Having celebrated the one year anniversary of its opening this month, Diego's Taco Shop is a hot spot at 2239 South King Street. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., owners Dante and Elizabeth Dauz attract people from the UHM community.
"My wife and I have been through college too," D. Dauz said. "We keep food as affordable as possible."
The first Diego's Taco Shop opened in Pearl City in January 2004 with the encouragement of Dauz's family in Hawai'i. After observing that the shop's customers consisted of 40 to 45 percent military clients, many with ties to Southern California, the couple decided to try and open a restaurant the university community. The Dauzes opened their second taco shop a few blocks away from UHM.
"I know you guys (UHM students) go to Longs," Dauz said jokingly. "We're across the street."
But students are not the only UH affiliates that eat at the shop.
"Two of my Spanish teachers are regulars," said Alejandra Cueto, a UHM senior who has been working at the shop since it's opening in November 2004.
Originally from San Diego, Calif. the Dauzes consider their restaurant as just another neighborhood taqueria or taco shop.
"We educated a lot of people on true Mexican food. Many people thought the hard shell corn tortillas with ground beef was the authentic thing," Dauz said.
Cueto, who is originally from California, explains how it's difficult to find good Mexican food in Hawai'i. "[Diego's Taco Shop is] the closest to authentic you can get here," Cueto said.
The use of recipes from their San Diego County hometown of National City are what make the taco shop different from others on the island, according to Dauz. Diego's Taco Shop focuses on serving food from San Diego and its border city Tijuana, Mexico. The shop offers soft, Tijuana-style tacos along with carne asada chips €" sautéed beef served on top of tortilla chips and topped off with sour cream, guacamole and cheese €" which comes from San Diego.
While the owners pride themselves on their affordable Mexican food, employees like Cueto are pleased with the taco shop's work environment.
"I stared working there because I need a job at the time," Cueto said. "But the reason I've stayed so long is because I like who I work with. It's like a family."
In the future the Dauzes hope to have Diego's open 24-hours-a-day which will offer more services to its customers. The Dauzes are considering opening a third Hawai'i location in either Kane'ohe or Mililani, but first they plan on opening a Diego's Taco Shop in New York.
