One of the Valley’s best taco shops has closed. What to know

In the far northwest Valley, a bright-blue-painted taqueria served some of the best tacos in town. It drew fans from all around the metroplex to drive out to El Mirage for its tangy al pastor, refreshing aguas frescas and loaded elote.

It won our Best of Phoenix award for having the best tacos in town in 2020 and 2022, and has maintained a permanent spot on our list of Phoenix’s top tacos.

But now, the celebrated La Bamba Mexican Grill has gone dark.

While its Facebook page notes a temporary closure, both Google and Yelp list it as permanently shuttered. Unhappy customers who made the drive complained on the review site about finding the doors locked. The phone has been disconnected. It’s sad news for taco fans everywhere.

The taco shop was run by chef Edson Garcia, who crafted his small menu from behind the counter of the shotgun-style space. The casual spot was welcoming, decorated with signs proclaiming messages such as “Peace, Love, Tacos,” and other colorful tchotchkes.

Meals started with heavy steins of horchata or watermelon agua fresca, and elote that left diners’ faces covered in mayo and hot sauce as they dug into the sweet corn cobs.

The stars of the show were Garcia’s tacos, built on yellow corn tortillas which could be made “Bamba-style” with the addition of cheese. The al pastor got its signature tang from pineapple vinegar and the tacos were best enjoyed in large, shareable platters.

The no-frills shop drew a range of customers, from construction workers stopping by to grab styrofoam clamshells to go, to families who made a pilgrimage across town to savor the stellar tacos. But now, La Bamba’s colorful shop has gone dark.