Owners of world’s only Michelin-starred taco shop call off pop-up in Dallas area
Posted by dallasmorningnews@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 117 comments
Our Imelda Garcia writes:
El Califa de León ended its participation in a pop-up that opened in University Park in the Dallas area on Oct. 16, 2025, arguing the standards promised for its operation in North Texas were not met.
“The decision follows multiple instances in which the agreed-upon conditions, particularly around space, quality, and raw materials, were not met,” said Rodrigo Rivera, president of Authentic Taco Holdings, LLC, which operates El Califa de León in the U.S., in a news release. “As stewards of one of Mexico’s most recognized culinary brands, we felt it necessary to take this step to uphold our standards and reputation.”
El Califa de León is a taqueria in Mexico City, and is the only taco shop in the world to hold a Michelin star. Since Oct. 16, it had been in Dallas offering its tacos at a pop-up in University Park, in collaboration with GrinGo LLC, a company that owns an app that functions as a digital concierge for Mexico travel.
blacksystembbq@reddit
“GrinGo acted as an independent collaborator and El Califa de León had no operational control over the Dallas event setup, supply chain or customer experience once the collaboration began. As a result, the decision to terminate was made to prevent further brand misrepresentation”
First red flag was working with a company named “Gringo”
Golightly1727@reddit
Honestly no red flags for me. I work nearby and Brian and GrinGo worked really hard to carry out whatever instructions were given with the limited time and resources they were given. I don’t know all the details of course but I think Califa could have taken a more active role instead of this arms-length distance of disappointment
Golightly1727@reddit
Downvoting has zero effect, I honestly have too much karma lol
yuppiemike@reddit
Who are the officers at GrinGo?
blacksystembbq@reddit
Probably some gringos, homey.
Kind-Technology-2348@reddit
Haha, right? You'd think they'd have a better name if they wanted to keep it classy. But honestly, it's wild how a name can give off such strong vibes. Makes you wonder about their business acumen.
TacosNGuns@reddit
So being the only rated taco shop isn’t as big a deal as they are implying. The vast majority of taco shops will never be considered for a rating regardless of their culinary quality or achievements. Michelin is pay to play system. Not unlike being included in Texas Monthly’s Best Lawyers/Doctors lists.
belladonna_81@reddit
Opening it up in UP is kinda a slap in the face to the mexican community
Mav21Fo@reddit
We all know why tho $$$
belladonna_81@reddit
yes, unfortunately
bluefire0120@reddit
lol “in collaboration with Gringo llc”
soonerfreak@reddit
As soon as I saw their prices I lost all interest. I'm sure they are good but I doubt they are $10-12 a taco better than my favorite places here.
CaryWhit@reddit
I just got sticker shock over a fish food truck. When I told everyone I was going for fish, I didn’t know everything was ala’carte. Fish and chips for 3 cost 70.00 from a food truck!
texastek75@reddit
The lobsters rolls from Cousins Maine are up to $26 now.
Broad_Mushroom_8033@reddit
I was in Boston last year and a food court was selling them for 40. It looked like a hotdog bun with lobster and mayo. I hate lobster but people were lined up to get it
texastek75@reddit
They are very delicious but you are right in that it is the same amount of food as a $2 hot dog. Not worth it.
HailToTheThief225@reddit
It’s getting to a point I may as well book a flight to Maine and get some lobster rolls there. No way in hell I’m paying nearly $30 for a little strip of lobster on a tiny bun.
msondo@reddit
I have tried them and they were pretty disappointing given the price. For half of that, I could butter poach a couple of tails at home and get a much better experience
justherefor23andme@reddit
You can always make some at home. It's super easy. Lobster still isnt cheap so it'll come out to about $15 per roll.
texastek75@reddit
Same here. Read this recently https://www.dallasobserver.com/food-drink/angies-seafood-and-prime-to-open-in-plano-40606135/
TravelTheWorldDan@reddit
And don’t even taste that good.
Diligent-Towel-4708@reddit
$31 2 weeks ago
djwurm@reddit
it wasn't just 10 to 12 dollars.. it was also 6 to 7 hour wait times in line.
eSTARr35@reddit
And I thought Taco Deli is expensive at almost $6 for one street taco. But at least they’re pretty good
D_Dumps@reddit
Why? Just down the street you can find authentic Mexican food at Javier's.
bugattibrito@reddit
good? yes. authentic? no.
D_Dumps@reddit
Javier, the owner, is from Mexico City and considers it authentic so i will defer to him.
CByall@reddit
Oh no no no, that ain’t authentic cuh. Authentic Mexican dont infuse nacho cheese in their meats…
Top-Opportunity1280@reddit
Javier’s is a Mexico City cuisine restaurant. It’s fancy good. 😊
D_Dumps@reddit
What dish has nacho cheese?
soggyballsack@reddit
Place has grass on the wall and cook with black gloves vibes going on.
burrito3ater@reddit
It was never meant to be for the Mexican community. Local Mexicans are priced out of the Califa in CDMX too. Heck, you could argue the Dallas one is more accessible
boldjoy0050@reddit
I don't understand the hype of Califa. It looks like a piece of beef on a taco. Not even chopped up and there isn't even onions or cilantro.
kz750@reddit
I'm from Mexico City and very few people I know think El Califa is that great. There are so many good taquerias and so little that differentiates one from another. It is expensive, they have great service though.
belladonna_81@reddit
Burrito3ater , I couldn’t agree more!
y2ksosrs@reddit
Charging Michelin prices in CDMX is a slap to the working mexican. At least here the price is proportional to income 💯💯💯
Bubbly-Pipe9557@reddit
rich white mexicans see themselves as rich white people so it makes sense
Kooky-Habit-5259@reddit
"World's only Michelin starred taco shop"?
There are are many, many taco shops around the world that are Michelin rated. There's literally another Michelin starred taco shop in Texas in Austin. Why lie like this?
https://www.austintexas.org/listings/discada/13538/
agapaleinad@reddit
I think you misunderstand how the Michelin guide works. You can be Michelin recommended without getting a star. The restaurant you linked to doesn’t have a Star
agapaleinad@reddit
I think you misunderstand how the Michelin guide works. You can be Michelin recommended without getting a star. The restaurant you linked to doesn’t have a Star
Jedi71@reddit
I'd rather sit on the toilet with diarrhea than stand in line for hours to eat a taco over a paper plate in a parking lot behind a real restaurant.
Elveintisiete@reddit
It’s overrated , tries them in Mexico an they were nothing special I honestly don’t understand what all they hype is. Michelin stars are a joke too.
badlyagingmillenial@reddit
Can someone explain to me whether or not gringo is a racist or insulting term? I have always heard it in a derogatory way towards white people. I can't believe a company would name themselves GrinGo, and I also can't believe other companies would use the services of an openly racist company.
bugattibrito@reddit
gringo is a bastardization of “green go” which is what mexicans would tell us soldiers to try and make them leave. it was eventually adopted as a slang term for american and is used similarly to guero or “wero” which means blonde or fair skinned. guero is generally used as a nickname for both dark and light skinned latinos funny enough. as far as racist, not really but context matters a lot here as it can be used in a derogatory manner. source: i’m mexican american.
badlyagingmillenial@reddit
thanks, this is exactly the explanation i was looking for.
Levols@reddit
I'm from Mexico City and recently moved to Dallas, these guys are clowns, not worth the hype.
gayitaliandallas92@reddit
Have you tried Tacos Juanchos yet? My fiancé and I have been going there and have been blown away by it. It’s hard to get a good taco north of 30 so glad that place opened up.
bugattibrito@reddit
tacos el regio, trust me.
El-MonkeyKing@reddit
I just looked that up it's nearby, I gotta check it out. I usually go to La banqueta
naked_avenger@reddit
I'll have to try that out. I've loved Revolver in DE and the Chilangos off of Ross.
miiintyyyy@reddit
As a non-Mexican, Chilangos is my favorite. Their barbacoa is 10/10 for me.
naked_avenger@reddit
I usually get a couple of asada tacos and a chicken quesadilla - maybe the prime rib if I'm feeling cheeky. I've never been disappointed. El Come Taco on the other hand, very disappointing. Cool spot but the beef and brisket was so bland. Chicken was good tho.
Levols@reddit
Chilangos is pretty good, it does remind me of cdmx and salsa guacamole is pretty on point
bitches_be@reddit
Ye Chilangos is fire
Levols@reddit
I haven't but they look good, I'll have to go and volunteer myself as a tribute!
I'm still trying to find a good barbacoa Hidalgo style, those are my absolute favorite tacos, with their consome!
TheSkipjack@reddit
As someone who is from Dallas' and lives in CDMX. These tacos do not live up to the hype at all. Wouldn't be worth waiting in line here nor in Dallas
Midnight-69@reddit
How do they compare to the regular street tacos or how much more expensive is a better one there it's been a minute since I've been but I remember it all being pretty delicious
TheSkipjack@reddit
The true Mexico City advice is that the best tacos in the city are the ones closest to your house
xanoran84@reddit
Eyyy! That's what I say about donuts here!
grundlegasm@reddit
Oak Cliff donuts on Hampton and Illinois… maybe it’s because they’re the first donut I ever had as a kid (circa 1989) but IMO still the best donut in Dallas. No frills, just a wonderfully fluffy and tender crumb. My fave is the chocolate glazed—they leave the donut naked except for chocolate dip so it’s not too sweet.
Midnight-69@reddit
Brother I think I feel ya but the closest I got is taco bell 💀 ☠️ 💀
burrito3ater@reddit
Tacos Orinioco are the best. No debate about it
blacksystembbq@reddit
Taqueria Orinoco is like the McDonald’s of tacos in cdmx. Not particularly good in comparison to others, but hits the spot if you’re drunk or a tourist who doesn’t know any better.
frankpuga@reddit
Ah hell… I thought they were pretty good lol… what’s a good taco place then? We are about to land there for the Mexico GP
burrito3ater@reddit
It’s a good place. I’ve been eating there since 2017, all the others get pissy about it because it got popular. El Califa (the chain, not this one) would be the McDonald’s of tacos.
Levols@reddit
El califa is not bad... Their gaonera is pretty good and open till like 4-5 am
blacksystembbq@reddit
Depends on what type of tacos you want. El Vilsito is popular with locals and the place to go for Al Pastor.
frankpuga@reddit
Aver, unos tacos de carnitas? Where do I go for that?
Levols@reddit
El rincón tarasco, los panchos... For different experience tacos go to el villamelon!
burrito3ater@reddit
No it’s not. The one in condesa by Alvaro Obregón is the bomb.
Yeah they sold out and expanded locations but doesn’t take the fact that it’s good food. Now their prices? Yeah they pricey now. But so is everything in CDMX
blacksystembbq@reddit
Everything is not expensive in cdmx. Everything is expensive in condesa/roma Norte/polanco bc that’s where all the influencers go and hype everything up like Orinoco
burrito3ater@reddit
Tepito, ahem…reforma norte, expensive. Ditto for Narvate, Del Valle. Even centro histórico was going up in 2019.
Good luck finding a 3 bedroom/ 2 bathroom next to Alameda Central for $175 USD nowadays lol. That was my spot in 2020.
blacksystembbq@reddit
We were talking about food/tacos, which can be found for cheap and not expensive. now you’re changing the subject to 3 bedroom apartments?
MickeyDog77@reddit
I think it all boils down to the Michelin people are trying to expand on their brand and at the same time are kind of out of touch with Taqueria type cuisine.
I’m sure it’s a great taco but not a French Laundry or Per Se life changing experience.
belladonna_81@reddit
Thanks for letting us know!!
Sometimes_Wright@reddit
My first thought was why would I want to eat somewhere with a Michelin star? Every time I see food from a place that has one it just looks like all the joy has been sucked out of it before being plated.
JonasSharra@reddit
It’s obvious you haven’t been to one yet. After your first one, you will be like me and start to seek them out.
Pale-Succotash441@reddit
Glad they shut it down due to the overall bad experience. Seeing some TikTok folks waiting in line for 7 to 8 hours. The location doesn’t make sense either. Your core audience isn’t going to be folks that live in UP. Going viral for all the wrong reasons.
JonasSharra@reddit
I got there at 11:30, got my tacos at 4:59 and it was $32 for 3 tacos. They were good, but not worth the wait AND the price. I could have done with one or the other.
toastagog@reddit
I'm sorry, you waited five and a half hours?
JonasSharra@reddit
Between 11:30 and 11:45. I had about 80 people in front of me. I figured they opened at 12 and it would take about an hour. But because this was a special thing, plan on 2 hours. The day before I went they had a gas problem, had to stop cooking, used a space in the kitchen next door, got kicked out by the health department and then back online about 5pm. The lady in front of me was there both days. Today wait time for her was about 7 to 8 hours.
Aggressive-Ad-522@reddit
I heard about that gas leak. They rebooked everyone who had reservations and made the next day even more horrendous.
andyn1982@reddit
They actually didn’t rebook everyone. They didn’t rebook me and I had to go in and talk to them about it and then I sat there for an hour and a half and got 2 tacos.
BradJohnson774@reddit
That article says that people should request "refunds" for reservations -- what did a reservation cost?
Aggressive-Ad-522@reddit
Damn what a shit show, you dedicated. I would have left
OrangeGringo@reddit
They did not get back online that first day until 8 pm. Ask me how I know. Ha.
azwethinkweizm@reddit
Goddamn! I just stood up from my desk to salute you. That's some dedication for tacos.
JonasSharra@reddit
There is only 2 ways to try Michelin star tacos. Go to Mexico City, or wait in line for 5 hours across the street from SMU.
SingerApprehensive43@reddit
La Salsa Verde Taqueria has several locations and is elite. Favorite tacos in DFW.
robdenbleyker@reddit
1000%
ConsistentStyle5015@reddit
The best tacos shops are usually in gas stations or hole in the wall places. Preferably in the Latino neighborhoods. I would not wait more than 30 mins for tacos.
HeilStary@reddit
From what I've heard, they're overpriced mediocre tacos, something like 60mxn for a single taco that's just a slab of meat on a tortilla. You can get like 3-4 good tacos for that price elsewhere. it's nothing but a tourist trap
guero57@reddit
Fyre festival of popups. For the price of the "chef's table" those customers could've flown to Mexico City, had lunch, and come back in less time than they were standing in line.
Birdo-the-Besto@reddit
Michelin star tacos are going to be some bullshit “fusion” cuisine that’s an affront to tacos.
JonasSharra@reddit
They weren’t some bullshit fusion. In fact the were some of the simplistic tacos I’ve ever had.
Fournier_Gang@reddit
Not so hot take: the best tacos are the simple tacos. Hit me with a good corn tortilla, suadero, a little cebolla y cilantro, salsa verde -- can't beat it.
JonasSharra@reddit
These were REALLY simple. Just meat and tortillia. No onions, no cilantro. They did have verde and roja salsa. The roja might have been one of the best salsas i have ever had.
thoomikhanki@reddit
As a Mexican who has driven through up and pulled over for being a Mexican, I’m glad they didn’t sell out. Bunch of racist family money pricks live there.
fvalt05@reddit
Yup! Fuck UP
radioref@reddit
Sorry my friend that happened to you but don’t over generalize any place. I’d have you over to my place (I live on Beverly) any day of the week for dinner.
IAmSoUncomfortable@reddit
Born and raised in highland park and if there’s one place you can over generalize… it’s highland park 😂
Hot_Swimming_112@reddit
You seem like a hateful/spiteful individual. With that attitude and comment, I can see why you seem so mad at the world. And all your previous past comments back it up
Dallas-ModTeam@reddit
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xoxo_angelica@reddit
Yeah I was planning on going until I say they’re $12 per taco. Michelin stars are cool and all but sorry I’m gonna have to hit one of the other hundreds of amazing places that already exist down the street.
Savings-Section-75@reddit
The tacos at fuel city are way better and only $2-3 each
DoubleBookingCo@reddit
And not even in the top 25 best taco places in Dallas IMO
DoubleBookingCo@reddit
Just going to leave y’all with two maps of excellent taquerias around town…
DFW Taquerias Best Of · Lively Local https://maps.app.goo.gl/t9RNzbyufRR7kboT7?g_st=i
DFW Taquerias To Try · Lively Local https://maps.app.goo.gl/QyFmY1WJM7TbbQpi8?g_st=i
Minimum_Ice_3403@reddit
Why would I waste my valuable time to eat tacos ? It’s not gonna be the same quality or taste as the original location . The meat ,ingredients and cooking materials are all different ✌️
Minimum_Ice_3403@reddit
Why would I waste 3-4 my valuable time to eat tacos
azwethinkweizm@reddit
Can't blame them at all for wanting to protect their reputation. As hard as it is to get a Michelin star, it's even harder to keep it.
divino-moteca@reddit
Waited 30min in line before dipping out Saturday. Line was way too long and at some point someone was trying to sell their spot at the front of line.
Aggressive-Ad-522@reddit
All the influencers said it was good but the beef looked chewy
JonasSharra@reddit
Beef was the best. Pork was almost as good, short rib was so-so.
arlenroy@reddit
That's the issue: a lot of popularity in pop media is influencer-based, which doesn't mean it's good. Another thing is that assembling a taco is relatively easy; the challenge lies in the contents and preparation. Did they make the tortillas? Did they butcher the animal? If you use store-bought items for preparation, it's like Taco Bell, there's a multitude of spices and cooking techniques, but there's a multitude of people making tacos. You have to be granular to be different.
stoic_spaghetti@reddit
was in DF a couple months ago, the beef in tacos is prepared down there in a way that is soft, but not chewy. In other words it's not rubbery, it's just soft.
TBH I like the how beef is prepared up in northern Mexico and here in Texas. We're more eager to flame-broil and give a little char to our fajita meat, whereas down in southern Mexico you see less of that.
Complex_Win_5408@reddit
DMN with more free advertising again.
ProfX1987@reddit
This is not surprising. I was there on Saturday and the service and food quality were both bad.