San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
City Tacos opens fun playground, shops in OB
City Tacos, a beloved taqueria in San Diego, is branching out with the debut of OB Playground, a Mexican eatery with a large courtyard with games at 4896 Voltaire Street.
“I love…offering quality, value and service, which I think are the three ingredients people look for,” said the company's founder, Gerry Torres. “They're (also) looking for something extra, adding entertainment to the mix for a wholesome purpose.”
Torres, who grew up in Tijuana and San Diego, said he always dreamed of opening a taco shop in Ocean Beach. OB Playground, which opened in July, is his seventh location, joining City Taco shops in the East Village (Ballpark), Encinitas, La Mesa, Pacific Beach, Sorrento Valley and at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
OB Playground's 10,000 square-foot courtyard has life-size games for the whole family including checkers, chess, Connect 4, Jenga, cornhole sets, bocci ball, and foosball tables. The space also features a paleta cart, a gated dog park, a flower shop and a coffee shop called OB Espresso, in collaboration with Mike Hess Brewing.
Local businesses interested in selling products on site can rent the CRIB (Collective Retail Incubation Business) for $20 a day. Craft fairs and food trucks will be hosted throughout the year.
With picnic tables and lounge seating, families will be able to gather around fire pits, play games and enjoy live musical performances regularly.
OB Playground has 10 taps for beer
from local craft breweries, along with Mexican beers, wine and seltzers. The menu will feature City Tacos' classic lineup of tacos (pollo asado, carnitas, carne asada), as well as “homestyle” tacos (pulled pork with Mayan achiote sauce, beef shank, mahi mahi), vegetarian options and more.
Follow @citytacossd on Instagram.