Killer's Tacos hosts Punks & Painters on June 16, 2023. Maria Crane
Local restaurant Killer’s Tacos will close on July 1 after over seven years of service. Owner Jeff Seley will be retiring and passing the property on to El Cucuy Burritos.
“It was important to us that it wasn't a Subway, you know?” Seley said. “It was going to be somebody that we felt would fit in, somebody that we felt like deserved to have the opportunity and somebody we thought could really build something.”
The restaurant features both an indoor and outdoor space, as well as a stage for music performances. In their years of operation, the venue became a staple in the Denton music community.
Seley originally envisioned the space to be a burger place, as they were "quite the rage" at the time. North Texas also had Mean Joe Greene, who Seley saw as a “big hulking football player" — the type of player Seley thought of as a killer.
Eventually, tacos became the new rage, and the name did not seem to make sense. Seley decided to change it to Killer the dog, which is a chihuahua located all around the restaurant, as he found the Taco Bell dog to be hilarious.
Quickly, Killer’s Tacos became a venue that a variety of musicians were playing at, whether it was their first show or not. With music being such an important part of his life, Seley welcomed everyone. He considers it a venue where people can cut their teeth and start to become good enough to be able to play the bigger spots.
"We're kind of an incubator type of place where, if you're starting out, this is where you come,” Seley said.
When Killer’s Tacos first opened, Kris Watts, singer and guitarist for local band Maple, lived across the street with her roommate. Both being college kids who needed quick food, the two became Killer’s Tacos first customers and have since visited almost daily.
Watts soon formed a connection to Seley due to his welcoming and friendly presence. Watts said they had a similar taste in music and easily became friends. She also played some of her first shows with Maple at Killer’s Tacos.
“There's not a whole lot of places or really anywhere in Denton that has that same kind of energy and same kind of receptiveness to young, upcoming musicians and upcoming bands to help them get their start,” Watts said.
Numerous bands who have played at the venue are now big names, such as the band Mom Jeans. Seley said that the band blew up just a week or so after playing at the venue.
For years, Killer’s Tacos has been a comfort for many people, such as James Dolly, the head organizer of Punks & Painters and band member of ¿Everything is Temporary?
“Killer's is my home,” Dolly said.
As Killer’s Tacos reign comes to a close, many are excited for Seley’s retirement, but bittersweet for the close of this venue’s era and the atmosphere of the space.
Killer’s Tacos is not the only venue within the last few years that has shut down. Others such as J&J’s Pizza and Midway Craft House have also closed over the past several years.
“There was a time when Killer’s wasn't there and the [music] scene was thriving then, you know, so it's not necessarily the place that makes it, but it's always good to have places like that,” Watts said.
Being more than a venue, people have shared their thoughts on its closing. Seley mentioned that someone online said that “every band in DFW has played Killer’s Tacos at least once."
Seley said it has been really humbling and with all the responses that they have gotten really means a lot.
Killer’s Tacos will host a final show on their last day featuring friends of Seley in the punk scene on July 1.
“Punk bands literally made us,” Seley said. “They started playing here and then all of a sudden, we're punk central [...] so makes great sense to me to have them do the last show.”
“It was important to us that it wasn't a Subway, you know?” Seley said. “It was going to be somebody that we felt would fit in, somebody that we felt like deserved to have the opportunity and somebody we thought could really build something.”
The restaurant features both an indoor and outdoor space, as well as a stage for music performances. In their years of operation, the venue became a staple in the Denton music community.
Seley originally envisioned the space to be a burger place, as they were "quite the rage" at the time. North Texas also had Mean Joe Greene, who Seley saw as a “big hulking football player" — the type of player Seley thought of as a killer.
Eventually, tacos became the new rage, and the name did not seem to make sense. Seley decided to change it to Killer the dog, which is a chihuahua located all around the restaurant, as he found the Taco Bell dog to be hilarious.
Quickly, Killer’s Tacos became a venue that a variety of musicians were playing at, whether it was their first show or not. With music being such an important part of his life, Seley welcomed everyone. He considers it a venue where people can cut their teeth and start to become good enough to be able to play the bigger spots.
"We're kind of an incubator type of place where, if you're starting out, this is where you come,” Seley said.
When Killer’s Tacos first opened, Kris Watts, singer and guitarist for local band Maple, lived across the street with her roommate. Both being college kids who needed quick food, the two became Killer’s Tacos first customers and have since visited almost daily.
Watts soon formed a connection to Seley due to his welcoming and friendly presence. Watts said they had a similar taste in music and easily became friends. She also played some of her first shows with Maple at Killer’s Tacos.
“There's not a whole lot of places or really anywhere in Denton that has that same kind of energy and same kind of receptiveness to young, upcoming musicians and upcoming bands to help them get their start,” Watts said.
Numerous bands who have played at the venue are now big names, such as the band Mom Jeans. Seley said that the band blew up just a week or so after playing at the venue.
For years, Killer’s Tacos has been a comfort for many people, such as James Dolly, the head organizer of Punks & Painters and band member of ¿Everything is Temporary?
“Killer's is my home,” Dolly said.
As Killer’s Tacos reign comes to a close, many are excited for Seley’s retirement, but bittersweet for the close of this venue’s era and the atmosphere of the space.
Killer’s Tacos is not the only venue within the last few years that has shut down. Others such as J&J’s Pizza and Midway Craft House have also closed over the past several years.
“There was a time when Killer’s wasn't there and the [music] scene was thriving then, you know, so it's not necessarily the place that makes it, but it's always good to have places like that,” Watts said.
Being more than a venue, people have shared their thoughts on its closing. Seley mentioned that someone online said that “every band in DFW has played Killer’s Tacos at least once."
Seley said it has been really humbling and with all the responses that they have gotten really means a lot.
Killer’s Tacos will host a final show on their last day featuring friends of Seley in the punk scene on July 1.
“Punk bands literally made us,” Seley said. “They started playing here and then all of a sudden, we're punk central [...] so makes great sense to me to have them do the last show.”