San Diego Restaurant Openings

A Prominent Food Truck Spawns a Late-Night Taco Shop in Chula Vista

Taqueria by El Prieto takes over the former Tacos El Gordo spot

by Helen I. Hwang Updated Jun 24, 2024, 11:40am PDT

Array of Mexican dishes. — Array of Mexican dishes at Taqueria by El Prieto.

The first brick-and-mortar street taco shop from food truck king Jorge Vargas has opened in Chula Vista. Taqueria By El Prieto lands near the H Street Trolley Station in the former Tacos El Gordo location where it’ll satisfy late-night taco cravings until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends.

For the past 27 years, Vargas has operated Mariscos El Prieto, a fleet of Mexican seafood-focused food trucks stationed in Chula Vista, El Cajon, and on University Avenue. He also owns a sit-down restaurant on Main Street in Chula Vista called Don Vargas Birriera y Mariscos, which specializes in Tijuana-style birria de res as well as menudo and seafood.

Restaurant exterior of Taqueria by El Prieto.

At Taqueria By El Prieto, menu highlights include traditional street tacos, plus tostadas, mulitas, and vampiros. Along with chorizo, asada, and adobada, the casual taco shop will also showcase cabeza (beef head), buche (pork stomach), lengua (beef tongue), and tripe (beef intestines). Many of the proteins can also be added to fries or a papa loca, which is a loaded potato with butter, sour cream, avocado, and melted cheese.

“I don’t have any limitations when it comes to food. A taqueria has always been on my mind, and now I want to establish myself as a restauranteur in specific locations,” Vargas tells Eater. He’s planning on opening a second location in Chula Vista in about a month, eventually adding a third restaurant somewhere else in the South Bay.