I ordered each throwback item on Taco Bell's Decade Menu to see if the classics are as good as I remember.
I Tried Everything on Taco Bell’s Decades Menu
Published on Nov. 07, 2024
Longtime fans of Taco Bell know that our love of living mas comes with its fair share of heartbreak. Since it was founded in California in 1962, the chain has introduced countless exciting new menu items… and discontinued them, too. While this parade of limited time offerings keeps the Bell exciting, it also means that if you love something, you need to learn to let it go.
As someone who is still not over losing the Baja Gordita that helped define American society the turn of the millennium, I know how painful it is to stay goodbye to an old favorite. And while said Baja Gordita was, unfortunately, not one of the blasts from the past Taco Bell chose for its retro Decades Menu, I was still excited to turn back the clock and try some items from days of yore.
Here’s what this professional fast-food critic thought about Taco Bell’s Decades Menu.
Tostada – ’60s
The tostada was one of the first six items on the original Taco Bell menu, comprised of a flat, crispy corn tostada shell with a schmear of refried beans, tangy red sauce, iceberg lettuce and shredded cheese. I have always found tostadas to be difficult to eat because of their awkward, open-faced style, which is perhaps why this item didn’t survive the test of time.
It is certainly delicious; the contrast between the warm blanket of beans and chilled heap of lettuce is outstandingly enjoyable, and a generous amount of tangy red sauce adds a delightful jolt. I would definitely order it again, even though it’s a messy menu item. If you’re going to try the Taco Bell tostada, plan to eat this while sitting inside at a table, and not in your car.
Green Sauce Burrito – ’70s
I wasn’t alive during the ’70s and have no nostalgia for this item, which means I have no qualms about telling you and the Taco Bell powers that be that the Green Sauce Burrito is not good. It looks and feels like a bean bag, stuffed with a mass of pasty refried beans, crunchy raw onions, shredded cheddar and a green sauce made with green chili, tomatillos, jalapeno peppers and spices. Sadly, you can’t taste any of that signature sauce over the chunks of raw onions. Unless you have precious memories of this one, I’d pass.
Meximelt – ’80s
I’m not entirely sure if there’s an architectural difference between a Meximelt and a soft taco. This question isn’t imperative when considering the rules of the Taco Bell universe, but I do wonder why it doesn’t return to the menu more often. The Bell’s kitchen has everything it needs to make Meximelts: fresh pico de gallo, a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and the signature seasoned ground beef. It’s simple—and it’s spectacular.
Gordita Supreme – ’90s
This is as close as I’ve gotten to tasting my beloved lost Taco Bell favorite in 20 years. The key is the warm flatbread shell, which does a better job than tortillas of standing up to being overstuffed with seasoned ground beef, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and shredded cheese. The torch I carry for gorditas may make me too biased to offer an impartial review of this item, but for what it’s worth, I think it’s fantastic.
How long is the Decades Menu at Taco Bell?
The first four items on the Decades Menu were released on October 31. Later, on November 21, it will expand by another decade with the reintroduction of the ’00s Caramel Apple Empanada. Though Taco Bell hasn’t provided an end date for this special menu, its limited time only items usually rotate every six weeks. If you don’t want to miss the return of an old favorite, stop in before mid-December.
