What do you expect from a taco bar?

Meats such as chicken, beef, steak, pork, fish shrimp
Cheese, sour cream, guac/avocado, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, rice
Maybe a few different kinds of tortilla and crunchy shells for those who like that
Chips with salsa and queso

You can do a few sides to accompany it like tortilla or bean soup, maybe some sopapillas for some sweetness.

I would focus on finding a caterer first. I probably wouldn't limit your search to just tacos if I only had 4 months to go and no caterer. What did your contract say as far as short-notice cancellation? Can your caterer recommend someone?

If you do go this route I would have alternative serving options such as rice bowl/salad as well as all of the traditional toppings. I wouldn't be eating a taco with my hands if I was in a dress personally. I would offer some sort of grilled veggie or salad since tacos & toppings can be pretty heavy.

Meats: Pollo, Carnitas, Carne Asada at a minimum

Flour and corn tortillas. I've been to parties where they make them fresh at the taco truck and it really elevates the experience.

Queso, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, guacamole, & a salsa bar with at least 3-4 different salsa options

Rice & beans

I would see if you can also get something like enchiladas, taquitos, or empanadas. They're a little less messy & easier to eat. Maybe even mini bean & cheese burritos.

Dessert you can serve flan or churros!

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Thanks for recommending where my focus should be, but I've got that under control.

If you have any answers to the question that I asked, that would be super! Thanks!

View Quoted Comment Sorry it was unclear from your post. My second paragraph gave you my suggestions if you missed them.

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I like the empanadas suggestion! Both of our previous caterers were including enchiladas in our menu in addition to the tacos/nachos/apps. I think it's important to have something in addition. Not everyone loves tacos (which is so wrong!) lol

I’m planning on doing this at my wedding it will be small though. We’re just going to order from one of the local taco places( not Taco Bell lol) near the beach and have them deliver. Most of them have the option of a fajita bar or taco bar that comes with everything pp posted and it’s pretty inexpensive prob spend around 200-300 but I’m sure FH will want extra items. Also most of them include drinks and everything else you’ll need to keep the food safe.

If it's going to be the main event, you really need to go all out. I would expect:

-both hard and soft taco shells/tortillas

-at least 2-3 meats (beef & chicken, pork & chicken, all 3), plus a veggie substantial enough to be a meat sub (like grilled portobello mushrooms or peppers & onions)

-and lots of toppings- guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheddar or queso fresco/oaxaca cheese, pico de gallo/salsa, lettuce, chopped onion, chopped tomato, lime wedges, cilantro

-and sides- rice, black or refried beans, tortilla chips, corn

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Sharay, how many guests are you expecting? We were thinking of doing something like this if nothing else was within our budget. Who will you have clean up everything?

I personally wouldn't want to eat a taco in a dress at a wedding so I agree that it's a good idea to offer a bowl option for people who would rather make a "burrito bowl" or something like that. I also agree that you should have at least 3 meat options and a ton of toppings. Sounds delicious!

Chipotle and Qdoba actually cater. From what it looks like online, it's a lot of food and a great spread!

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I'm glad that you listed all of those things as going "all out". This is around what we're hoping to do. In addition to 2-3 passed apps, maybe a nacho bar if it's within our budget. And then definitely something on the side (with rice and beans, of course), like empanadas, soup, salad, or etc.

When thinking of sit-down meals at other weddings I've been to, it's always been simple: apps, salad, main meat/veggie piece, and one-two sides. I guess I'm thinking too much into it. The same philosophy should be with the tacos: the taco vessel (shells/tortillas), two meat options with a veggie option, the toppings, and two sides (rice, beans, and soup/salad).

Thank you!

I haven’t read the comments but just a suggestion. My sister in saw actually had Chipotle cater her wedding and it was a huge hit. They dressed it up and hired servers and everyone (including myself) loved it. Since they’re a restaurant they can likely accommodate the date even though it’s soon

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We were thinking...Moe's, which is similar to Chipotle and Qdoba, and it's really popular among our families and friends. Everyone is actually suggesting we go this route, but I'm afriad it's too casual. But screw it, I'm going to look into it and see what are options are with that. It doesn't hurt to check it out.

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I also like the idea of empanadas or taquitos in addition to the taco bar. You could also do quesadillas sliced like pizzas.

Just know that if you do go with something like Chipotle, I'm 99% sure they don't provide any way to keep the food at the proper temperatures or any serving staff. I think they just drop off the food and that's it, so you'd have to hire serving staff to keep everything safe and sanitary, which would be an extra cost. Personally, I think Chipotle is so beyond overrated, and it always rips apart my insides. Sorry, TMI, I know, but I think you'd get a much better product if you had a local Mexican restaurant cater for you, or find a caterer that can do the tacos.

Meats: Expected - Ground Beef & Shredded Chicken. Upgrades - Fajita Meats, Shrimp, Fish, Pulled Pork

Toppings: Expected - Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese, Salsa. Upgrades - Fajita Veggies, Pico, Sour Cream, Queso, Guac, Avocado, Variety of Salsas

Sides: Expected - Rice & Beans

Flour & Corn Tortillas would be best but if you had to pick just one do flour since more people like that.

Totally agree with the Chipotle suggestion! A friend of mine did that and everyone loved it.

View Quoted Comment Moe's is really tasty and honestly, if you are going to do tacos at least you know they will be consistent with the quality you get at the restaurant and they are really unlikely to cancel since they are a corporation. I would definitely see what they offer for catering. If their servers aren't required to look the part etc. you could always have them drop it off and hire your own waitstaff.

Chipotle catering comes with the pans and the fuel cans and there's a guide to set it up!

https://www.chipotle.com/instructions

View Quoted Comment We’re expecting maybe 30 people or less. Since we’re renting a pavilion at a beach front park we’ll have to handle the clean up unfortunately but I don’t mind it shouldnt take hours.Depending on how many RSVP I’m thinking of hiring someone to do clean up or finding an actual catering company to do the taco bar.