Yo Quiero Taco Bell?

The long-fabled Yulee Taco Bell has come to fruition. I still remember the first time someone told me Yulee was getting a Taco Bell — that was over five years ago. And now with the restaurant being open, to say opinions are kind would be anything but honest. This is a divisive experience. If the two hurricanes weren’t welcoming, the reviews online may be more damaging than any storm.

With the Yulee Taco Bell being open barely a month, the reviews online are surprisingly negative. From a picture showing a bug inside the dining area to missing food and an absent breakfast menu, people have made their displeasure known. Most of these reviews were in the first two weeks of opening, but they are still coming in. For every two people who have a pleasant experience, another person isn’t even getting all of their food.

I’d like to say I read the reviews before going, but I didn’t. Instead, as Hurricane Milton grew in size, I needed to stress eat and Taco Bell landed on my radar. The location of the restaurant is like Elianos — cramped. It’s shoved into the corner of the parking lot at Shoppes at Midtown, but the building is nice and the exterior is inviting. And I will say that I did not see any bugs inside.

Taco Bell has an extensive menu, and I had nothing particular in mind, so I picked their newest offerings. Starting with a Big Cheez-It tostada — can’t believe this exists — a crispy chicken cantina taco, fries, a grilled cheese burrito plus a bunch of random items. And to wash it down, a Baja Blast. This order made me feel like I was reverting to my 16-year-old self.

I don’t think I need to go into an in-depth review of how Taco Bell’s food tastes. It’s just okay. But I want to talk about the Big Cheez-It tostada. This is the saltiest thing I’ve ever had in my life. Eating this big, cheesy cracker was like licking salt — no bueno. The grilled cheese burrito and fries were fantastic. I can tell it’s foreshadowing for a guilty pleasure.

The restaurant itself is cleaner than the reviews lead you to believe. And that’s a big plus for me. Unfortunately, I have to agree with the lack of customer service. I visited a second time to see if my order would be missing food, and unfortunately, it was. Visiting the restaurant in its current state feels like a gamble, and that’s not a feeling anyone wants to experience when paying with their hard-earned money. Unless you’re a gambler. A masochistic one.

While Yulee’s official Taco Bell was slammed during its first three weeks, the reviews are getting better. The location is something I don’t enjoy, as the addition of the restaurant has added more congestion to an already heavily congested area. If this is becoming a new thing, I’ll admit I don’t like it, but I could still order my tacos, so should I really complain?