Portland’s Taco Escobarr sues copycat Nevada restaurant
Portland’s Taco Escobarr Sues Las Vegas Restaurateur Over Trademark‑Like Name
In a lawsuit filed on Oct. 2, 2024, the owners of the long‑standing Portland eatery Taco Escobarr have accused a Las Vegas restaurateur of infringing their trademark by opening a similarly named taco shop. The suit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, alleges that the Nevada venture—operated by Jeffrey Fine under the name Taco Escobar—has used a brand identity that the plaintiffs say is essentially a copy of theirs.
A clash of names
Taco Escobarr has operated on Congress Street in Portland for more than 15 years, building a reputation for fresh tacos and a distinctive logo. In 2024, owner Thomas Barr learned of a planned restaurant in Las Vegas from a local publication that listed a site map featuring the name Taco Escobar along with a logo that mirrored the one on Barr’s own website.
Barr tried to contact the broker named in the article, but “received no response.” Shortly thereafter, the Vegas establishment dropped the second “r” in its name, perhaps in an attempt to distance itself from the similarity.
Fine, who has publicly claimed he travels to Maine to scout “places that are doing well back here to Las Vegas,” said in a 2024 interview: “Driving up and down the Maine coast, there’s lobster shacks, clam shacks, and just the whole experience of doing that inspired me, for instance, to bring a lobster roll business to Vegas.” He added, “I like exploring, traveling, and importing places that are doing well back here to Las Vegas.”
Allegations of brand copying and confusion
The lawsuit argues that Fine’s use of the name Taco Escobar, along with a logo lifted directly from Taco Escobarr’s online presence, violates the Lanham Act. The suit contends that the similarity “is likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception as to the affiliation, connection, or association between Taco Escobar (Vegas) and Barr,” and therefore constitutes trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition.
After Taco Escobar opened its doors in 2025, Taco Escobarr’s staff received calls from customers trying to locate the Las Vegas location. Social‑media reviewers also left negative comments about the Portland restaurant, mistakenly attributing them to the Nevada venture. The plaintiffs say this confusion has hurt their business and reputation.
Seeking remedies
Barr’s suit requests that the court prevent Fine and his associates from using Taco Escobar or any other confusingly similar business name. He also asks for statutory and compensatory damages, including lost profits from diverted sales, lost goodwill, and the “cheapening of Plaintiff’s reputation,” according to the complaint.
Attorney Stacy Stitham of Brann & Isaacson, representing Taco Escobarr, told the Press Herald, “Recently, our client was dismayed to learn that one of those visitors to Maine had apparently taken Taco Escobarr’s name and brand identity back home to Nevada to open a restaurant there.”
Current status
Both parties have declined to comment at the time of reporting. Barr has not been reachable for additional statements, and Fine’s management team has not responded to inquiries. The case now awaits the court’s decision on whether the two taco establishments can coexist or whether the Nevada restaurant must change its name and branding to avoid infringing on Taco Escobarr’s trademark.
