Rock N’ Taco opens new restaurant location
Christina Holt/News-Sun
Emilio Marin is a lot like his Rock N’ Tacos jalapeno mascot — he likes to wear his sunglasses.
But the rock and roll-loving restaurateur finds himself taking off his trademark shades these days to make his dream of owning a full-service restaurant a reality.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do from the beginning,” said Marin.
For 15 years, Marin worked in the oilfield but found it to be unstable. He wanted to be a cook and when the opportunity came up to purchase a food truck, he took it.
Marin started his dream in 2015 with one food truck and three tacos on his menu at the Gus Macker Tournament.
“I like to make people happy with food,” Marin said, “I like seeing their faces.”
According to Marin, his ultimate goal has been to open a full-service restaurant.
Although, he’s now opening that new restaurant, Marin will keep his two food trucks open.
The food trucks are located at 913 E. Bender and 1207 Joe Harvey and are open 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
You may recognize the building for the new restaurant on the Lovington Highway as the former Iron Skillet, but Marin has made some interior design changes and has big plans for his new business.
The walls have been painted black and white with corrugated metal accents. Music posters of Nirvana, Rolling Stones, Kiss and Lynyrd Skynyrd line the walls.
“I love rock and I love tacos. It’s about the music and food,” Marin said.
Marin wants to have live acoustic music on the weekends and hopes to get a beer license by April. He has future plans of building a bar and patio.
The menu also has some big changes — it won’t be exactly the same food served at his food trucks.
The more popular tacos at the food trucks will still be served at the restaurant, but he is also creating new dishes, Marin said.
The al pastor burger — a new creation — is a ground pork patty with pineapple, topped with bacon, muenster cheese and an avocado sauce.
The most popular taco on his food truck, the birria taco, will also be served with shredded beef, a Mexican cheese blend and consomé sauce (beef broth with special seasonings) for dipping.
And, Hobbsans will be able to enjoy another breakfast location.
The breakfast menu at Rock N’ Taco will have eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, hashbrowns and pancakes as well as Mexican style breakfast plates.
“It’s a Hobbs style-breakfast,” said Marin.
The full menu will consist of breakfast, steaks, burgers, seafood, Mexican plates such as fajitas, kid’s menu and desserts. And, appetizers will have a seafood and Mexican flair.
Rock N’ Taco restaurant will be open 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday, closed Monday, beginning Jan. 26 and is located at 4428 N. Lovington Highway in Hobbs.
