Rudy's Tacos — Village of East Davenport

The taco that grew from three booths

Rudy and Marilyn Quijas opened the first Rudy's in 1973 after noticing the demand for food when nearby bars closed. The original restaurant had three booths. Rudy's mother, Mary Louise, helped prepare meat bases and sauces during its first year, passing family recipes into the business. The Village of East Davenport remains the natural principal address for a profile about that history.

The classic taco uses a fried corn tortilla, seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese, with mild or hot sauce added at the table. Flour tacos offer another shell. The East Village menu also reaches toward street tacos with grilled steak or shredded pork, onion and cilantro, and a chorizo-potato version. These are distinct choices within a restaurant with a long local identity.

Three current network addresses in Davenport

• Village of East Davenport: 2214 East 11th Street; 563-322-0668. Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–11 p.m. The page does not specify Saturday.
• West Kimberly Road: 3502 West Kimberly Road; 563-359-7839. Monday–Saturday 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Drive-through available.
• Elmore Avenue: 3944 Elmore Avenue; 563-326-7376. Sunday–Thursday 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Drive-through available.

The three branches have individual menus and ordering links. East Village publishes DoorDash and Grubhub options as well as direct carryout ordering; the branch phone is for carryout and restaurant enquiries. A party room at East Village requires a reservation at least 72 hours in advance, and outdoor dining is listed. A family gathering and a quick drive-through order can therefore use different branches of the same business.

Order East Village carryout.