EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Did you know that El Beso Taqueria began as a dream?
Raul Almanza, owner of El Beso Taqueria, says he’s always dreamed of opening up a taqueria, especially since his father had a similar one back in 1989 in Juarez.
Almanza says his father’s restaurant was open for two years and focused on carnitas. Almanza says even though the business lasted for just two years, he grew up seeing photographs of the taqueria, which ultimately inspired him to create his own idea of El Beso.
“The name El Beso came from that, from my father’s taqueria back in the day. He named it that because my grandpa had a way of cooking carnitas in Guanajuato, and the callejon (alley) El Beso is there. I would say it was born in ’89 and opened in 2023 if you wanna see it that way,” Almanza said.
He was born in El Paso and raised in Ciudad Juarez until he was 20 years old.
“It’s just an experience. I mean, me being in a different industry and then jumping into a different one. In my case, it was a lot of no’s until I heard the yes. I learned from a lot of mistakes and it helped me to be where we’re at right now. I’m really happy and grateful for all of those things,” Alamanza.
Almanza says he wanted to create a taqueria that was authentic for those who search for a taste of Mexico.
Almanza says he decided to stick with the authentic red color scheme that the interior of his father’s taqueria had, as most Mexican traditional taquerias back in the day were sponsored by Coca-Cola.
The taqueria also has several hidden gems throughout the establishment, including work from local artists.
He also decided to instill more of a romantic theme in the taqueria, which pulls the vibe together and can be a perfect option for date night.
“It’s a way of giving a kiss when you’re about to bite the taco,” Almanza said.
Almanza adds that keeping that authentic feel also includes the food, which is local, fresh, and cooked to order. Some of the proteins are cooked for several hours daily, such as the birria, carnitas, and barbacoa.
“The concept here is by the taco,” Almanza said.
El Beso Taqueria offers a variety of proteins such as asada, pollo asado, tripitas, pastor, barbacoa and birria. The taqueria also offers a modern twist to certain plates, such as the pizza birria, which is a bigger option for groups of people.
Aside from tacos, El Beso Taqueria offers quesadillas, corn in a cup, four different salsas to choose from, aguas frescas made from scratch, Mexican Coca-Cola in glass bottles, ice cream, and alcohol, which is only available at the Zaragoza location.
El Beso Taqueria opened up its first location in January 2023 on the Westside and later opened its second location in June 2024 on the Eastside.
“We have a lot of people that love us, that recognize us just by saying the name, and I feel like it’s been great how El Paso has liked what we’re doing and I feel like for me, it’s just a part of me. It’s an extension of me, and what I do comes natural,” Almanza said.
El Beso is located on the Westside at 5500 Doniphan Dr., Suite 203B, and on the Eastside at 2301 N. Zaragoza Road, Suites 109-110.
The Westside location is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. The Westside location is closed on Mondays.
The Eastside location is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.
For more information, you can head to their website.
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