East Las Vegas Taco Shop Plans Anniversary Party With Mariachi and Custom Dress

Leslie Valdes, the owner of this restaurant, has chosen to celebrate its 15th anniversary by hosting a quinceañera-style party. Since opening, Abuelas Tacos has focused on reinvesting profits into the surrounding community, supporting youth sports, fundraising for neighborhood causes, and more along the Sahara corridor.

“Abuelas Tacos literally was like the east side angel for the community,” Valdes said.

Valdes recalled that commitment beginning even before the business gained traction. “I'll never forget this, my kids asked me, ‘Mom, what do you want for Mother's Day?' And I said, ‘I need you guys outside, we're going to sit outside with signs,' and we had dollar taco signs,” Valdes said. Those early efforts helped build a loyal customer base and sustain the restaurant through its first years.

From the beginning, Valdes emphasized giving back as a core mission. “I had told my kids, at first, when we make our first profit, when we make that first $500 profit, the first thing we're going to do is sponsor a sports team,” Valdes said. That promise quickly became reality. “And then when we got that shining star check, we were like, let's go, sponsor a team. And then we sponsored our first little baseball team, from there, it just kept going,” Valdes said.

Abuelas Tacos has also stepped up during difficult moments for the neighborhood. “Unfortunately, there have been tragedies on Sahara; we've done all those car washes for those young persons who have passed away,” Valdes said. The restaurant's outreach earned recognition, including FOX5's Shining Star Award for community contributions.

The 15th-anniversary celebration takes place on Jan. 24 from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Sahara and Lamb location. The event will feature live mariachis, local vendors, taco specials, and a car club showcase. Valdes will attend in a custom quinceañera taco dress. “Brenda, the owner, reached out to me and said, we would love to build your custom quinceañera taco dress,” Valdes said.