Southwest Detroit Staple Finds New Permanent Home after Devastating Fire

A fire forced longtime Southwest Detroit restaurant Taqueria El Rey to shut its doors. Since then, the restaurant has been operating out of Batch Brewery on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and running its food truck at the corner of 23rd and Vernor .

However, the business has not strayed from its end goal of finding a new permanent home for a single day over the past two years. When El Zoco shut down recently, the opportunity finally presented itself. According to a Crain’s Detroit coverage , the restaurant will reopen at 3400 Bagley St later this summer.

Co-founder Daniel Fuentes said in an article on El Central Hispanic News that the restaurant’s menu will largely remain the same “with a few additions.” The restaurant will also evolve from its old-schooled cash-only format and begin to accept major debit and credit cards once the new location opens. Fuentes also mentioned that the team plans on opening up the entire space with the second floor reserved for “private events, parties, even nightclub-type events.”

What Now Detroit reached out to Fuentes but hadn’t heard back by the time of this coverage. The space was largely turnkey with the need for some equipment updates and a thorough cleanup.

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