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The Taco Stand files license application for Mission Valley location

The Taco Stand files license application for Mission Valley location

Built World San Diego, CA local

San Diego taqueria chain eyes Mission Valley Plaza space now occupied by Tandoor

September 16th, 2026: ABC beer-and-wine application appears on state list

Overview

Updated Sep 16

The Taco Stand has applied for a beer-and-wine license at 5608 Mission Center Road in San Diego's Mission Valley. California's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control lists the application as applied-for, not approved, when it appeared September 16, 2026.

If the license clears, the taqueria chain would replace Tandoor, the Indian restaurant now in that Mission Valley Plaza space. The permit is one step in a longer approval process—the record shows no opening date.

Why it matters

A popular homegrown taco chain moving into Mission Valley would reshape the mall's dining mix and mark another step in Shōwa Hospitality's San Diego expansion.

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Key Indicators

1
ABC beer-and-wine license applications for 5608 Mission Center Rd
Applied for, not issued, as of September 16, 2026.
Type 41
License category requested
Allows onsite beer and wine sales at an eating place in California.

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People Involved

Julian Hakim
Julian Hakim
Co-founder, The Taco Stand and Shōwa Hospitality
Running the group's ongoing expansion
 Aram Baloyan
Aram Baloyan
Co-founder, The Taco Stand and Shōwa Hospitality
Oversees brand portfolio including Pizza On Pearl
 Edo Kobayashi
Edo Kobayashi
Third co-founder, Shōwa Hospitality
Co-leads the hospitality group

Organizations Involved

The Taco Stand
The Taco Stand
Restaurant chain
Applied for a beer-and-wine license at a Mission Valley location; not yet approved

Fast-casual taqueria chain born in La Jolla, now in California, Nevada, Texas, and Florida.
Shōwa Hospitality
Shōwa Hospitality
Hospitality group
Parent company expanding The Taco Stand while running Japanese concepts

San Diego-based group running The Taco Stand plus Himitsu, Shōwa Ramen, and Convoy Music Bar.
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
State regulatory agency
Processing the Type 41 application

The state body that licenses all alcohol sales in California.
San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ)
San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ)
County agency
Received food-facility permit documents for the site

County agency that reviews food-facility plans and issues operating permits for restaurants.

Timeline

January 2013 September 2026

3 events Latest: September 16th, 2026 · 2 months ago

  1. ABC beer-and-wine application appears on state list

    Latest Regulatory

    California ABC lists a Type 41 application for the Mission Valley site as applied-for, not issued.

  2. County permit filing reported for Mission Valley

    Permit filing

    The Taco Stand files county health documents for 5608 Mission Center Road, space now housing Tandoor.

  3. The Taco Stand opens in La Jolla

    Founding

    First shop opens next to Pizza On Pearl, starts drawing long lines.

Scenarios

1

Taco Stand opens in Mission Valley

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: SanDiegoVille and WhatNow San Diego, which have tracked the filing

The uncontested Type 41 application clears in weeks or months. Tandoor vacates, construction finishes, and the chain opens at 5608 Mission Center Road. This matches the company's track record of successful openings.

2

Taco Stand abandons Mission Valley plans

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: SanDiegoVille, which notes the project is not officially confirmed by the company

Lease negotiations fall through or the landlord keeps Tandoor. The ABC application is withdrawn or denied, and no construction starts. The chain moves on to other markets.

3

License clears, but opening drags past mid-2027

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: WhatNow San Diego, which notes no construction timeline has been announced

ABC approves the application, but buildout, staffing, or lease timing pushes the opening well into 2028. The chain holds the license while work continues.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2024 to 2025

Comedor Nishi opens and closes in La Jolla (2024–2025)

Shōwa Hospitality turned La Jolla's Coffee Cup Café into Comedor Nishi, a Japanese-Mexican restaurant led by a former Pujol chef. The concept drew attention but closed just over a year later.

Then

The restaurant shut down about 14 months after opening. The space is becoming Tacos & Jarros, a family-run Mexican spot.

Now

It showed Shōwa's willingness to experiment, and that its concepts don't always stick in a competitive San Diego market.

Why this matters now

Same parent company, same city: a planned Taco Stand could succeed, but the group's recent record includes a high-profile closure.

2013

The Taco Stand's La Jolla start (2013)

Julian Hakim, then weighing medical school, partnered with uncle Aram Baloyan to open a small taco shop next to Baloyan's pizza place in La Jolla. Lines down the block turned it into a cult favorite.

Then

The shop drew long lines and the pair began expanding.

Now

Growth built into an interstate chain across California, Nevada, Texas, and Florida, plus a hospitality group running Japanese restaurants.

Why this matters now

It's the founding story behind today's expansion. The brand's record of successful openings is why this filing matters.

Sources

(4)
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control WhatNow San Diego SanDiegoVille The Taco Stand