# Tacos & Tequila Cantina Opens Eastport Restaurant With 194 Seats and 70 Jobs

> Tacos & Tequila Cantina opened its sixth Florida restaurant in The Villages' Eastport on November 12, seating 194 guests and adding 70 jobs.

- Published: 2026-11-14T13:43:13+00:00
- Section: Expansion
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-14/tacos-tequila-cantina-eastport-opening
- Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/tacos-tequila-cantina-opens-villages-130202438.html)

## Key takeaways

- HMC Hospitality Group opened Tacos & Tequila Cantina at 6994 Eastport Drive in The Villages on November 12.
- The Eastport restaurant seats 194 guests, with 105 indoor seats and 89 on an outdoor patio, and brings 70 new jobs.
- The opening is the brand's sixth Florida location and its first in Central Florida.

HMC Hospitality Group opened [Tacos & Tequila Cantina](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00254ji/tacos-tequila-cantina) at 6994 Eastport Drive in The Villages' Eastport on November 12, the brand's sixth Florida location and its first in Central Florida. [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/tacos-tequila-cantina-opens-villages-130202438.html) reported the opening. The restaurant seats 194 guests and brings 70 new jobs to the area.

## Inside the Eastport Cantina

The new bar and eatery seats 105 guests indoors and 89 on an outdoor patio. Well-behaved dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating areas, and servers frequently provide water bowls for visiting pets. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

HMC describes the menu as "fun, unconventional Tex-Mex cuisine and specialty drinks with an Americana flair," served from a scratch kitchen with fresh local products, authentic tortillas and top-shelf liquors. Custom artwork by local artist Brad Bauser hangs on the walls.

Tacos & Tequila Cantina was founded in 2013 by Kelly and Aldo Musico and built its reputation with locations in Naples and Estero. Kelly Musico said the two organizations "share a deep passion for community and a commitment to providing an ultimate customer experience." In 2025, HMC signed a licensing deal with the cantina to develop new locations across Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, as well as The Villages.

## Tacos & Tequila's Florida Footprint

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Tacos & Tequila Cantina is a privately held Tex-Mex restaurant and tequila bar chain based in Naples with four operating cantinas across Southwest Florida and two additional locations under development in Cape Coral and The Villages. The same records list a partnership with Toast Tab that powers online ordering, gift card sales and mobile app functionality across all cantinas, alongside branded iOS and Android ordering apps.

## Other Mexican Chains Expand

Dillas Quesadillas paused expansion after a slow opening revealed operational weaknesses, then cut its menu from 10 to five quesadillas and added AI forecasting before planning to resume growth, [Qsrmagazine](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/how-dillas-quesadillas-turned-an-operational-nightmare-into-a-growth-opportunity/) reported on November 11. The Taco Spot celebrated its Maricopa, Arizona grand opening in November 2026 and is preparing locations in Leander, Texas, and St. Ann, Missouri, [PRLog](https://www.prlog.org/13182122-the-taco-spot-builds-on-incredible-2026.html) reported on November 9. Currito opened its second Louisville restaurant at Paddock Shops on November 9, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/currito-announces-grand-opening-second-143644708.html) reported on November 5.

## Cape Coral Location in Development

The Cape Coral cantina remains under development alongside the Eastport restaurant, according to the company records. The Villages location is now operating.

## Companies in this story

- [Tacos & Tequila Cantina company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00254ji/tacos-tequila-cantina) · website: https://tacosandtequilanaples.com

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