More than 6 years in the making, the downtown San Diego location of Tacos El Gordo is expected to open very soon in the Gaslamp Quarter.
A fast-casual taco shop chain specializing in authentic Mexican street tacos, Tacos El Gordo first launched in Tijuana in 1972, and the company now operates three locations in Tijuana, four branches in the Las Vegas area of Nevada, and four more in San Diego's South County. We announced in May 2016 the company had taken over the space previously occupied by Starbuck's within the historic William Penn Building in the Gaslamp Quarter with an opening to come the following year, but the long-stalled progress on the central San Diego location led many to believe it would never happen. The delay was likely due to a myriad of issues spanning from a lack of workforce to a more than $40,000 fine from the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration over unsafe working conditions, and then the COVID-19 pandemic.
After more than a half-decade wait, the new downtown San Diego branch of Tacos El Gordo is readying to open on the corner of 5th Avenue and F Street in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. The Tijuana-style taqueria offers 2,200 square-feet of interior space with a 900 square-foot mezzanine seating area. Like other locations, the menu will be centered around street tacos made with various cuts of grilled carne asada and marinated pork adobada shaved off a vertical "trompo" roaster, as well as quesadillas, sopes, tostadas, and smothered fries.
Tacos El Gordo's downtown San Diego location is expected to grand open on Black Friday, November 25, 2022, at 511 F Street in the Gaslamp Quarter. For more information, visit tacoselgordobc.com.
