Juan More Taco
“At a time when our communities are drifting apart, Juan More Taco’s quality food and friendly culture brings the neighborhood together.”
Summer is a time for day-long beach trips, afternoon picnics, and backyard barbecues. The tradition of inviting the whole neighborhood over for a birthday party or just a weekly get-together with cold drinks, delicious food, and good conversation is something that feels synonymous with classic, middle-class, suburban America. I grew up in a neighborhood just like that, where as kids we could run to any one of our friends’ houses and just invite ourselves in once we’d gotten to know their family well enough. It seems, however, that with the advent of smart phones and the omnipresence of social media, the necessity of knocking on someone else’s door to ask them to come play street football or explore the enchanted forest behind the school has been wiped out entirely. In fact, much of the things that tie a community of neighbors together have been fading for decades as we turn inwards rather than reaching out.
When I moved to Fredericksburg, VA for the start of my 4th year of medical school, I was pleasantly reminded of many of my childhood pastimes. On my way home from work, I would see kids shooting each other with squirt guns in their front yards. For the 4th of July next door neighbors would bring their lawnchairs out onto their front porch to watch the local fireworks display. This culture of simple, unadulterated joys were also present when I went to Downtown Fredericksburg for the first time and discovered Juan More Taco on my first weekend in town, courtesy of my brother who I was staying with.
You don’t have to look too hard to find out how integrated this restaurant is with its community. A quick Google search pops up a plethora of photos, local news stories, and testimonials from its satisfied customer base. While it started as a food truck, Juan More Taco made a name for itself during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as it partnered up with other local businesses to donate meals to healthcare workers at nearby hospitals. Today, they’re located at a prime corner in Downtown with a line of hungry customers waiting for the doors to open on most mornings.
Juan More Taco serves what it calls “Honduran/Latin American homemade foods.” With a menu as expansive as they do, it wasn’t hard to figure out what to try: a little bit of everything. We ordered a 6-Taco Box which includes a box of six signature tacos, garnished with limes and radish, and a side of chips with salsa or beans and rice. We opted for one of each type of taco: chicken, carnitas, chorizo, veggie refried black beans with guac and pico, carne asada, and birria with a side of chips with salsa. On top of that, my brother decided to treat me to an order of their Street Corn and a cucumber limeade. It turned out to be SO MUCH FOOD. An entire pizza box’s worth of food and more, for two people to chow down on for lunch that would later keep me full through dinner time.
Everything came out at once, and when I saw my brother coming back with the pizza box, I was thankful I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet that day. The tacos came in soft corn flour tortillas in an assortment reminiscent of a sushi platter. All around were these crispy tortilla chips. The taco fillings themselves were cooked until they were tender and practically falling apart - the birria beef brisket cooked in salsa, the carnitas cooked with cinnamon and oranges, and the carne asada all maintained hints of their original slow cooked method. The veggie black beans were a surprise hit, because of how the pico and guac complemented each other perfectly. Moreover, the sheer volume of tortilla chips and limes, radish slices, and salsa that came with the tacos definitely made the $25 price point worth it. The salsa verde was delightfully spicy, but not overwhelming, and the radish slices that came with them all helped to cool down any residual heat before digging in again.
I’d never had “street corn” before that day, so I was expecting popcorn or perhaps corn kernels. Even once it came out, I thought that it looked more like a Korean corn dog. What I didn’t expect was a full ear of corn, roasted on a grill, and then slathered with mayo, sour cream, paprika, covered with cheese - an absolutely unique and mouthwatering experience once you get over the shock of how tangy and rich an ear of corn could be.
In conclusion, my overall experience at Juan More Taco was a very positive one. The staff were kind and polite. The service was fast and efficient. The food was reasonably priced and flavorful. My only wish is that the dining space was a bit more open and less cramped. In an attempt to accommodate as many guests as possible, the order area is only a few feet from the first standing table. Aside from those, the only other seating area is a rather spacious bar counter facing away from the door and cash register. This isn’t a critique as much as it is a testament to how popular this eatery is, and how their space has been outpaced by its overwhelming success.
The neighborhood appeal is refreshing and reassuring to see. The inhabitants of smaller towns like Fredericksburg compared to larger metropolises appear to be maintaining their roots and ties to the community, cementing restaurants like Juan More Taco as a favorite for all those involved. I’ll be heading back there a few more times before I have to leave!
Fun fact: For most people, any time of day is the right time of day to eat tacos, but there is actually a specific “taco time.” According to Mexican tradition, seafood tacos are meant to be eaten at lunch, while antojitos are to be eaten at dinner time.
Food Quality: 7.5/10
Meal Value: 8.5/10
Dining Experience: 7.5/10
Overall: 7.83/10
