4 Locos Tacos in Winter Garden ready to satisfy crazy cravings

WINTER GARDEN  The wait is over, and the tacos are officially in town.

4 Locos Tacos — a new, authentic Mexican taqueria — has operated in soft-opening mode for two weeks but celebrated its official grand opening Friday, Feb. 2.

The name, which translates to “four crazies,” derives from a playful reference to the four brothers who own and operate it — Victor, Adolfo, Adrian and Joaquin Galvan.  

The Galvan family owns restaurants in its hometown of Jalisco in West Central Mexico, but the brothers have lived in the Winter Garden area since they were kids. Their goal is to bring that same, authentic Mexican flavor from their family’s hometown.

“What we’re doing is trying to bring authentic (Mexican) food to the people and take care of the people,” said co-owner Victor Galvan.

This is their first 4 Locos location, with a second planned and in the design phase for Ocoee. The idea came more than 18 months ago, after a suggestion from the owner of neighboring Crooked Can Brewing Company.

“(He was) telling me, ‘You should put a Mexican restaurant here,’” Victor Galvan said. “I thought we would do a Mexican street-taco concept. You don’t get the authentic (Mexican flavor) anywhere else, and that pushed us even more.”

Now, instead of a street-taco concept, the Galvans have a 1,200-square-foot restaurant, complete with an open-kitchen concept that allows guests to watch their food as it is made from scratch. 

Victor Galvan said that’s one of the unique things about 4 Locos: There is no freezer, and everything is fresh and made from scratch daily. The key is the “4 Locos touch,” which he said entails preparing meals with a loving touch.

“I’m here to help the people who really like the taste of authentic Mexican food,” Victor Galvan said. “We do it from the heart; we don’t do it from a plan. We’re not a franchise. Everything we do is like we would do at home.”

And when word first got out that 4 Locos was doing a soft opening, the response was quick. They weren’t fully prepared for the swift reaction and the crowds that showed up to try one of the newest additions to Winter Garden, Victor Galvan said.

“The response has been great,” he said. “There’s people that walk in the door and jump very happy and say, ‘Thank God we have a real Mexican restaurant here.’ We thought it was going to be a few people (during the soft opening). … Every day, it was packed.”

And with everything from tacos, burritos and tortas to quesadillas, flautas and nachos on the menu, there’s a little taste of Mexico for everyone in the community. Drinks include beers, flavored waters, fountain drinks and even micheladas — a Mexican drink that consists of your choice of beer with assorted sauces, spices, fruits and more.

“We do what we love; we care, and we’re trying our best to do authentic,” Victor Galvan said. “Whatever we’re doing, we’re doing from the heart. That’s it.”