Chando's Tacos: From Foodie Favorite to Sacramento Star Before Sudden Closure

The Rise and Fall of Chando's Tacos

The closure of the three remaining locations of Chando's Tacos on Tuesday marked a significant shift for a Mexican food chain that once expanded rapidly across the capital region and beyond. While the end may not be certain, the decision to close these sites signals a turning point in the story of a once-thriving business.

Lisandro "Chando" Madrigal, who founded the original Old North Sacramento eatery in 2010 while still working as part of Apple's corporate sales team, shared with The Sacramento Bee that the restaurants would be closed "for now." He expressed gratitude to his customers and hinted at future developments without providing specific details.

Chando's Tacos began its journey on an unassuming block of Arden Way in Old North Sacramento. From there, it built a reputation for high-quality food and affordable prices. In a 2011 review, The Bee’s restaurant critic praised the chain for its exceptional flavor, stating, "It cooks up the most flavorful meat you could possibly imagine and plops it down onto fresh tortillas." The reviewer even likened the marinades to the work of Mozart, highlighting the unique taste of the dishes.

A follow-up review from a year later noted the value offered by Madrigal and his wife, Karla. "You and a date could go into a food coma and still get change from $20," the review said. Bee columnist Marcos Bretón called Chando's a "hole-in-the-wall wonder" and a "taqueria as good as any in old Mexico."

Madrigal, the seventh of eight children, was born in Yuba City and moved to Tijuana as a teenager. After the initial success of his first location, he left Apple to focus on Chando's full-time. In 2012, he opened a second location on Power Inn Road in Elder Creek, which remained one of the three traditional spots open before Tuesday's closures.

By early 2016, Chando's had grown to three locations and employed 70 people. Madrigal spoke about his "scalable model," which included a West Sacramento hub for tortilla baking and other prep work. He also considered expanding to the Bay Area, though this did not materialize. Instead, he expanded in other ways, opening Chando's Cantina in midtown in 2017 and a sit-down restaurant in El Dorado Hills in 2019.

During the pandemic, Chando's reached its largest footprint in the Sacramento area. In September 2021, it was named the top pick for Sacramento tacos in a Bee poll. The company also operated food trucks in Davis and Atlanta, where Madrigal had planned two more brick-and-mortar locations. However, these Atlanta locations shut down last year, according to local news outlets.

In 2023, Madrigal cited declining sales as the reason for closing a Citrus Heights location. He also mentioned that he had closed the more upscale cantinas because he was "done with that type of business." Even as recently as August, after closing an Elk Grove location, Chando's maintained seven locations and three food trucks in the Sacramento region.

Madrigal has never shied away from the spotlight. He competed on the Food Network show "Chopped" in a May 2021 episode titled "Taco Brawl." On the show, contestants made tacos for all three courses of a meal. Madrigal faced criticism for making dessert tamales, which deviated from the theme. He explained that he aimed to create drama and surprise, but the judges were not impressed.

Chando's Tacos previously operated locations in East Sacramento, Roseville, Fair Oaks, and on the Sacramento State campus. However, the last three locations were closed quietly, without any public announcement. The company appeared to have removed its Instagram and Facebook pages and its website.

In February, the cantina announced plans to open a new restaurant, replacing Solomon's at 730 K St. near Downtown Commons. As of Tuesday, the Chando's Cantina social media pages and website were still active, but there were no updates on opening plans.

Additionally, the upcoming Parkside Bar on K Street in downtown Sacramento is set to serve dishes from a menu designed by Chando's Tacos starting in September.