TV Restaurants

Is Torchy's Tacos Still Open? Food Paradise Update (Austin, TX)

Open verified

As of September 2026, Torchy's Tacos is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed September 9, 2026.

Primary source
torchystacos.com ·
Secondary source
Wikipedia ·

Last verified

What the source shows: The chain's own ordering site (2026 copyright, packet check 2026-09-09) and a business-specific Google Places listing both show the South Congress location as operational.

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What happened after Food Paradise?

Torchy's Tacos appeared in the "Wild & Wacky" episode for its chef-driven, non-traditional tacos and green chile queso, nicknamed "Damn Good" by early fans. Founder Mike Rypka, a former executive chef, started the concept out of a food trailer in Austin in 2006 before opening brick-and-mortar locations beginning in 2010; the chain has since grown to more than 125 locations across Texas and neighboring states, according to Torchy's company history.

The episode featured Torchy's Tacos, the Austin-born fast-casual chain known for inventive specialty tacos with names like the Trailer Park and green chile queso, alongside a menu of green chile queso and margaritas that set it apart from a typical taco stand. Torchy's began in Austin, Texas, and per Wikipedia, revised 2026-06-16, has grown into a chain of more than 125 locations across multiple states. According to torchystacos.com, checked 2026-09-09 and carrying a 2026 copyright notice, the South Congress Avenue location was actively taking delivery, pickup, curbside, and drive-thru orders that day. A Google Places listing for the same address lists an operational status as of the same check, and no source gathered for this record shows any sign of closure, relocation, or a change in ownership at the original South Congress location.

Featured on Food Paradise

Season / episode
Season 11, Episode 8
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Wild & Wacky
What was featured
Torchy's chef-driven, over-the-top 'Damn Good' specialty tacos
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Torchy's Tacos
Season / episode
Season 9, Episode 1
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Taco-Lanche!
What was featured
Torchy's inventive specialty tacos and salsas in Austin
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Torchy's Tacos

Frequently asked questions

Is Torchy's Tacos still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Torchy's Tacos is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed September 9, 2026.

What happened to Torchy's Tacos after Food Paradise?

Torchy's Tacos appeared in the "Wild & Wacky" episode for its chef-driven, non-traditional tacos and green chile queso, nicknamed "Damn Good" by early fans. As of September 2026, Torchy's Tacos is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed September 9, 2026.

Where is Torchy's Tacos located?

1822 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Food Paradise featured Torchy's Tacos?

Season 11, Episode 8 of Food Paradise. The episode is titled “Wild & Wacky”.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
1822 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
torchystacos.com

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