#35 of 109 Asheville Restaurants

Taco Billy

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Taco Billy: An Authentic Taco Experience in the Heart of Asheville
Written by: Vicky Reddish
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Whether you want traditional taco fare or something a little lighter, Taco Billy has thought of it all. They have every taco imaginable plus offer the chance to build your own breakfast tacos from their fresh ingredients. Parking is limited, but their tacos are well worth the walk.

- The SmokyMountains.com Local Expert Team

At Taco Billy, you are always treated to delicious tacos made from fresh ingredients and truly authentic recipes. In their journey toward creating their restaurant, Beth and Hunter Berry built their skills and knowledge living in southern Mexico for four years. In chatting with everyone from abuelas to street taco vendors, they gained the recipes and techniques used to wow the crowds in Asheville, North Carolina.

Located on Haywood Road, their quaint restaurant demands attention with its giant orange Billy goat emblazoned across the side. Everything else about it is quiet and cozy, giving you a nice place to chill and eat tacos at your leisure. Although seating out front is limited, the covered area protects from the rain and sun year-round. They have additional seating inside and out back.

With food this good, however, it does not matter what seating they have. People line up in droves to start their mornings right with their breakfast tacos. You have your choice of flour, corn, or plantain tortillas and a dozen flavorful filling options, including eggs, avocado, and goat cheese.

Breakfast tacos are available all day, but from 11 am to 3 pm, lunch tacos are served. Based around beef, chicken, pork, and veggie fillings, the lunch tacos provide a one-two punch of flavor with every bite. And they are plenty filling with most people only needing to put away one or two for a full belly.

Our favorite menu items include:

Migas Tacos
Touted as a favorite of Asheville, Migas Tacos start with a mix of sautéed onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes on a crispy fried tortilla. Then comes the generous portion of eggs and Colby jack cheese to complete this masterpiece. When you order, you can choose your tortilla type and add either fresh tomato garlic salsa or tomatillo avocado salsa.

Kirb Service
The Kirb Service tacos are built around a rich mix of onions, peppers, and beef medallions that are stewed until soft in an ancho chili sauce. Served on a flour tortilla, this rich, spicy mixture gets absolutely smothered in jack cheese. It has a spicy kick, so get the tomatillo avocado salsa to balance its flavors.

Yard Bird
For something a little different, the Yard Bird comes to save the day with its bright flavors and exquisite crunch. Starting with a layer of crispy fried chicken and ending with mango slaw and sriracha aioli, this taco never fails to delight. Although the flour tortilla comes out absolutely loaded with filling, top with the salsa of your choice to experience perfection.

San Cris
A labor of love, the San Cris revolves around slow-roasted pork infused with a wonderful array of flavors. They pile this pork atop a corn tortilla, testing its limits to the max, and then add a mix of pickled red onions, jalapeno crema, and queso fresco galore. Between all the fixings, this taco has spice for days, so get the aquas frescas to cool your palate.

Support Group
When you order the Support Group, the bold mix of flavors will keep you from missing the meat. Starting with a plantain tortilla, they pile high the roasted pepitas, avocado, spinach, and cumin sweet potatoes. To heighten those flavors even more, they complete this innovative taco with pecan and black bean hummus plus coconut crema.

Insider Tips:
– The lines at Taco Billy can leave you waiting for eons to order (and receive!) your tacos of choice. Thankfully, there is a better way. You can use their online system to place your order before you leave your house and they will have your tacos ready for pickup upon your arrival.
– Parking is extremely limited with only a few spots out front. You can try to find parking along Brownwood Avenue and adjacent streets as well. On weekends, Allied Wheel and Alignment allows Taco Billy customers to park in their lot. Do not park in the lot on the east side of the restaurant, just across Brownwood, as that is reserved for public transportation riders.