Woman sues Texas taco chain for $250K over cow tooth

A lawsuit filed in Travis County District Court alleges a Texas woman found a cow tooth in her takeout order from Torchy's Tacos, a claim the restaurant chain has since confirmed as accurate. Nohemi Castillo says she nearly swallowed the object while eating food from the chain's South Congress Avenue location in Austin on June 9, according to the complaint filed Oct. 13 and obtained by Fox News Digital. The order reportedly included the chain's "Democrat" tacos — though a cow tooth was not among the listed ingredients.

Restaurant Confirms Unusual Find

Torchy's Tacos addressed the incident in a statement to Austin TV station KVUE, explaining that its review determined the object was indeed a cow tooth. "Upon receiving the guest complaint, we conducted a thorough review and identified the item as a cow tooth," the company said. "This can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare." The restaurant noted that its barbacoa is made from natural beef cheek supplied by an outside vendor, and said it has implemented measures to avoid future occurrences. "We have partnered with our supplier to reinforce their internal procedures to prevent this from happening in the future," Torchy's said.

Attorney Disputes Timeline

Scott Vasquez, Castillo's attorney, told Fox News Digital that the company did not acknowledge the object was a cow tooth to him until local media coverage emerged in October — approximately four months after the incident. Vasquez shared additional photos with Fox News Digital showing the tooth next to a tape measure, providing a clearer sense of the object's size. Another image in the court filing shows the item on aluminum foil beside what appears to be taco meat. A witness statement provided by Vasquez recounts the moment a routine lunch with a colleague turned disturbing. "As we were eating, I heard an 'awww!' When I turned to Nohemi, I saw her pulling something out of her mouth, she said, 'I think it's a bone,'" the witness wrote. The colleague described Castillo holding her left cheek while inspecting the object, then determining it looked like a tooth. Per the lawsuit, Castillo was disgusted and sickened, and saw a doctor that evening where she received prescriptions. The complaint states she incurred medical costs and suffered physical pain, mental anguish and other damages.

Claims and Relief Sought

Castillo is suing Torchy's Tacos and Success Foods Management Group, which operates under the Torchy's Tacos name. The suit alleges the defendants failed to properly prepare, inspect and distribute the food before selling it. It further claims Torchy's did not adequately monitor its meat supplier and violated implied warranties that food sold to consumers is safe to eat. The lawsuit also cites alleged violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and federal food safety requirements. Castillo maintains she would not have bought the meal, or would have inspected it more carefully, had she known about the alleged defect. She is seeking monetary relief of $250,000 or less, with any final award to be decided by a jury. Vasquez also told Fox News Digital that since the story gained attention, he has learned of other people reporting similar experiences with Torchy's, though those accounts have not been independently verified. The attorney described the company's earlier responses as offering limited information while deflecting blame onto others. Torchy's, for its part, insists it handled the complaint seriously and performed a thorough review. "We are aware of the situation and take all concerns about our food seriously," the company told KVUE. Torchy's did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.