24-hour Mexican restaurant chain with tons of burritos plans new Tacoma location
Burritos California, a Seattle-area chain of quick-serve Mexican restaurants known for being open 24 hours, is planning a Tacoma location at 820 S. 38th St.
The Lincoln District address was home to Burger Ranch for almost 60 years. It closed last summer after the second-generation owners decided to sell the property and retire. The new property owners, Katie and Jesus Ibarra Baez of Northeast Tacoma, confirmed at the time that a local restaurant name was in the process of leasing the space.
Burritos California registered its Tacoma LLC in November. A sign went up earlier this year, but the lot has remained fenced off and the 1,500-square-foot building boarded with plywood. An initial permit was filed in January for tenant improvements to update the 1960s-era restaurant with new pipes for water and gas, a new hood ventilation system and a gravity grease interceptor. Additional permits filed in March and May called for work on the hood, fire suppression and repairs to the sanitary sewer line.
There has been seemingly little movement at the site in recent months, but the project appears to be moving forward. A reporter saw a worker moving gravel in the lot on Monday night. The News Tribune reached out to the owners who did not immediately provide details on their expected timeline.
Juan and Ramiro Osoria-Ramos also operate Burritos California locations in Lakewood and Marysville. The brand also has a footprint in Auburn, Seattle and Kent. It’s different from the similarly named California Burrito and Taco Shop — also open 24 hours — that replaced a Jack in the Box at Sixth Avenue and Mildred Street in Tacoma earlier this year.
The Osoria-Ramos family also runs Aliberto’s California Mexican Food, according to business filings, with eight Washington state locations, including Lakewood, Lacey, Renton, Burien and Seattle.
When it opens, Burritos California will join a small crowd of late-night dining options in Tacoma that includes Gyro Bites in the West End (3 a.m.), Kko Kko Chicken in Lakewood (1:30 a.m. on weekends), Matador downtown (1 a.m. on weekends) and Frisko Freeze (midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends). Aliberto’s, Memo’s Mexican Food and Denny’s in Fife and Lakewood are among the dwindling few open 24 hours.
As the name implies, the restaurant is known for its burritos, including breakfast varieties with steak, machaca (shredded beef), bacon or chorizo, plus 20 others. They pack the usual — chicken and rice, carnitas with guacamole and pico de gallo, and the namesake with steak, potatoes, pico and cheese. They also offer chile relleno inside a burrito, fajitas-style, camaron a la diabla and the Mar y Tierra with both shrimp and steak. Most go for $10.49, but a few are just $8.99 and as low as $6 for just beans and cheese.
The menu extends to tacos, enchiladas, plates of steak ranchero and chile verde pork, cocteles and tortas. Birria lovers will also find various versions of the trendy protein: in burritos, tacos, tortas and atop tortilla chips in the “birriaquiles.”
Sweets include fried ice cream, churros and tres leches cake.
Burger Ranch had a drive-thru window, and Burritos California is likely to take advantage of that feature, too.
Burritos California - Tacoma
- 820 S. 38th St., Tacoma, burritoscaliforniawa.com
- Details: regional chain of 24/7 quick-serve Mexican restaurants planning Lincoln District location in old Burger Ranch; target opening TBD.
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM.