Seated in the heart of Denton’s food and music scene, Rusty Tacos sells delicious and affordable street-style tacos that go well with a cheap frozen or rocks margaritas. If you love tacos as much as I do, you’re going to want to check this place out. But don’t worry if you don’t live close to the downtown Denton area; there are seven Rusty Tacos throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and 11 locations total.
Vibrantly colored and clean, Rusty shares Denton’s relaxed and eccentric aesthetic. However, after talking to the manager on duty, I was a little disappointed to find out that they don’t do anything special for Denton music festivals. Considering they happen 30 feet from their parking lot, it seems like they could do something. Despite that, I was told the patio “will host live music” when it’s feasible for Rusty to do so.
Open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Rusty boasts of a laid back environment with a fan cooled open patio where “shoes are optional.” The Denton location has recently come under new management and the store seems to be doing well. In the middle of the day, there was a line out the door, but it was moving quickly. The average time for a taco seemed to be about two minutes, but it would be longer depending on the complexity of the order. And the best part, speaking as someone who works in a restaurant, everyone I saw had a smile on their face. Both customers and employees.
There are 13 regular menu tacos and a fully loaded breakfast menu that is available all day with your choice of a fresh corn or flour tortilla. Personally, I get the Baja shrimp taco with creamy Baja sauce, cilantro, and cabbage. Not feeling shrimp? Try their fried chicken taco with the cabbage and jalapeño ranch: it’s amazing. And if you’re vegetarian but you still want some delicious tacos, there are a few clearly labeled meat-free options, including all of the sides (queso, salsa, guac, etc.).
One of the few things I think they could do better is have more information on their website. For example, there are no prices on the menu. I would think this is probably due to varying prices by location. This would be fine if the website wasn’t missing other information I would like. For example, they don’t even have the name or description of the sauces you can get get on the side. That being said, I do like the “Our Story” section. It tells the story of Rusty’s founder, Rusty, and how he discovered for himself the street taco in Acapulco. Told in the whimsical style they chose to embody, they say, “He asked for a taco, he paid for a taco and he ate that taco, in spite of warnings from his wife. (There was no refrigeration in sight). He didn’t regret it.”
With a beer selection that includes well-known beers like Miller Lite to micro-brewed Devil’s Backbone, it’s easy to find a beer you like! And on top of that, you can come in Monday through Friday 3-7 p.m. for their “Loco Hour” and enjoy half-priced beer, margaritas, and sides.
Overall, I would say that Rusty Tacos is a good place to eat. With great food, drink, and atmosphere, I would recommend this place highly to anyone who is in the Denton area and looking for something to eat. With the Square not even a block away, it’s prime location to eat quickly and go back to enjoying the scenic square.
