to install a menu screen on the side of the building so that customers can communicate their orders into a speaking box before receiving their food at the drive-through window. I also believe it would be beneficial for Taco Rico to include a gumball machine, a vending machine, and some arcade games to entertain customers while they wait for their meals. As I mentioned, I see Taco Rico as a Mexican version of Steak n’ Shake, with added features of an ice cream shop, specialty fruit salads, and even Mexican bread. I would strongly encourage customers to check out Taco Rico for its vast array of...

I experienced discriminatory and sexist treatment at this establishment, and I believe the public should be aware.

I have been a regular customer of this restaurant for over a year since moving to Kansas City. Until now, I’ve had no issues picking up food while dressed casually—on several occasions, I’ve worn sweatpants, hoodies, crop tops, and shorts without any concern or complaint.

However, on this occasion, I was denied service by the male owner because of my outfit: a crop top and shorts with a jean jacket, which I wore after attending a dance class. There is no posted or publicly known dress code at this restaurant, and nothing about my attire violated any stated policy. When I questioned the sudden refusal, the owner explained that he couldn’t serve me because a woman with her children behind me was “making faces” at my outfit. Rather than addressing her discomfort directly, he chose to single me out and deny me service—a decision that felt rooted in sexism and public shaming.

What makes this situation especially troubling is the inconsistency. I have worn similar attire many times before, always without issue. This inconsistent enforcement of an unwritten standard—applied selectively and seemingly influenced by the opinions of another customer—feels discriminatory and demeaning.

No one should be denied service based on arbitrary judgments about their appearance, especially when no clear policy is in place. Women, in particular, deserve to be treated with dignity and not be subjected to double standards or public embarrassment.

I will no longer support this business, and I encourage others to consider how their values align with the treatment of customers in this establishment. Respect, fairness, and consistency should be the standard—especially in our...

Taco Rico is an authentic Mexican restaurant located in a former Burger King location. They have remodeled it very nicely and it is light, airy and bright on the inside with plenty of seating. There is also plenty of parking and it's usually quick to grab something to go. They have a wide variety of options including nachos, chimichangas, street tacos, rice and different kinds of beans. I've had the chicken chimichanga and the chicken flautas, both of which I would recommend. The chimichanga has onions and peppers in it so if you look don't like that kind of thing get the flautas. The nachos look pretty good as well. Portion sizes are very adequate.They really do a solid job of trying to get your order correct. You also get a big bag of chips if you get chips and cheese or guac or salsa. One of my favorite things about this place is that they have a variety of aguas frescas. Jimaca and horchata are hard to find and theirs are authentic and tasty. Prices are reasonable as well. If you like authentic Mexicans food I would recommend giving this place a try. It's the closest you will find to authentic Mexican food outside of downtown Kansas...