Toro Loco Tacos y Burros announced plans to officially open on Friday, August 2.
The 1,200-square-foot restaurant at 7940 E. Broadway Blvd. features 32 seats inside and four seats on the patio. This is significantly smaller than the 6,000-square-foot locations of Toro Loco’s cousin restaurants, Serial Grillers.
“The design aesthetic for the brand was a laid back SoCal vibe, pops of greens and blues to draw your attention.” said Travis Miller, founder and owner of Serial Grillers. “The inspiration for the concept were California french fry-stuffed burritos and I wanted a casual atmosphere to match.”
In addition, the decor features Tucson touches.
“We had local Tucson artist Danny Martin paint a mural on the side wall and also Ashley White from Modern Aquarian hand paint the logo and wall art that our in-house designer Robert created,” Miller said. “We also had Brandon from Succulent Steel create our succulent cactus wall.”
If the concept catches on, look forward to additional locations throughout Tucson.
“We wanted to open a taco shop as a way to continue growing our business here in the Tucson market without having to expand to Phoenix or California,” Miller said in a previous interview. “I think there is a lot of growth potential for concepts like Los Betos or Nico’s.”
Don’t expect a Los Betos clone, however. Aside from the aesthetic difference, the menu also
“We cook it once you order it,” said Jay Spearing, general manager and chef at Toro Loco. Freshly fried fries maintain optimum crispiness, while meats are juiciest served immediately after cooking.
While the restaurant isn’t officially open yet, it quietly opened on Thursday unannounced to help train the new employees and develop systems for the new concept.
“So far, the most popular items have been the Poblano Chicken Burrito, Veggie Burrito, Fried Shrimp or Avocado Taco, and our Street Corn,” Miller said.
Having tasted about half of the menu, the Tucson Foodie team also loves the popular favorites. The Pork Pastor Taco also deserves a special mention — juicy with just the right amount of char and sweetness.
If you can handle the heat, try the Hot Habanero Taco with carne asada, bacon, jack cheese, chipotle mayo, hot salsa, and a mountain of sliced pickled habanero.
Operating hours are 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily.
Toro Loco is located at 7940 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, call (520) 849-8160 or visit torolocotacos.com.
Jackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon...
