San Diego has a new food-world star, and he isn’t a chef, restaurateur, or TV personality. He’s a camera-toting content creator known only as The Taco Fiend, and he has become one of the most influential voices in Mexican street food.
While Dave Portnoy turned pizza reviews into a national obsession, The Taco Fiend, who often refers to himself as “Tio Taco”, has become the face of tacos, burritos, and everything served wrapped in a tortilla. Lately, his mission has evolved. Though everything began with tacos – and his name still carries the legacy – his content today is dominated by San Diego’s most famous culinary export: the California burrito. He’s on a relentless hunt for the city’s best carne asada–fries–salsa combination, reviewing a new taco or burrito every single day as part of his long-term goal to rate food in every country in the world.
He still bases most of his reviews in San Diego, especially in and around his home of National City, but he’s increasingly traveling. He recently dropped episodes from New York City, featuring iconic slices at John’s of Bleecker and Joe’s Pizza. A trip to Los Angeles led him to declare Tacos El Asadero Poblano one of his all-time favorites. He also finally finished his 50 state taco tour by reviewing tacos in Oahu, Hawaii.
But what truly sets him apart is his charitable streak. Instead of keeping the money he earns from his rapidly growing platforms, merchandise sales and occasional follower donations, The Taco Fiend pours most of it back into the community through taco shop buyouts – paying small restaurants, food trucks, or street vendors for an entire day’s worth of food and then letting crowds of followers come eat for free. His most recent buyout at La Central Market in Barrio Logan drew a massive turnout and introduced scores of new customers to the business…