A new taco restaurant is coming to Montrose. The Burger Joint partners Shawn Bermudez and chef Matthew Pak revealed that they’re bringing The Taco Stand to the neighborhood.

Slated to open by the end of the year at 1503 Westheimer, Houston’s third location of The Taco Stand will replicate the successful formula of the original location in the Heights and the recently-opened second location in Webster. Work is already underway to transform the former apartment building into a 2,100-square-foot restaurant with a 1,000-square-foot patio. Critically, renovations include the installation of a drive-thru that will allow for speedy to-go service.

The new restaurant will include a drive-thru.Courtesy of Gage Architecture

First opened in 2021, the fast casual restaurant serves street-style tacos for both dine-in and to-go from 6 am until midnight daily. Tacos come with a range of fillings that include meaty options such as pastor, carnitas, carne asada, and barbacoa, as well as seafood options including shrimp and fish, and a number of vegan and vegetarian choices. They're wrapped in housemade corn or flour tortillas and paired with five different salsas: everything from a mild red table salsa to a smokey chile de arbol to fiery jalapeño and habanero-based options.

All of its taco fillings are also available as a burrito, quesadilla, or bowl. In addition to its lunch and dinner menu, the Taco Stand serves breakfast tacos daily.

Both the restaurant’s frozen margaritas and canned cocktails use 100 percent blue agave tequila. Other beverage choices include agua frescas, Mexican and domestic beers, and sodas. It’s a familiar formula, but Bermudez isn’t too worried about competition.

“I know everyone will think, ‘Just what we need another Mexican restaurant in Montrose,’ but I think our brand stands out,” Bermudez said in a statement. “Taco Stand serves delicious street-style tacos and house-canned cocktails from early morning through late at night with both dine-in and drive-thru service options.”

Bermudez knows as anyone that Montrose has numerous options for tacos. He owns Pistolero’s, a taco and tequila concept that’s located next to the new Taco Stand at 1517 Westheimer. Both establishments distinguish themselves from each other by different experiences, with Pistolero’s operating as a more bar-forward concept with a higher level of service than the Taco Stand’s fast casual environment.

This year will be a busy time for Bermudez and Pak. In addition to building this location of The Taco Stand, the prolific duo will soon open Happy Go Lucky, a concept in the Heights devoted to Hawaiian-style shaved ice and frozen cocktails; a fourth location of The Burger Joint near Rice Village; and The Pizza Place, a new restaurant in the Heights that will serve pizzas, pastas, salads, and gelato, all of which will be made in-house.