Inspired by narcocorridos – the music genre that chronicles and often glorifies the explicit exploits of Mexico’s drug cartels – Fabricio Ramirez started a narco taquería in Maywood called Tacos Los Desvelados, complete with El Chapito Guzmán tacos, Pablo Escobar burritos, and La Reina del Sur quesadillas. Opened in October 2015, the taquería promises “the most wanted tacos in the world.” Inside the Los Angeles-area restaurant, the tables and walls honor narcos. Sadly, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán’s classic “I’ll take care of you more than my own eyes” doesn’t seem to have made it onto the walls.
While narcocorridos simultaneously celebrate the often horrific actions of drug cartels, they are also an expression of disempowered people looking for an escape from reality. In Southern California – where citizens have felt the effects of gang violence – opinions are split on whether or not the restaurant is in good taste. Maria Medina, a Nayarit-born woman, told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s offensive to me. When we talk about drug traffickers we’re talking about millions of people who have died.”
Maywood Councilman Eduard De La Riva said he’d prefer to see historical and cultural Mexican figures displayed on the walls. “It’s weird to see the tables, the decor and how the food had been named after narco-traficantes,” said Maywood Councilman Eduard De La Riva to My SA. “It’s geared more toward the younger generation that grew up with these figures in the news. You have telenovelas, movies, TV shows. One of the most popular shows on Netflix is Narcos. And there’s nonstop coverage of El Chapo and his escapades.
On the other hand, there are people like Josue Cabrera of Corona and Yvonne Yee of Alhambra who specifically ate at the restaurant because of the narco theme.
Check out a few pictures from the restaurant below:
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