(1952-2009) Café La Especial started as a small taco stand on the streets of Tijuana by Rafael and Justina Brambila. They opened their sitdown eatery in July 1952, down a flight of stairs in Pasaje Gomez, a covered marketplace. The restaurant was nestled comfortably away from busy Avenida Revolución — its colorful neon always the sign of the best carne asada and tacos al vapor (steamed soft tacos). It was a required stop for our family when visiting Tijuana in the 1970s. The taco stand at the original street-level location on Avenida Revolución is still operating, pumping out delicious tacos al vapor. Next door is Justina restaurant, and on the upper floors is the charming boutique Hotel Lafayette.
Cafe Especial, street tacos in the 1950s. Photo, La Especial Tacos Al Vapor USA | W. Scott Koenig.
“Its homestyle Mexican dishes served in a folk-art and bullfight-poster-decorated diner made it the most popular of all Avenue Revolución eateries,” writes local historian Dan Soderberg. Tacos al vapor (carne, pollo, chicharron) were served wrapped in wax paper. Some servers — all dressed in crisp bow ties and black vests — worked there for decades. In 1975, Don Rafael’s grandchildren Humberto Brambila and Doña Esther de Brambila, took over the restaurant and a new chapter began. Brambila family members opened a new location at Boulevard Agua Caliente and Boulevard Salinas (2002), and another over the border in National City (2024). Sadly, the original sitdown location closed in 2009, due to recession and dwindling tourist traffic. Get the bistek arrachera or milanesa. And tacos, of course…
Video, Dan Soderberg.
Zona Centro
La Especial Tacos Al Vapor (1952-✔)
Avenida Revolución 718
Tijuana, Baja California, México 22000
Pasaje Gomez
Café La Especial (1952-2009)
Avenida Revolución 718 Bajos
Tijuana, Baja California, México 22000
Colonia Aviación
Restaurante La Especial (2002-✔)
Boulevard Salinas 3600
Tijuana, Baja California, México 22014
National City
La Especial Tacos Al Vapor USA (2024-✔)
1903 Highland Avenue
National City, CA 91950
