Place
King Taco #1
Active
A beloved local chain is seeking historic designation for its original location.
Place Details
Address
Neighborhood
Year
Decade
Designation
Property Type
Government Officials
Attributes
Exterior view of building with additions, circa 1984 | Raul O. Martinez.
Overview
King Taco, a beloved Los Angeles institution, began in 1974 when Raul O. and Maria G. Martinez, Mexican immigrants who arrived in Los Angeles in 1969, repurposed a former ice cream truck with a stove and grill to sell fresh tortilla tacos directly from the truck. At the time, most Americans were only familiar with hard-fried taco shells served in restaurants.
While soft tortilla tacos were a staple in Mexican homes, the Martinez family introduced a culinary model that reshaped Los Angeles dining by offering authentic Mexican-style meats and cuts not found in other eateries. The success of their food truck led to the opening of King Taco’s first brick-and-mortar location at 1118 N. Cypress Avenue in 1975, where the business has proudly operated for 50 years.
The property was identified in the Latino Los Angeles Historic Context Statement as a site potentially significant as the original and oldest location of King Taco restaurant.
About This Place
About This Place
King Taco played a foundational role in one of Los Angeles’ most popular food item: the taco. In 1974, the Martinez’ truck became one of the earliest—if not the first—mobile vendors in the city to sell soft tortilla tacos made on-site. As historian Gustavo Arellano notes, King Taco’s success encouraged other Mexican entrepreneurs to follow suit, and by 1987 more than 500 loncheras (stationary food trucks) operated throughout Southern California, introducing regional Mexican foods to a broad public.
Our Position
The Conservancy supports the Historic-Cultural Monument Nomination for King Taco as a significant legacy business, and recognizes the contributions of the Martinez family to L.A.’s dining culture.
