Get out the birthday candles and position them securely in that massive plate of carne asada fries, because Roberto’s is 60 years old and this is the only way to celebrate appropriately.
Although it wasn’t founded in Las Vegas—the first Roberto’s Taco Shop opened in 1964 in San Ysidro, a district of San Diego, California—there’s no doubt this humble eatery is an institution in the local community. Roberto’s expanded to Las Vegas in 1990, and when its founder Roberto Robledo (who moved here to run the business) passed away nine years later, there were 18 taco shops scattered around the Valley.
Today there are a mind-boggling 55 Southern Nevada locations, all open 24 hours a day with the exception of one store in the slightly sleepy community of Anthem in Henderson. There are only about 20 stores in the San Diego area, plus four shops in Reno. Vegas is Roberto’s country.
“I’m not sure the business model has changed much from the original store in San Diego,” says Reynaldo Robledo, one of Roberto’s youngest children and the owner of the local taco empire. “The 24-hour model comes from San Diego, and of course being in such a 24-hour town in Las Vegas, Dad never thought about not being open 24 hours. That part has been a really big hit.”
During the pandemic years when all restaurants were forced to make major adjustments, he reached out to his franchisees and allowed stores to close from midnight until 8 a.m., and some 18 locations took him up on the offer. Now they’re all back to ‘round-the-clock operations, except for Anthem.
Many of Roberto’s original Vegas stores surrounded the campus of UNLV, a natural fit for hungry students craving affordable tacos, burritos, enchiladas and more. That strategic placement has been a path to success for the Reno stores as well.
“I go to a lot of meetings in the community and I’ve been in front of a lot of attorneys and judges and professional people,” Robledo explains, “and as soon as the name Roberto’s comes up, everyone always says, ‘Oh, Roberto’s! I remember eating there back in college all the time.’”
The ultra-approachable Mexican menu is nothing short of legendary when it comes after-hours Vegas party people; sharing those carne asada fries or a pile of taquitos slathered in cool guac after a long night out is a rite of passage for any resident. You simply aren’t Vegas enough if you skipped this experience.
And just as it was in Southern California, Roberto’s has been highly influential in Las Vegas, inspiring a host of similar taco shops with remarkably familiar menu offerings.
“Starting in 1976, there were employees that used to work for dad who started opening their own stores. That’s one of the reasons he moved to Las Vegas, because in San Diego there were at least 30 different taco shops with similar names and food,” Robledo says. “In Las Vegas, there is and there was competition, but it’s not as saturated as in San Diego.
“But we have those here, too. Don Tortaco is probably the biggest one, and Fausto’s also came out of Roberto’s. There are a couple others who didn’t work for us, but they’re from the same village my parents are from, so they have the same food.”
To celebrate the 60th year of Roberto’s, the store is hosting radio remote events two or three times a week at different stores and giving away Apple iPads and Watches, along with Roberto’s merch, through the month of February. The chain has expanded its weekly food specials as well, with discounted dishes four days a week. Those legendary fries, topped with sizzling steak, beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and cheese? They’re half-off on Mondays, just $6.60. (For the record, it’s a slightly smaller portion, but you still can’t finish them. Just like back in your college days.)
ROBERTO’S TACO SHOP 55 locations, robertostacoshop.com.
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