National Fish Taco Day

Often served on a corn tortilla and made with mild white fish that is lightly battered and deep-fried, and topped with shredded cabbage, a thin mayonnaise- or sour cream-based sauce, salsa, and a spritz of lime, fish tacos are served up and savored today on National Fish Taco Day.

Rubio's Coastal Grill is credited with developing and then popularizing fish tacos in the United States. Founder Ralph Rubio had learned about fish tacos, or tacos de pescado, while on a trip to San Felipe in Baja California, Mexico, in 1973. Southern California surfers often traveled south into Mexico "chasing the best swell," and came across fish tacos from local street vendors on the beach. Ralph Rubio was a freshman at San Diego University when he traveled to San Felipe, a popular surfer destination, for a spring break surfing trip, and found a number of stands selling fish tacos.

Rubio took additional trips in the years that followed. Eventually, he asked Carlos, the cook at his favorite stand, what the recipe for the batter on the fish was, and was told it was made with flour, mustard powder, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and beer. On January 25, 1983, Ralph Rubio opened the first Rubio's Coastal Grill, a walk-up stand in Mission Bay, San Diego, and debuted the restaurant's Original Fish Taco there the same day. Rubio used Alaskan pollock because it was flaky, mild, and cheap, and he sold the tacos for 99 cents each.

The fish tacos at Rubio's slowly gained in popularity. After first being eaten by surfers and college students, people soon began coming from as far away as Los Angeles to try them. After four years, Rubio's had 63 locations. By the turn of the twenty-first century, there were over 200 restaurants in a number of states (although this number dropped in the 2020s). Fish tacos are now one of the most iconic foods in San Diego.

Rubio's Coastal Grill created National Fish Taco Day in 2018 and placed it on January 25 to celebrate both the anniversary of the restaurant and the debut of their Original Fish Taco. Rubio's has offered promotions on the day. For example, in 2024 and 2025 they offered 99-cent Original Fish Tacos—the price of the tacos when Rubio's first opened—with any purchase. The offer went all day and was limited to four tacos. In 2026, Rubio's once again offered the tacos for 99 cents, this time to Rewards members on both January 24 and 25, limited to one reward per day. During some years' observances, proceeds from the day went to support WILDCOAST, which works to conserve the coastal and marine ecosystems in the United States and Mexico. Other restaurants that serve fish tacos have also celebrated the day with deals. For instance, Chicheria Mexican Kitchen in Atlanta has offered their Baja Fish Tacos for $2 on the day.

Fish tacos consisting of fish wrapped in stone-ground tortillas date back hundreds of years, being eaten by fishermen along the 800-mile coastline of Baja California. The version most common today, made of battered and deep-fried white fish, wrapped in a corn tortilla, and with a sauce such as spicy mayo, gained a foothold in the Baja cities of San Felipe and Ensenada. There are many additional kinds of fish tacos. The fish can be fried cod or pollock, but it also can be grilled mahi-mahi or blackened tilapia. The tacos may be topped with cabbage, lettuce, jalapeño coleslaw, or pico de gallo, and with spicy mayo, a mayo and sour cream mix, avocado chutney or avocado-mango chutney, salsa verde, chipotle mayo, or picante sauce. Flour tortillas may be used in place of corn tortillas.

Fish tacos are sold in many locations across the United States today, from coastal beach shacks to fine dining restaurants to chain restaurants, including Rubio's Coastal Grill. They are most popular in California, Colorado, and Washington. They are served up and savored everywhere today because it's National Fish Taco Day!

How to Observe National Fish Taco Day

Enjoy fish tacos! An ideal spot to get them is at a Rubio's Coastal Grill. Try an Original Fish Taco or Fish Taco Especial or Grilled Fish Taco at their original location in Mission Bay, San Diego, or at one of their other locations. You could also have fish tacos at another restaurant near you or at a place that has fish tacos that are considered to be some of the best in the United States. Check for promotions from Rubio's and other restaurants in honor of the day. Make sure to follow Rubio's on Facebook and Instagram. You could also make your own tacos. Replicate the ones at Rubio's or try another recipe. Share pictures of your fish tacos on social media along with the hashtag #NationalFishTacoDay.

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