RIO LINDA, CA (MPG) - Thick Vatos and Tacos, a West Sacramento business known on social media for its edible innovation, has partnered with the Rio Pub to use its kitchen, serving the Thick Vatos menu in addition to pub classics such as burgers and fries. 

Rodrigo Bueno, the owner of Thick Vatos and Tacos, said he initially started serving food out of his garage during the COVID-19 Pandemic, but the high demand for his cooking prompted Bueno to go legitimate with the business on Jan. 2, 2021. He said he had previously worked for years as a security guard, but always enjoyed cooking and brought that passion to his business, putting his own spin on traditional menu items. 

“I just started doing birria pot stickers,” Bueno said, “just trying to think outside the box and be different.”

Bueno said he met Edwin Balli, a co-owner of the Rio Pub, about two years ago before Balli’s acquisition of the pub, discussing a possible partnership in the future. Towards the end of this summer, Bueno said that he had officially moved into the pub’s kitchen, using the space as Thick Vatos and Tacos’ main headquarters. 

From his initial start in 2021, Bueno said he’s grown and learned to develop his business over the years, starting with a secondhand grill he got online and progressing to a custom-built grilling trailer. He said his custom grilling trailer was converted from an ice cream trailer, taking the time to learn different skills to achieve his ideal set up, watching YouTube videos and reading information online. 

“I put everything in,” Bueno said. “All the steel, I ran all the plumbing for the propane. Stuff that I’ve never done before, I just jumped on it and did it.”

Nothing is traditional at Thick Vatos and Tacos, Bueno said. Featuring items such as birria ramen and the aforementioned birria pot stickers, Bueno said he enjoys trying new combinations. Now with a physical location, Bueno said the level of responsibility may have increased, but so will his opportunities to create new innovative menu items. 

Bueno said he spends time researching other foods and attending trade shows to see what new trends are taking place in the food industry. He said he attended a show with Balli and Andrea Ayala, the owners of Rio Pub, that was hosted by Sysco, a food distributor, towards the end of October. Bueno said he liked collaborating with the pub owners and conversing about business, complimenting their business acumen. 

Amassing tens of thousands of followers on social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok, Bueno said he spent time serving West Sacramento and surrounding communities such as Rancho Cordova, catering at community events, breweries, car shows and others.

As a West Sacramento resident for more than 30 years, Bueno said he commutes to Rio Linda every day to run Thick Vatos and Tacos, which is open seven days a week. He said he has keys to the building, giving him ample time to experiment with new menu items or prepare staple menu items for a busy day. Bueno also said that having the kitchen in Rio Linda allows him to have DoorDash available to customers more frequently. 

Faithful customers from West Sacramento make the trip up to Rio Linda, Bueno said, and the faces in Rio Linda are already becoming familiar and familial. 

Through years of trial and error, spending thousands of dollars, Bueno said, “People don’t know what it took,” as he seeks to help people who are just getting started in a similar industry. 

During his second year of business, Bueno said he held a Free Quesabirria Day, where roughly 700 quesabirria tacos were handed out. He said for the six-year celebration, he plans to do it again at the Rio Pub. Bueno said he will have a trailer in front of the pub, cooking up tacos while supplies last. Inside the pub, items from the full menu will still be available for purchase.

Pictured is a top-down view of special sauce poured over birria meat by Thick Vatos and Tacos owner, Rodrigo Bueno. Photo by Seth Henderson

The Rio Pub and Thick Vatos and Tacos is located at 6750 Front St. in Rio Linda. Thick Vatos and Tacos is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday and close on Mondays. The Rio Pub is open Monday through Thursday from 3 to 11 p.m., 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. 

To follow Thick Vatos and Tacos or learn more about the business, visit the Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/thickvatos_andtacos_ or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thickvatosandtacos/.

To learn more about the Rio Pub, visit https://www.theriopub.com/ or its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Rio-Pub-61552598003681/.