Rreal Tacos, a multi-unit taqueria based in Atlanta, Georgia, is expanding to Florida. The company has acquired the former Haiku American-Asian Fusion restaurant in downtown Tampa, marking Rreal Tacos’ first Florida location and the beginning of a multi-unit expansion across the Tampa Bay region. The company has 11 locations in Georgia.
“We’re not just opening a restaurant — we’re entering a market that reminds us a lot of Atlanta before Rreal Tacos really took off,” said Damian Otero, CEO at Rreal Tacos. “Tampa is energetic, it’s growing fast, and it’s underserved when it comes to this category. It made a lot of sense for us.”
Rreal Tacos plans to invest approximately $2.5 million into the downtown Tampa location, transforming the existing space into the brand’s signature high-energy, design-forward restaurant experience.
Rreal Tacos is not backed by private equity or outside investors, a distinction the company says allows it to move quickly, take creative risks, and focus on quality. Everything served at Rreal Tacos is made in-house daily — from slow-cooked meats and fresh salsas to hand-crafted tortillas produced through a multi-day process.
Why Tampa?
Company leadership says Tampa stood out as a rare opportunity: a major metro with strong dining demand, vibrant downtown foot traffic, and significantly fewer comparable Mexican concepts than similar Southeastern cities.
“Tampa feels like the Nashville of Florida,” Otero said. “Restaurants are busy, people here love going out to eat, and there’s real opportunity to build something special that feels local.”
The downtown Tampa restaurant is expected to be the first of three planned Rreal Tacos locations in the Tampa Bay area, with future expansion potentially including St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
Ahead of its public opening, the company plans to host a large-scale friends-and-family preview, inviting thousands of local residents, hospitality workers, and community members to dine at no cost.
Construction is currently underway at the downtown Tampa location. An official opening date will be announced in the coming months, along with hiring details and preview events.