Tacotarian — Restaurant in Spring Valley

Yesterday I stopped by Tacotarian in Las Vegas because they supposedly have gluten-free options aside from being 100% vegan.

I noticed they had regular battered items on their menu as well as fried options labeled "GF."

I asked the cashier if they use the same fryer for both regular battered foods and their fried gluten-free foods and walked out when they told me yes.

Would a vegan be cool with chicken fingers being fried in the same fryer as their seitan and labelling it "100% vegan?" Would a vegan be cool with their tofu noodles being boiled in the same water as egg pasta or even lobsters and the restaurant labelling it "vegan?"

I have Celiac disease. "Gluten-free" is a term that the FDA designated for celiacs to be able to be able to safely identify foods that they can eat. Using GF / gluten-friendly is a way for shady businesses to try to reap the benefits of marketing that they have safe options while trying to have plausible deniability when they injure someone with their false gf labels.

Falsely labeling food as "GF" when it's not actually gluten-free is wasting everyone's time and risking our safety. Is this place really vegan or if someone has alpha-gal syndrome, would they have a reaction to traces of red meat cooked in the same oil / flat top / water? It's the same with claiming something is gluten-free then saying it's not actually safe for celiacs like me.

I'm so sick of restaurants adding "GF" to pretend to be inclusive when they're only marketing to people who don't have to be actually gluten-free for medical reasons. It's like advertising your business is good for shellfish-free food but it's actually just for people who are sorta following kosher laws, not actual people with shellfish allergies.

Nobody is forcing you to have gluten-free options on your menu. Either have safe food or stop falsely advertising that you have GF...

This place has fantastic vegan Mexican food. They have a broad range of Mexican inspired flavors, from the sweet and savory Al Pastor, to mole, to the salty gabacho which looks and tastes like a Taco Bell taco. Each of their tacos has its own unique flavor and texture, and even the different tortillas they are each served on are delicious.

My favorite taco was the bean and vegan cheese taco. It was served on two soft, warm, chewy yellow corn tortillas, which went perfectly with the smooth and delicious refried pinto beans. The texture and flavor was heavenly.

The gabacho, Al Pastor, Baja, plantain con mole, and super taco were all delicious as well. The tacos are all reasonably priced and it's great that you can order single tacos to sample a wide array of flavors.

Tacotarian has done an incredible job capturing traditional Mexican flavors that are difficult for plant-based diners to find elsewhere. For example, mole sauce almost always has meat stock in it, so this place is a great chance for vegans to try traditional mole enchiladas. The food is so good that I ordered 3 extra tacos to take home and ate them right away.

They serve bottled beer and have some beer on tap. They also have a dessert menu which looks pretty good. I would recommend avoiding the Frito pie. I ordered it and found myself disappointed staring at a bowl full of Frito chips when there was so much good homemade food to be had at this restaurant instead. It was dry and I didn't notice much if any nacho cheese sauce on the Frito pie.

The staff here is friendly and accommodating. It is counter service, but the cashier and cooks try to serve you as much as possible.

Vegans and meat eaters alike should definitely try this place for a plant-based Mexican meal. Bring a huge appetite, order a ton of different taco...

1/8/2022 Today’s order didn’t go well. The Just Omellette was nothing like usual and syrup for the French Toast was missing. Also the Birria Crunchwrap is not great. Order from takeout has started to slip in the last few months so Tacotarian is now on our watch list. All good things must come to an end and we’ve seen this numerous times as restaurants add more locations. Also there is a pandemic.

No longer doing curbside pickup. 🙁 12/29/2021

After almost two years of Tacotarian I have to raise my rating. Before I stated that the prices were a little high but, you get what you pay for. Here are things other restaurants could learn from Tacotarian:

Consistency. Dishes we order have remained consistently tasty. And unlike so many things these days, they don't change and tweak things a little to "keep it fresh". That is one of the pervasive problems of the day. Mama doesn't tweak your favorite home dishes does she? Take out quality. Tacotarian makes it home well and isn't soggy or that much less fresh than eating in. Portions. When I open up my boxes I always thing, "How generous! I have plenty to eat!" This is why I no longer will gripe about the prices. I'm getting what I paid for I feel. Energy. The people who drop the food off at my car are always cheerful. And when I am inside the place I get a good energy. I hope all the employees are treated well. I always tip at least 15% for takeout. They probably...