Our Story
From Abuelita Carmen’s kitchen in Guadalajara to LA’s first bone marrow taco truck.
35+
Years of Birria
The Recipe That
Crossed a Border
It started in El Cabo, Jalisco — a small town where birria de res wasn’t just food, it was a ritual. Abuelita Carmen perfected her recipe over decades: marinated beef, slow-cooked in clay pots, pulled at the moment the collagen turns to silk.
That recipe traveled north with the family. José “Pepe” Mercado spent 35 years working the food truck trade in Los Angeles — long before birria became a trend, before consomé dipping videos went viral. He was in the streets, building something authentic.
When his daughters Priscilla and Yaneva left their corporate careers, they made a decision: carry the family recipe forward, but go further than anyone had gone. In 2020, they launched Pepe’s Red Tacos — and with it, LA’s first bone marrow taco truck.
“Every taco we serve carries Abuelita Carmen’s name on it, even if it’s never written.”
How We Got Here
El Cabo, Jalisco
Abuelita Carmen
The original birria recipe is perfected in a small town kitchen in Jalisco. Slow-cooked beef, hand-ground chiles, and a consomé that takes all day.
1985 — Los Angeles
Pepe Hits the Streets
José "Pepe" Mercado starts working the LA food truck scene, mastering the craft of cooking for a city on the move. For 35 years, the truck is his life.
2020 — Long Beach
A New Generation
Priscilla and Yaneva leave corporate America and launch Pepe's Red Tacos. The mission: honor the family recipe and introduce LA to bone marrow birria tacos.
Today
Two Locations. One Truck.
Brick-and-mortar spots in Long Beach and Los Angeles, a roaming catering truck, an online shop shipping nationwide, and 58K+ followers watching every move.
Our Values
Slow is the Only Speed
Our birria simmers for 5+ hours. We don't cut corners because Abuelita never did.
Real Ingredients
Grass-fed beef, hand-selected dried chiles, fresh consomé every single day. No shortcuts.
Family First
Three generations of the Mercado family go into every taco. This isn't a brand — it's a legacy.
Made in LA
Los Angeles shaped us. We show up for the communities, streets, and neighborhoods that made us who we are.
Ready to Order?
Find us in Long Beach or Los Angeles. Follow @pepesredtacos on Instagram for daily truck location.