Don Taco Carbondale

This restaurant is not vegan-friendly at all. Even the beans contain lard, which leaves very few options for vegans and vegetarians. I tried the guacamole, which was simply avocado without any additional vegetables or spices. I mixed it with their pico de gallo in hopes of adding some flavor, but it was disappointing. It might be satisfactory for those who eat everything, but if you're a vegetarian or vegan, I recommend looking elsewhere.

I attempted to place orders for three different people over the phone, and I asked the female employee taking my order if she could provide a total for each individual order so we would know how much each person needed to pay. She outright refused. I also asked if she could pass our names and phone numbers to the owner, but again, she declined, saying that he wouldn't call us. If anyone knows who the owner is, they should let him know that this employee is doing serious damage to his business. None of us, nor our friends, will ever consider ordering from Don Taco again!

They offer chips and salsa as a complimentary side, which is a lovely addition. My go-to order is the don taco bowl, filled with beans, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, rice, steak, chicken, and shrimp. It comes with a side of sour cream, and I always request three corn tortillas and some lime wedges. I use my utensils to fill the tortillas with the contents of the bowl, drizzle some fresh lime juice on top, and then add a bit of salsa and sour cream. Once I finish my tacos, the leftovers turn into delicious nachos, especially when paired with the complimentary chips. The aguas frescas are delightful as well!

The service was decent, but there was a hiccup when the woman at the counter forgot to pass our order to the chef. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes only to find out our order hadn’t even made it to the kitchen yet. On a positive note, the restaurant has plenty of space for dining. The food was average; we tried the tacos and burritos.

My order took about 15 minutes to prepare, and they got all my customizations right. I opted for the steak burrito combo. While the steak had a good flavor, it was somewhat chewy and dry—a common experience I've had at other Mexican restaurants when ordering steak or beef, so this isn’t the reason I deducted a star. The rice and beans, on the other hand, were average, and I found the frijoles to be overly cheesy or saucy, making them hard to identify. The combo meal cost $10.50 and included a drink, which I think is a fair price for the quantity of food. Overall, I recommend trying the rice and beans first to see if they suit your taste. I would definitely return to explore more of the menu!