PORTAGE PARK — A popular Mexican restaurant in Portage Park that paused major events last summer is bringing them back after the city granted it an entertainment license.
Tata’s Tacos, 5700 W. Irving Park Road, received its public entertainment venue license last week, allowing the restaurant’s third location to once again host larger entertainment events, owners Julia Paphitis and Marci Romero Berner said.
“Preserve ours [Public Place of Amusement] The license is a great advantage for our company. “It underscores our commitment to providing exceptional culinary delights in a vibrant and vibrant atmosphere,” the co-owners said in a statement. “We can’t wait to share this incredible experience with the Portage Park community and beyond.”
Tatas Tacos launched a summer event series this week to capitalize on the license approval and provide more entertainment. A comedy show featuring local comedian Patti Vasquez begins Thursdays at 7pm, a live salsa band will perform on Friday nights and a Hugo Elvis tribute band will perform on Saturdays at 8pm.
The series, which features entertainment Wednesday through Saturday evenings on the first floor of the restaurant, includes open mic and storytelling nights, music shows, quiz nights and more.
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoSeating at Tata’s Tacos newest location, 5700 W. Irving Park Rd., in Portage Park on March 1, 2022.
The special permit is required for venues that can charge an entrance fee and have a capacity of more than 100 people. When the owners opened the venue last year, they hosted several major performance events, but were never told they needed a special license and charged no entry fees, they said at a community meeting earlier in the year.
After a complaint from a neighbor, Ald. Nick Sposato (38th) late last year urged owners to stop events and apply for a special license. In order to remain in good faith with the community, Paphitis and Romero Berner asked for help from neighbors in resuming events before applying for the license, they said previously.
More than 30 people, many of whom live near the restaurant, attended the meeting to express their support for the company and get answers to concerns about scuffles, trash and parking.
Tatas’ owners informed residents that they would not book rock bands for events and that the music would only take place indoors on the first floor of the building. The owners also previously said they are “more than willing” to hire security if events involve more than 100 people, but that will likely only be once a month for the restaurant’s Saturday music series, which features local folk and indie musicians take center stage.
The restaurant seats 130 people, but larger events are likely to accommodate only 90 people as the restaurant only has three waiters. Reservations are required for live events, Romero Berner previously said.
“We need to be able to do these events to keep the business going,” she said.
While many Tatas customers don’t drive to the restaurant, Paphitis and Romero Berner are working out a deal with the owners of nearby Dollar Tree and E&J Auto Service to allow customers to park in their lots during late-night events.
Tata’s Tacos also has locations in Six Corners and Lakeview.
The Portage Park Restaurant is open Tuesday to Friday from 11pm to 9pm and on weekends from 11am to midnight.
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