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  • Writer's pictureTatiana Rodriguez
    • Jun 22
    • 3 min read

Chico's Tacos

By Tatiana Rodriguez


Chico's Tacos has a set-up like a fast food restaurant, which specializes in Mexican food but offers burgers, hot dogs served on burger buns, crinkle fries, and other items on its menu. They are reasonably priced, which makes them popular, especially their famous rolled and fried tacos, covered in a mild tomato salsa or sour cream and sprinkled with cheese served in a paper tray. Patrons can also request a side of salsa verde to intensify the spiciness. These tacos often come as a single order of three tacos or double order of six. They are a staple of El Paso's cultural scene and have given the city and Chico's Tacos quite the reputation. Enchiladas are also a popular item.


The original Chico's Tacos was founded at 4230 Alameda Avenue, on July 4, 1953, by El Paso boxing promoter, Joe Mora and his wife, Emma Mora. During the late 1950s, he quit the promotion business to focus on his restaurant. For years, it was a popular place, but it lacked visual appeal. Mora then launched a remodeling campaign to correct this situation. "The next one opened on Montana Ave., across from the Chelmont Center"1 in 1969. This location was also a success, and another building was eventually constructed to accommodate more customers. The area along Montana was upgraded, where the buildings lacked visual appeal. However, the Montana store closed in 2016 to make way for a CVS Pharmacy,2 the sixth location of this chain pharmacy in El Paso. The third restaurant was established in 1971 on Dyer Street, in the same place that was once the Rock Inn restaurant.


In 1977, Chico's Tacos fans were pleased to learn that the restaurant chain opened a fourth shop in the Eastwood area.3 This location was built on McRae Boulevard, north of another popular restaurant, Pancho's, a Mexican restaurant. Chico's Tacos seemed to have taken over Burger Chef, which gradually began to lose business all over the city. However, the shop on McRae shut its doors in 2008 and a new shop opened at 1365 George Dieter Drive. This was followed by the establishment of an additional restaurant found at 11381 Montwood Drive. Mr. Mora once opened a Chico's Tacos in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but thought it was too difficult to run a family-owned business outside of El Paso.4


Joe Mora passed away in 1992, and Emma Mora passed away in 2018. Their five children still run all four restaurants and use the same recipes and business methods their father used since 1953.


Food is something in our daily lives that brings us together and speaks volumes about our communities. Chico's Tacos has fed and brought people together for 70 years. The restaurant has been recognized as having a rich history and having deep roots in South Central El Paso. It is not only a business unique to El Paso, but a trademark institution that represents the city's identity.


First Image: The original Chico's Tacos restaurant on Alameda Avenue. Courtesy of the Mora Family. https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/local/2018/01/16/chicos-tacos-owner-emma-mora-remembered-strength-el-paso/1038365001/. 

Third Image: A double order of tacos. Courtesy of JaxGarcia41. JaxGarcia41, CC BY-SA 3.0. <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.


Footnotes:

2 Ibid.

   

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