10 New Taco Bell Menu Items, Ranked by a Food Editor (Including Steak Cheesy Street Chalupas)

As a Cuban-American who adores authentic Mexican cuisine, I’m no stranger to real-deal Latin food . But ever since my dad bought me my first Taco Bell bean burrito —which probably cost 99 cents back then—I fell hard for the fast food chain’s saucy, comforting offerings. While I often order the same staples every time, I had to try the new cheesy street chalupas, along with nine recently added menu items. Read on for my honest reviews.

(Note: Prices may vary by location.)

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10. Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: seasoned beef, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and a giant Cheez-It, wrapped in a grilled flour tortilla
• Price: $5.49

I love Cheez-Its. I love Crunchwraps. I wanted to love this collab. But the cracker turned soggy faster than the usual crispy tortilla, so it didn’t exactly live up to its name. That said, the mushy layer added an almost sweet, cheesy note to every bite, which made the Cheez-It flavor more prominent than it was in the tostada (more on that later).

9. Cantina Chicken Quesadilla

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: slow-roasted chicken, creamy chipotle sauce and three-cheese blend, grilled in a flour tortilla and served with guacamole and sour cream
• Price: $6.69

I’m sure there’s someone out there who’d love this quesadilla , but I really didn’t enjoy the creamy chipotle sauce. It had this intensely smoky (and artificial-tasting), bacon-y flavor that drowned out the mild chicken. The guac and sour cream helped, but this wouldn’t be my go-to.

8. Cantina Chicken Soft Taco

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: slow-roasted chicken, avocado ranch sauce, lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla
• Price: $2.99

This handheld had crispy fish taco energy. The cabbage slaw was pretty and made the taco look more elevated than usual shredded lettuce. The avocado ranch sauce was mild and vaguely herby, but I wished the chicken had some heat. The flour tortilla also felt oversized and excessively filling.

7. Cantina Chicken Cheesy Street Chalupas

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: two cheese-encrusted small chalupa shells, filled with slow-roasted chicken, jalapeño ranch sauce, onion and cilantro
• Price: $5.49

I think this creation is due in part to quesabirria taking the U.S. by storm (although adorning handhelds in burnt cheese is nothing new for Taco Bell). While the onion and cilantro are a refreshing nod to street tacos , the two incredibly thick layers of chalupa shell spoiled the namesake for me. The meat-to-bread ratio was way off, and the chicken portion was meager. That said, I think the poultry paired beautifully with the jalapeño ranch sauce; the combination reminded me a bit of Taco Bell’s spicy chicken from back in the day (that was *the* ultimate Crunchwrap protein, don’t @ me).

6. Big Cheez-It Tostada

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: seasoned beef, sour cream, lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese on a giant Cheez-It
• Price: $3.99

I was genuinely shocked that the cracker stayed crispy the whole drive home. It was admittedly not the most appetizing in terms of appearance (it looked a bit haphazardly assembled) but I wasn’t mad about the taste. The toastiness of the cracker added to the overall flavor, but personally, I prefer the salty high notes of the Nacho Doritos Locos Taco.

5. Jalapeño Ranch Nacho Fries

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: seasoned beef, nacho cheese, jalapeño ranch sauce, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream, atop crispy nacho fries
• Price: $4.49

Despite the fast food fries feeling a bit old, the potato base was a nice pairing for all the creamy, savory toppings. It offered modest earthiness to every bite, and they held up over time better than tortilla chips. I wished there was lettuce or something fresh, cold and crisp on top. (The red cabbage slaw would’ve done the trick.)

4. Cantina Chicken Burrito

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: slow-roasted chicken, avocado ranch sauce, creamy chipotle sauce, lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese in a grilled flour tortilla
• Price: $5.99

This hearty pick came grilled, making for a more toothsome exterior rather than soft. I was surprised to find no rice in the burrito, but it still had a substantial cross-section compared to the other items I cut. The tomato, lettuce and slaw dominated, giving the burrito a pleasant freshness. I was also glad that it came with both avocado ranch and creamy chipotle sauces; the former curbed the latter’s smokiness.

3. Steak Cheesy Street Chalupas

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: two cheese-encrusted small chalupa shells, filled with marinated grilled steak, jalapeño ranch sauce, onion and cilantro
• Price: $5.49

Again, there was too much bread and not enough meat…but these chalupas were undeniably tasty. The texture reminded me of a pastelito or empanada, and the jalapeño ranch sauce was spicy, creamy and tasty. The steak could’ve been more boldly seasoned, but it’s been greatly improved since the last time I had Taco Bell’s steak. As much as I enjoyed this menu item, I wonder why the chain wouldn’t just create a street taco instead of these carb-heavy mini chalupas.

2. Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: slow-roasted chicken, three-cheese blend and creamy jalapeño sauce, in a crispy taco shell grilled with more three-cheese blend
• Price: $2.99

I preferred the crispy taco to the soft one by a mile. The corn shell made its flavor much more complex than the flour tortilla. I don’t know that it needed to be cheese-encrusted, but I guess it didn’t necessarily hurt either. I especially liked this one doused in the avocado verde salsa sauce, which comes with all cantina chicken menu items.

1. Cantina Chicken Bowl

Taryn Pire

• What’s in It: slow-roasted chicken, seasoned rice, black beans, avocado ranch sauce, sour cream, lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole and cheddar cheese
• Price: $7.89

If you’ve ever gotten a bowl from Chipotle, you’ll know this was a generous portion for the price. I, admittedly, am not a fan of Taco Bell’s rice (it’s consistently overdone and bland, IMO) but the black beans were tasty and tender. Some of the chicken wasn’t shredded, but it was honestly nice to see a whole piece in the bowl. The cabbage slaw was unfortunately missing, and the ratio was a bit heavy on the grains, but the overall flavor was solid.

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