“People like the food, they keep coming,” owner Fabian Munoz said.
A tortilla machine is on order from Mexico, though it will take time to arrive. “That will take two or three months because they are making the machine, then we have to import it,” Munoz said. “It takes time and money.” The masa and meat will still be made in-house, and the machine takes over the part of the job that is nearly impossible to keep up with by hand.
El Pastorcito Taqueria opened at 314 Broadway E in the former Broadway Grill space this summer. Co-owned by Pedro Barragan Bautista, who also operates the original location in Kent along with Mr. Cammaron Bar & Grill and the El Pollo Rey food truck, the taqueria brings the flavors of Tijuana to Capitol Hill with trompo tacos and tortas.
The Mexico vibe is part of the pitch. Munoz pointed to the Coca-Cola tables and chairs, the promotional furniture restaurants get free from beverage distributors in Mexico.
“If you step into a Mexican restaurant, they have all the promo tables because it’s free there,” he said. “That’s how they do business there.” He called it a landmark back home, and it’s the feeling he’s going for on the Hill. “We want people to feel like they are in Mexico.”
El Pastorcito is now part of what has become a rich taco community along Broadway.
In March, brother chefs Rey and Osiel Gastelum opened Tacos Cometa on the Pike/Pine end of the street after growing a devoted following over the previous year on the edge of Cal Anderson Park as part of the neighborhood’s wild — and delicious — nightlife street food scene.
In 2025, Carmelo’s Tacos expanded on Broadway as it has grown from its start in a counter space inside the Hillcrest Market.
Tacos Chukis< debuted above the Broadway Alley in 2011.
Other Mexican joints include Broadway veteran La Cocina which has been serving the neighborhood for more than 45 years.
Asked what sets his taqueria apart from others on Capitol Hill, Munoz didn’t overthink it. “We have the pastor tacos,” he said. “And our vibe.”
He has also been adjusting things behind the scenes. After fielding complaints about the carne asada, he asked his meat distributor for something better than the standard grade they had used. “He gave us another option,” Munoz said.
A remodel is planned, too. “We’re going to start working on the back,” he said. “We’re going to paint the walls and put up TVs.” The plan is for the dining room and front area to feel like the same restaurant wherever you sit.
For now, Munoz’s pitch to the neighborhood is simple. “I would like to invite people to come try the restaurant,” he said. “We want to keep working on the quality. We want to keep working on the space.”
El Pastorcito Taqueria is located at 314 Broadway E. Follow @elpastorcitotaqueria for updates.
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