Woman sues popular Texas taco chain for $250K after allegedly finding cow tooth in meal, restaurant confirms
Cow tooth found in Austin taco sparks lawsuit against Torchy’s Tacos
A Texas woman has filed a lawsuit after she allegedly discovered a cow tooth in a taco she ordered from Torchy’s Tacos in Austin. The complaint, filed on Oct. 13 in Travis County District Court, claims the incident caused her physical pain, medical expenses and emotional distress.
The lawsuit was brought by Nohemi Castillo, who says she almost swallowed the tooth while eating a “Democrat” taco at the chain’s South Congress Avenue location on June 9. Castillo’s attorney, Scott Vasquez, says the complaint alleges the chain failed to properly prepare, inspect and distribute the food. He also says the lawsuit names Success Foods Management Group, the company that operates Torchy’s Tacos, as a defendant.
Castillo says she was eating lunch with a colleague when she pulled out a large, irregularly shaped object from her taco. “I think it’s a bone,” the colleague told the witness, according to the complaint. Castillo examined it with her left cheek and concluded it appeared to be a tooth. The attorney provided photographs of the tooth, one showing it next to a tape measure, and another placing it on aluminum foil beside what looks like taco meat.
The lawsuit says Castillo was “disgusted and sickened” by the discovery and visited a doctor that evening. She received prescriptions for pain medication, and the complaint alleges she incurred medical costs, physical pain, mental anguish and other damages. Castillo is seeking up to $250,000 in monetary relief, with a jury to decide the final award.
Torchy’s Tacos has responded to the claim. In a statement to Austin TV station KVUE, the chain said it had “conducted a thorough review” and confirmed the object was a cow tooth. “This can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare,” the company said. It explained that its barbacoa comes from natural beef cheek sourced from a supplier and that it has taken steps to prevent similar incidents. “We have partnered with our supplier to reinforce their internal procedures to prevent this from happening in the future,” Torchy’s added.
Castillo’s attorney said the company did not confirm the tooth until the story attracted local media attention in October, about four months after the incident. “We have become aware of other individuals reporting similar experiences with Torchy’s since the story received attention, although those accounts have not been independently verified,” Vasquez told Fox News Digital. He also said he considered the company’s earlier responses “providing limited information while shifting blame and responsibility to others.”
Torchy’s says it takes all concerns about its food seriously. “We are aware of the situation and take all concerns about our food seriously,” the chain told KVUE. No further comment has been received from the company in response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The lawsuit alleges that Torchy’s failed to adequately monitor its meat supplier and breached implied warranties that food sold to consumers is fit for consumption. It also claims violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and federal food‑safety requirements. If the case goes to trial, it will be decided by a jury in Travis County.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about food safety and the importance of thorough quality control at restaurants that use processed meats. For now, the case remains pending, and its outcome may set a precedent for how food‑service establishments address similar incidents in the future.