One Taco, Dos Tequilas restaurant coming to Palatine

A second location of the restaurant One Taco, Dos Tequilas, which opened in the spring in Bartlett, is coming to Palatine.

The Palatine village council approved Monday night a liquor license for the Mexican restaurant and a special use permit to combine two adjacent spaces at 373-375 W. Northwest Highway, where the restaurant will be located.

The spaces, currently vacant, used to hold a Chinese restaurant and a catering company, building owner Manny Rafidia said. If all proceeds smoothly, he hopes to open the restaurant on Dec. 1, he said.

“I just feel like the Palatine area needs a good restaurant,” he said. “The concept worked very well in Bartlett and I hope that I can replicate it in Palatine.”

One Taco, Dos Tequilas is a joint venture between Rafidia, who also owns the building as at 274 E. Devon Ave. in Bartlett, and Alfredo Rangel, who co-owns Sammy's Mexican Grill and Bar in Elgin and Roselle.

Rangel has been running the Bartlett restaurant with his partner Heriberto Gomez and will run the Palatine restaurant as well.

The plan is for Rangel to purchase both locations of One Taco, Dos Tequilas from Rafidia, who called himself “a business incubator.”

Rangel said he expects to buy the Bartlett restaurant in two to three weeks, and later the one in Palatine. “It's a really nice restaurant and good quality food,” he said.

The Palatine menu will have many of the staples of the Bartlett menu, with traditional foods mainly from southern Mexico, Rangel said. A big favorite is the “Speedy Gonzalez” taco with steak, chorizo, grilled onion and cilantro, Rangel said. Tacos can be ordered American style, with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream, and Mexican style, with cilantro and onions, he said.

Just like in Bartlett, the Palatine location will have a sports bar and dining area, Rangel said.

The Bartlett restaurant opened in late April. Opening a restaurant during COVID-19 was a difficult proposition, but the restaurant is doing well, Rangel said.

“I am really surprised,” Rangel said. “When I opened, I think, 'It's slow, and the place is new ...' but we're excited. The people responded really nice.”