Taco Empire is sizzling again in northwest Oklahoma City. The taqueria run by Pilar Esparza and José Carlos Cornejo reopened Tuesday, several months after a mid-December kitchen fire shut the doors for repairs. The owners are calling the return a comeback as staff stepped behind a remodeled counter, welcomed diners into a refreshed dining room and got service rolling again.
As reported by The Oklahoman, Esparza said opening weekend was quieter than the team had hoped, possibly because Cinco de Mayo events around town pulled customers elsewhere, and online ordering stayed down while final updates were wrapped up. "Everything happens for a reason and we are very happy with the new design," she told the paper.
The shutdown followed an early-morning blaze in mid-December that firefighters said began shortly after midnight and was contained to the kitchen. The rest of the building took on smoke damage, but no injuries were reported, according to KOCO. At the time, Taco Empire announced it would be closed "until further notice" while repairs were underway.
With the brick-and-mortar offline, Esparza and Cornejo kept serving customers from their food truck and used the downtime to plan upgrades. The Oklahoman reports the repair work stretched to roughly four and a half months before the doors officially reopened, and the owners say they hope the updated space helps the brand grow across Oklahoma.
Menu, Hours and What to Expect
The reopened counter is once again turning out the restaurant's blue-corn tortillas alongside favorites like quesabirria, adobada and Papas Adobadas. Posted hours list 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. For the latest on hours, the menu and the food truck schedule, visit the business website at Taco Empire.
Why It Matters Locally
The return of Taco Empire is a small but welcome win for a neighborhood that has backed the business since its food-truck days. The reopening underscores how local spots can rebound after setbacks, and owners and customers told reporters they hope the comeback helps restore a go-to lunch and dinner option for the north side of town.
