After a public vote to determine Tijuana’s best taquería of 2025, the San Diego Red community has spoken. The top spot goes to Tacos El Franc, a longtime favorite among locals and visitors alike.
The voting, conducted through Facebook and Instagram, named Tacos El Franc as the go-to destination for classic Tijuana-style tacos, cementing its status as one of the city’s most iconic food landmarks.
Founded in 1966 as a small family-run stand by Don Javier Valadez, Tacos El Franc is widely regarded as a foundational influence on other well-known taquerías, including Tacos El Ruso and Tacos El Francés.
“We never set out to be famous. We just wanted to serve good tacos, made the right way,” the business notes on its website.
According to the taquería, its rise was not driven by marketing campaigns or flashy advertising, but by consistency and flavor, bringing customers back week after week and fueling word-of-mouth praise.
International recognition
Tacos El Franc has earned two distinctions from the Michelin Guide, awarded in 2024 and 2025, and has also appeared in Netflix’s documentary series Las Crónicas del Taco, expanding its reputation well beyond northern Mexico.
Nearly six decades after opening, the taquería continues to draw long lines of diners eager to sample its signature offerings.
“We’re a family taquería. We believe in hard work, generous plates, and the power of a well-made taco to bring people together,” the business says. “No matter how far we go, we stay rooted in the flavors and values that built us.”
The original Tacos El Franc location is at 9257 Bulevar General Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada, in Tijuana’s Zona Este. It operates Monday through Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to midnight, and is closed on Sundays.
Its popularity has also crossed the border. Tacos El Franc now operates locations in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and at Plaza Bonita, giving U.S. diners a taste of one of Tijuana’s most celebrated taco institutions.
