“Having a taco shop was always my dream since I was a kid,” Michael said. “I’ve always wanted to open my own restaurant. Now that we have done that, we’re able to incorporate some of our spices and seasonings and hot sauces and salsas into the whole thing, too, which is kind of cool.”
Michael and his wife, Tanya, started Mikey V’s Hot Sauce Shop in 2012 selling their products at area farmers markets. They made the business permanent, opening on the Georgetown Square in 2016.
In January, they then moved less than a block away, still on the Square, to a larger space and added a taco stand.
They said they would sell soft tacos during major events on the Square such as the Red Poppy Festival, Christmas Stroll and the Georgetown Swirl to test out the viability of adding a taco portion to their business. Mikey V’s was selling out 500 tacos far before the events were over.
“We’d sell soft tacos out there in the street to get a feel for if people were going to like that kind of thing,” Tanya said. “It was a hit.”
The shop is decorated to mimic the outdoor shopping experience in Mexico, Michael said. It is reminiscent of his childhood street shopping in Mexico with his mom. The store gives a sense of walking through outdoor businesses. Then, at the back, is the dining portion built like an “indoor taco truck” with standing tables inside and seating available on the back patio.
“It’s all about my roots and going to Mexico with my parents, shopping and then eating lunch—street tacos—by going up to the cart and then standing and eating,” Michael said.Michael added that his favorite taco is the El Pastor— marinated pork on a corn tortilla, served with pineapple, cilantro and onions—or the Beef Birrria taco—15-hour slow cooked beef on a grilled corn tortilla, with shredded queso blanco, onions and cilantro. For Tanya, it is the Pop’s crispy beef taco—her father’s recipes. The tortillas are homemade, and the salsas and seasonings all come from Mikey V’s sauce shop. Other menu items include a Cali Menu with burritos, street tacos and carne asada fries.
“[The menu is] a mixture of Mexican-style food and Tex-Mex,” Michael said. “We make our own marinated sauces from scratch—pretty much every day—and use Mexican-style spices that go in these things ... so we can bring that flavor to [Georgetown].”
Mikey V’s has also ingrained itself into the Georgetown community by partnering with other local businesses such as Rentsch Brewery, 600 Degree Pizzeria, Georgetown Pie Co. and Barrels & Amps to create custom salsas, hot sauces and more, Michael said.
When the city saw a downturn at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and grocery stores ran low on food, Mikey V’s ordered food in bulk and turned into a bodega, selling groceries. In February, he gave out free food during the Texas winter storm, knowing without electricity it would go bad.
“It was very gratifying for us to be able to be in that position to help people out,” Michael said.
Up for the challenge
Mikey V’s Taco Challenge requires participants to eat three of the spiciest tacos in six minutes without water or a napkin with an additional five-minute waiting period after. The plate is so spicy that Valencia said he would never try the challenge. Tacos are cooked in and covered in the following peppers:
- Carolina Reaper
- Ghost Pepper
- Scorpion Pepper
112 W. Eighth St., Georgetown
512-688-1249 | www.mikeyvstacosonthesquare.com
Hours: Tue.-Thu. 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mon.
