Skip to Content
Tacos

Fireworks, Corridos and Tacos — Celebrating With Taco Madness Champs Villa’s Tacos in Highland Park

Vic Villa shows excitement as he accepts the 2021 trophy.

All photos by Erwin Recinos

[dropcap size=big]W[/dropcap]ith fireworks, corridos, and tacos, the trophy ceremony for Villa’s Tacos TACO MADNESS championship win was as L.A. as it gets.

About 100 community members, neighbors, and Villa’s Taco loyalists came out to Highland Park last Friday night to enjoy their favorite tacos and congratulate their taquero on his recent win. Local residents, Los Muchachos de Dena, helped launch the trophy ceremony with a small procession while playing corridos and carrying the trophy to Villa’s Tacos founder and main taquero, Vic Villa.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CO4N8SBKZid/[/embed]

 

Villa, with his electric energy, fired up the long line of customers with a passionate speech and chants of, “When I say Villa, you say tacos!”

“Villa’s!!!!” 

“Tacos,” the crowd responded proudly over and over.

Vic Villa holds his daughter while he raises the 2021 trophy and someone behind him raises a can of model.

After the ceremony, Villa shared embraces with his family and friends, many of whom are part of his taco championship team. There were even moments of proud tears from mom and dad. But no one seemed prouder than Villa’s three-year-old daughter, Scarlett Reye Villa, who told everyone, “We’re Villas and Villas win, Villas don’t lose.” 

Los Muchachos de Dena perform.

The sound of corridos cut through the mesquite smoke for the rest of the night as the champions turned out their signature ‘seven layer tacos’ for the line of about 80 to 100 people that remained steady for most of the evening. While they waited patiently, they danced in line, belted along with corridos, and even let out a couple gritos to some of Los Muchachos de Dena’s guitar shredding tunes. 

Memo Torres raises the trophy while Vic Villa raises his right hand.

Several shots of tequila later, after service ended and only the musicos and taqueros remained standing out on the sidewalk, holding each other up in an embrace into the morning hours. The last congratulatory hugs were given out, and only one shout-out remained.

That shout-out goes to the neighbors of Highland Park, for supporting their local taquero, for having a championship trophy in their neighborhood, and for bringing the fireworks to the fiesta. Congratulations once again Villa's Tacos, you earned this one.

Photos by Erwin Recinos for L.A. TACO.

The sun sets in Highland Park as the crowd in front of Villa's Tacos builds.

A line of people stretch down the block while its still light out.

Tongs hang over grilled asada on a Santa Maria grill.

Blue corn tortillas covered in cheese cooking on the plancha.

A taquero assembles two of Villa's Tacos famous 7 layer tacos, starting with the meats.

A guitarist plays a 12 string guitar.

L.A. TACO contributor and director of partnerships unboxes the 2021 TACO MADNESS trophy.

Memo Torres raises the trophy while Vic Villa raises his right hand.Vic Villa poses with the crowd of supporters lined up for tacos while holding his daughter and the trophy.

Someone takes a photo of three tacos topped with guacamole.

The 2021 TACO MADNESS trophy sits next to Vic Villa while he makes tortillas.

A taquero boxes seven orders of tacos.

Three people with styrofoam containers on their lap enjoying tacos while posing for the camera.

Vic Villa mans the mic while Los Muchachos de Dena plays.

 

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Why Waving a Mexican Flag at a Protest in the U.S. Is a Form of Resistance

Raising Mexican flags is not an act of anti-Americanism. Quite the opposite—it is an expression of cultural pride, dignity, and resistance in the face of racism and intolerance. In the United States, waving the Mexican flag—or any national flag—can be an act of defiance against oppression, a declaration of one’s humanity and rights in response to relentless denigration by movements like MAGA that seek to marginalize entire communities. Even Trump would agree...

February 18, 2025

Tens of Thousands of Angelenos Flock to L.A.’s Flower District for a Valentine’s Day Flower Free-For-All

Tens of thousands made their way to the city's wholesale flower capital, jamming the streets and sidewalks with countless flowers and people. L.A. TACO'S contributing photographer Kemal Cilengir was there to capture it all, including street vendors getting fined and the dystopian-like flower free-for-all being had by lovestruck customers and hustling vendors eager to offload their prized plants.

February 14, 2025

This Weekend: A New Bar-Setting Indian Restaurant, Duck Laab Pizza, and a Filipino Breakfast Diner Pop-Up

Have a three-day weekend full of chai cheesecake, black garlic cocktails, egg pie, and famous flour tortillas.

February 14, 2025

Self-Defense Against ICE: Community Groups In L.A. Are Uniting to Protect Themselves

More than 50 organizations have joined the call to join this coalition, making it one of Southern California's largest immigrant rights coalitions. The group aims to extend from the San Fernando Valley to the U.S./Mexico border. The coalition is organizing training sessions to prepare its members for community tactics to defend their neighbors from ICE raids and deportations. Their first mass protest is taking place on Monday.

February 13, 2025

Tacos Before Vatos: 13 Tacos In L.A. That Will Make You Forget About Him

For L.A. TACO, love is always in the air, and it smells like charcoal burning on a sunny day under carne asada and tortillas hot off the comal, with vibrant salsas, caramelized onions, and thick guacamole. Forget him, and spend time with things that matter in life: tacos, forever. 

February 13, 2025
See all posts