NATOMAS, CA – A popular local Mexican restaurant chain is set to bring its authentic, Jalisco-inspired cuisine to the Natomas Marketplace, a short drive for Rio Linda residents. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant is making plans to move into the long-empty building that once housed On The Border, located at 3521 Truxel Road.
For Rio Linda locals, the new dining option is conveniently located just a 15-minute drive. The Natomas Marketplace is a familiar shopping and entertainment hub for many in the area.
Public filings show that El Tapatio, which already has successful locations in Auburn and Citrus Heights, is preparing for a significant remodel of the roughly 6,500-square-foot space. Last month, the city of Sacramento approved plans for an enclosed, 966-square-foot patio featuring new windows, flooring, and a dedicated HVAC system. The main dining room is also slated for a refresh with new paint, lighting, and furniture.
A pending liquor license application with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control lists Efren Guitron and Estela Alcazar as principals, both of whom are featured on the restaurant’s website. The duo has a long history of establishing the El Tapatio brand, with Guitron opening the first location in Oregon in 1980. Alcazar was instrumental in the chain’s expansion and its successful launch into California with the Citrus Heights restaurant in 2013, followed by the Auburn site in 2022.
The Truxel Road building, situated near the popular In-N-Out Burger, has been vacant since 2020. An earlier proposal by the fast-food chain Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers to demolish the existing structure and build a new drive-thru was abandoned in 2022 due to land acquisition issues.
The addition of El Tapatio will bring a new and anticipated dining experience to the bustling Natomas Marketplace, which is anchored by major retailers such as Walmart, Regal Cinemas, The Home Depot, and Ross Dress For Less. Representatives for El Tapatio have not yet responded to requests for comment on an anticipated opening date.
