Taco Boy West Asheville
Permanently Closed

Taco Boy West Asheville

Permanently Closed

Innovative tacos, frozen cocktails, vibrant setting, outdoor seating

margaritas
friendly staff
tacos
birria tacos
creative tacos
carnitas tacos
kimchi beef taco
fried chicken taco
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null
Taco Boy West Asheville by null

Information

521 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 Get directions

$10–20

Order delivery
See Menu
Restroom
Accepts reservations
Vegetarian options
Comfort food
Credit card accepted

Information

Static Map

521 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 Get directions

+1 828 370 8226
tacoboy.net
@tacoboyeats

$10–20 · Menu

Features

•Restroom
•Accepts reservations
•Vegetarian options
•Comfort food
•Credit card accepted
•Debit card accepted
•Contactless accepted
•Free street parking

Last updated

Jan 17, 2026

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Taco Boy Opens in West Asheville Neighborhood This December | Eater Carolinas

"A Lowcountry-based taqueria that started on Folly Beach in 2006 will open an Asheville outpost at 521 Haywood Road in West Asheville, taking over the former Zia Taqueria space. Founded by Karalee Nielsen Fallert, the spot became a local favorite for its margaritas, queso and lively, fun atmosphere. The Asheville menu will mirror the original offerings, featuring a wide range of tacos — from Baja fish to kimchi beef — with corn tortillas made in-house, plus a new beverage menu developed by local mixologist Maty Hollingsworth. The restaurant will serve daily lunch and dinner with weekend brunch, and a second Asheville location is already planned for Biltmore Park next summer." - Erin Perkins

https://carolinas.eater.com/2022/12/8/23499885/taco-boy-asheville
Taco Boy West Asheville

Michelle R.

Google
We stopped in for lunch today. The food was excellent absolutely fresh ingredients served beautifully. The location is prime and there’s tons of indoor and outdoor seating. The have happy hour every evening with free chips and salsa. Definitely worth your time!!

Paige N.

Google
Our first time at any Taco Boy location left much to be desired. There are so many amazing small business owned restaurant and bars in West Asheville, we regret our decision to spend our money here. Lesson learned. The food was very basic Mexican inspired cuisine. We enjoyed the trio appetizer. My spicy watermelon margarita was very good. Our entrees took ages to come out. I’m a very patient person and even I noticed how long it was taking. There was NO ONE in the restaurant. Maybe 3 other tables sat. Finally, after a very long amount of time, our server who was also the bartender came over and made a joke about how long it was taking. Then came back over and explained an online order was placed and they were filling it before ours. A food runner brought our food to the table, finally, and we weren’t checked on again by our server, except him doing a thumbs up from a distance. We sat for a while without him bringing a check and then had to ask another server for it. He had a different server bring it and run our card. Never saw our server again. Will not be back due to the poor service.

Wildnwonderous

Google
I lived very close to this place for years but only went twice. The first experience was about a 2 star as the meat was dry and not tasty and I felt like it was overpriced (circa 2022). Then a month ago I went on a random weekday for happy hour specials and the mini nachos option and a marg redeemed this place. It was exactly what I wanted.

Max

Google
taco boy whoa I don’t even know what to say. What a terrible experience. I came here for a pleasant night of just taco and Mexican food which you know Mexican also Mexican food includes chips and salsa not only did we have to ask for chips and salsa, but we didn’t even get the salsa and the chips were an extra five dollars onto our bill, which is ridiculous because every single Mexican restaurant place I’ve been to gives out complementary chips and salsa. The food was disappointing and cold. The food was so cold. I thought it came straight out of the fridge. our waiter was a trainee who was terrible and kept on coming up to our table to bother us other than the ridiculous amount of money I’ve spent on this food I will not be returning and I thought it was an unpleasant experience. Also not only did. I have to wait an hour plus when we were the only people in the restaurant the food was still terrible. I will not be returning and I hope you hire some better staff and some better cooks.

Scott M.

Google
The service was great—super friendly, attentive, and even brought our pooch some water. The location in West AVL is also great and the outside seating was nice on a warm evening. The main downside was the food wasn’t so great. Chips and meals were over salted. The veggie quesadilla was so generous with cheese that the beans, corn, peppers and seasoning in it were not even noticeable. Left me with a stomach ache, even though I love cheese. The rice bowl was lacking flavor and the rice was undercooked. The vegetarian options were pretty limited overall. You could substitute in some Morningstar Chorizo in several of the meat tacos, but it would be great for some variety. Both Taco Temple and Taco Billy have multiple amazing vegetarian taco options. Maybe they’ll step up their game over time.

Michael T.

Google
Nicely decorated every inch. Parking was decent. Welcome to Asheville! If you have a taste for som good Mexican food this is the place! The service was very good. My soup want hot enough but they kindly brought me a piping bowl of Tortilla Soup. Is was delicious!. Try their spicy Margarita . All in all very nice spot with a small gift shop ! Definitely stop by for a good meal! Highly recommended!

Ryan G.

Google
A seemingly unassuming Mexican restaurant in Westville, this taco joint exceeded all of our expectations. The atmosphere was lively, but not hectic. The staff was friendly and personable. The drinks and food were superb, and more authentic than your usual "American-Mexican" fare. A highlight was the complimentary fried garbanzo beans which we gobbled up. I would recommend this place for anyone seeking an elevated Mexican food experience. Wish we could have tried more!

Lauren

Google
Great lunch, friendly & hospitable wait staff, fresh food selections! We had the Taco Boy Appetizer Trio (queso, guac & salsa roja), Taco Boy Salad w/ Tinga Chicken, 3 Taco Platter, sub Lettuce Wrap (Kimchi Beef, Grilled Fish & Grilled Shrimp). All very fresh & delicious. They have a nice selection of Tequilas & especially Mezcals! Highly recommend the Pineapple Margarita & the Skinny Mezcal Margarita!
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D'Ariel M.

Yelp
Overall great experience. The price for tacos is a dollar or two more than we preferred but would go again. The tacos were flavorful. Prickly pear cocktail was good. It helped that we went during happy hour to cut some cost. Dry rub wings flavorful and crispy and it helped to have it half off because it was Monday. Wish there were more flavor options for wings. Queso and chips were good but queso was really thick. Biggest con was the too salty rice. Didn't eat much of it because it was too salty which made the price even more of a negative for us. The chicken, bacon, ranch taco without the ranch was tasty. Lot of spring mix on top but good. The Baja shrimp taco was cooked well. I didn't get the aioli on it, but it was still good. Loved the cook of the shrimp. The birria taco needed more cheese but good. The spice level could go up, too. Our waitress was good, too. Helpful in picking my tacos. And the aesthetic was cool. Loved the artwork and lighting. Will return soon to try more tacos!
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Amy H.

Yelp
Taco Boy managers- Please make better, fresher, more favorable food! It's not difficult to make a taco or salad with fresh ingredients, and it's not hard to make homemade tortillas. So why does your food quality continue to go down? Pick up the spice, use fresh lettuce, real grilled chicken breast versus questionable chewy chunks. I want you to succeed, but the Asheville locations have both gone from decent to terrible.
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Bekke S.

Yelp
The main Ws were the friendliness of the staff, the Baja taco, and the atmosphere. Big, spacious, bright, cool lamps and lots of plants in the large windows. I was with my toddler nephew otherwise I might have taken advantage of the bar area, which looked really cool, comfy, and inviting. (It is to the left in my picture.) Our server was really nice and worked with my sisters unfortunately semi-debilitating food allergy to garlic (did you ever realize that garlic is basically in EVERYTHING?) even going back to the kitchen to check if the meal she was eyeing had garlic as an ingredient. At the end it took a while to get the check, and we just about missed the kids nap time window because of it, but that's no reason not to try this spot out. I recommend the Baja tacos (as mentioned. Sorry, eating my leftover one as I type this, so must say again-- SO good) and honestly, the sidewinder fries were fantastic too. Next time I'm going to splurge and get a margarita, and I included a pic of the drink menu for you to peruse as well! Overall, yes. I say try this one out. I hate to say it, since it's now RIP, but White Duck was *not* a tasty place IMHO, and because of that, I was hesitant to try any other Asheville-area Mexican food places (I live in Philadelphia, so I visit once every few months.) But I'm really glad I did.
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Bly A.

Yelp
Mediocre food. Very, very loud inside. Ambient music was nearly concert volume and the customers had to yell to be heard across the table.
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Jamaya P.

Yelp
I was looking up places to get chips and salsa nearby because I was craving some and discovered this place had free chips and salsa for Happy Hour. I stopped by before Happy Hour to see if I could take it to go and one of the staff members, Liz, said I would be able to. I came back around 3 for the chips and salsa and also purchased a "Firecracker" shrimp taco to share with my friend. It was $4 for the Happy Hour price. Liz checked me out and was very pleasant. The chips were kinda gross. I could tell after eating a few that they were fried in old oil. Like you can taste that the oil was stale and was probably used to cook fish in. It also needed slightly more salt. The salsa made up for the chips because it was garlicky and delicious. The taco was a great small bite. I would come back for one of those tacos. It seems like a cute space to go eat a margarita and taco in. I'd come back and ask for fresher chips next time.
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Dan J.

Yelp
Loud party vibe. Friendly service. I had Chicken Tinga enchiladas with molè sauce. It had very strong flavors. Not really a fan of the chicken tinga. Missing Zia's
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Ryan H.

Yelp
I just don't know why I can't get over that they charge for chips. Because it was slow they did give us chip's for a long wait for 2 tacos. The tacos were ok but had better. The waitress was very nice and helpful. Just not the greatest ambiance and the food was just decent.
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J C.

Yelp
I came here with my family on vacation to Asheville . My daughter ended up getting sick. I ended up taking her to the Emergency room. She was diagnosed with food poisoning. When I talked to the doctors at the emergency room I was told locals avoid this place. I have the paperwork from the emergency room to verify I am telling the truth.

Christina E.

Yelp
A message to Trey the bartender, Mary the manager, and Sarah Jane the off-duty bartender who was just enjoying a quality meal and drink. Thank you all for making my solo day feel like it was serendipitous. I walk in and was greeted by the staff as if I was the mayor of Asheville. This was my first time visiting Taco Boy after living in Asheville for a year and I can't wait to come back with my friends and give this restaurant the love it deserves. You did it all right. Thank you for making me feel like I belonged the second I walked in. Trey, keep slinging the drinks like you do man! Absolute passion. See y'all again very soon!
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Stephan M.

Yelp
After eating at the Folly a beach location many times we weee exited to see the Asheville location open up! The owners of Taco Boy have done an amazing job renovating / updating this restaurant. It was no surprise to see that this place was very busy on a Friday night and required a 30 minute wait for a table. No worries though! They did a great job in making sure the bar has ample space for waiting and there's even a small waiting "lounge" where you can grab drinks while you wait. We tried several margaritas and they're all delicious, highly recommend the El Jeffe Margarita! Lots of great things to say about this place BUT the food was a disappointment.... The tacos lacked flavor, the filling on some was almost none existent, and the prices reflect higher expectations. I hope there will be improvement after they have been open longer.
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Hannah H.

Yelp
Taco Boy has been one of our favorites ever since we visited the OG one at Folly Beach. We got the chance to try their newest spot in west Asheville this week and it was good but there are a few kinks that need to be worked out. We started with a few margaritas and those were delicious! We got the El Jefe, Spicy and Skinny Margs and they were all really well balanced. They use fresh juices Vs mixes and you can tell by the flavor in the drinks and lack of sweetness which we loved. For our meals we ordered the taco plates which come with 2-3 tacos and rice and beans. The food took a bit but that's understandable since they were super busy. The service was top notch - our waiter and the manager were consistently checking on tables and ensuring everyone had everything they needed. The tacos themselves were hit or miss. The carnitas and korean beef were amazing but the baja fish and birria were lacking in terms of flavor. Its also on the pricier side for the portions and size of tacos. overall ill be back but may wait a few months.

Virginia C.

Yelp
I loved Taco boy when it was a locals spot on Folly Beach. But growth and popularity did not do this restaurant well. Now, the food is mediocre at best, often bad and usually cold. Service is hit or miss- in fact, you don't even have a server at the Biltmore Park location- and more often a miss. And wayyy overpriced for what you get. Ever since this place expanded and became more corporate, the quality has gone downhill. Gone are the fresh ingredients overflowing tacos and quesadillas, salads bursting with flavor, and nachos piled so high they nearly toppled over. My last straw was this past weekend. I ordered a simple veggie quesadilla, pretty much a go-to for me. What i got was nothing short of just brown slop. The tortillas were so wet and soggy from oil and grease, you literally could not hold it in your hand as it just flopped over. It was so incredibly messy and not in a good way. Veggies? You mean refried beans and onions? C'mon, you can and have done so much better!! I was starving, so I ate it anyway, but I hated myself for it. I felt sick the rest of the day. I won't be back unless its ONLY for a margarita. Yall cant even get ships and salsa right either.
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Cheyenne C.

Yelp
Fun stop for lunch. Good margarita choices and yummy chips and dips. Loved the queso! Tacos were tasty and well stuffed, but corn tacos fell apart some. The bartender was really nice and made some good suggestions for things to do in the area. Prices weren't bad either.

Steve R.

Yelp
In fairness, the food at Taco Boy is good. But it is one of those new style of restaurants where the patron does everything: you order at the counter. You get your own water and cutlery. If you need more water, you get it yourself. At least a server delivered the food to our table. Some of these new-style places don't even do that. Still, it feels less like a restaurant and more like a vending machine.

Andyman M.

Yelp
My family dined here yesterday. It was $62 with tip for basically four super tiny tacos. My daughter woke us up at 4:30 in the morning complaining of stomach pains. My wife left our RV and took her to the emergency room. It was confirmed she got food poisoning. I have receipts. I can not recommend this restaurant.
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Alexandra S.

Yelp
I was walking around West Asheville with my dog one weekday afternoon and decided to stop by Taco Boy for a taco and a drink. I was a little disappointed to see the outdoor patio section that existed before Taco Boy took over had been built out to make a larger indoor seating section. Although they have several outdoor picnic benches, they don't have table service outside (at least they didn't when I went). I was still determined to try it out so I tied my dog up to a bench and asked how I should order. I was told I could place a to-go order. After looking over the menu, I placed my order with the bartender and let them know I would be eating outside. I was able to order a margarita, and when my single taco was ready, they brought it out to me. I was happy that they did not serve my taco in a to-go, but rather on a plate. The interior was really artsy and aesthetically pleasing, it was giving off a high end Mexican joint but with a casual feel. I was there around 3pm on a Wednesday and it was quiet with a few tables occupied. I got the tempura avocado taco on corn tortillas. I was pleasantly surprised when I received my taco and saw that the tortillas were blue. It was different, and delicious. I don't always order corn tortillas but knowing they were made fresh, in house, I had to have them. It was the right choice. The taco itself was tasty overall, but left me wanting more. It came with two avocado slices, and a bit of slaw. Definitely not as loaded as a build your taco joint, but cost about the same. There were quite a few vegetarian options, and the menu even indicated the ability to sub protein to make it veggie, which is always nice to see. I'm interested to try some other items on the menu but with the amount of options for taco's (and complimentary chips and salsa) in town, I don't foresee this turning into a regular stop for me.
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Lan S.

Yelp
Six of us had dinner at Taco Boy recently. It was the first time for half of us; the other half had been here before. What I liked: The remodel that Taco Boy did on the old Delores and José and Zia Tacqueria space, with a colorful mural, basket hangings and a built out patio, is very nice. It definitely looks better. Most of us had the Platos Grandes ($14 with choice of two tacos, rice and beans.) I liked the fresh flavor of my Baja fish taco on housemade corn tortillas. Those who had the firecracker shrimp and the birria tacos also said they liked them. My fried chicken taco was only so-so. The rice and black beans also had a good flavor but the serving was skimpy. What I didn't like: The house margarita ($9) was small and tasted like it came from a grocery store mix. Prices for everything on the menu seem high for a taco place, especially since you don't get free chips and a dip. That costs $10. Our dinner for two, with one margarita, one non-alcoholic beer and one draft Dos Equis, came to $60 with tax and tip. Not that great a value! Bottom line: You can get tacos just as good, or better, at White Duck Taco or Taco Billy or elsewhere, for a good deal less money. And lots of places, including Papas and Beer, have better margaritas. However, the atmosphere at Taco Boy is a step up from these other spots. I sure do miss Delores and José's!
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Nata D.

Yelp
We met some family here for a birthday get together & had a group of 11! Being seated did not take very long, they cleared out 2 longer tables next to each other for us, which worked. Our server, Josh, went above & beyond the ENTIRE night. We were all talking about how amazing he was, best server ever. (thank you!!) He especially accommodated lil mans who was out with us that night. He brought out the food we got for him first, & some churros after to keep him busy while the rest of us received & worked on our meals. The drinks tasted great too! I personally got a pineapple margarita & Chase got a house one. One of us got the spicy margarita, which seemed to be a hit because they ordered a second one. As for food, we started with the appetizer that comes with chips, queso, guac, & salsa - it was yummy. Everyone loved the meals they got. I personally chose the taquitos & they were YUMMY. A good amount of sauce & is he chicken was so yummy & soft. I cannot wait to be back. Thank you Taco Boy!

Lloyd L.

Yelp
Service was excellent. The wait staff was very attentive. Free chips and salsa is hard to beat!!

Marcia G.

Yelp
First time in but so impressed! Will be back again and again. The staff is so friendly , so professional and eager to please !!! Best Margaritas and Quesadilla ever!!! The decor warms you and makes you soooo comfortable! Love this place
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Alex E.

Yelp
I live in the neighborhood so was super excited to give Taco Boy a try! We went on a busy Friday, and they were still able to seat us right away. Yay! My husband and I ordered 2 margaritas, the appetizer dip trio, the quesabrilla, and the 3 taco plate. I was disappointed by my House marg. I had been looking forward to it all week, and honestly.....MEH. It was on the weak-ish side, seemed small (I finished it fairly quickly, and I'm a slow drinker when it comes to alcohol), and seemed more orange then lime. My husband enjoyed his Pineapple margarita, but did say it was fairly light on flavor. The dips- the guac was AWESOME, probably the best thing of our entire night! Lime-forward, which is how I like it. The salsa was also very flavorful; clearly homemade. The queso didn't have any flavor at all. My quesabrilla was yummy! Broth was flavorful. The quesabrilla half was good, but kinda.....heavy? I'm not sure if it was the type of cheese or what but just hit heavier then I was expecting. It was good, definitely, but I was glad we were splitting everything so I wasn't eating *just* the quesabrilla but had the tacos to bring some lighter flavors into the mix. In terms of tacos, we ordered the chicken taco (at the recommendation of our server), the fish taco, and the fried chicken taco. The chicken was DRY. Listen to these reviews. DRYYYY. I really loved the fish taco and would get that one again. My husband liked the friend chicken taco; I thought it was kinda weird, but admitly flavorful. My opinion: GOOD, but not GREAT. There are other options in town I would choose over Taco Boy. PS: the parking lot is a problem. Think Trader Joes level of insanity. Don't even attempt it.
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Tristan V.

Yelp
Trey was fantastic he gave fantastic recommendations for tacos and drinks and kept us well entertained. Would definitely drive here from anywhere to come back for the fantastic ambiance and great service. Definitely sit at the bar if able and go when Trey is working.

Virginia P.

Yelp
The lettuce wraps were great! Our waitress Gracie was amazing! Would definitely go back because of her!

Paul A.

Yelp
I've given it 3 tries now and the food is simply mediocre. Tacos have way too much sauce, conflicting flavors, and they toss chopped raw onions on everything so you are tasting them a day later. Won't be back. We have SO many way better taco places in Asheville. Too bad because ambiance is good and service was good. Also seems a bit pricey compared to competitors in Asheville.

Holland M.

Yelp
I've never been more disappointed in a Mexican restaurant. The portions were small, overcooked, and overpriced. My wife ordered a quesadilla that was burnt on all edges with the cheese falling out and barely any chicken. My margarita was ten dollars and had about a quarter ounce of tequila in it. Their tacos, for six dollars, had the least amount of meat I've ever seen sold in a taco. The decoration was done in a faux-corporate latinx way. It felt like appropriation and is offensive to the inclusive community we are trying to create in West Asheville. It doesn't feel like a spot for locals, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't a tourist. 1/5, there are many fantastic places in Asheville I would recommend to tourists and locals alike. This is not one of them.
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Patu Q.

Yelp
Sigh... I was looking forward to some yummy shrimp tacos. I ordered the shrimp tempura tacos, hubs had the chicken tacos and we had a couple of drinks. Over all, not worth it. Small portions, rice had no sazón, beans were bland, tempura shrimp was all dough with minuscule baby shrimp inside. Just, not. it. You are definitely paying for the experience because the place is trendy and the service was good but the food was no bueno and the bill was outrageous :(

Suzanne T.

Yelp
I ordered the Mexican Caesar. Very tasty, generous size. Crispy Romaine. What makes it "Mexican" is roasted corn and a lime seasoned, mayo-based dressing. Caesars are usually garlicky, which this is not at all. You have protein options; I chose the grilled chicken, moderately seasoned. Big enough to share. The ambiance is typical Asheville/tourist: cold, bare concrete floors and much-too-loud music. Friendly, energetic, and attentive staff. Outside of peak hours (when I was there), ask for a seat in a sunny forward section. My seat was in a small cheerless darkish booth. You don't want that.
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Sabrina H.

Yelp
I stumbled into this place solo for a late lunch. I'm a sucker for a margarita and some corn chips and salsa. As you walk in this place is super cute. Funky tie and really cute ightign fixtures. I even took a gander at the cute gift shop to the right when you walk in with all sorts of fun items. I sat at the bar and had a margarita and some nachos. The nachos were good but the cheese was a bit salty for my taste. Also the portions was huge. Definitely a sharing plate...it was on the appetizer section...=) But the good news is that I took it home and had it for lunch the next day. I'd definitely go back.

Mary W.

Yelp
Tody my husband and I visited the Taco Boy in Biltmore Park for the first time. I would not recommend this restaurant. The service was extremely slow especially since the restaurant was nearly empty. I ordered an (expensive) entre salad which was tiny and served in a small bowl with hardly any ingredients. We are local, and would advise visitors that there are many places in the area for this type of food which are much better, and much more reasonably-priced.
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Trey M.

Yelp
I was really bummed whenever Zia left it's Haywood Rd location. That was one of my favorite spots in Asheville. Whenever Taco Boy announced it's arrival, I was ecstatic. I've been waiting for a place in Asheville that serves a good Birria taco. I guess everybody else was as well, as the first time I tried to go, there was a 2 hour wait. That was a Sunday afternoon, so we left and decided to come during the week. Our second attempt was at noon on a Tuesday. It still took a while to get in, but we waited because we really wanted to try Taco Boy. Overall, the experience was pretty good. The food was great, as they have a wide variety of tacos to choose from, even for special diets. However, the pricing was rather high. For 3 tacos and a side of black beans, I paid $22. The food was good, but it wasn't $22 good. Aside from special occasions, I can't see myself visiting Taco Boy very often when we have other really great taco places around Asheville that are so much cheaper.
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Michael E.

Yelp
On Haywood Street in West Asheville there's a new Mexican place in town called taco boy. This is a remake of Zia Taqueria and I can honestly say that the new owners have done a good job of renovating the space as well as the food offerings. Throw in a very energetic and engaging staff, along with some amazing tacos plus some weekly drink specials like Tuesday five dollar margaritas and you've got a combination that will be a good replacement for the old Zia.
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L P.

Yelp
In a town with fantasist taco options, this is not competition. We got the queso, tempora shrimp taco, carnitas taco, and the buttermilk chicken taco. All were dry, and lacking flavor. The shrimp taco was fishy. Also, I gave them my cell number to put me on the waiting list and they somehow got my email from that. I never gave them my email. I was sent an email 2 hours after we left asking how our experience was. Not cool and an invasion of privacy
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Mark R.

Yelp
Overall great experience!! Great atmosphere, friendly staff, GREAT food! If I had critiques I would say on a pricer side (no free chips and salsa) and food took a little while - but I would say all justified for the vibe of the place - the time gives you time to enjoy your apps and drinks and price reflects the time you spend and the atmosphere created! We enjoyed!!
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Shaniya B.

Yelp
Just wasn't great. Everything could have had a bit more seasoning. Customer service was nice though.
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Megan L.

Yelp
I've been here twice now and love it! Highly recommend the Birria and the fried chicken tacos. Their guac and queso is amazing as well as their margs. Would recommend this place to everyone
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Andrea M.

Yelp
I visited taco boy for dinner and drinks on a Saturday night and I was surprised to see how many people were there. They were playing club / duo step music (which is not my thing but maybe it's yours) pretty loud if you were sitting underneath the speakers in the ceiling. The blood orange margarita was good. I veganized my tacos and they were good except for the tortillas! They were wet, flimsy and falling apart - I had to eat my tacos with a fork! Service was a bit slow but again it was a Saturday night so everywhere in Asheville is. I hope the tortilla recipe gets improved!

Janna E.

Yelp
Friendly, fast service and amazing food. I got two tacos--fried avocado and kimchi beef--and both were great. My husband got the quesabirria, a quesadilla with birria. Also very good. They have outdoor seating, our waiter was very friendly. Will come back.

Melina M.

Yelp
When you first walk up to the place you notice all the windows which definitely helps set the mood and all of the different lights and the setup make it feel like home. We started out with the guacamole and salsa which we're both amazing. The guacamole has a nice limey flavor and the salsa has a nice kick to it without over powering. For food, I ordered the chicken tinga and carne asada tacos with corn tortillas. I love chicken tinga and this was definitely the best I've ever had. The flavors were shooting at me left and right and the corn tortilla did not fall apart at all. The carne asada was nice and tender with lots of juices and flavors and the chimichurri sauce was so good. The service was really quick and everyone was super nice. The food came out quickly and whenever we needed something, it was already there before you ordered it.

Jeffrey R.

Yelp
Staff was very friendly. Food was very tasty. Quac was the best. Its is kid and pet friendly. Lots of out door games, ping pong, connect 4, corn hole and more. We look forward to returning.
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Shivi P.

Yelp
i really had high hopes for this place after reading all the great reviews i guess that tells me how much to trust asheville local's reviews no hate to the servers at this place! our server was super sweet and we loved her! i would describe this place as that crystal hippie girl that went to your high school; cool in theory but a little bland and trying too hard. i got the al pastor taco and birria taco plate with both normal and black beans. my friends got nachos with vegan chorizo, esquite (mexican street corn), mushroom and queso empanadas, and hibiscus margarita with house vodka instead of tequila. my tacos were decent but nothing authentic more a tex mex vibe but i enjoyed it. i would say my beans and rice on the side were blander than satan's hell itself but that would be disrespectful to satan. though i liked the tacos i judge a mexican place based on their beans and rice. my friends hated the nachos. the cheese was gluey and the toppings were not well dispersed. the vegan chorizo was very salty but at the same time not seasoned. the empanadas were nothing to write home about but the green sauce that came with saved it. the esquite was again mediocre but my friend saved it by taking it home and adding hot cheetos and hot sauce to it and eating it intoxicated. to try to save our food we asked our waitress for chipotle ranch and hot sauce which saved it. the hibiscus drink was pretty good and a lovely color. the waitress was helpful in helping us make a drink decision and switching out the tequila with vodka. worst thing of the night was the salty garlic chickpeas in the beginning of the meal. again, extremely salty and yet still weirdly underseasoned. i think the meal would've been improved by a fourth if we were just served grocery store salsa and tostitos. overall not a bad place if you want to spend a good amount of money on severely underseasoned but very salty tex mex (more tex than mex).

Bruce R.

Yelp
Tonight's dinner was wonderfully consistent with the three previous visits--exceptional! The food always pleases, displays serious creativity from the kitchen, and delights with its substantive, freshest-ever ingredients. The best part about tonight, however? Having the loveliest server, Addy, charm me, my dog, and my friend with her straightforward sincerity, honest interest in our meal, and deliberate kindness that comes from the heart. Thank you, Addy! :). Good luck this next fall!
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Sarah G.

Yelp
We came here for lunch today and it was a terrible experience. We ordered right away and waited almost an hour for our food, we were the only table inside. Our server seemed to be either hungover or having some kind of issue. He burped several times following by nonstop hiccups and a terrible attitude. I had the fried chicken taco and the grilled shrimp taco. My chicken one was burnt hard as a rock and the shrimp one was cold. My husband ordered a torta which was served cold and he said it was gross. Our server never came to check on us so we couldn't say anything. After waiting a long time we ended up having to go to the bar to ask them to get our bill and pay bc our server wouldn't even look at us to get the bill. A truly awful experience
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Melanie L.

Yelp
Upon arrival, Taco Boy was promising. The vibrant atmosphere and staff were very inviting. The food quality could've easily made this a five star review, however, we were disappointed. The steak was undercooked to the point we had ask for a to go box and cook it at home. The rice and chips were undercooked as well. Tasted like the chips were not left in the fryer more than a few seconds. An $100 bill for this experience is unfortunate. The only reason this is a two star review and not a one is because of Gabe the bartender. I cannot stress enough how lucky this restaurant is to have him. He embodies high quality service and makes delicious margaritas. All of the staff we encountered were very friendly. This issue seems to come from management - not hiring enough people to give the chefs enough time to cook. Shame - give your staff enough bodies to deal with the amount of people who come in. Sadly, we will not be back.

Taia L.

Yelp
Sat here for 20 minutes waiting for a server to come up to me while new people were getting seated and orders taken.......
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Deborah T.

Yelp
Our server was adorable and was so professional. The food was amazing. I will definitely be returning!!! Loved the whole experience. They also have parking which is huge!!
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Dan S.

Yelp
My wife and I absolutely love this place. It's a little pricey, but it's definitely worth the price. The salsa is fresh with a little hint of fruit. I had the kimchi tacos, fried chicken taco, and a bang bang shrimp taco, and they were all cooked perfect and had fantastic taste to them. This place has a great atmosphere, and the service is fantastic. I would highly recommend

Lilly B.

Yelp
I've given Taco Boy three visits and each time seems to disappoint even more. The first time the food and service was decent, the second time, the service was wonderful but the food was served cold to our table of 5 people. This last time the service was terrible (coming from someone who worked in the restaurant industry). From the host, servers, everything just very sad. Unfortunately the last time we end up here! The only great thing about this place is the atmosphere, it's very pretty inside and spacious.

Evi U.

Yelp
The food was amazing - I had the Birria taco, beehive (vegan) chorizo taco, crab & shrimp empanada, and the jimaca salad as well as the hibiscus aguafresca with soda. Super fresh ingredients -- delicious but healthy. Additionally, the restaurant is clean and well lit. Great spot to catch up with family and friends.
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Lu H.

Yelp
Was so looking forward to coming here after having already been to the Charleston location. It was a bit of a let down. Food was good. Service was kinda blah. Our server was inattentive and absent for most of our time there. She dropped the food and then we didn't see her until we were ready to leave. A lime for my beer would've been cool. Maybe a cold glass since it wasn't very cold. Lots of better options for tacos and better service in my opinion.