by: HB News staff writer
Posted: July 16, 2018
HUNTINGTON BEACH...A new fast food eatery has opened in the previous location at the corner of Fifth Street and Pacific Coast Highway that was once occupied by Johnny Rockets in the historic 5th and PCH downtown district.
David Angulo and his wife Lynette Romero, anchorwoman from KTLA, has opened Jimboy's Tacos with their special twist on Mexican fast food, in their effort to feed both hungry surfers and tourists alike who come and visit Surf City USA throughout the year.
Angulo is no stranger to the fast food industry having spent 25 years with Taco Bell and operating over 40 stores. He brings his knowledge of freshness by having smaller batches made throughout the day to preserve the freshness of each ingredients.
David Angulo with Jenna Satatiano
On Saturday, July 21st., at 11 a.m., Angulo and his staff will hold their official grand opening for the public with free Original Ground Beef Taco and free Taquito Burrito for the first 50 customers; free Original Ground Beef Taco for anyone who downloads the Jimboy’s Taco Nation Rewards app in-store; chance to spin the prize wheel and win free Jimboy’s food and swag items. To celebrate their opening, Jimboy’s Tacos Huntington Beach has partnered with local pro surfer and instructor Rocky McKinnon. Twenty percent of sales from Monday, July 23 will be donated to McKinnon’s nonprofit, which helps to sponsor surfing programs for young people with special needs or disabilities through the McKinnon Surf & SUP Lessons Adaptive Surfing Program.
Jimboy's Tacos dates back to 1954 when Jim "Jimboy" Knudson started it all in a small trailer on Kings Beach in the Lake Tahoe area. During this time Knudson created his signature taco. He encased his special spiced ground beef, crisp lettuce, shredded cheese in a stone-ground corn tortilla, dusted it with grated parmesan cheese before putting it on the grill.
Word got around and Jimboy's Taco food trucks began appearing in the Lake Tahoe area selling food from their mobile cafes.
After a few years, traffic began to pick up, fueled in large part by positive word of mouth from locals in the area. In the spring of 1958, Joe King, owner of King’s Beach and a huge fan of Jimboy’s Tacos, built a small building on North Tahoe Boulevard for the sole purpose of giving Jimboy’s a more permanent home.
Celebrities performing in the famous Cal Neva Lodge in Tahoe, including members of the famous “Rat Pack,” Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, began hearing about Jimboy’s Tacos and making trips to the storefront. All three stars from “Bonanza” – Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon, were also fans of Jimboy’s Tacos. In fact, they would often send someone to order tacos for the cast and crew when they were filming in the area. Countless other stars of the 60’s and 70’s began discovering Jimboy’s Tacos at the same time.
In 1969, Knudson’s pioneering spirit kicked in again. At a time when restaurants had not yet considered franchising, Knudson franchised Jimboy’s Tacos in the Sacramento area. The Jimboy’s Tacos phenomenon has since grown to over 40 locations throughout California, Nevada and Texas.
David Angulo gives last minute instructions to one of his staff
David Angulo will be building a large and loyal following of fans of his own in Surf City USA because of his commitment to using fresh, quality ingredients that will never change.