Tradition and tacos at the Mitla Café

During the Depression, Doña Lucia Rodriguez opened the doors of the Mitla Café in San Bernardino, Calif., along old Route 66, because she didn't want her family members to go hungry. Since then, the Mexican restaurant has fed generations from all walks of life, and served as a gathering spot for community organizing. Correspondent Lilia Luciano steps inside the family-run business that also served as an inspiration for another notable establishment, Taco Bell.
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[@theden0minat0r]

Glen Bell actually talks about this restaurant. He loved the food at Mitla Cafe. This is definitely the place that gave him the idea for fast food tacos. His Chili sauce that he used on his hot dogs because his taco sauce that he used on his tacos.

[@chinaboss6683]

Lets taco bout it 😂

[@Californiansurfer]

Downey California has a dozen Mexicano restaurants which I grew up here in 1970 and was sent home for speaking Spanish . Today, I have friends from Mexico and South America. Japanese, Chinese and korean. Latino Asians and love the diversity …. Downey California

[@sallycasas4170]

That's what it's all about, community! Compassion, transparency, integrity and accountability for all!

[@wed3k]

Its insane, im chinese and my mom is from mexico so to hear 3 languages spoken at the same time is mind boggling

[@chinaboss6683]

We love the Hk Club tijuana!! 😂

[@francesfarmer736]

I will have try this cafe…..I’m in Phoenix…..so about 5 hours away and my cousin lives in Yucaipa..so good for a visit…….

[@NijimaSan]

I was watching this video and I saw something shocking to me. As I saw the tacos frying in the pan, I quickly realized that’s the same way my grandmother made tacos, the same way she had been making them since she was a little girl in the 1920s in New Mexico. The same way my mother learned from her and made them for us as I and my siblings grew up in in the 1970s and 80s in Glendora, CA. It was not uncommon for my grandmother, then later my mother literally make a pile of tacos at family gatherings. Dozens of tacos. Love you, Grandma. RIP.

[@MariaHernandez-jd2bi]

What a history lesson. Thanks.

[@j.h.6081]

I miss the Mexican food from the LA area so much. I've never tasted anything so good.

[@angelicaexayanaalderetelop167]

Try going to Mexico! Way better and far more authentic than Cal-Mex flavors

[@chewey3rd]

@@angelicaexayanaalderetelop167 It's a totally different flavor. One isn't better than the other just because your personal preference dictates so.

[@sashek8451]

Both McDonald’s and Taco Bell have their origins in San Bernardino then?

[@icebirdz]

YES----and Juan Pollo -- owns the 1st McDonalds!

[@redcoltken]

Yup

[@LadyCriminal0013]

Uh San Bernardino (Berdu) is not small. I'm from there and go to Mitla's often. Tastes like my Nana's cooking...

[@erik_griswold]

The ignorance of the size of the Inland Empire and the City of San Bernardino is incredible.

[@agilaeric1987]

Compared to Taco Bell, their food and ambiance is really good quality that you can enjoy with friends and family.

[@Mark-vb4fr]

Compared to Taco Bell??? .... 😂 😆 😂

[@jinwanc]

Anything compared to Taco Bell is great. The original taco they made was a real taco. Taco Bell made it artificial

[@Mark-vb4fr]

@@jinwanc - a real taco??? 😆 🤭 😂

[@Mark-vb4fr]

@@jinwanc - a real taco?!? ....hahaha!

[@SweetGinRickey]

I live in neighboring Riverside County and decided to drive out to Mitla’s today for lunch, based on seeing this story this morning. I’m excited to try their food.

[@positivemanda]

How was it? I live in Joshua Tree and am thinking about the drive!!

[@SweetGinRickey]

@@positivemanda It was pretty good! I would go back.

[@annasahlstrom6109]

I really want to go there!

[@annaelisavettavonnedozza9607]

I’m glad to know the family is 100% ok with their legacy being intertwined with Taco Bell, bc I was really upset when I 1st heard Glenn Bell took their recipe. If they’re cool with it, I am too ❤

[@cornpop8570]

Glen bell actually started El Taco before Taco Bell.

[@Walt1119]

Would love to eat there!

[@mimi4sure]

They don’t want to admit it but Mr Taco Bell himself did exactly what it seems like he did. Stole their recipe and made a fortune off of it. Im am happy that Mitla cafe continued to be successful but that guy did take advantage of them. He could’ve at LEAST included them in on the Taco Bell chain just saying

[@BeyondDaX]

Well the Mitla cafe didn't feel they were taken advantage of, I think they were more proud of the social reforms they help cause than whatever business they would have gotten out of their association with Bell.

[@SCRnflz]

Another individual that became rich beyond anything they could imagine through cultural appropriation.

[@acx207]

He literally said they weren't taken advantage of, you race baiting whinebag.

[@hazeltate6614]

Tacobell makes $11B a year

[@seagraverider]

Soooo good

[@drewconway7135]

“It’s a small Mexican restaurant in a small California city.” Orly? Because even by California standards I wouldn’t call San Bernardino “small.” Over 200,000 people live there.

[@kitcoffey7194]

Um, that is small for a city. Please learn what cities are. At any time.

[@drewconway7135]

@@kitcoffey7194 Uuuuummmmmm, no, it isn’t. I do know what a city is. Clearly you do not. Physician, heal thyself.

[@outlanderfrog]

Lol, out of the about 20,000 incorporated places in the US, it's in the top 120 for population size. I'm gonna say it's not exactly small. Also County Seat for the largest county in the nation.

[@HeatherValentineMsFoodie]

💝💝💝 I can’t wait to go visit oxox love from Bend Oregon

[@arrielradja5522]

01:30 sundee? Omg the accent is so cute 💓💓

[@omorado]

Yum.

[@steveconn]

Eighty year old La Posta in Las Cruces also good (and Blue Room in La Fonda, , Cowgirl's in Santa Fe). Many good Mex places in NM!

[@jaimealvarez8896]

New Mexico is white. They can't even speak Spanish. I have visited Santa Rosa, other small towns. They 4 got their heritage. I see white cowboy wannabes and chili cook offs. PLZ!🙆

[@steveconn]

@@jaimealvarez8896 Tell that to the 90% hispanics that live here putz LMAO

[@kingmanarizona2661]

Small city? ROTFLMAO! 200K+ and the region has millions of residents.....crazy reporting.

[@CapnBlood]

I wanna eat there : )

[@chinaboss6683]

Thats sad Mitla Cafe never wemt international like Taco Bell.

[@kitcoffey7194]

Taco trucks on every corner!

[@GaryDelabate]

Used to eat there weekly minimum until they had Gavin Newsom show up and treated him like a God. He almost destroyed thousands of businesses and they bowed to him. It’s not just me but a lot of other loyal customers are staying away

[@diatribe1194]

THERE'S MEXICAN FOOD AND THEN THERE'S VIRTUAL MEXICAN FOOD

[@lf1496]

Yep wt guy named Bell stole their Taco recipe, creating Taco Bell? Yep sounds American to me🙄

[@marvinhagler4721]

VERY

[@icebirdz]

yes Entrapraneur------only possible in AMERICA... Glen Bell Smart US Marine.......when California was Great.

[@christinacascadilla4473]

Taco Bell is not food.

[@Jalu3]

Bell attempted to imitate this. It is worth the time and travel to experience the original. IMHO, Taco Bell is sometimes the first experience someone has to quasi Mexican Food, it is some people's teaser to the wider varied and culinary delicious cuisine which is the multiple regional varieties that is Mexican Cuisine. It has now evolved into its own unique mass produced relatively inexpensive type of food. It may not be gourmet, it may not be farm-to-table, it may not be a lot of things, but it does give sustenance to some so they can continue to strive to live.

[@brucegelman5582]

@@Jalu3 Well said.Lets hope people are curious enough to move on when finances allow

[@icebirdz]

the GLORY of Taco Bell-------due to the Work of Glen Bell---US MARINE

[@Marielena_238]

Service is terrible and family is really cocky

[@theylied1776]

Well, Brown Vs the Board of Education, and several Civil Rights challenges were planned in 1945 after black servicemen returned from WW2.

[@LuLu-sy8oz]

Those “tacos” do not look very appetizing.

[@LuLu-sy8oz]

@@elbob248 Handmade tortilla, fresh homemade salsa, your choice of marinated meat, diced onions and cilantro,side of radishes with a sprinkle of lemon. Tacos do not have cheddar cheese!!

[@csantana9]

They are tasty and their best food is huevos rancheros and wet pork burritos and their tortillas is delish.

[@oliverwilliams1086]

Immigrating from Mexico.? More than likely ran across the border in 1937.

[@sallycasas4170]

Just in case you don't know, the border patrol was corrupt even then. The officers charged natives of this continent 10 cents to cross on to land that was once owned by Mexico 🇲🇽 The contract: "Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo" explaines how every family, person(s), residents, property owners established in the United States of Mexico was automatically given US citizenship.😎Shortly there after, many, many Mexican Americans were raped, tortured and killed for living on their land. So much land to build and cultivate and the European settlers chose the criminal behavior instead. The European settlers were the original "banditos"😎😷🙋‍♀️

[@csantana9]

Read your bible where you are to treat ANY immigrant as a citizen in your country.

[@MiloSatori]

If you are Native American you could say that, if not remember where you are truly from.

[@brucelee4996]

San Bernardino county Largest county in the US.

[@cornpop8570]

Joe Biden brought back the Great depression. ☹️

[@sumikolibby3203]

Food brings people together. Especially with this enormous amount of love and caring. This is a perfect example of the community coming together under the roof of comfort. This family is a blessing. Thanku for your love and great food. Not only love in the hearts but mouth watering food in our stomachs!!!

[@icebirdz]

I'm from Silver City NM......Taco Bell failed there because it " aint mexican food"----local saying.... JALISCO's IS..!

[@ทองดํานุราวันมีมาก]

This the cafe that taco bell stole the recipes for the tacos

[@abepresume8132]

If anyone on the board of Taco bell had a soul, they'd dump whatever capital was required make this restaurant a high end chain. Also, if racist Mexicans understood the history of their fight for equality too, they'd realize they've been angry towards to wrong group of ppl.

[@ladodgers5594]

Thank you Montano family for years of tasty food! Love the side salad with mayo!!!

[@johnpopo8440]

That set is so festive!!!

[@angelchong8709]

They have the best Chile rellenos on the planet.

[@marvinhagler4721]

Glad places like this is still around....

[@malanis]

I moved out to Moreno Valley after a lifetime of living in LA, and had heard about Mitla Cafe (re: Glen Bell, and it being a Route 66 landmark, and its involvement in Mexican-American culture in San Bernardino). One of our offices is nearby, and I finally tried it this Wednesday after hearing about it and wanting to try it for a long time. The place was packed too! I had to have the tacos and was NOT disappointed. Plus, with as hot as it is lately, a nice cold beer also hit the spot. I will be back to try their other offerings!

[@Hmbldzy99]

I eat there all the time, once you've had their huevos rancheros you will never be the same. Consistent and delicious and the staff/family are great. Long live Mitla Cafe! Incidentally their tacos aren't anything like the ones at Taco Bell.

[@jencomet2220]

this made me so hungry! I'd love to try that place!

[@Kristina-gz2wu]

YUM!