LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. - A former hot spot for beers, burgers and boneless wings will soon become a destination for street corn, seafood chimichangas and strawberry margaritas in Lower Saucon Township.
The former Taps Tavern, which closed in 2020 amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to become a Plaza Azteca Mexican restaurant, according to a public notice of liquor license transfer posted in the Route 378 building’s window.
- Mexican restaurant chain Plaza Azteca will open at the former Taps Tavern in Lower Saucon Township
- The chain was started in the 1990s in Jalisco, Mexico, and has grown to around 50 locations in nine states
- A staff member at the Allentown location said the Lower Saucon site is expected to open later this fall
Plaza Azteca, which bills itself as “the shortcut to Mexico,” was started in the 1990s by two men from Jalisco, Mexico, and has grown to around 50 locations in nine states, including more than a dozen in Pennsylvania.
The chain's first Lehigh Valley outpost opened in June 2020 at the former Tilted Kilt building at 2835 Lehigh St. in Allentown.
“At Plaza Azteca, we offer a genuine welcoming, warm and friendly atmosphere with thoughtful service to make you feel truly at home,” a message on the business’ website reads. “Whether you are looking for a relaxing escape or culinary experience, we are dedicated to meeting your individual needs.”
In recent months, the Lower Saucon building's former light gray exterior was painted a yellowish-orange color, while its interior has undergone cosmetic changes that include new Mexican artwork featuring women in traditional Mexican attire and Day of the Dead makeup.
A Plaza Azteca spokesperson did not immediately return a message seeking details on the restaurant, but a staff member at the Allentown location said it is expected to open later this fall.
“They’re looking to open within a couple of months,” manager Elliot Lopez said in reference to the Lower Saucon location.
The Allentown restaurant’s menu features an expansive selection of Mexican specialties, including nachos, tacos, chimichangas, sizzling fajitas and tableside guacamole.
Around two dozen burritos and enchiladas include options such as the Burrito San Jose (grilled chicken, chorizo, rice and beans, topped with cheese sauce, pico de gallo and sour cream) and Enchiladas de Chipotle (three enchiladas - shredded beef, ground beef and shredded chicken, topped with creamy chipotle cheese sauce, pico de gallo and queso fresco, with a side of rice).
Customers can also select from more than a dozen steak and seafood entrees, including churrasco (two grilled chimichurri rib-eyes with grilled onions, side of tostones, pico de gallo and rice), Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (sauteed shrimp, garlic mojo sauce, onions, tomato and avocado over rice with fresh cilantro) and Plaza del Mar (white fish fillet and shrimp topped with lobster bisque).
Plaza Azteca will occupy a stand-alone building in the Saucon Valley Square shopping center at 3731 Route 378.
The structure previously housed other restaurants, including Kiki Rios and Starters Pub.
Its most recent occupant was Taps Tavern, a restaurant and bar offering American fare and 60 draft beers, which closed in Spring 2020.
“Unfortunately, the economic toll of having to close in mid-March [2020] was too much for our restaurant to survive,” a message on Taps’ Facebook page reads. “… Our hearts are heavy knowing that our employees and customers won’t be able to congregate together again. Please keep our employees in your thoughts. They are smart, talented, friendly people who, like many others affected by this pandemic, are struggling to find employment.”
Plaza Azteca in Lower Saucon also will feature a full bar and an outdoor patio.