Born during the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taco Works has grown as a concept ever since. 

What began in a food truck parked outside a south Fort Myers bar has morphed into a mini chain restaurant with three Lee County locations and plans to move into adjacent Charlotte and Collier counties, as well. 

Ozzie Morrobel and Max Curtis co-own the chain. On March 15, they opened the newest Taco Works location at the Richards Building in downtown Fort Myers, 1617 Hendry St., Suite 102. 

Morrobel, a 1991 Fort Myers High School graduate, typically opens restaurants, brings them to a level of success and then sells them. Not this time, he said. 

“I started this to grow it,” Morrobel said. “To franchise it. This one is not for sale. This is a keeper.”  

“We want to grow organically, but we don’t want to grow too fast.” 

The slogan is “purposely unauthentic,” and co-owner Max Curtis said it ties into their desire to mix and match different flavors with the taco concept. Although Taco Works has nine specialty taco combinations, there will be daily specials. Don’t be surprised, for example, to see a “Crab Rangoon” taco or a “Philly cheesesteak” taco, said Curtis, a 2002 Mariner High graduate in Cape Coral. 

Prices are $5 for a specialty taco or $12 for a burrito or burrito bowl. 

Taco Works fills half the ground-floor space at the Richards Building, which opened in 1923 and had its centennial anniversary last year. 

“I think it’s absolutely fantastic,” Curtis said, considering the building has had some historical luminaries inside or nearby. “The fact that Ty Cobb and Thomas Edison went belly up to this bar behind us—not this particular one, but right here in this area—that means a lot to me.” 

The other Taco Works locations are at 1017B Cape Coral Parkway E. in Cape Coral, and at 12731 McGregor Blvd. in south Fort Myers.