PASADENA, Calif. — LeBron James is joining Mike’s Red Tacos as an investor, the Southern California birria brand announced Tuesday, a deal that comes as the fast-growing chain prepares to open its first Los Angeles-area restaurant in Pasadena in the coming weeks.

Mike’s Red Tacos began as a single San Diego food truck before building one of the region’s most devoted followings around a focused menu built on slow-braised birria served with its signature consome for dipping. The brand earned that following largely through word of mouth and social media well before birria became one of the fastest-growing menu trends in the country, according to the company.

The chain has since scaled rapidly, with more than 300 franchise locations currently in development nationwide as it enters what the company describes as its most significant growth chapter yet. Leading that expansion alongside founder Mike Touma are Chief Executive Officer Andrew Feghali and Chairman Bill Phelps, two restaurant industry operators who previously helped build Dave’s Hot Chicken into one of the country’s fastest-growing restaurant brands. James and his longtime investment partner, Main Street Advisors, were also fellow investors in Dave’s Hot Chicken, giving him an existing relationship with the Mike’s Red Tacos leadership team ahead of his decision to invest.

James, whose enthusiasm for tacos has become a recurring fixture of his public persona, framed the investment as rooted in more than just his personal love of the food. “I love tacos, and I especially love how they bring people together to create traditions and share great moments around the table with family and friends,” James said. “In addition to having an incredible taco, Mike’s Red Tacos brings those same values to life in a fresh, new way for consumers. With this leadership team, I see a group that is building something authentic with a long-term vision, and I wanted to be part of helping bring that experience to more communities.”

Feghali said the investment reflects a deliberate strategy of backing founder-led concepts rather than chasing short-term food trends. “We’re not interested in trend-chasing brands,” Feghali said. “We’re interested in founders building something enduring. Mike did that with a focused menu, chef-driven food, and a loyalty most brands never earn. Adding LeBron and an experienced restaurant leadership team gives Mike’s the megaphone it deserves, the resources to scale what’s already working, and the platform to become a category-defining brand.”

For founder Mike Touma, the investment marks a validation of a brand built initially without any expectation of national attention. “What we’ve built has always started with the food,” Touma said. “Before anyone knew our name, before we opened restaurants, and before we ever talked about franchising, people were lining up because they loved the birria. Everything that’s happened since has been built on delivering an unforgettable meal and creating an experience people want to come back to. Having LeBron believe in what we’re building and invest in our future is an incredible honor and a powerful validation of our brand and vision.”

The company’s next chapter begins this fall with the opening of its first Los Angeles-area location, set to open next month at 899 E. Del Mar Blvd. in Pasadena, introducing the brand to one of the country’s most closely watched dining markets. While the Pasadena opening marks a significant milestone for a chain that started with a single food truck, the company has said its ambitions extend well beyond Southern California, with development agreements already in place across a range of markets nationwide.

Mike’s Red Tacos traces its origins to San Diego, where Touma became captivated by birria as the dish gained popularity on social media in 2020. After developing and refining the brand’s signature recipes, Touma launched a food truck that quickly built a loyal following, frequently selling out by midafternoon. He opened the brand’s first brick-and-mortar location in August 2022, followed by additional restaurants as demand continued to grow. The chain is now led by Touma alongside Feghali as CEO, Vincent Montanelli as president, and Phelps as chairman, backed by an investment group that now includes James and Main Street Advisors.

The brand’s rise has drawn recognition beyond its expanding footprint. Mike’s Red Tacos was named to Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. restaurants list in 2023, and was recognized as a Nation’s Restaurant News Hot Concept in 2026. Company leadership has said the brand intends to continue prioritizing culinary quality, immersive restaurant design and hospitality as it scales into new markets nationwide.

James’s investment adds to a growing portfolio of restaurant and consumer brand investments for the NBA star, whose backing of Dave’s Hot Chicken alongside Main Street Advisors is credited with helping introduce him to the Mike’s Red Tacos leadership team well before the latest deal came together. The birria segment more broadly has expanded rapidly across U.S. restaurant menus in recent years, growing from a relatively obscure regional Mexican dish into one of the country’s most closely watched food trends, a shift that companies including Mike’s Red Tacos have moved quickly to capitalize on through national franchising efforts.

With its Pasadena location set to open this fall and hundreds of additional franchise restaurants already in development across states including California, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Arizona and Illinois, Mike’s Red Tacos is positioning itself to expand well beyond its Southern California roots in the months ahead, with James’s investment offering the brand additional visibility as it works to introduce its birria-focused concept to new markets nationwide.