Taco/Social is crafting fresh free-form tacos with flavors of tikki masala, chicken queso and Korean barbecue. The restaurant opened their doors on Colorado Boulevard Sept. 27, according to founding partner André Vener. Vener said the mission of Taco/Social is to bring the community together around great food.
“We want people to come for different reasons,” Vener said. “Whether you are coming from a sport, your community fundraiser. Whether you come in there to meet somebody or just to sit at the bar, whether you are going there for the food, it does not matter. You should be able to come in for multiple different occasions, not just once a year.”
Evan and Idalina Colter brought their family to the Taco/Social opening and said they spent their afternoon eating tacos on the back patio.
“I think that the neighborhood really needed this space to come together,” Evan Colter said. “It is just so nice to see all the families out here.”
According to Vener, family is a critical part of Taco/Social.
“All the partners connected through the restaurant business but it was really our kids that brought us together,” Vener said. “Our kids go to the same school, so we are all part of the community.”
Taco/Social is located in a historic art deco mechanic shop. The building was previously occupied by a few other eateries, including Eagle Rock Public House and Lucky Bird. According to Verner, the location and specifically the building was a huge part of the creation of Taco/Social.
“We wanted to open in Eagle Rock because we believe in the Eastside heart, mission and hospitality,” Verner said. “We are big fans of Eagle Rock and have lived here all our lives as part of the community. We also believe Eagle Rock is starting to pick up some of the restaurant trends and bars which is pretty awesome and that is why we put so much love and attention into the building. We wanted to make the building look beautiful and feel kind of cool and Southern Californian.”
Both Idalina and Evan Colter said they also love the openness of the new space.
“The visibility out front is amazing, it is just a great building and everyone can sit out front too,” Idalina Colter said. “This is a place where you can come all year round, they can put space heaters up and set up the back patio for the winter.”
The Colters said that they ordered a lot of food from the menu, including a cheeseburger taco for their youngest daughter.
Taco/Social is also looking for more ways to continue their community involvement in Eagle Rock, according to Verner.
“We are a part of the community and have been doing this for a while,” Verner said. “So Taco/Social is just another place that is a neighborhood bar where we can get together, eat good food and feel comfortable. It is just alternative for another amazing spot in Eagle Rock.”
Fresh and innovative taco ideas were key to the creation of the restaurant, according to Verner.
“We crafted everything very specifically and made sure the quality was first class, but we had fun with it,” Verner said. “So traditional Mexican flour tortillas and then we just had fun putting all different ingredients inside. Whether it is chicken tikka masala, or cheeseburger or cod or barbecue ranch chicken, it can really be anything.”
The Colters said that the extensive menu for both food and drinks really caught their attention.
“The best thing about it is that there really is something for everyone,” Idalina Colter said. “You can come here with your girlfriends or with your family and still have a great time.”
Contact Nora Youngelson at youngelson@oxy.edu.
