bartaco

What bartaco does

bartaco is a privately held upscale-casual restaurant chain operating 32+ locations across 15 U.S. states, founded around 2011 by CEO Scott Lawton and operated by the Texas LLC Barteca Restaurants, LLC. The chain's core offering is a globally-inspired street food menu built around customizable tacos with 14+ protein options (chicken tinga, mojo pork carnitas, ahi tuna tatako, sesame ribeye, baja fish, cauliflower, crispy shrimp, etc.), complemented by "not tacos" shareable plates, rice bowls, and a fresh-squeezed margarita/cocktail program anchored by Libélula tequila. Brand identity is defined by a coastal/wanderlust aesthetic (white-washed interiors, woven basket light fixtures) and a registered dragonfly logo, with coverage in The New York Times and other national press.

The underlying technology stack is composed entirely of third-party SaaS integrations rather than proprietary platforms: Olo for centralized online ordering across all locations, Wisely (and selectively ToastTab) for waitlist management, Onedine for the loyalty digital wallet and post-visit survey taco tokens, Resy for reservations at select sites, Triple Seat for private event inquiries, Givex for gift card processing, Amazon Pay as a payment option, and Paylocity for HR. There is no proprietary technology or in-house AI/ML capability; bartaco's tech footprint reflects a digitally-enabled casual dining operation leveraging best-of-breed vendor integrations.

The business model is transaction-based full-service restaurant sales supplemented by takeout, delivery (directly and via DoorDash/Uber Eats), corporate and event catering through EzCater, physical and e-gift cards, and an online merchandise shop. The customer base is horizontal, spanning general casual diners, families with children, Gen Z and Millennial consumers, university communities (e.g., Adelphi University partnership), and corporate catering clients. Go-to-market combines dine-in, digital ordering, third-party delivery, and experiential seasonal events (Cinco de Mayo, Bartaco Escape, Golden Hour, #givingtaco charitable campaigns) to drive traffic and repeat visitation across 15 states.

Name

bartaco

Legal name

Barteca Restaurants, LLC

Website

https://bartaco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

bartaco is a privately held upscale-casual restaurant chain operating 32+ locations across 15 US states, serving globally-inspired street tacos, shareable plates, and craft margaritas with a coastal aesthetic to consumers, families, and corporate catering clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Mexican Street Food Dining

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD), Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF)

Keywords

• Mexican street food
• Casual dining restaurants
• Taco restaurant chain
• Craft cocktail programs
• Restaurant catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices32 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Core revenue from full-service restaurant operations including tacos, 'not tacos', cocktails, beer, wine, and other food/beverage items. Locations feature bars, dine-in seating, and happy hour programs (High Tide Hour).
2. Takeout and Delivery: Online ordering for takeout and delivery via bartaco.com/order and third-party platforms including DoorDash and Uber Eats.
3. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering through EzCater platform featuring build-your-own taco bars, family packs, party packs, and kids' options. Contact at [email protected] or 1-888-793-9419.
4. Gift Cards: Physical and e-gift cards sold in-store and online. Holiday promotional offers with bonus cards (e.g., $50 purchase = $10 bonus, $100 purchase = $30 bonus).
5. Merchandise: Online merchandise store at bartaco.com/shop featuring branded items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

bartaco operates upscale casual dining restaurants offering globally-inspired street tacos with 14+ protein options (chicken tinga, mojo pork carnitas, ahi tuna tatako, sesame ribeye, carne asada, baja fish, cauliflower, crispy shrimp) served on corn tortillas or bibb lettuce shells, alongside shareable 'not tacos' appetizers, build-your-own rice bowls, and a fresh-squeezed craft cocktail program anchored by signature Libélula tequila margaritas. Beyond dine-in service at 32+ locations across 15 US states, bartaco sells takeout and delivery via bartaco.com (powered by Olo), DoorDash, and Uber Eats; corporate and event catering through EzCater; physical and e-gift cards; and branded merchandise through an online store.

Product overview

Bartaco is a upscale casual dining restaurant chain offering globally-inspired street food with a coastal vibe. The core offering centers on customizable tacos with diverse protein options, complemented by 'not tacos' appetizers, rice bowls, specialty cocktails (particularly margaritas), and gelato desserts. The company operates a platform of digital services including mobile and online ordering, a loyalty wallet program, catering services, and reservation management. The product ecosystem integrates multiple third-party platforms for ordering (Olo), delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats), reservations (Resy), catering (EZ Cater), and payment processing (Amazon Pay, Givex). The company runs a #Givingtaco charitable program and offers special promotions through its secret menu subscription. Bartaco operates 32+ locations across 14 U.S. states with digital-first ordering capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Street Tacos Globally-inspired street tacos with 14+ protein options (chicken tinga, mojo pork carnitas, ahi tuna tatako, sesame ribeye, carne asada, baja fish, cauliflower, crispy shrimp) served on corn tortillas or bibb lettuce shells, available across all bartaco dine-in, takeout, and delivery channels.
• Not Tacos (Shareable Appetizers) Shareable appetizers and side dishes complementing the taco menu, including guacamole and chips, esquites, plantains, ceviche, tuna poke, chopped salad, kale caesar, gazpacho, chicken tortilla soup, street corn, black beans, and kimchi.
• Rice Bowls Build-your-own rice bowl offerings with protein options including pork belly, chicken and black bean, Korean BBQ ribeye, Mediterranean cauliflower, and ahi tuna with crispy rice.
• Signature Cocktails (bartaco Margarita program) Fresh-squeezed craft cocktail program featuring the signature bartaco margarita with Libélula joven tequila, combier liqueur d'orange, agave syrup, and lime juice, plus reposado, mezcal, spicy, and seasonal variations, available for dine-in and to-go.
• Catering Services Corporate and event catering distributed through the EzCater platform, featuring build-your-own taco bar packages, family packs (small serves 2; large serves 4), party packs (Starter Spread and BBQ Sidekick for 6-8), and office lunch options for corporate and group events.
• Gift Cards Physical and e-gift cards in any denomination, processed through the Givex platform, usable at all bartaco locations and via online ordering, with promotional bonus card offers during holiday periods.
• Branded Merchandise Bartaco-branded apparel and accessories sold through the online merchandise store at bartaco.com/shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 years in business with 32+ locations across 15 states
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 4oceanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Ocean cleanup organization partnered for sinaloa chicken #givingtaco launch. $1 from every taco sold donated to 4ocean's ocean cleanup efforts.
• Giving KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025#givingtaco partnership where $1 from every retro pork tamale sold in September 2025 was donated to Giving Kitchen's Dining with Gratitude program supporting food service workers in crisis. Maximum donation of $10,000.
• OidominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025#givingtaco benefit partnership featuring pulpo al pastor taco supporting Oido organization.
• Love Light + MelodyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024#givingtaco benefit partnership featuring crispy shrimp taco with $1 per item donated to Love Light + Melody.
• No Kid HungryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024#givingtaco partnership featuring roasted brussels sprouts taco with portion of sales donated to No Kid Hungry campaign.
• Open WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2024Sustainability partnership providing ultra-purified, electrolyte-packed canned water in BPA-free aluminum packaging. Open Water is a women-owned business (founders Nic and Jess) that pioneered the canned water category. The partnership supports bartaco's sustainability goals by eliminating single-use plastic bottles. Open Water has replaced over 1.5 million pounds of plastic and is climate neutral certified.
• Adelphi Athletics / Adelphi UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity partnership at Roosevelt Field location offering free small trio (guacamole, salsa roja, salsa verde + chips) to Adelphi students, faculty, and staff with valid university ID. Includes campus event presence and athletic game sponsorship.
• EzCatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering distribution partnership enabling corporate and event catering orders through EzCater platform. bartaco listings available at ezcat.com/bartaco for all locations.
• WiselycoreTechnology or IntegrationWaitlist and reservation management platform used across all bartaco locations for digital waitlist joins via waitlist.getwisely.com.
• OlocoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering platform powering bartaco's digital ordering system at order.bartaco.com for all locations.
• OnedinecoreTechnology or IntegrationLoyalty and digital wallet platform for bartaco wallet, loyalty tokens, and order history. Used for loyalty program at app.onedine.com.
• Libélula TequilacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary tequila brand featured in signature cocktails including bartaco margarita, reposado margarita, and seasonal specialty drinks. Featured in annual Margarita March, Bartaco Escape, and seasonal cocktail programs.
• Food Industry Action + NAACP Legal Defense FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership pledging 5% of sales to NAACP Legal Defense Fund as part of industry-wide restaurant solidarity initiative.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bartaco
• Instagraminstagram.com/bartacocareers
• Xx.com/bartacolife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bartaco

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about bartaco