LA's King Taco is closer to historical landmark designation with city committee "yes" vote

It started as a taco truck, and over 50 years later, King Taco restaurant is now moving closer to a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument designation.

King Taco #1 in Cypress Park received unanimous Los Angeles City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee approval on Tuesday to move the historic landmark designation forward. Now it's up to city council members to determine the outcome by way of a final vote.

The one-story 1948-built restaurant at the southwest corner of Cypress and Roseview avenues was originally an ice cream store and hot dog stand. The building moved locations from a couple of spots in North Hollywood to its current location on Cypress.

King Taco first occupied the property in 1975 and has been there ever since.

The King Taco Restaurant meets one of the Historic-Cultural Monument criteria: it "exemplifies significant contributions to the broad cultural, economic or social history of the nation, state, city, or community … an important business reflecting Latino commercial identity," according to the Los Angeles Department of City Planning report.

Raul O. and Maria G. Martinez, a Mexican immigrant couple who moved to Los Angeles in 1969, established King Taco. They began selling soft shell tacos from a repurposed ice cream truck. From their truck, they served cuts of meat, cabeza, and al pastor that weren't widely available in Mexican restaurants at the time.

The Cypress Avenue location served as the main kitchen and supply center for their growing fleet of food trucks, eventually becoming a restaurant.

As of 2025, King Taco has 24 locations throughout Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

"The subject property retains a high level of integrity of location, feeling, materials, design, workmanship, setting, and association to convey its significance. Most of the alterations reflect an expansion of the business due to its growing popularity," the department report stated.

Other historic landmark restaurants in Los Angeles:

• Norms La Cienega
• Johnie's Coffee Shop
• Musso & Frank Grill
• Tam O'Shanter
• Philippe The Original
• Clifton's Brookdale
• The Smoke House Restaurant
• El Cholo