38K Shares

Here you will find an easy plan to help you make the best taco bar party, including an amazing taco bar checklist you can snag.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my Disclaimer for more information.

I will show you how to plant the best taco bar party ever!

Trying to plan a taco bar party? Need a taco bar checklist? Well, you’re in the right place!

a table full of taco fillings and mexican drinks

Who doesn’t love tacos? This type of party can be planned for any occasion and of course my favorite…Cinco de Mayo!

Table of Contents

Create a taco bar party for basically any occasion, some examples are graduation parties, birthday parties, taco Tuesday dinner or lunch, housewarming, retirement party, and just because you want a taco night!

Really, there are tons of reasons to build a taco bar party!

If you consider any of these taco bar party tips to help you out, I know your friends and family will be impressed the next time you throw a taco bar party.

We will help you get all your creative juices flowing with ideas for a taco bar party.

So let’s talk about some tacos! Yummy..

Why a Taco Bar Party is a Great Way to Entertain?

I mean, the word TACOS!..do we need to say more?

This Mexican cuisine food is a fan favorite for many people.

Entertaining with a bar full of veggies, cheese, and all kinds of meat or even fish is a great way to socialize with others.

Reasons why you should have a Taco Bar Party

Lets people get creative with their own food
Can be easier to put together for the host, compared to other theme parties
Taco bar parties get people moving around at your party
Guests tend to conversate more and get more comfortable in a party setting
There are tons of ways to decorate and get creative with food options

a table filled of taco toppings, tacos and dips

If you still are not convinced why having a taco bar party is a great way to entertain, look at these statistics:

According to chd-expert.com, Mexican food is the 3rd most popular type of food people have in a restaurant.
Southfloridareporter.com reports that Americans eat over 4.5 billion tacos a year
Kegl.iheart.com, conducted a survey on National Taco Day, and only 5% of people didn’t like tacos!

I even did my own study in my Instagram stories, and as you see in a snapshot of my poll of tacos vs. burritos, it resulted in tacos being the clear winner.

So it’s safe to save, if you haven’t already created a taco bar party you definitely should.

Taco Bar Serving equipment:

Okay, now that you know having a taco bar party (which is an amazing idea), you must ask yourself… what do you really need to make one?

To keep it simple, all you need is food, food supplies, and some Mexican-themed decor.

Food, of course, you need yummy taco food options, sides, and maybe even some dessert
Mexcian-themed supplies

Mexican-Themed supplies

Overall, it is quite easy to customize your taco bar how you want it.

But If you want to go the extra mile for your taco bar party, you can try to get the supplies linked below:

Taco Holders: Plastic or Stainless steel
Tacoholder stand
Tortilla warmer
Electric server warming tray
Condiment serving container
Heated topping bar (electric)
Mexican serape table runner
Fiesta taco holder plate
Inflatable Serving tray
Lazy Susan chip & dip tray

FIESTA DECORATIONS

I love a good fiesta decor set when I see it.

Getting themed decorations is so much fun to hang up for a party like a taco bar party.

Fiesta decorations take your taco bar to the next level and all your party guests in a fiesta mood!

Below are links to some great examples of fiesta decoration you can get for your next fiesta.

How Much Food do I Need for a Taco Bar Party?

Taco Bar Calculator

By using this handy Food Taco Calculator, you can find out the exact amounts of food ingredients you need for a certain amount of people.

From experience, when I feed my family of six and cook with at least 1 lb and a half of ground beef, it is enough for everyone to have at least two tacos each.

The linked calculator is pretty handy and can help you no matter how many people come out to your taco bar party.

tacos filled with taco toppings and a had squeezing lime on top

What are some healthy toppings to put on tacos?

There are healthy food options that are delicious and still good for you at a taco bar party.

The healthiest foods are homemade, and baked, and use quality ingredients that are unprocessed.

Healthy Taco Toppings

All the foods above and below (when you see our taco filling options) can all be made from scratch and be considered healthy depending on how you cook them.

Shredded fish
Shrimp
Chickpeas
Greens
Mixed Vegetables
Sprouts
Herbs
Homemade sauces and dips
Homemade refried beans

Additionally, all the food recipes linked here are also listed on our taco bar checklist you can great for free.

My last post on How To Stock a Healthy Pantry is a great resource to know what types of food to carry in your home that will help you cook healthier.

tacos filled with cilantro and meat on a red plate next to corn on the cob, lemon and sour cream

The Easiest Way to Build a Taco Bar Party

Step one

The easiest way to build a taco bar is to have a written-out taco bar menu and taco bar decoration ideas so you can give yourself an idea of how you want to decorate your party.

Step Two

After you have a plan and menu in place, get all your hot food prepared and cooked ready to be spread out.

Usually, cooking hot food takes the longest, so by doing this first, you can get it out of the way.

Placing cooked taco toppings in warmers will be your best bet to keep it warm.

a mix of different types of tacos on a blue table and a hand grabbing a drink

You can also cook your hot taco food toppings in crockpots and leave the food in it to keep it warm during your party.

Step three

When your main fillers are cooking, you can use that time to place all the decorations up and make your sides.

Step four

Lastly, when all the taco filler foods are ready to be placed, arrange all food in an assembly line on a party table.

A good rule of thumb is to place your sides around the assembly taco fillers and add some deco around it all if you have any.

Have a separate location for desserts, drinks, and extra supplies for your guests like utensils and plates.

Using a taco bar checklist also comes in handy when planning any size taco bar party.

Mexican Drinks

Adding some authentic Mexican drinks shows attention to detail at your taco bar party.

Letting your guests try something new and bring some Mexican culture into your party will leave a great impression too.

Taco Bar Party Drink Recipes

Agua de Avena (oatmeal drink)
Agua Fresca (fruit drink): watermelon, strawberry, cucumber/lime
Mexican coffee
Lola horchata
Raspberry Mojito punch

Taco Bar Tortilla Recipes

Corn tortillas

Homemade Hard Taco recipe

Homemade simple Flour tortilla recipe

Gluten free tortilla recipe

Filling ideas for Taco Bar

Salsa

Salsa is a must-have for any taco bar party and there are so many salsa recipes to choose from too.

I have chosen the best salsa recipes for you to try out below.

The best homemade salsa recipe

Homemade Salsa verde

Tomatillo salsa verde

Beans

Beans is another taco bar staple that is a must-have at your taco bar party.

Click any amazing bean recipe below to try it out.

Mexican Black bean recipe

The Best Pinto bean recipe

Easy Refried beans recipe

Some other great taco fillings are below!

Various types of Shredded cheese: Monterey jack, Cheddar, Mexican Blend
Lettuce (chopped)
Corn or a corn salad mix
Onions (chopped)
Peppers (chopped)

Tomatoes
Jalapeno peppers
Cinatro
Cabbage slaw (red or green)
Lime wedges
Sour cream
Pineapple (diced)
Green chilies
Sweet onions

Meat fillings for taco bar

Pico de Gallo
Shrimp (meat replacement)
Ground beef
Shredded chicken
Steak strips
Pork (chopped)

Taco Bar Side Dish Recipes

Chips and salsa
Corn on the Cobb
Guacamole
Rice and beans
Coleslaw
Salsa verde
Refried bean dip
Cilantro lime rice
Sweet corn
Quinoa salad
Avocado black bean salad
Avocado Tomato Salad
Cheese dip
Cauliflower rice
Seasoned Veggies
Shrimpo de Gallo
Loaded Tortilla chips
Mexican street corn
Corn salsa
Salad Bar
Fajita Veggies
Homemade queso dip
Mexican rice

Experimental Taco Bar TOPPING dishes:

Calamari
Sausage
Eggs
Pepperoni
Pork rinds
Tuna
Chilli
Sweet potatoes
Black olives
Hot sauce

How to Make a Walking Taco

Your own taco bar can also have walking tacos for a graduation party, Cinco de Mayo party, family dinner, or any other big party.

Walking tacos are a great addition to a taco party, that is the beauty of a taco bar you can get creative.

All you need is a buffet table, the best taco toppings you can find, and any taco bar ingredients we mentioned above that can fit in any corn chip bag you can carry around and eat from.

It is a simple concept, just use a large skillet to cook ground beef and add homemade taco seasoning to it.

You can add any Mexican classic taco bar toppings and dump them in a bag of corn chips.

Here are three great recipes that show great walking taco ingredients:

1.) WALKING TACO

2.) Taste of Home: Walking Tacos

3.) Julie Blanner: How to make a Walking Taco

BUILD THE ULTIMATE TACO BAR with our Taco Bar Checklist

Our taco bar checklist will keep you organized, and provide you with great ideas for when you create your own taco-inspired party.

NOTE: Be sure to check your spam or promotional folder if you don’t see it in your regular inbox*

FAQ

What is a common topping for tacos in Mexico?

The most common topping for tacos in Mexico is ground beef.

Specifically, carne asada is my favorite and is a great topping to add if you want tons of flavor in your taco.

What can you put in tacos instead of meat?

Adding fish instead of meat is a good alternative for non-meat eaters.

Beans and cauliflower are also two great substitutes for meat in tacos as well.

Well overall, I hope all this information on how to create a taco bar party and taco bar checklist helps you out.

Let me know in the comments below how your taco bar party went, I would love to know!