Chula Tacos Expands Across San Diego, Growing to Five Locations in Under a Year

Owner Rigo Muñoz outlines the next phase of Chula Tacos’ rapid growth

Daniela Velez
Written By Daniela Velez
News Writer
Carne asada tacos and Al Pastor tacos from Chula Tacos (Image credit: Chula Tacos's Facebook page)

According to public filings, Chula Tacos plans to open a new location at 6334 El Cajon Blvd. What Now San Diego reached out to owner Rigo Muñoz, who confirmed the plans and discussed the brand’s rapid expansion across San Diego.

Chula Tacos is a Mexican taqueria serving a variety of Mexican dishes, including tacos, kekas (large quesadillas filled with meat), and gringas (flour tortillas filled with meat, onion, and cilantro), along with drinks.

All the salsas, marinated meats, and chopped vegetables are prepared in a single commissary kitchen, allowing the company to maintain the same flavors across its restaurants. “The salsa is the trick and the magic of everything,” Muñoz said.

The brand currently has locations on Palm Avenue and in Ocean Beach, along with its original Market Street operation, where Muñoz has reopened with two food trucks.

A fourth location at 689 H St. in Chula Vista remains closed following a fire on February 14. Muñoz is preparing to reopen that restaurant, which he envisions as the brand’s flagship.

The Chula Vista location will feature a drive-thru, two kitchens, and a charcoal cooking setup. “It’s the queen of my taquerías,” Muñoz told What Now San Diego.

The new El Cajon location, meanwhile, will operate exclusively as a delivery kitchen, fulfilling orders through platforms such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub.

Muñoz does not yet have a confirmed opening date for the El Cajon location. He said the equipment and staff are already in place, and he expects to receive the necessary permit soon.

Once approved, he estimates the restaurant could open within 24 hours, although the overall timeline depends on the permitting process. He anticipates the opening could happen within one to three weeks.

The expansion comes after a series of setbacks. About a year ago, county officials, state authorities, health inspectors, and firefighters intervened at the informal site where Muñoz originally operated his food truck.

The business subsequently established a taqueria on Palm Avenue before expanding to Chula Vista and Ocean Beach. The original Market Street operation has since resumed with two food trucks, and the El Cajon delivery kitchen is the next planned addition.

“I’ve opened five locations or am about to open five locations in less than 12 months,” Muñoz told What Now San Diego.

Once all five locations are operating, his priority will be to stabilize the business, focusing on staffing, logistics, and delivery operations.

He expects to pause further expansion for approximately 90 days before exploring additional opportunities along the San Diego coast. El Cajon City and Mission Valley are also potential areas for future locations.

Muñoz said future sites must meet specific criteria, particularly proximity to freeways and sufficient customer traffic to support the business. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency across locations.

Twenty-six months ago, Muñoz said, the business consisted of three people and one food truck. Today, Chula Tacos has more than 60 employees. He attributes the company’s growth to its food, service, generous portions, and consistent flavors, as well as his faith and the support of the local community.

“The queen of all this growth is the blessing of God,” he said. “And the embrace of San Diego. None of this would have been possible without it and the Chula Tacos family is extremely grateful.”

Follow Chula Tacos on Instagram for updates.

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Daniela Velez is a bilingual journalist and communications strategist based in Colombia. She has covered stories across the humanitarian, political, and entertainment sectors, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective shaped by her background in Communications and Political Philosophy from Universidad de La Sabana and additional training in Modern Journalism from NYU
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