ZAP! Taco House In Mokena Named Best New Restaurant In Area

MOKENA, IL — Holy guacamole, Batman! The buzz surrounding ZAP! Taco House in Mokena just got a lot louder after the restaurant was named Thursday the Southland's Best New Restaurant for 2022 by the Northwest Indiana Times.

Now the rest of the Southland is learning what many Mokenians already knew: That ZAP! Taco House is the place to go for a truly unique spin on an old favorite food, and the place to be to experience the food in a fun and family-friendly setting.

ZAP! is the creation of local residents and co-owners Jason Lubovich and Todd Randall, two guys with a passion for great food and superheroes. The restaurant opened at 19711 Mokena St. on Dec. 16, 2021, after the pandemic delayed the original opening date.

The dynamic duo said they used that extra time to hone their skills in the kitchen and the dining area, and the results are something out of this world.

It all starts with the food, of course, Lubovich said. The philosophy at ZAP! is "anything can be a taco," Randall said, because "inspiration can come from anywhere."

And customers will find items on the menu that won't be found anywhere else — in this galaxy or any other one far, far away — such as the Red Skull, a Korean barbecue braised boneless short rib taco made with sesame ginger slaw, gochujang aioli, crispy butter, bread crumbs and scallion.

For something with a little more heat, there's the Nashville Nemesis, a taco with fried chicken tenderloin smothered in cayenne oil and topped with cheddar jack cheese, romaine lettuce, chopped pickle and jalapeno cilantro ranch sauce.

Or customers can get some culinary justice with the most popular taco at ZAP!: the Vigilante, a chargrilled steak taco made with Randall's own marinade and premium steak, with citrus blast slaw, salsa verde, avocado, pickled red onions, queso fresco and cilantro.

The restaurant also offers a full lineup of sides, including: Evil Elotes (grilled corn so good it must be bad); Spuds McKenzie (Yukon Gold potatoes that will leave customers howling for more); Bean Streets (beans that know how to pack a punch); and Hulk Smash (rice that will send tastebuds into a gamma-induced tizzy).

There's also a kid's menu with more traditional fare for the little (or big) ones who aren't quite ready to take up the superhero (or villain) mantle just yet.

While Lubovich and Randall hope people come to ZAP! for the food, they also hope people will stay for the entertainment. The restaurant has several TVs, one of which is on a constant loop of the classic 1960's "Batman" TV show with Adam West as everyone's favorite caped crusader.

The entire restaurant is dressed in comic- and sci-fi-themed decor, from the huge original mural painted on one of the walls, to the custom bar with old comic books laminated into the seating area, and enough memorabilia to make even the most dedicated fan of the genre's head spin.

Speaking of the bar, customers there can order up an original ZAP! margarita, sip on some cerveza, enjoy top-shelf spirits or have a homemade milkshake, all served up by your friendly neighborhood bartender, John "J.J." Joyce.

As Season 1 of ZAP! winds down, Lubovich and Randall said they have much more in store for customers during Season 2 of ZAP!

The restaurant recently began hosting comedy nights, featuring traveling comics sure to crack up even adamantium-laced funny bones. The next comedy night is scheduled for 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, and will feature comics Jimmy Roberson and Luca Ferro. Tickets for the comedy night are $20 and can be purchased at the restaurant.

Customers can also look forward to new menu items being added to the cast, including Super Bowls, Bavarian cream churros and the Holy Sheet, Randall's take on classic nachos.

The restaurant also has plans to introduce a Taco of the Month, plus all new tacos, sides and appetizers to add to the menu. ZAP! is also looking to start its own food truck so the restaurant can bring its super-loaded menu to fight hunger and boredom anywhere it is needed.

Lubovich and Randall credited the restaurant's success so far to the loyal customer base it has built up and the positive word-of-mouth advertising those supercustomers have been spreading throughout the area, not the least of whom has been none other than Mokena's own unofficial Mayor turned unofficial ZAP! spokesman, Daniel Potter, who can frequently be found there enjoying the food and company.

"It's been a blast," Lubovich said of ZAP! Taco House's up, up and away rise in popularity.

ZAP! Taco is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. The kitchen closes around 45 minutes before the restaurant shuts down for the night to recharge its superpowers.

To keep tabs on the latest happenings at ZAP!, be sure to check out the website by following this link, or follow them on facebook at ZAP! Taco House.