The Taco Stand, the Baja California-inspired taqueria that got its start in San Diego County, officially opened its doors in Aventura on Thursday, October 1, following a soft opening the day before. The new spot sits at 19129 Biscayne Blvd., marking the chain's fourth location and its latest push into South Florida's crowded taco scene.
The Aventura restaurant occupies the former home of Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, which opened in 2021 and closed roughly two years later, according to the Miami Herald. The new space seats 25 diners indoors and another 20 on an outdoor patio, and it's set up to function as a takeout restaurant as well, per the same report. Back in January, Axios Miami had reported the location was still in the works, with a storefront sign simply reading “Coming Soon” and the exact timeline unclear at the Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 191st Street address.
From La Jolla Taco Window to Multi-State Chain
The Taco Stand was founded by Julian Hakim and Aram Baloyan, who grew up in the border region and built the concept around the food culture of their childhoods. The Herald's report describes the brand as a taqueria directly inspired by Baja California. Sourcing on the exact founding year and city varies slightly: Times of San Diego reports the company was founded in La Jolla in 2013, while FSR magazine has described it as opening in San Diego that same year.
Either way, the growth since then has been substantial. The chain now has locations across Miami-Dade in Wynwood, South Beach, Little Havana and Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, plus outposts in Dallas, Las Vegas and Southern California, according to the seed reporting behind this story. Times of San Diego separately noted the brand had reached 15 stores nationwide when it opened its Oceanside, California, location at 1722 S Coast Highway, calling it a business that has been welcomed by communities spanning San Diego, Orange County, Las Vegas, Dallas and Miami.
What's on the Menu in Aventura
The Taco Stand's menu, available online, leans heavily on tacos: al pastor, carne asada, birria, chicken, shrimp and grilled mahi mahi versions all make an appearance, alongside burritos and burrito bowls, quesadillas and carne asada fries. The chain is also known for its birria ramen, and it rounds things out with churros and imported beer, plus a breakfast menu that runs alongside lunch and dinner offerings, according to The Taco Stand's own menu page.
The Wynwood location has built its own identity beyond tacos, too — it hosts Hiden, a Michelin-starred Japanese omakase counter tucked inside the restaurant. It's a reminder that The Taco Stand's expansion beyond California hasn't been a simple copy-paste job in every market.
Hours and Ordering Details
The Aventura location is set to run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, stretching to 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Diners hoping to order through The Taco Stand's app at the Aventura spot will need to wait a bit longer, since app ordering for that location isn't expected to go live until roughly a week after opening, on October 8.
The new location adds to a track record of California-to-Florida expansion for the brand. Its first Miami-area foray came years earlier in Wynwood's Arts District, where FSR magazine reported the company was opening what was then its fourth location overall, following earlier shops in San Diego, La Jolla and Encinitas noted by the Herald at the time. Aventura now becomes the latest proof point that the Baja-style taqueria concept has found staying power well outside its Southern California roots.
