Family-owned businesses Taqueria, Carniceria Don Sammy offers a taste of Mexico

WARNER ROBINS – Taqueria and Carniceria y Tienda Don Sammy offers authentic Mexican food and meats to the community.

Taqueria Don Sammy first opened its doors back in April of 2022 and recently moved to a different location. A month ago, the original location was converted to a Carniceria, also known as a butcher shop.

The businesses are family owned and operated. Owner Samuel Naranjo and his son Samuel Naranjo Ramirez supervise the restaurant and butcher shop.

The taqueria’s menu consists of traditional Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and plates they have made along the way. Some of the plates include sopes, fried corn tortilla with toppings like meat, lettuce, cheese or salsa. 

Ramirez said one of their most popular items is quesabirria, fried birria meat tacos with cheese. The taco is then dipped in consommé which is a soup like sauce. 

The Carniceria offers hand sliced meat and is also a Mexican grocery store. Ramirez said they can cut the meat to anyone’s liking. 

Ramirez said owning a restaurant has always been a dream for his father. He shared he previously owned a restaurant in Americus, but unfortunately, he was forced to shut down.

Ramirez said his father waited until he turned 18 to strive for his dream again. Naranjo started at a small building on 1431 Watson Boulevard, where the butcher shop is now located. Ramirez shares his father wanted to open the butcher shop to help the restaurant.

Ramirez said at the restaurant they try to keep everything as fresh as possible and up to their standards. The butcher shop helps them to do that as a source of their products. 

When Naranjo was head cook at “La Hacienda” in Americus, his passion for cooking grew. This motivated him to open his own taqueria. 

“He really had a passion for it, he loves cooking. When he first brought up the idea of opening up a restaurant, he bought a grill, and he started practicing on there, just making plates, making burritos, quesadillas and everything on there. He would always give it to us so we could try it and everything was delicious. It was amazing,” he said.

Ramirez shared he would do that on the weekends because he worked during the week. He said his father always had a passion for the kitchen. 

Both Naranjo and his wife are from Michoacán, Mexico, a state in the western part of the country. Ramirez said they came to the United States looking for a better life for themselves and their children. Shortly after they migrated to the states, Ramirez was born. 

Ramirez has two younger brothers. His brother Osvaldo works outside the businesses, but still helps out whenever he can. The youngest of the family also works at the butcher shop as a cashier.

He said growing up, he saw his father working hard and for long hours; Ramirez admires his father’s work ethic. 

“I always knew he had a passion for cooking because he would always cook. Both him and my mother would always cook at the house, and everything was very delicious. I really enjoyed it,” he said. 

Since moving locations, business has unfortunately declined, but Ramirez is hopeful will soon pick up more; business at the shop has picked up a bit, but since they’ve only been open a month, they expect it to be slow for a couple of months. Despite everything, Ramirez believes they are going as smoothly as possible.

He said as any Hispanic family would say, for them, the most important thing is family. 

“We try to take care of each other. We do everything with each other whenever we can. That’s why I’m helping my father out with these businesses. It wasn’t really my dream to do these businesses, it was more of my father’s, but my father needs the help, and I decided, ‘Hey I can help him, why not?’” he said. 

Ramirez also shared the family wanted to introduce authentic Mexican food to the city of Warner Robins. He said before they started their businesses, they noticed a lot of “Tex-Mex” restaurants and they wanted to offer traditional Mexican food to the community. 

“I would like to say I hope everyone comes out and gives us the support we need,” he said. 

Hispanic Heritage Month is coming to a close, but Hispanic owned small businesses are here to stay and share their culture.

Taqueria Don Sammy is located at 1754 Watson Boulevard at the Stantom Plaza. Carniceria Don Sammy is located at 1431 Watson Boulevard. The Taqueria is closed on Monday and open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. The Carniceria is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.