TAG Restaurant Group (TRG), helmed by renowned restaurateur Troy Guard, opened Los Chingones, their self-described “badass” full-service Mexican concept, in Fort Collins, Colorado Friday, June 25, 2021. This is their first location outside of the Denver metro area, their sixth total, including the recently announced Little Chingones spin-off concept.
Los Chingones’ Fort Collins is located at 3541 E Harmony Road, in the Harmony Commons shopping center near the intersection of Harmony Road and Ziegler Road. The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday, beginning with Happy Hour at 3:30, then dinner service; lunch service will begin Wednesday, June 30 at 11 AM.
Says Guard on this new location and the brand, “As TRG explored expanding the Los Chingones brand outside of Denver, we felt Fort Collins was a natural fit. We’re excited to bring the TRG Ohana north and debut some of our new dishes here first. It’s been a long year for all of us, and it feels great to be getting back to the business of growing our brands. Folks in Denver can also get excited about Little Chingones, coming soon to Milepost Zero at McGregor Square – a scaled down, fast-casual Los Chingones!”
The Fort Collins Los Chingones seats 104 guests in its 3200 square foot interior, with an additional 75 seats on the 1300 square foot patio – giving ample space for distance-dining should safety require. The bar features vertical doors that will completely open up during warmer months to allow for a seamless inside/outside feel. In keeping with all of TRG’s brands, Los Chingones Fort Collins features an open kitchen with a seven-seat Chef’s counter, where guests can be close view of the talented chefs at work.
Local art is a part of the Los Chingones ethos—all locations feature murals by local artists, and the team is excited about showcasing new work in Fort Collins by local painter and muralist Julio Mendoza
In opening this location, TRG is proud to be offering 30-40 employment opportunities during this continued difficult time for those in the restaurant industry. Including a new Chef de Cuisine, Rachel Taylor, out of Austin; and a fixture in the Fort Collins restaurant scene, Mark Havens (Café Vino).
Inspired by Chef Troy Guard’s teen years, growing up with his siblings in the coastal metropolis of San Diego, Los Chingones is Chef Troy Guard’s take on “badass” Mexican – sassy, spicy, sometimes irreverent, always an adventure. Signature menu items include Birria Tacos, featuring spicy braised beef, cheese, onion, cilantro, and a guajillo beef jus; and the Baja Fish Tacos with grilled or fried cod, homemade chingon slaw, pickled onion, and chipotle and habanero aioli.
The Fort Collins opening menu will feature some exciting new items, which will roll out at other Los Chingones locations later this summer. New menu items include two bright additions to the salsa menu, Pasilla Lime and Tomatillo; a Mexican Cotija Taco, with cotija, charred seasonal veggies, chignon slaw, and pasilla lime; the Bang Bang Crispy Shrimp Taco, with pickled onion, jicama slaw, and chipotle aoli; and a Pork Carnitas Taco, with pickled onion, cilantro, pico, radish and tomatillo salsa.
