This taco joint will open soon in Kansas City — with plans to open 9 more in the area
The “tako” in Tako Tako does not refer to some new type of taco you’ve never heard of, or an exotic riff on a traditional taco.
It’s actually just an acronym of the owners’ names: Richard Torres Jr., Kay Almanza and Michael Kimbell.
“Torres Almanza Kimbell Organization,” Torres said. “You see?”
But the new restaurant, coming in August to a former T. Loft at at 8025 State Line Road, will in fact serve tacos — and tostadas, and quesadillas, and Sonoran hot dogs. Torres’ family is from Obregon, a city in Sonora, the northern Mexican state that borders Arizona.
Theirs is an entrepreneurial family. Torres’ grandfather started an industrial engineering construction company 75 years ago that his dad is now the chairman of, and Torres started a company called KC Billboards in 2012 and also does residential and commercial remodels for multifamily units.
“We always talked about opening a Sonoran-style taco place, because my mother was an amazing chef and we have all these recipes and knowledge,” Torres said. “But we never did because in Sonora the main ingredient is the tortilla, which is a very specific type of tortilla and you couldn’t find them here. And then I found out about Yoli.”
That’d be Yoli Tortilleria, based on Kansas City’s West Side. Its thin, stretchy and sturdy tortillas earned a James Beard Award last year, and co-owner Marissa Gencarelli also happens to hail from Obregon.
“Really, (Yoli) is why we decided to go ahead with the idea,” Torres said. “They’re not a partner or anything, just a vendor. But having those tortillas so close was important.”
Tako Tako will serve both corn and flour tortillas. Its special-occasion Sonoran-style hot dogs (which are often bacon-wrapped and topped with beans, salsa, onions and sauces) will come with a particular bread Torres sources from Oklahoma City. He said the hot dogs will likely only be served on weekends, but they’re still sorting out the particulars.
Torres mentioned steak, adovada (a red chile pork), chicken, and mushroom as among the proteins available. A “skinny taco,” wrapped in lettuce, will also be on the menu.
The plan is to open 10 Tako Takos between Kansas City and Lawrence in the coming years, Torres said. The State Line location is a few doors down from a QuikTrip, and he said others will likely be near QTs as well.
“They do an excellent job of targeting customers,” he said. “And we like being near highways.”
The restaurants are small — “Max of 1,500 square feet,” Torres said — and will not serve alcohol.
Hours will be Monday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., but Torres said they may open Saturday mornings for breakfast burritos. Closed Sunday.
This story was originally published July 17, 2024 at 3:40 PM.
