Hawaii’s Maui Tacos Finds First Las Vegas Home

A “Maui-Mex” menu is headed to the Ninth Island, the first of six planned Las Vegas expansions.

Created by Mark Ellman, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and advocate for Hawaiian “Regional Cuisine,” Maui Tacos launched in in 1993 and has grown to 10 locations, with a current aggressive program in place to spread across the U.S.

Locally, Maui Tacos is headed to the under construction Sprouts Retail Center at the northwest corner of Silverado Ranch and Maryland Parkway. The 30,000-square-foot Sprouts grocery store will anchor the development when it debuts on Aug. 22.

Maui Tacos has allocated an estimated construction budget of $250,000 to create the counter-service restaurant, which will sit close to another future arrival, the fast casual, 100 percent vegan Veggy Street.

Currently hiring, prospective employees are being updated this will be the first of half a dozen Las Vegas outposts, with a move to Reno already in the works. Future opening dates have not been revealed.

On the menu served with Aloha spirit and “Mauitude,” “Surf burritos” served “wet” with enchilada sauce; Hawaiian pork; and fish bowl dishes, carne asada, or taquito platters; a full salsa bar with mild to fiery selections; and deep-fried tortilla “Banana Chingalinga” for dessert.

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