Lunch review
Several years ago the company I worked for was located in a little building at the top of Ft. Union Blvd. For a budding foodie this location was pretty dire because it was almost impossible to find anything interesting to eat out there until (hallelujah) the Lone Star Taqueria opened.
At the time I was also regularly trekking back and forth from Salt Lake to El Paso, Texas to visit my dad and my first taste of a Lone Star Taqueria taco made me think I’d been accidentally transported to the lone star state. Fresh ingredients, no cheese (on the tacos anyway), and the best chips instantly made Lon eStar my standard lunch place, and since then I’ve been a regular customer.
I know Lone Star is fairly well known to locals, but I recently heard some friends (who are pretty new to Salt Lake) lamenting the fact that they hadn’t found any good taco places yet. After growing up in California and then living in various other places, Cynthia and Sean know their Mexican food, so I quickly arranged a trip to Lone Star.
We met on a recent Saturday, about 11:30 am (because if you wait much later it gets packed). Sean ordered three tacos: Carnitas (pork), Carne Asada (beef), and one of their famous fish tacos. It was swordfish that day I believe, but it changes regularly. The regular tacos are $2.69 each, and the fish or shrimp tacos are $3.29 each. Cynthia ordered one of their gigantic chicken burritos ($6.40), and they also took my advice and ordered a side of chips ($2.09). We also got multiple samples of all four of LoneStar’s fresh salsas (my favorite is the tomatillo).
I ordered my standard; two shrimp tacos. I am completely addicted to the sauce that comes on the side. My guess is that it’s a concoction of cilantro and sour cream. I really don’t know what’s in it, but I love it on the tacos and the chips! My husband Jason ordered something new this time, the Machaca Burrito. This egg burrito (like all their burritos) was filled with rice, pinto beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and pico de gallo. Our food was soon delivered and all conversation stopped as we dove into our food. My tacos were, as usual, a great blend of perfectly cooked shrimp, crisp cabbage, and that creamy cilantro sauce.
Sean reported that his tacos were the best he’d had in a long time, and Cynthia said her burrito was absolutely delicious. Jason was not as enamored of his burrito though, saying it was a bit bland. I would like to add in here that although I didn’t order the Chile Verde ($4.99) on this occasion, I highly recommend it. It’s thick, spicy and a great combination with a cheese quesadilla.
(Stu’s note: these burrito’s are massive. Don’t make the mistake me and Wendi did on our first visit to their drive through. We ordered three burritos between two of us, just in case they happened to be small. I think we ended up struggling to eat a whole burrito each!).
I would like to mention that there are a couple of things you do have to keep in mind when going to Lone Star Taqueria. The first is that using the drive-up can be a complicated experience. The ordering speaker is terrible and that makes understanding on either end of the connection difficult. Check your order. The other thing is that the one-way parking lot is very narrow and usually full. Don’t bring a gigantic vehicle. You’ll regret it.
Regardless of these little idiosyncrasies, Lone Star Taqueria is well worth it. For roughly $20.00 for two people, you too can take a quick trip to the lone star state.
Lone Star Taqueria
2265 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84121
(801) 944-2300
Website: Menu available here
To celebrate their recently released summer menu, Gourmandise Bakery have kindly given Gastronomicslc.com a $25 gift card to giveaway to one lucky reader.
One item from the new menu, highlighting the focus on quality ingredients is …
Faustina Brunch Menu
Faustina chef Billy Sotelo recently realized a long time ambition for his restaurant and started to serving Brunch for the first time. Brunch will now be served each Saturday and Sunday from 9 …
Tasting menu review
Throughout my years of writing for Gastronomic SLC, people have always asked me why I have never written about some of my more interesting meals, outside of Salt Lake City. I’ve often …
Featured Review: This months review comes from the ‘Foodie from scratch’ blog. I only just came across the website, thanks to an email from Mike, the main man there. The review in question …
Les Madeleines
I knew Salt Lake had finally grown up when Les Madeleins opened in December 2003. This is a baker’s bakery, a pastry chef’s patisserie, and a Willy Wonka store for grown-ups. Romina Rasmussen has …
The ‘insider’ section of our website has been a long time coming. This is the first of hopefully many insightful and interesting posts from experts in the food and beverage industry. This first …
I like Lone Star a lot, but the tacos are extremely overpriced for a taqueria. The burritos aren’t a bad deal, however.
OK- I have loved this placed for a while. However, I went today and got two fish tacos @ 3.29 a piece (OVER PRICED) and they hardly had any fish or cabbage for that matter in them!!!!!!! I will give them another shot, but if they continue to charge so much and give so little I will stop going here!!!
Matt and Bridger, I agree, it is overpriced, BUT you are also paying for the atmosphere and good service. Can you imagine if the tacos were cheaper? How long would take us to get our food?
The point is, we now move in Australia and would die for a shrimp burrito Lonestar Style… Enjoy my friends!
If you’re a penny pincher and want good mexican food at a great value stop at the taco stands outside Sear’s on State Street (the one facing state is our favorite). There are many fillings to choose from at $0.75 a taco or $3 for a huge burrito and a condiment cooler with unlimited cabbage, salsas, pico de gallo, limes, radishes, jalapenos, e.c.t. We have eaten here at least 50 times a piece and no, never gotten sick. The health department observes the carts like any other business feeding food to the public. Best yet you see your food being prepared for you so no questions. Take that Taco Time!
I’d rather have a @3.29 fresh fish taco sit outside and have a corona then pay for nasty @6.00 burger at carls jr. any day. Love LONE STAR
I have read a few reviews above and how people that think the pricing is to expense. Clearly most haven’t been in the restaurant business at all or for a very short time. People seem to forget food cost, labor cost, business fees, taxes, utilities, getting fresh ingredients mainly the fish to UTAH of all places. I get that you can head down to Taco Bell and get a taco for a $1, but that meat has been frozen for probably at least 3 to 4 weeks, the tortillas if they graded them between A and F would be a Z. The only thing that might be half way fresh is the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. They pre-package hot sauce that has high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. I am pretty darn sure Lone Star is not adding that to any of there items, salsa or others. All these chains that Utahns seems to love, have several distribution centers where there food is made and packaged, then shipped to the restaurant(sounds yummuy, huh?) Think of all the salt and other ingredients needed to keep that food from going bad, I know there are several. Sure you could head down to a Taco Stand and in my opinion take a 60/40 chance, mainly because of the strict temperature standards food needs to be held at throughout the day. Now not right before they heat it up, before you get your order. I have visited these carts/stands are there are some very good ones, but again all it takes is that stand getting busy/slow and the beef dropping down to 120 degrees for 30 minutes to let something creep in. Lone Star is fresh, cooked to order and cares about its customers, something many other restaurants these days could take a look at and try to copy.
Must admit I find Lonestar a bargain for the price/quality.
I have not gone to Lone Star Taqueria yet but after reading your review I think that I will give it a shot. I have eaten tacos in most western states and Mexico so I think I have a fairly good idea of what I like. To be perfectly honest, nothing has topped the taco stands on 8th south and State street. I read Taco Aficionado’s concerns and I had some of the same concerns but after getting to know the operators of one of the stands he put my mind at ease. I have eaten at the taco stands 3-4 times a week for over 10 years and I have never gotten sick. But I will give Lone Star a shot to see if they can match the taco stands.