When Victor Villa arrived at his Villa's Tacos restaurant in Highland Park on Monday afternoon, a press mob surrounded him, a line of customers had stretched down the block since dawn, and cars and satellite news trucks surrounded the parking lot, double-parked in front of red sidewalks.
Villa, who just returned from his appearance during the historic Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny, did what he frequently does with the customers lined up outside Villa's: be their publicity man. He walked toward the line of fans and led them in a call-and-response cheer: “WHEN I SAY VILLA'S, YOU SAY TACOS.”
“Villas!”
“Tacos!”
Later, he would beat them one by one as each one entered the small shop.
The glow of a few seconds of interaction with a global superstar who represents Latin culture, Villa said, is “an honor at the highest level.”
“During a time when immigrants are frowned upon, we were there to reinforce that all we care about is love,” he said.
A fan waited in line from 7 am to be able to say he was the first customer after the Super Bowl. The restaurant opens at noon.
Some brought pets, others brought babies, and more than a few donned Villa's or Bad Bunny merchandise, hoping to try the tacos known for their fresh, hand-made blue corn tortillas and piles of grilled meats, pickled onions and homemade salsas.
Inside, “Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny played over the speakers while clips from the halftime show played. In his moment in the international spotlight, the taquero stood behind a brand-name stand and received a Puerto Rican pirogue from Bad Bunny as he passed by.
Fans line up at Villa's Tacos a day after the Super Bowl halftime show.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Villa said he received a call in December informing him that Bad Bunny, the Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican rapper, wanted him to participate in the Super Bowl halftime show. Villa still isn't sure how Bad Bunny found out about Villa's Tacos. He said the musician could be a fan, or noted the positivity shared through Villa's viral videos and social media accounts, which include more than 164,000 followers on Instagram.
Whatever the case, Villa said he saw it as a way to represent his family, Mexican culture and his hometown. The moment was especially moving.
“We have a lot to share,” Villa said Monday. “Not only our cuisine, but if you are cold I will give you my sweater. If you are hungry, I will feed you. If you are thirsty, I will calm you down. I think sometimes we forget that we are all people. We are all human and we all deserve to be loved.”
The halftime show involved three weeks of rehearsals, which were split between Los Angeles and the Bay Area, he said. Villa and his family had to keep the appearance a secret. After the show, the internet exploded with memes, some of which featured Villa.
The founder launched his taqueria as a sidewalk pop-up shop in 2018, first at his grandmother's house and then on York Boulevard. In 2023, he opened the Highland Park store, and in 2024, he opened a stand in the Grand Central Market food hall. Last year he opened another store in Highland Park, this time inspired by Baja California-style tacos and seafood. Their food has appeared multiple times on the LA Times 101 best restaurants list, as well as in the Michelin Guide.
On Monday afternoon, some guests in line said they had never tried tacos before. Others said they come several times a month and have frequented the stand since Villa appeared on the sidewalks of Highland Park.
His parents, who help run the local taco chain, sported personalized Villa jerseys and marveled at the commotion on Monday.
“If you didn't know about Villa's Tacos, now you know,” Victor “Poppoh” Villa Sr. said.
Marilu Villa and Victor “Poppoh” Villa Sr., the parents of Villa's Tacos founder Victor Villa, stand outside the taqueria after Villa appeared at Bad Bunny's halftime show.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
The 60th Super Bowl was symbolic for Villa's parents; It was also the 60th birthday of the chef-owner's mother, Marilú Villa. On Sunday they all celebrated together (moms, aunts, cousins and other loved ones) and watched the game. When they saw Victor on the screen, the room erupted.
“The whole family was going crazy,” Marilú Villa said. “Jumping up and down, crying – so many different emotions.”
They see echoes of their son in Bad Bunny's music and in the message that echoed on a big screen at the end of the performance: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
“It is like a total representation of what Víctor is, which is transmitted through his food, through his community,” added Marilú Villa.
'It's not just Victor's'
Villa's parents said this is also especially significant, given the immigration raids. Last summer, ICE raids sparked protests and uncertainty across the city, with street vendors and other workers fearing deportation. Villa Sr. came to the United States at the age of 18 and says he experienced the same fear.
“I know how they feel,” he said. “They feel scared, they are not welcome. But Bad Bunny put a lot of sellers [in his performance]and that sent a great message that the providers are not criminals. “We came here to work and we didn’t ask for anything.”
Alyssa Rush and her wife, Christin, were visiting Los Angeles for their anniversary. Being from San Francisco, they said, they love tacos of all varieties and, after the Super Bowl, they wanted to try Villa's. They brought their little son.
“We saw the cart at Bad Bunny's halftime show and thought, 'Oh, let's see some tacos!'” Rush said, then gestured to his son. “He can't have any yet, but at least he's here.”
Lifelong Highland Park resident Sergio “Big Serge” Juarez visits Villa's Tacos two or three times a month, but he wanted to stop by on Monday after seeing Villa on TV.
“I wouldn't be surprised if one day, with the right people in the White House, he would be in White House catering,” Juarez said.
His family has lived in the neighborhood since the 1970s and has seen demographic and affordability changes in Highland Park. He said he hopes the Super Bowl appearance will highlight Villa's Tacos, as well as others in the neighborhood, and encourage more exploration of the area's family-owned businesses.
“This highlights the beauty of the community and the type of food we have here,” he said. “But it's not just Victor's; there are many other members of the community who also sell good food. I think people should support him and other people within the community, but don't just come, be a part of it.”
