Exclusive: Pinches Tacos to the Downtown Container Park

A Los Angeles Mexican food favorite is expanding to Las Vegas within an innovative location. Pinches Tacos has confirmed to Eater Vegas they will be moving into the Container Park, actually inside one of the 640-square-foot shipping containers modified by Tony Hsieh's Downtown Project.

Created in 2007 by brothers Miguel, Jorge and Javier Anaya the Pinches Tacos culinary roots include the creators being nephews of Jose Prado, former chef at The Ivy. The latter locale's celebrity draw has rubbed off on the taco chain, which has proved popular with the Hollywood crowd.

Pinches Tacos has been included in the park's blueprints since July 2012, which has allocated five food and beverage outlets, each based in a re-purposed shipping container. Preliminary plans indicate 25 guest seats have been allotted for the compact Pinches Tacos design, but there will still be room at the back for a beer cooler.

Other tenants are the confirmed Big Ern's BBQ, currently operating a temporary stand across the street from the park, an unnamed wine bar and a space temporaily named "Charcuterie." Also mentioned in the original plans is Pork and Beans, a beer and sausage concept from Michael Cornthwaite, creator of the Downtown Cocktail Room and co-owner of Oscar's Beef, Booze and Broads at The Plaza.

Pinches Tacos will be joining fellow Los Angeles natives, Bolt Barbers, who are creating their barber shop's first Nevada outpost inside a former train caboose being moved onto the property.

Phase one of the Container Park is scheduled to open in July, with the entire operation running by the fall. The almost 1.5 acre plot is located on Fremont East, taking over the entire block between Seventh and Eighth Streets. In addition to retail, a dog run, a performance stage and children's play area, the park will feature a 360-degree Vortex Immersion Dome for film and music events. At the main entrance, a 55-feet-tall praying mantis sculpture, previously seen at the Burning Man festival, will periodically shoot flames from its antenna.
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