PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mike’s Red Tacos, the Southern California-born birria brand named a Yelp Top 100 U.S. Restaurant in 2023, today announced the grand opening of its first Pasadena location on Friday, October 16, at 899 E. Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106.
To celebrate, the first 100 guests in line will receive FREE Mike’s Meals for a year*. The grand opening will also feature a ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m., all-day swag giveaways and a spin-the-wheel contest for guests who join the Mike’s Red Tacos loyalty program in person.
The Pasadena opening follows the announcement that LeBron James has joined Mike’s Red Tacos as an investor. James celebrated the partnership by bringing back his famous “Taco Tuesday” shout-out on social media, introducing the Southern California-born brand to his fans around the world. His involvement adds to the momentum behind Mike’s Red Tacos as it brings The Birria Experience to new communities and prepares for nationwide expansion.
The Pasadena opening marks an important milestone in Mike’s Red Tacos’ growth from a humble food truck into a fast-growing fast-casual brand. The corporate-run restaurant will serve as a prototype for future locations in the brand’s national development pipeline and as a Brand Training Center for the growing Mike’s Red Tacos system. The 3400-square-foot restaurant seats 62 guests and includes an outdoor patio built for group and family dining, featuring bold, street-art-inspired murals by LA-based artists, blending high-energy color with food-forward design.
The menu centers on slow-cooked beef birria made fresh daily and served in the brand’s signature red tacos, which are dipped in the chili oil created during the cooking process and crisped on the grill. Guests can enjoy fan favorites including the Mike’s Meal, two crispy, cheesy birria tacos served with house-made chips and consome, along with birria ramen, loaded nachos, burritos, quesadillas, guacamole made from scratch, the Crunchstack, Red Quesadilla, loaded fries and more.
With an average 4.7-star rating across more than 3,300 Yelp reviews, Mike’s Red Tacos has become one of the most talked-about emerging fast-casual brands, building a reputation for high-quality birria and an energetic in-store experience.
“Pasadena is a meaningful next step for Mike’s Red Tacos. We started in San Diego with a food truck, a passion for birria and a commitment to doing one thing exceptionally well. Bringing The Birria Experience to Pasadena lets us share that same food, energy and community-first spirit with a new neighborhood as we grow,” said Mike Touma, Founder, Mike’s Red Tacos.
Known for its “the dip is worth the drip” spirit, Mike’s Red Tacos pairs craveable birria with an energetic, shareable restaurant experience. The brand’s signature consome dipping moment, tearing into a crisp red taco and dipping it into the rich broth, is at the heart of The Birria Experience.
“Pasadena is a major milestone as Mike’s Red Tacos opens its fourth restaurant and takes the next step in its expansion,” said Andrew Feghali, CEO of Mike’s Red Tacos. “As we grow, our responsibility is to make sure the experience feels just as special as it did on day one, from the quality of the food and the warmth of the team to the energy guests feel when they walk through the door. We are building for the future while protecting the details that made people fall in love with Mike’s Red Tacos in the first place.”
The Pasadena location will be open Sunday -Thursday from 10am – 11pm and Friday - Saturday from 10am – Midnight.
For more information, visit mikesredtacos.com and follow @MikesRedTacos on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
*Must be first 100 guests in line at 10AM on 10/16/26 at the Mike’s Red Tacos Pasadena location to receive Free Mike’s Meals for a Year, which is 12 Free Mike’s Meal cards. 1 prize per person. No cash value.
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.
Media Contact
Joshua Levitt
Josh.levitt@mikesredtacos.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a90e4dc2-6d5d-4f2a-82d7-9a40fd212f91
