Ronan Valle

Primos Tacos + Tequila is a new casual dining spot set to open on 3 Madison St. in place of Martha’s on Madison (MOMs). After operating in the village for three years, MOMs closed permanently on July 26, 2025, leaving the centrally located storefront vacant. 

As a sister restaurant to Flour & Salt, MOMs developed a reputation as a social bar known for light bites, jazz nights and open-mic singing days. Primos Tacos + Tequila plans to fill the space with a bar featuring 40 tequila varieties and handmade tacos. 

While Primos Tacos + Tequila is owned by the same group behind the Colgate Inn Tavern, the new restaurant represents a different concept from the Tavern’s traditional bar-and-dining model. Rather than offering a full menu and formal seating, Primos emphasizes a smaller, more focused food selection and a casual, social atmosphere centered on shared dishes and drinks. It is designed to be a social space rather than a traditional sit-down restaurant. 

Colgate Inn Manager Josie Jaquays spoke about the functionality.

“Similar to MOMs, Tacos + Tequila is double-edged. It will have a bar on one side of the restaurant and tables on the other,” Jaquays said.

Jaquays also outlined how the space will be used.

“Tacos + Tequila will be open during dinner time, but is more geared towards snacks like chips, tacos and quesadillas with hours from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.,” Jaquays stated. “It will be more of a bar setting and online order grab and go, but tables are still an option.”

Its arrival in Hamilton will fill a culinary void left by the closure of Buenos Tacos on 22 Utica St., a Southern-Cal style taqueria that closed its doors in April 2022 after five years of operation. 

Some students expressed optimism about the introduction of this cuisine to town. Sophomore Elliot Johnson is eager to try the new addition. 

“It’s great to have a new Mexican restaurant in town,” Johnson said. “As a member of the fire department, I have driven around and explored Hamilton a good amount, and seeing a new place open, especially one of a new type of food, is always exciting, so I can try it out.” 

The announcement has sparked curiosity, even among those, like Johnson, unfamiliar with the space’s previous business. 

“I hadn’t gone to MOM’s before, but I’m interested to see what Tacos and Tequila does with the space,” Johnson said.

Sophomore Danielle Yoon also said she recently learned about the new restaurant and is interested in what it might add to the village.

“I didn’t really know what was there before, but I think a taco place sounds interesting,” Yoon said. “There are some food options in town, but not a ton, so anything new is worth checking out. I am excited to have some tacos near campus.”

As a small village, Hamilton has limited dining and entertainment options, particularly those within walking distance of campus. With few businesses open late and a relatively quiet downtown during the week, new restaurants and activities often draw heightened attention from students and residents. Additions such as Primos Tacos + Tequila expand the range of places available for socializing in the village.

As Primos Tacos + Tequila prepares to open, its arrival marks the return of activity to a long-vacant storefront on Madison St. The restaurant adds a new dining option to the village while maintaining the space’s previous use as a casual gathering place rather than a formal restaurant. Whether Primos becomes a regular destination for students and residents alike remains to be seen, but its opening reflects continued changes in Hamilton’s small but evolving food and social scene.