For a long time, great tacos were hard to come by in New Jersey. Luckily, that’s changing. For cities like Passaic, the taco scene has been consistently growing—and they’ve gotten their flowers for it. But, slowly, other parts of the state are catching up.
When a new Bergen County taco joint popped up on my Instagram feed, I knew off the visuals alone that I had to try it. So, I did. I take massive pleasure in telling you that my instincts were right—I’ve still got it. Ixim Taco in Hackensack is serving some of the best tacos in New Jersey. Hands down.
Picture this: Tender corn tortillas, pressed to order. Flavorful grilled meats. Housemade salsas and agua frescas. Crispy flautas, bursting with flavorful chicken and smothered with sauce. And a glistening trompo, stacked high with marinated pork, slowly spinning in the background.
That’s Ixim in a nutshell. It’s a damn good taco spot, and it’s smack dab in an ever-developing part of Hackensack. Days later, and I still find myself drifting off, dreaming of that first bite.
It comes from the same team behind Bitol—the Clifton Mexican restaurant that made headlines for their inventive take on authentic Mexican cooking and lengthy tequila list. Ixim is the group’s foray into fast-casual dining.
The menu at Ixim is simple, but packs a punch. For tacos, choose between carne asada, al pastor, pollo, or nopal (cactus). Take my advice and get one of each.
Al pastor is the star—tender, spiced pork that slowly roasts on a spinning trompo all day long. The edge pieces caramelize, while long slices with a knife reveal moist, glistening meat. A cold slice of pineapple provides a pleasant contrast of temperature.
The nopal taco is equally as alluring. The traditional vegetarian taco filling is sometimes controversial. It’s a pain to prepare, and many dislike its tart flavor. When done poorly, the cactus can be slimy on the palate. But I love it. And Ixim’s version is exceptional. The cactus is charred on the grill, bringing a delicious smoky flavor, while the texture is crunchy and strangely addicting.
Each taco comes slathered with both creamy avocado salsa and a bright tomato salsa, crunchy onions, and cilantro. Handmade tortillas are made daily using real nixtamalized maíz, lending a rich corn flavor that’s absent from store-bought tortillas and even many handmade ones. Two additional salsas—mild tomatillo and spicy salsa roja—are served on the side.
You can also choose to get any taco filling on a tostada or quesadilla—if that’s your thing. Beyond the classic options, there are other tacos on the menu that sing a slightly different tune.
Take the fish taco, for example. Ixim’s version includes crispy battered fish, avocado salsa, crunchy cabbage slaw, and a smoky chipotle aioli drizzled on top. The fish is flaky and mild, while chipotle aioli adds depth and body to what is easily one of the best fish tacos I’ve had in recent memory.
Birria tacos similarly bring everything you’re looking for. Tender braised beef—with its cooking liquid served on the side for dipping—fills a seared corn tortilla with melty cheese, cilantro, and onions. It’s unctuous, a bit messy, and obviously delicious. I still remember a time when birria was near-impossible to come by in New Jersey. Those days are, thankfully, over.
There’s one more taco that I’ve yet to mention, and it’s the one I can’t stop dreaming about. Ixim’s sliced ribeye taco is the best steak taco I’ve ever eaten. Full stop. The ribeye is sliced thinly, seasoned simply with salt, and seared on the plancha before being placed atop a corn tortilla with a sprinkling of melted cheese for good measure. Unlike carne asada, which is chopped, each ribeye taco gets a full slice of steak in all of its fatty, beefy glory. On top, a bright tomatillo salsa to cut through the richness.
Right now the ribeye taco is an off-menu option, but rumor has it that it’ll be on the full menu soon.
In addition to tacos, quesadillas, and tostadas, Ixim offers a variety of other Mexican staples. Crispy flautas come bursting with chicken and slathered with three types of sauce: avocado salsa, crema, and chipotle aioli. The sauces sit in layers on top so that the flauta changes as you eat it.
Fresh tortilla chips with guacamole or salsa are an understandably good choice, while cotija-sprinkled elote brings a street corn option into the fold.
And if that wasn’t enough, Ixim does wings, too. Fried until crisp, tossed in a smoky chipotle sauce, and served with a creamy, tangy dipping sauce. They’re unlike any wings in the area with their sweet-and-spicy sauce—and the crunchy breading provides texture and additional seasoning.
Beyond savory food, Ixim offers delectable sweets like chocolate-slathered churros and paletas—creamy Mexican ice pops that come in mango, strawberry, and coconut.
For drinks, all of the Mexican-imported Coke, Sprite, and Jarritos you could ever want. But whatever you do, do not skip the homemade agua frescas. I’m partial to the tamarind flavor, but hibiscus—AKA Agua de Jamaica—and creamy horchata offer a bit of something for every palate.
It’s no secret that New Jersey didn’t always have much to brag about when it came to tacos. But that’s changing. Places like Ixim prove that great tacos are no longer limited to the Mexican food hubs of the Garden State.
It’s the kind of place that you go to once out of curiosity, and suddenly you’re there two, three, four times a week. With authentic al pastor, sliced ribeye tacos, smothered flautas, and more, Ixim Taco is helping change the New Jersey taco conversation. Long gone are the days of cookie-cutter tacos and store-bought tortillas. Instead, we can have fresh maíz, hand-made salsas, and menus that commit fully to tradition.
It might take time, but we deserve that. Ixim Taco suggests we’re in a very good place.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
