Taco Bell’s New Loaded Steak & Jalapeño Fries Are Here—But Are They Worth Ordering? Here’s a Food Editor’s Review

Let’s start with the fries themselves. Of all the Taco Bell fare I’ve tried in my 31 years of life, they admittedly aren’t my favorite. But to be fair, their quality fluctuates depending on how fresh they are and how evenly they’re seasoned. They tend to lean soggy, which is a plus in my book, but covered in sauce and toppings, they get too soggy in mere minutes.

That said, I actually loved the combination of fixings on this new menu item. In my ranking of Taco Bell sauces, the nacho cheese fell somewhere in the middle. I liked its slight spice, but not its slightly gluey consistency once cooled. However, the creamy jalapeño sauce (which is what comes on the chain’s quesadillas) is my second favorite of them all, so it evened out here. It’s spicy, silky and savory. Even the steak, which isn’t my go-to Taco Bell protein, was well-seasoned, tender and freshly prepared. (Ground beef would be just as tasty, but significantly messier and cause the fries to turn soggy even faster.)

What really completed this item was the pickled peppers on top. If you’ve read any of my food reviews, you know I always appreciate something sour as a foil for fatty items like meat and cheese. Here, the peppers were just that, offering brightness and acidity that both complemented and cut the richness of the nacho fries just right.

My main bone to pick was that the portion felt a bit small for the price. But honestly, what’s $5 for a meal and a quick hit of serotonin in this economy? Taco Bell, you’ve done it again.