Taco Bandito Bringing Mexican Eats to Walker’s Point

Taco Bandito food truck. Photo by Roman Torrez

After a brief hiatus, a lifelong Milwaukee chef and entrepreneur is returning to the food scene. This time, as the owner of a food truck.

Roman Torrez will open Taco Bandito next week in Walker’s Point, marking the return of a taco concept that previously operated out of a nearby gas station.

But before hitting the streets, Torrez has been around the block. The lifelong entrepreneur took his first dip into the hospitality industry as a pre-teen, serving jugs of kool-aid to residents of the Bay View neighborhood. In his adult years, he operated three Milwaukee nightclubs and, later on, a full-service restaurant called Mr. WEBO’s. Most recently, he opened Taco Bandito as a brick-and-mortar business at Walker’s Point Plaza, in a space now occupied by Chubby’s Cheesesteaks.

Throughout his restaurant ventures, Torrez hooked a number of loyal followers with his standout fish tacos.

“Between both restaurants, that’s what I was known for,” he said of the tacos, which feature cornmeal-battered tilapia piled into a double corn tortilla and topped with avocado mousse, chipotle aioli, red and green cabbage slaw, tequila vinaigrette and a hint of lime.

Former customers were always asking after the craveable dish, Torrez said — even after he had closed both of his previous restaurants. “It’s just all the sauces and the way the cabbage goes with it, everything goes really well together,” he said.

Despite the rave reviews, Torrez said he’s never sampled his own signature dish. “The crazy part is I don’t even like fish,” he said with a laugh. “No one believes me when I tell them that.”

In addition to the tacos, Torrez plans to serve street corn in a cup, or esquites. The side dish features warm, buttered sweet corn topped with cotija cheese, lime and a flavorful spice blend.

Habanero salsa, a sweet-and-spicy blend of habanero peppers, carrots, honey, orange bell pepper and citrus, will also be available for purchase by the 12-ounce jar.

Torrez said he hopes the streamlined menu and mobile concept will help the new business click in a way that his previous ones didn’t. Most importantly, he said, the format will allow for a more flexible schedule and a simplified training process for prospective employees.

The license for Taco Bandito was approved Monday, said Torrez, who aims to have the truck up and running by early next week. His plan is to park near the corner of 1st and Florida Streets, across the street from O’Lydia’s, 338 S. 1st St.

An exact location and opening date will be posted to the Taco Bandito Facebook page. The business also posts regular updates to its Instagram and website.

In addition to its public-facing presence in Walker’s Point, the food truck will be available to cater private events.