Courier Journal Feature

While Bandido Taqueria Mexicana is not exactly on the University of Louisville’s campus, it has all the makings of a college go-to. With massive portions at student-friendly prices, this taqueria offers indulgent sustenance befitting of the campus it lives adjacent to.

The fact that Bandido also boasts an impressive salsa bar and that menu items are made to order are bonuses that shouldn’t be undervalued. The mix of flavors and spices found among the salsa bar selections were not always equally represented across the menu, items either bursting with heat or without much seasoning to speak of. However, when the flavors do hit, they make a solid impression.

Tacos are only part of the equation at Bandido, with burritos given equal, if not more, weight in the lineup. The menu is scrawled across a blackboard in colorful chalk, where you can find breakfast burritos, three different styles of tacos, quesadillas, nachos and more than a dozen additional burritos rounding out the offerings.

Orders are taken at a counter across from the entrance and the kitchen in full action just behind the register. A massive, round griddle sits at the center of it all, light smoke curling into the air as various proteins and vegetables are chopped and seared before filling flour tortillas or being piled atop a mountain of chips or french fries.