The Best BBQ Tacos in Utah: How The Smoked Taco Revolutionized Utah's Food Scene

The aroma hits you first—that unmistakable marriage of hickory smoke and sizzling spices that shouldn't work together but absolutely does. At The Smoked Taco, Utah's most rebellious fusion restaurant, the founders took more than 35 years of combined experience in professional BBQ and set out to create something bold, unexpected, and undeniably delicious. What started as an experiment in a local smokehouse has become Utah's premier destination for BBQ tacos, proving that sometimes the best culinary innovations come from breaking every rule in the book.

"If you're looking for authentic Mexican tacos this isn't it. If you're looking for giant tacos filled with delicious BBQd meats then this is the spot," one St. George customer perfectly captured the essence of what makes these BBQ tacos in Utah so special. This isn't about tradition—it's about creating something entirely new.

The Smokehouse Rebels: How Two BBQ Veterans Reinvented Tacos

The founders cut their teeth (and smoked a whole lotta meat) working the pits at a local smokehouse—learning the craft, the patience, and the art of low & slow. Jeff McFadden and Gary Hanson weren't content with just serving traditional barbecue. They launched The Smoked Taco as a food truck in 2021, and the first brick-and-mortar restaurant opened later that year in American Fork.

Armed with a Southern Pride Smoker and decades of smoking expertise, they started with a simple question: what if slow-smoked BBQ met the boldness of Mexican street food? These weren't accidents—they were experiments that proved two worlds of flavor could collide and create something brand-new.

The breakthrough moment came during their very first taco service out of the truck. "Our very first taco service out of the truck—and we sold out. That's when we knew this wasn't just another taco joint in the making," their story reveals. That validation launched what would become Utah's fastest-growing BBQ fusion concept.

Today, six locations across Utah—American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Saratoga Springs, St. George, Riverdale, and Bountiful—prove that Utahns have an appetite for premium smoked meat tacos that refuse to fit into traditional categories. They took home the Best of State Award, making it official: Utah can't get enough of The Smoked Taco.

The BBQ Taco Experience: Where Smoke Meets Spice

Walking into any Smoked Taco location, you're immediately hit by the theater of it all. This isn't fast food—it's a carefully orchestrated smoke show where slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, and smoked chicken crash head-on with street-taco swagger. Each and every bite is a flavor brawl, and you're in the front row.

The crown jewel is The Gringo—a brisket taco that's become the measuring stick for all other fusion tacos in Utah. Loaded with brisket, gringo sauce, candied jalapeños, fried onion, cotija, and cilantro, it's what happens when Texas meets Mexico in the most delicious way possible. "Starting from left to right, I got the Smoking Pastor, the Fleeing Californian, and the Gringo! Which next time, ill probably get all Gringos because they are so good!" one enthusiastic customer shared.

But The Gringo isn't alone in earning devotion. The Fleeing Californian has captured hearts with its tri tip steak, cali sauce, roasted corn, pico de gallo, guac, cotija cheese, and cilantro. "These tacos are SO good! Totally worth the price. They are very filling with wonderful flavor profiles. The staff are always so kind and helpful. I recommend the OG and the Fleeing Californian but everything I've tried has been delicious," another regular raved.

The Bang Bang taco deserves special mention—a shrimp creation that perfectly embodies the restaurant's "anything goes" philosophy. "The bang bang taco and the loaded nachos are 10 out of 10. I literally recommend the smoke taco to everyone and I've been to multiple locations and the food and quality is just as good all across the board," one customer testified after visiting multiple locations.

And then there are the churro fries—sweet masa dough fried to perfection, tossed in cinnamon sugar, and served with whipped cream and caramel sauce. "Oh the elote bowl is awesome and the churro fries are insane. We love it!" They've become as much of a signature as the tacos themselves, proving that breaking rules works at every level of the menu.

Utah's BBQ Fusion Revolution: Changing the Game Statewide

The Smoked Taco hasn't just opened restaurants—they've created a movement. In a state where Mexican restaurants traditionally dominate the taco scene, these smokehouse rebels have carved out entirely new territory. They're serving premium BBQ tacos Utah has never seen before, and the response has been overwhelming.

"We love smoked taco, discovered it like a year ago and have been going ever since. The food quality and quantity for the price is amazing, it's always yummy and always fast. The staff are also super nice which is nice touch, no one seems bummed out to be working there," one Pleasant Grove regular explained, capturing the community connection that's made these locations neighborhood institutions.

From Utah County's tech corridors to St. George's red rock country, each location has adapted to its community while maintaining the same uncompromising approach to smoked meat preparation. The 12-hour smoking process, premium meat selection, and house-made sauces remain consistent whether you're grabbing lunch in American Fork or dinner in Riverdale.

The success has attracted attention from food lovers across the Mountain West. "OK folks ... do not sleep on this place. Holy smokes the food is amazing! I took 10 people here tonight and we tried a ton of food. Everyone liked it. Loved it," one customer shared after introducing a large group to the concept.

Planning Your Visit to The Smoked Taco

Ready to experience Utah's best BBQ tacos for yourself? Here's your insider guide to making the most of your visit.

Locations across Utah:

• American Fork: 933 W 500th N, Ste 102 (the original)
• Pleasant Grove: 863 S N County Blvd
• Saratoga Springs: 1048 N Redwood Rd
• St. George: 471 E St George Blvd
• Riverdale: Multiple locations
• Bountiful: 245 W 500 S

Hours: Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 11am-9pm

What to order: Start with The Gringo and The Fleeing Californian—they're the gateway drugs to BBQ taco addiction. "Recommend the gringo, then the Californian, then the OG tacos. All the meat is delicious," as one experienced customer advised. Don't skip the churro fries, and if you're feeling adventurous, the Bang Bang taco showcases their creativity at its peak.

Pro tips: "The smoked meat nachos are MASSIVE and so good. And the loaded masa fries so dang good and massive... They are very big and can easily feed 2-3 people" according to recent visitors. Come hungry, bring friends, and prepare for a messy, bold, unapologetic dining experience.

Follow them: @thesmokedtaco on Instagram for the latest limited-time offerings and location updates.

The Smoked Taco represents everything bold about Utah's evolving food scene—the willingness to experiment, the respect for craft, and the understanding that the best flavors often come from the most unexpected combinations. In a state increasingly known for its culinary innovation, these BBQ tacos stand as proof that sometimes the most authentic thing you can do is be completely unauthentic.

"We love smoked taco, discovered it like a year ago and have been going ever since. The food quality and quantity for the price is amazing, it's always yummy and always fast," captures exactly why this concept has exploded across Utah. When BBQ meets Mexican street food in the hands of people who understand both traditions deeply enough to break them beautifully, magic happens. And in Utah, that magic is available at six locations and counting.

Ready to join the revolution? Find your nearest Smoked Taco location and discover why Utah can't stop talking about these rebellious BBQ tacos that prove sometimes the best way to honor tradition is to completely reinvent it.