Our Story
Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara Inc. is a family owned and operated business, established in 2001 by Adrian and Gloria Estrada. The Estrada family started from humble beginnings, providing food as street vendors in the streets of Los Angeles. Thankful for their faithful clientele, the family business continued to grow and enjoy success, specializing in Authentic Mexican food from Guadalajara Jalisco.
One of this dishes that has made them a success story, is the “Torta Ahogada,” an epic traditional dish from Guadalajara Jalisco. (A traditional Carnitas torta dipped in spicy or mild sauce) The Estrada family was a pioneer in bringing this very traditional Jalisco dish into the United States!
In 2001 they started selling their tasty traditional food from an equally modest food stand. Their popularity grew fast as word of mouth spread very quickly. The name of their business “Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara” was also an automatic hit because it organically attracted fans of Guadalajara Jalisco to the new business.
Customers felt sentimental about the food being served and many were reconnected to their ethnic and cultural roots through the atmosphere they were used to enjoying.
To keep up with their consumer’s demands, in 2004 the Estrada family upgraded their trusty and very profitable food stand to a “Catering Lunch Truck.” This same Lunch truck you see here above in the picture. As Their Clientele continued to grow, in 2007 the Estrada Family opened the doors of their first Restaurant, located in the city Los Angeles. Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara was enjoying its success! As the clientele kept on growing rapidly, the Family business also grew.
Adrian Estrada and Gloria Estrada partnered up in business with their daughter Cindy Estrada, and together in 2010 they opened their second location in the city of Huntington Park. This second location was ideal for accommodating the needs of their growing business. It was double the size of the first restaurant and the new location was ideal for their type of business. It was great; their existing customers loved it and the community embraced their new business.
As the Family business grew bigger and bigger it started to evolve. The clientele was no longer just first-generation families from Jalisco, like in the early stages of the business. Because the popularity of the Torta Ahogada expanded beyond the ethnic and generational circle, so did The Family Business. With the need to evolve came the idea for a fresh and new concept for a restaurant; A restaurant that appealed not only to People from Jalisco, but also appealed to the rest of the world. Pika Tortas Ahogadas Opened its doors in April of 2012, and the rest is history.
Check out other restaurant located in Los Angeles, Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara. Click here for more information.
