This story is part of a series on Hispanic entrepreneurs.
Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Rafael Romero arrived in Fort Worth nine years ago with his wife, their three children and just $200 in his pocket.
Hispanic entrepreneurs are one of the fastest-growing business groups in North Texas: One in seven businesses in Dallas County are Hispanic-owned.
The family settled into a modest one-bedroom apartment, uncertain what the future would hold.
Today, Rafael is the proud owner of Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara, a bustling restaurant where he serves the iconic dish of his hometown: crusty bread stuffed with meat and drenched in fiery salsa.
For Rafael, the restaurant is more than a livelihood. It is a symbol of sacrifice, perseverance and the resilience of the migrant community in North Texas.
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“My motivation has always been to give my children a better life,” he said. “I want to show my family that here in the United States, if you work hard, nothing can stop you from achieving success because this country offers so many opportunities.”
The bread is crucial to building great tortas ahogadas. It must be firm and crunchy, able to withstand the plunge into sauce without falling apart. That detail sparked the family’s journey.
Carmen Romero shows the inside of the birote bread for the tortas at Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara in Fort Worth after baking it on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
One afternoon, Carmen, Rafael’s wife, craved a torta ahogada but couldn’t find the right bread in local supermarkets. Rather than give up, she improvised.
“I started making my own bread at home,” Carmen, 42, said.
With little more than determination and a few basic tools, she baked birotes (Mexican bread) in her kitchen. Soon, she began offering them for delivery, a small idea that quickly resonated with the Mexican community in North Texas.
Orders poured in. Rafael, who worked in construction at the time, handled deliveries.
Before long, the couple expanded their offerings, preparing not just birotes, but full tortas ahogadas at home, and distributing them across Dallas-Fort Worth.
Customer Jairo Gonzalez prepares his tortas ahogadas to his liking at Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara in Fort Worth on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
“On Sundays, my daughter and I would deliver tortas everywhere across Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, you name it. We sold about 30 tortas a week,” Rafael said, who now sells up to 300 tortas on a good day at his restaurant.
Four years ago, they opened their restaurant. The space is simple but welcoming: cobblestone floors, long tables draped with plastic cloths and about 60 folding chairs. The menu extends beyond tortas to include tacos, quesadillas, birria and pozole, all prepared by the family.
Carmen oversees the fully equipped kitchen, complete with special ovens for baking the perfect bread.
The aroma of warm, slightly salty loaves with a sourdough tang fills the air, enticing diners to order.
Doña Ana Nieto sets down tacos dorados for customers Jairo Gonzalez and Ana Rodriguez at Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara in Fort Worth on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
“It feels like eating in a small family restaurant in Mexico,” Carmen said with pride.
For Rafael, the memories of their humble beginnings remain vivid.
He recalls driving long distances, delivering tortas door-to-door and the failure of a taco restaurant that he opened.
Rising costs have added pressure: the price of meat has more than doubled in a single month, jumping from $395 for 95 pounds to $800.
Increased immigration enforcement and concerns have kept customers at home, resulting in a decline in sales.
Rafael estimates his restaurant’s revenue has dropped 20% to 25% this year.
“It’s been a very tough year,” he said, glancing at his wife.
Rafael Romero (from left) poses with his daughter Jazmin Romero and his wife Carmen Romero at their restaurant, Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara, in Fort Worth on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
Yet the family’s determination is unshaken. Their daughter Jazmin, 20, works alongside her siblings at the restaurant while continuing her studies.
“I love my parents, they’re so hardworking,” she said. “They’ve taught me the importance of having your own business, of being an entrepreneur.”
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