LA Taquería is basking in the afterglow of its Super Bowl halftime show performance

When Victor Villa arrived at his restaurant Villa's Tacos in Highland Park on Monday afternoon, a mob of press surrounded him, a line had stretched down the block since dawn, and cars and satellite trucks carrying television news circled the parking lot, some opting to double-park in front of red curbs.

Villa, who had just returned from performing during the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny, did what he always did with bosses lined up outside Villa's. He made his way to the fans and shouted loudly: “IF I SAY VILLA'S, YOU SAY TACOS.”

“Villas!”

“Tacos!”

Later, he punched them one by one as each entered the small storefront.

The afterglow of seconds of interaction with a global superstar representing Latin American culture is “an honor of the highest level,” Villa said.

One fan was in line as early as 7 a.m. so he could say he was the first customer after the Super Bowl. The restaurant opens at lunchtime.

Some brought pets, others brought small children, and more than a few wore either Villa's or Bad Bunny products waiting to try the tacos, known for fresh, handmade blue corn tortillas and heaps of grilled meats, pickled onions and homemade salsas.

Inside, Bad Bunny's “Tití Me Preguntó” played over the speakers while excerpts from the halftime show played on repeat. In his moment, the taquero was standing behind a branded puesto and received a piragua from Bad Bunny as he passed.

In December, he received a call saying that Bad Bunny, the Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican rapper, wanted him to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. Villa is still unsure how Bad Bunny found out about Villa's Tacos or why he chose the restaurant for his appearance. He said the musician may be a fan or may have noticed the positivity Villa spreads in his viral videos and social media accounts, which include more than 164,000 followers on Instagram.

Whatever the case, Villa saw it as an opportunity to represent his family, Mexican culture and his hometown. The timing felt particularly poignant.

“In a time where immigrants are frowned upon, we were there to reinforce that we are all about love,” Villa said. “We have so much to share: Not only our gastronomy, but when you're cold, I'll give you my sweater. When you're hungry, I'll feed you. When you get thirsty, I'll quench your thirst. I think sometimes we forget that we're just human. We're all human and we all deserve to be loved.”

The halftime show included three weeks of rehearsals split between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Villa – along with his family – had to keep the appearance a secret. After the show, the internet exploded with memes, some featuring Villa.

The founder started his taquería in 2018 as a sidewalk pop-up, first at his mother's house, then on York Boulevard. He opened the Highland Park store in 2023 and opened a stand in the Grand Central Market food hall in 2024. Last year he opened another storefront in Highland Park, this time inspired by Baja-style tacos and mariscos. His food has been featured multiple times in the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list as well as the Michelin Guide.

On Monday afternoon, some customers in line said they had never tried the tacos before. Others said they have come and visited the stand several times a month since founder Victor Villa appeared on the sidewalks of Highland Park.

His parents, who had helped run the local taco chain, stood in custom Villa's jerseys and marveled at the commotion.

“If they didn’t know about Villa’s Tacos, they know now,” Victor “Poppoh” Villa Sr. said.

For Villa's parents, the 60th Super Bowl was symbolic; It was also the 60th birthday of the chef and owner's mother, Marilu Villa. On Sunday, they all celebrated together – mothers, tías, cousins ​​and other loved ones – and watched the game. When they saw Victor on the screen, the room exploded.

“The whole family was just going crazy,” Marilu Villa said, “jumping up and down, crying — so many different emotions.”

They see echoes of their son in Bad Bunny's music and in the message that played across a big screen at the end of the performance: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

“It's like a complete representation of what Victor is about, what is conveyed through his food, through his community,” Marilu Villa added.

They said this was also particularly significant given the atmosphere of the immigration raids. Last summer, ICE raids sparked protests and uncertainty across the city as street vendors and other workers feared deportation. Villa Sr. came to the United States at age 18 and says he had the same fear.

“I know how they feel,” he said. “They're scared, they feel unwelcome. But Bad Bunny has hired a lot of salespeople [in his performance]and that made it clear that providers are not criminals. “We came here to work and we don’t ask for anything.”

Alyssa Rush and her wife Christin were in LA for their anniversary. Since they're from San Francisco, they love tacos of all kinds – and after the Super Bowl, they wanted to try Villa's. They brought their little son with them.

“We saw the car at the Bad Bunny halftime show and were like, 'Oh, let's go see some tacos!'” Rush said, then walked over to her son. “He may not have one yet, but at least he’s here.”

Sergio “Big Serge” Juarez, a lifelong Highland Park resident, visits Villa's Tacos two to three times a month, but wanted to stop by Monday after seeing Villa on TV.

“It wouldn't surprise me if one day he's in the White House catering business with the right people in the White House,” Juarez said.

His family has lived in the neighborhood since the 1970s and has seen Highland Park change in terms of affordability and demographics. He said he hopes the Super Bowl appearance will shine a spotlight on both Villa's Tacos and others in the neighborhood and encourage more exploration of the area's mom-and-pop shops.

“It highlights the beauty of the community and the type of food we have here,” he said. “But it's not just Victor's; there are a lot of other community members that also sell good food. I think people should support it as much as other people in the community, but don't just show up – be a part of it.”