First Los Angeles-market location serves as the brand’s flagship, national training center and corporate headquarters
Pasadena, CA (RestaurantNews.com) The Birria Experience has officially landed in Los Angeles. Mike’s Red Tacos, the Southern California-born restaurant backed by NBA superstar LeBron James, celebrated its largest grand opening to date with its Los Angeles-area debut in Pasadena in October. The new flagship will also serve as the company’s national training center and Pasadena will be the home of the company’s corporate headquarters. To celebrate the opening, the brand is giving Pasadena guests even more to look forward to with an exclusive FREE taco offer tied to its expanded Taco Tuesday promotion.
170+ guests lined up before doors opened, with the earliest arriving at 4:30 a.m. for a first taste of Mike’s signature red tacos and slow-cooked birria. The opening marks a milestone for the growing brand, which has more than 450+ franchise locations in development nationwide.
Located at 899 E. Del Mar Blvd., the 3,400-square-foot restaurant seats 62 guests and features an outdoor patio designed for group and family dining. Street-art-inspired murals by Los Angeles-based artists bring the space to life, reflecting the brand’s personality and energy.
At the heart of the experience is slow-cooked beef birria, prepared fresh daily and served in the brand’s signature red tacos. Each taco is dipped in chili oil created during the cooking process before being crisped on the grill. The menu also features favorites like the Mike’s Meal, which includes two crispy, cheesy birria tacos served with house-made chips and consome, alongside birria ramen, loaded nachos, burritos, quesadillas, the Crunchstack and more.
Mike’s Red Tacos offers a Taco Tuesday promotion every week, allowing guests who purchase a Mike’s Meal to add a birria taco, guacamole or queso for just $2. To celebrate the Pasadena opening, the brand is offering guests an added perk: Those who take advantage of the Taco Tuesday promotion at the Pasadena location will also receive a FREE birria taco card redeemable on a future visit. The special offer runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
“When we started with a food truck in San Diego, we never imagined how far this journey would take us,” said Mike Touma, founder of Mike’s Red Tacos. “Seeing so many people show up for our Pasadena opening was an incredible moment for our entire team. It’s a reminder of why we started this in the first place – to bring people together over great food. We can’t wait to share that experience with even more guests.”
The Pasadena debut follows the announcement that LeBron James has joined Mike’s Red Tacos as an investor. James celebrated the partnership by reviving his famous “Taco Tuesday” shout-out on social media, introducing the craveable brand to fans around the world.
With three other locations in San Diego, Mike’s Red Tacos has built a loyal following around its approach to birria and an experience that goes beyond the plate. Known for its “the dip is worth the drip” spirit, the brand puts the spotlight on the moment that makes it unmistakably Mike’s: dipping a crispy red taco into rich, house-made consome.
“Opening in Pasadena is about more than adding another restaurant to the map. It’s about building the foundation for what’s next,” said Andrew Feghali, CEO of Mike’s Red Tacos. “As we prepare to bring The Birria Experience to communities across the country, this flagship gives us a place to invest in our people, train future franchise partners and ensure we’re delivering the same quality and hospitality that made Mike’s Red Tacos special from day one.”
The Pasadena location is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. For more information, visit MikesRedTacos.com.
About Mike’s Red Tacos
Mike’s Red Tacos was born in San Diego, where founder Mike Touma first became captivated by birria as the trend exploded on social media in 2020. Mike developed and perfected the brand’s signature recipes before launching a food truck that quickly built a passionate following, often selling out by mid-afternoon. In August 2022, Mike opened the first brick-and-mortar location, followed by additional restaurants as demand continued to grow.
Today, Mike’s Red Tacos is led by CEO Andrew Feghali, alongside founder Mike Touma, President Vincent Montanelli, Chairman Bill Phelps, and is backed by high profile investors including LeBron James. The company is accelerating its nationwide franchise expansion, with more than 300 franchise locations in development.
Named a Yelp Top 100 restaurant in 2023 and a Nation’s Restaurant News Hot Concept in 2026, Mike’s Red Tacos continues to prioritize culinary innovation, immersive restaurant design and authentic hospitality as it introduces its signature birria experience to communities across the country.
Contact:
Paul Donahie
Champion
pdonahie@championmgt.com
The post Mike’s Red Tacos Celebrates Pasadena Debut with Largest Grand Opening in Company History and Expanded Taco Tuesday Deal first appeared on RestaurantNews.com.
