Taco Mac Newnan Review

After realizing our closest Wings N Things was closed, Harold Jr. and I chose Taco Mac. Was it a good choice?

How do you review a place such as Taco Mac? I’ve visited it more than any other restaurant in Newnan. I’ve been lost in the hours laughing and sharing my heart with friends, falling in love, playing trivia, and holding my sleeping baby while she tried to eat her first chicken wing. But it’s also a place so disconnected from its name that it’s doubtful the owners have ever seen a buffalo, eaten a taco, or watched Mac & Me. I’ve had more good memories at Taco Mac than I can count, but there is nothing about Taco Mac that truly responsible for that–it’s the right place, right time, right hours, right open seats, and right distance for me. Taco Mac Newnan has been the “rightest (most right? righteous?)” place I’ve ever been to, and I know I will continue going there–regardless of its flaws.

I want to try typing my brain out onto this blog and figure out what it is about Taco Mac that attracts so many of my friends, family, and colleagues and, most importantly, what keeps me coming back.

One of the reasons that Taco Mac is always a good place for me to visit (I kid you not; I’ve been 50 – 100 times) is how spacious it is. I have been attending since 2009, and I have only waited up to 10 minutes for a table (and those were times I came with a huge group) once, never waited more than 30 minutes for food, or waited 15 minutes for a check. You probably have a different story about the amount of employee turnover and various types of dinner rushes. Honestly, I am probably totally wrong about my wait times, but I live through golden shower goggles and only see the good in things. Either way, I have always felt like Taco Mac was prepared to care for me and mine. It always feels like they’re doing their best to get you in and taken care of. I don’t know of any place in Newnan with so many tables, TVs, and servers. Taco Mac makes a glowing effort to get the next customer to the next table.

Taco Mac servers? A lot of the same feelings. The only time I ever felt unwanted by an employee was when I and 8-10 others attended with a former employee. Apparently, or at least in 2021, you “aren’t allowed to come to eat at Taco Mac if you quit working there.” We didn’t budge. Solidarity! We sort of just laughed at the shift manager because surely they were kidding and about to bring me 100 free chicken wings for the bad joke.

NOPE!

Thankfully, our servers came by and overruled the rule and said they’d be happy to serve us all. It was nice. And you know I left them a big, fat, 3% tip, baby bear. Baby bear loves 3%.

Those televisions I mentioned? A seat doesn’t exist in Taco Mac, where you can’t watch at least three TVs at once. And I, a sports-ball-big-boy-bouncey-lover, will always watch three games at once. Do you like hockey? Golf? Ulto Frisbo? Football? Talking heads? Soccer? Futbol? Ultimay Frisbay? They’ve got it. You will never have to talk to your wife again, my soon-to-be-divorced friend.

The beer. OK. Let’s talk about the beer. I don’t get it. I really don’t. I don’t understand the membership and prizes and changing drafts and little codenames–any of it. I understand it from the Taco Mac POV, but the customer? Truly get a life.

I’m just kiddddding. You have one. Be proud, Ale Buster Scientist, or whatever level you’re at in the Brewniversity.

I like beer, but I don’t love beer. I love red wine, whisky, and Bloody Marys. None of those are part of the Ultimate Flighter Championship drink menu. Beer is, and I just like beer. We’d go on a group date together, but it is not going down my throat for long. I appreciate that you all love beer, but my review is by someone who doesn’t “like like” beer. I like beer.

The addition of trivia has been another incredible way to avoid talking about the food. Super Geek Trivia is the best trivia game I have ever played, and it inspires all the creative sparks in my brain. If you can get to Taco Mac on a Wednesday night (currently, check with Super Geek Trivia for the schedule), try this speed trivia and enjoy this incredible host.

All of that is fine for a setup to the main course (lol). Is the food at Taco Mac any good, or are we just there for sports, legroom, and beer? The answer is a resounding “Yeah, I guess so.” And as I increasingly type, I realize “yeah, I guess so” may be the answer to anything involving Taco Mac.

Do you want to watch the game tonight?

Do you want to try some new beers?

Do you want some Taco Mac?

Yeah, I guess so.

I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who hates Taco Mac, nor anyone who is passionate about loving it. Taco Mac comes to bat as a “yeah, I guess so,” and it knocks that role out of the park, Chipper Jones.

Sorry. The food. Right. My bad, BB.

The food is totally passable. The wings are expensive, but Taco Mac still offers appetizers for under $8, burgers for under $15, and tacos close to Mexican restaurant prices. The pricing structure easily justifies the menu, but that’s unfortunate because the menu really should be tastier.

This is not a knock on our personal Newnan Taco Mac. I assume the corporate big feathers send the orders to each franchise location and expect them to be followed to a tee (speaking of golf), and the store managers try to reach those goals. No one at Newnan Taco Mac is inventing a new dish for Taco Mac—they’re just cooking how they’re told. But Taco Mac, in general, is mediocre without ever being bad.

I genuinely love the Egg Rolls, Dry-Rub Wings, and Tacos, but I have yet to find a burger that is even better than Wendy’s or a good day Burger King. Their wet wings are sloppish. And that queso/chip combo came straight from Ellis Crooks’ failure of a store-brand aisle. It is beyond plain. It owes you flavor and laughs in your goo-cheese-loving face. There are some fantastic options, but the menu will tease you into trying something new. DON’T FALL FOR IT!

I discovered a big negative on Father’s Day: they removed their Coke Freestyle Machine. Why? Why do they hate soda? Did they need to make room for a poster of a shirtless made humping a keg? I don’t know what fraternity bro wet dream Taco Mac is becoming, but I need my Lime Coke Zero back soon!

Taco Mac has a reasonable amount of, and a wide variety of, sides to go along with their entrees. But if given the option, the fries are perfect for “bar food” fries. Damn. The more I talk about the food, the more I remember I like it. Shut up, Harold!

Taco Mac exists as a memory-making machine for me and my loved ones. It is so easy to enjoy the atmosphere, food, and drinks and not break your wallet in half. It is “good enough” in so many ways and “great” in it’s welcoming of customers. I love that this place exists and has brought so much joy into my life. When it comes to bad and Taco Mac, it is only bad because of memories that went sour–no offense to TM… well, except a guy that worked there stole my girlfriend from me when I was 18. His name was Christian. He was way cuter than me.

It would be impossible for me to list every memory I have at Taco Mac, memories I was able to focus on without anyone at Taco Mac distracting me with shiznit service or nitshiz food. Taco Mac feels like a reliable cousin you don’t want to share a bunk bed with but love to goof off with at Family Gatherings. Thanks, cousin. Let’s kiss.

B-

The letter grade is my opinion, the – or + are what I think the public would say.

VERDICT: While I enjoy Taco Mac constantly, I realize that’s a big thanks to my company and attitude. I can understand any complaints regarding Taco Mac that you may have. “Yeah, I guess so” is not enough for many people, and I applaud you for your higher standards. I’m just an egg rolling, chicken wing boy, and I’m happy to be it. I’m going to need that Lime Coke Zero, though.