Adrian Gonzalez came home today and brought tacos with him.
The former Padres and Dodgers slugger marked his return to Chula Vista with the opening of Tres Dos Tres, a fast-casual spot serving Tijuana-style tacos. A ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off a steady morning line of customers building their own tacos, burritos and bowls while Gonzalez worked the room, greeting fans, posing for photos and handing out swag. He framed the restaurant as a tribute to the border flavors he grew up on.
According to NBC San Diego, Gonzalez, who grew up in both Tijuana and Chula Vista and hit 317 home runs over a 15-year MLB career, handed out signed baseballs and gift bags to the first 25 customers at the grand opening. He told the crowd, "For me, it’s Tijuana," and described the signature tacos in simple terms: "guacamole, onion, cilantro and salsa." Fans turned the event into a meet-and-greet with their hometown hero as the ribbon-cutting wrapped up.
From West L.A. to Chula Vista
Tres Dos Tres is not Gonzalez's first swing at the restaurant game. He launched the concept last year in West Los Angeles as a fast-casual, build-your-own spot sharing space with his pizza project Slizeria, a pairing Fox 11 Los Angeles covered when those locations opened.
The Los Angeles restaurants leaned on scratch-made components and a menu built around customizable tacos, burritos and bowls. Gonzalez has brought that same blueprint south, this time dropping it into the border city that shaped his palate.
Name, Roots and Big Plans
The name "Tres Dos Tres" nods to Gonzalez's three business partners and the No. 23 jersey he wore. He told NBC San Diego that the Chula Vista debut is meant to be a first step, not a one-off. "Our plans to open everywhere in the nation, franchise everywhere," he said. For now, he added, he wanted the first local outpost to stay true to the Tijuana flavors that defined his upbringing.
What It Means Locally
For Chula Vista residents, Tres Dos Tres lands as both a hometown moment and a reminder of the cross-border culinary ties that shape the region's food scene. Whether the national franchise plan becomes reality, the opening adds another spot where border-style tacos anchor a fast-casual experience and it gives fans a place to see their old favorite off the field and behind the counter.
