Taco Boy: Local Mexican staple disappoints

Being a local institution usually guarantees, either on the menu or the sign, that a place serves up hearty delicious food that people just can’t get enough of.  Taco Boy, located at 804 South Mission St. in Mount Pleasant, is one such place.  This establishment has been open for many years and seen many college kids come and go.

Having lived in Mt. Pleasant for almost three years and having passed it so many times, I decided it was time to try Taco Boy; it only seemed right to see what it was all about.

The decorations are a little loud and out there, but this must mean that the food is authentic because the decorations are, right?  Customers order at the counter and then take their food to whatever table they desire to sit at.  After mulling over the menu for a few minutes I decided to get their “Number Three,” which is comprised of a taco deluxe, tostada deluxe, and an enchilada.  This dish, along with a couple others, is served with an order of beans and a side salad.

At first glance it looked like the meal I got could easily feed about four people.  After looking around it seemed as though this is how all the meals were. Overall the food was generic and the meat had almost no flavor.  The enchilada sauce seemed to be store bought, which was disappointing.  All of the sides were hot, but the vegetables were the only things that seemed fresh.

Another thing that was odd to me was that the first refill is free if  a person gets a drink, but if a person wants more then one refill they have to pay full price for another drink.  Why has an establishment like Taco Boy that has been around for so long and serves probably hundreds of people each week implement such an out-of-touch rule?

Taco Boy by no means claims to have the authentic Mexican food, but I didn’t think it would be so “normal” tasting.  All of their food is reasonably priced, especially for how much food a person get’s with each meal.  My meal cost $6.59 and I thought that was perfect because of how much food I got.  The main staples of any Mexican restaurant are featured on Taco Boy’s menu- burritos, including vegetarian burritos, tacos, enchiladas, tamales.  The trouble is, none of it really tastes like Mexican food.

There is an extras section on the menu that features chips and cheese supreme which includes meat, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and sour cream.  If I ever go back I think this is what I would get, because it seems impossible for them to mess up something as simple as nachos.

I try to give these local restaurants that I write reviews about some leeway because none of them claim to be as good as a five star restaurant in New York City.  On the other hand, this is a town full of college students and it would seem only normal to have a more wide variety of foods that are up to par with most people’s standards.  Sadly, Taco Boy does not live up to even modest taste standards.