Condado Tacos to open Parkside Drive location in April
By Rachel Totten
February 26, 2023

Condado Tacos will bring more than 60 jobs to the area with the opening of its new location at the Pinnacle at Turkey Creek this spring.

The full-service taco and margarita restaurant is expected to open Thursday, April 6, at 11383 Parkside Drive, the space which formerly housed Cru Bistro and Wine Bar.

Roger Drake, marketing and PR executive for Condado Tacos, said the decision to expand into the Knoxville market was a no-brainer due to the city’s continued growth.

“We had opened our first two Condado Tacos in Nashville back in 2021, and as we continue to expand this growing brand in the Southeast corridor, it made sense for us to open a Condado Tacos in the expanding and growing city of Knoxville,” he said.

Opening in Turkey Creek also made sense, given that it’s a major destination for shoppers and diners alike.

“We are a great fit in lifestyle centers such as these,” Drake said.

Come-as-you-are culture

Condado Tacos opened its first location in 2014 in Columbus, Ohio, and has since expanded to more than 40 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Tennessee. In addition to the new Knoxville restaurant, the company plans to open 11 more locations throughout the course of this year.

Named 2021’s Breakout Brand of the Year by FSR Magazine, the company’s success can be attributed to its focus on inclusivity and acceptance that encourages everyone – both staff and guests – to express themselves freely.

“Condado Tacos is proud of its inclusive culture,” Drake explained. “The ‘Come as You Are’ mantra has helped create this unique culture since day one.”

Along with its mission of providing a place to “come as you are,” Condado Tacos also seeks to be an active part of the local community. In fact, this concept was precisely what Condado was founded on, Drake said.

“Our Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Joe Kahn came up with the name Condado Tacos as he wanted to create a restaurant that was immersed in the community,” he said, noting that condado means county in Spanish

As part of this immersion, each Condado Tacos location features a themed mural hand-painted by local artists. The Parkside Drive location’s theme – “The Tacodiac” – will consist of each zodiac sign illustrated through Condado characters and Knoxville area references. It will be completed by local artists Will Lunsford, Chance Losher, Shane Sandberg, Megan Lingerfelt, Perry Hodson, Johnson Giles, Shaun Ridge, Adam Pernell and Curtis Glover. Opening events

Condado Tacos will open at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 6, with a confetti cannon celebration. Each guest on opening day will receive one free taco with any purchase, while the first 100 guests will receive free tacos for a year and a limited edition T-shirt.

The restaurant offers signature taco suggestions, an anchor menu with innovative ingredients like pulled jackfruit and a build-your-own taco concept. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are also available. Drake said the ingredients are all high-quality, non-GMO and free of any preservatives.

At the bar, guests can choose from a large assortment of 100-percent blue agave tequilas, as well as specialty margaritas and newly launched mocktails.

As Condado’s top priority, Drake said the restaurant always provides top-notch service that matches the desired dining speed of each individual customer.

“If you're in a hurry at lunch, we can get you in and out in less than 20 minutes,” he said. “And if you're dining with family, friends or colleagues and want to take your time, you can soak in the hand painted, original mural artwork and fun, energetic atmosphere and stay as long as you like.”

For more information about Condado Tacos, visit condadotacos.com.