Tacos on Tires

By: Liam Ford

Louie Lopez wanted to escape corporate work as a welder, a field he worked in for over a decade, but he never quite knew how. Over time, Lopez thought about how he could have used his cultivated skills to employ himself, and it eventually came to him: a taco truck. Lopez wasn’t always a local: he grew up in Chicago, with a family who made him learn to cook. Because of this, his mother and sisters brought him up to be great at cooking authentic Mexican food with a twist: it was all Chicago street style, and he wanted to bring it to Jenks.

“I lived there all my life. I moved to Tulsa around 12 years ago,” Lopez said. “Chicago street food was different. It’s how it’s made: fresh.”

Though Lopez knew that he did not want to be in the welding field forever, he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do at first.

“I knew I wanted to be self-employed, you know?” He asked. “I have kids and family who I need to spend time with. I don’t have a set schedule, and the flexibility is what I love the most.”

One time, Lopez shared, he took his son on a vacation to Los Angeles. He described to me the anecdote of his vacation that finally motivated him: it was three in the morning, yet there were countless food trucks and other vendors running their businesses. Regardless of the time, the vendors were busy and still pumping out products.

“I saw those guys out there at three in the morning, and it just motivated me, you know? That was it,” Lopez added.

A little while after returning home, Lopez bought an old ticket trailer from an amusement park.

“Once I got back and got the trailer, I lived in lows for at least two months,” he said. “It was an old ticket counter for a carnival. It was gutted and smelt like mold. I had to strip the entire thing down to the skeleton and rebuild it myself, and I’m proud of it. I’d never done something like that before.”

Lopez's taco truck

Eventually, he had the booth fixed up and was certified to run his new business, which he dubbed Lopez Southside Tacos. Now, Lopez spends every Wednesday through Sunday setting up shop in both Jenks and Glenpool, selling tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos made fresh from scratch. He takes pride in the quality of his ingredients, the freshness of his prepared vegetables and meats, and the sauces and spices he incorporates.

“Our tortillas are all natural. They don’t even have preservatives,” Lopez added. “They come straight from Chicago. My family makes them there, and people have asked me to buy packages of them after trying my food. I use all fresh vegetables too; I prepare everything the day of. I might only have three different meats on my menu, but I really know how to cook them.”

Upon the first bite of my pollo fried tacos, I could understand the distinct and unique feel of the food that I assume is the Chicago aspect. Additionally, it was juicy - but not greasy - and packed with flavor and fresh vegetables. They delivered a nice kick, but weren’t too hot, and were accompanied by a side of rice, beans, and a tangy-spicy (and honestly delicious) red sauce. Overall, these were probably the best street tacos I've had in Jenks.

Lopez Southside Beef Nachos

Lopez hopes to continue running his business for years to come, and you can find his posted locations on his Facebook most days, about a day to a few hours before he sets up shop there. Sometimes, though, you just have to be lucky enough to come across his truck.

“What I enjoy most about being self-employed is the time I can spend with my family,” he added. “I get to take the little ones to school - you know, all that. That’s all that I like to do most.”

Check out and support Lopez Southside Tacos on Facebook here!

*Images from Lopez Southside Tacos