This popular Southern taco chain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but on a recent visit, we were thoroughly impressed by the restaurant. Here's what it was like.

• Taco Bueno, a popular Southern taco fast-food chain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
• We visited the chain on a recent trip through the South, and we were impressed.
• The food straddles the line between decadent and fresh - it feels like a grown-up Taco Bell.

In the southern half of the country, taco chains seem to be a dime a dozen: Del Taco, Taco John's, Taco Bell ... the list goes on. But during a recent food-focused field trip to the South, one chain stood out to us among the Tex-Mex clatter: Taco Bueno.

It seemed to be the best of both worlds. It's got both the decadent playfulness of Taco Bell and the fresh touch of Del Taco or Qdoba.

Yet as with most good things in the world, it's not always easy. The chain announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, and that it had been by acquired by Taco Supremo, an affiliate of Sun Holdings.

In a statement about the bankruptcy filing, Taco Bueno CEO Omar Junjua emphasized that the chain wasn't going anywhere: "We are implementing this plan through a court-supervised financial restructuring, and I want to emphasize that during this process, your local Taco Bueno restaurants are open and eager to serve you."

It may be experiencing some financial woes, but Taco Bueno absolutely charmed us when we visited. Here's why we're hoping it'll pull through and keep on serving tacos for years to come: