{"id":269620,"date":"2026-04-15T20:55:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T20:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/269620\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T20:55:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T20:55:15","slug":"mexican-restaurant-openings-and-changes-in-fresno","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/269620\/","title":{"rendered":"Mexican restaurant openings and changes in Fresno"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you like Mexican food, you\u2019ve got some eating to do.<\/p>\n

Several new restaurants have opened or are coming soon in Fresno. One restaurant did close, but the city\u2019s reputation as a hot spot for Mexican restaurant remains strong.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at what\u2019s happening lately on the Mexican restaurant scene in Fresno.<\/p>\n

Mexican restaurants in FresnoAliberto\u2019s Mexican Food \"Aliberto\u2019s Aliberto\u2019s Mexican Food has opened in a former KFC at Dakota and West avenues. Eric Paul Zamora ezamora@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Aliberto\u2019s opened in a former KFC at Dakota and West avenues repainted in bold yellow and red colors.<\/p>\n

The colors inspired some conversation<\/a> in a Reddit thread online.<\/p>\n

The restaurant has an indoor dining room and a drive-thru open til 2 a.m.<\/p>\n

The menu includes tacos, rolled tacos, quesadillas, tortas, 18 kinds of burritos and breakfast burritos. It also has salads, bowls and combination plates.<\/p>\n

Reviewers online<\/a> raved about the carne asada.<\/p>\n

Chicomostock<\/p>\n

Chicomostock<\/a>, a taco truck, opened a brick-and mortar taqueria. The little restaurant is at 224 W. Olive Ave., halfway between Palm Avenue and Golden State Boulevard.<\/p>\n

Many may know it from its time parked at the corner of Blackstone and Ashlan.<\/p>\n

The menu at the restaurant features all kinds of tacos, burritos, tortas, quesadillas and more.<\/p>\n

Con Azucar Cafe \"Con Con Azucar Cafe, famous on social media for its huge Mexican concha pan dulce, is moving into a highly visible location at Sierra Vista Mall’s main entrance. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Con Azucar Cafe<\/a> serves Latin-American inspired drinks and is coming to Sierra Vista Mall<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s expected to open this summer at the main entrance to the indoor portion of the mall, where Yan\u2019s Chinese Grill used to be.<\/p>\n

It already has a location in Fresno on Cesar Chavez Boulevard.<\/p>\n

Expect drinks such as the popular horchata latte \u2014 the creamy Mexican drink plus a shot of espresso. There\u2019s also a Mocha Mexicano, caf\u00e9 de olla<\/a> and traditional coffee drinks such as coffee and vanilla lattes.<\/p>\n

Papi\u2019s Mex Grill \"A Papi’s Mex Grill will open its third location in the former Casa Corona before this summer. Photographed Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Papi\u2019s Mex Grill<\/a> already has two locations in the Fresno area and is gearing up to open a third. It\u2019s taking over the former Casa Corona spot<\/a> at Bullard and West avenues, which closed in late 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new Papi\u2019s is aiming to open before summer hits.<\/p>\n

It will serve its popular surf-and-turf burritos and have a full bar serving the margaritas it\u2019s known for, from the classic to a spicy mango.<\/p>\n

Papi\u2019s has a restaurant at Champlain Drive and Shepherd Avenue, and a location at Riverwalk, the shopping center on Avenue 12, off Highway 41 just north of Fresno in Madera.<\/p>\n

Tacos El Cabezon \"Armando Armando Arias Jr., shown with this wife Linda Arias and son Joel Arias, 3, opened Tacos El Cabezon. Photographed Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Tacos El Cabezon<\/a>, the taco truck that drew big lines at Maroa and Shaw, isn\u2019t parked there anymore. But it now has a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Fresno.<\/p>\n

It opened in the former Chicken King spot<\/a> at 1234 Fulton Street last month.<\/p>\n

It also has a location at McKinley and Fruit avenues in the works<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s asada and al pastor, chorizo and tripas and costillas de puerco costia (that\u2019s pork ribs). Tacos starts at $3 and are served on homemade corn tortillas, or on flour tortillas, which some taco purists may balk at, but it\u2019s what you\u2019d get in Mexicali, owner Armando Arias Jr., said. Everything (except the spit-roasted al pastor) is cooked on the grill with open flames and mesquite.<\/p>\n

Tacos El Franc \"The The original Tacos El Franc in Tijuana is pictured here. The restaurant is planning to open a location in the former Heroes Comics in Fresno. Tacos El Franc Special to The Bee <\/p>\n

Tacos El Franc<\/a> is taking over the Heroes Comics shop that closed in 2023<\/a> on Shaw Avenue near Highway 41.<\/p>\n

But this is no ordinary taqueria. Tacos El Franc has been recognized by the Michelin Guide<\/a> and has a location in San Diego\u2019s Gaslamp Quarter.<\/p>\n

Its original location is in Tijuana and it serves street food.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s expected to open this summer.<\/p>\n

Taqueria Yarelis \"Taqueria Taqueria Yarelis has a new location at Blackstone and Nees avenues. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n

Taqueria Yarelis<\/a> \u2014 home of the 3-foot-long Anaconda burrito \u2014 has opened its third location.<\/p>\n

This one opened this month<\/a> at Blackstone and Nees avenues in April. It took over the space left by Brothers Ramen & Japanese Eatery when it closed<\/a>, in the same shopping center as Rubber Soul Bicycles and diagonally across the intersection from River Park.<\/p>\n

Taqueria Yarelis has a menu full of tacos, burritos, asada fries, sopes and tortas. There\u2019s also what it calls antojitos \u2014 its mangoanadas, fruit cups and more.<\/p>\n

The Anaconda burrito is its claim to fame. It\u2019s a behemoth that can feed up to eight people. It went viral in 2016, racking up 16 million views on Facebook. People walked away from the restaurant cradling it like a newborn baby \u2014 and it weighed as much as one.<\/p>\n

Cocina Familia Mendoza<\/p>\n

The Mexican restaurant<\/a> that took over the former BJ\u2019s Kountry Kitchen near Save Mart on Ashlan Avenue closed recently. The owners did not say why.<\/p>\n

The restaurant had good reviews on Yelp.com \u2014 4.8 out of 5 stars.<\/p>\n

We may not have seen the last of this restaurant, however. The person managing the restaurant\u2019s social media told The Bee they were looking into getting a food trailer.<\/p>\n

Reporter Joshua Tehee contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
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Bethany Clough<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Bethany Clough covers restaurants and retail for The Fresno Bee. A reporter for more than 20 years, she now works to answer readers\u2019 questions about business openings, closings and other business news. She has a degree in journalism from Syracuse University and her last name is pronounced Cluff.\n <\/p>\n