A new taste of Mexico arrived in Merrill with the opening of Luis Alberto’s Mexican Taco Shop in December 2024. Owned by Luis Alberto Pinal and with the assistance of a niece and nephew, the family-owned-and-operated restaurant is bringing authentic, freshly made Mexican food to the community, serving customers as early as 8 a.m. daily.
Adrian A. Pinal, helps run the restaurant alongside his uncle, Luis, and his cousin, Tania Ivett, with the help of one part-time employee. The family relocated to Merrill from Minnesota, seeing an opportunity to open their own business and introduce residents to their home-style Mexican cuisine.
Luis Alberto’s Mexican Taco Shop is a labor of love for the Pinal family. “We were looking for a restaurant opportunity, and we saw this space available,” said Adrian. The decision to move to Merrill was strategic, as the family wanted a location that was close enough to their Minnesota roots but still presented a new business opportunity.
Before opening their own restaurant, Adrian’s uncle, Luis, had years of experience working in the restaurant industry, working alongside his brother, but he wanted to fulfill the dream of running his own business and Merrill presented the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Unlike other Mexican restaurants in town, Luis Alberto’s Mexican Taco Shop stands out by offering early morning service. Most area Mexican restaurants don’t open until later, but Luis Alberto’s opens early to provide a breakfast option.
Their menu of authentic Mexican-style food includes tacos, tamales, taco salads, rolled tacos, tostadas, tortas, burritos, chimichangas, and fajitas, most with a choice of meat including seafood options, beef, pork, chicken, and more—plates and platters and a la carte. Their regular menu includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner with additional sides, desserts, and a kids menu, plus frequent specials, like Mexican street corn, carne asada fries (super fries with barbeque meat and other toppings), chilaquiles in green sauce with your choice of meat, shrimp cocktail, and their Taco Tuesday special—your choice of shredded chicken or ground beef tacos just 99 cents each. Regular sides include chips, French fries, rice, and beans; various kinds of quesadillas; stuffed chili; grilled jalapenos and onions; and salsa and queso. Top it all off with traditional Mexican fried ice cream for dessert.
Opening a restaurant in a new town has not been without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles has been the language barrier. Adrian is the only member of the family who speaks English, so his uncle and cousin rely on him to interact with customers. Despite this, the restaurant has been steadily gaining customers, with a mix of dine-in and takeout orders, although most people take their food to go, Adrian said.
Luis Alberto’s Mexican Taco Shop in Merrill is just the beginning for the Pinal family. “We want to work hard and open more restaurants,” Adrian said, sharing his uncle’s long-term goal of expanding the business beyond Merrill. This is just the start; we hope to open more locations in different cities, he said.
As the Pinal family settles into their new home, they are grateful for the support they’ve received and excited for what the future holds.
For now, the family is focused on building a loyal customer base and making their mark on Merrill’s restaurant scene. They are currently operating on winter hours: Sunday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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