4730 West Vernor Highway
Taqueria El Rey
For two decades, this was home to one of the best Mexican restaurants in Detroit. However, in 1921, according to the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, it was still a vacant lot. I’m not certain when the structure pictured here was built; however, there may have been a structure here by 1944.
That year, Peter Barber lost his wallet, which contained his citizenship documentation, money, and Air Raid Warden ID. In the lost ad in the Detroit Free Press, his address was listed as 4730 W. Vernor, which is the address of this structure. This may have been a misprint.
By the time the 1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map rolled around, this structure had been built and listed as a store, which makes sense considering its single-story design.
Unfortunately, I’ve found very little about this building in the historical record. In 1993, it was for sale, and plenty of parking space was listed as a perk for purchasing it.
By 2002, it was home to Taqueria El Rey, a Mexican restaurant run by the Fuentes family that quickly became known city-wide for its grilled chicken, prepared in a shack on the downtown side of the structure.
On January 29, 2022, the structure went up in smoke. The attached building where the food was prepared was completely destroyed, and the restaurant’s interior suffered heavy damage. Many feared that the restaurant would close for good; however, the Fuentes family pushed forward with help from the community. A GoFundMe was launched, raising over $33,000 of the restaurant's $20,000 goal to find a new location. The restaurant started doing pop-ups at Batch Brewing, a beer garden on Porter Street, and eventually opened a food truck on Vernor near the highway.
In April 2024, the restaurant announced that they had found a new home at 3400 Bagley in Mexicantown proper, the former home of El Zocalo Mexican Restaurant, which Dennis Kefallinos purchased in 2019. At the time of writing, their new operation hasn’t opened yet, but many (myself included) are patiently awaiting the opportunity to see what the future holds for Taqueria El Rey.
Back at 4730 West Vernor, the future doesn’t look bright. The fire damage has been cleaned up, but the structure has been idle since. Though it may not look like much, this structure is one of few on Vernor Highway that was built in an era that reminds many of the beginning of Detroit’s population loss and changes in the neighborhood, not new development.
Hopefully, it can see new life as a store, restaurant, or gallery.
If you know more about this or adjacent properties, contact me or reach out to the Detroit Historic Designation Advisory Board’s Detroit LatinX History Project.
