Tacos Ensenada to bring a second location to Visalia, other eateries breaking ground

Lauren Jennings, Visalia Times-Delta
·2 min read

Commercial development in Visalia has continued into the new year as businesses and restaurants continue to pop up throughout the city.

Construction on Mooney Boulevard has resumed — both north and south of Highway 198. Here are just a few businesses to look out for in the coming weeks and months:

Tacos Ensenada

Tacos Ensenada – a restaurant named and inspired after Ensenada, Mexico – is opening a second Visalia location off of Akers Street and West Cypress Avenue, near Fugazzi's on the Go.
Tacos Ensenada – a restaurant named and inspired after Ensenada, Mexico – is opening a second Visalia location off of Akers Street and West Cypress Avenue, near Fugazzi's on the Go.

Tacos Ensenada — a restaurant named and inspired after Ensenada, Mexico — is opening a second Visalia location off of Akers Street and West Cypress Avenue, near Cypress Car Wash/Flyers Gas Station and Fugazzi's on the Go.

This eatery has been serving customers authentic Mexican food and Mariscos (seafood) since February 2010. Tacos, tortas, tostadas, wraps, nachos, and burritos, as well as a handful of seafood plates, are all on the menu.

The restaurant has had a longstanding tradition, according to its website, of serving famous fish tacos or two ceviche tostadas for only $5.50 on Fridays and $1.25 tacos on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Tacos Ensenada is hoping to host its grand opening sometime this month.

Panda Express

Panda Express is working on opening two locations in Visalia – one off of South Mooney Boulevard and Visalia Parkway, near the Texas Roadhouse, and another off of Akers Street and West Cypress Avenue, behind Dutch Bros.
Panda Express is working on opening two locations in Visalia – one off of South Mooney Boulevard and Visalia Parkway, near the Texas Roadhouse, and another off of Akers Street and West Cypress Avenue, behind Dutch Bros.

Panda Express is working on opening two locations in Visalia — one off of South Mooney Boulevard and Visalia Parkway, near Texas Roadhouse, and another off of Akers Street and West Cypress Avenue, behind Dutch Bros.

The restaurant chain offers customers quick American Chinese Cuisine and is known for its orange chicken and kung pao chicken, both inspired by the Sichuan Province, as well as its grilled teriyaki chicken, honey walnut shrimp and broccoli beef, inspired by Hong Kong.

The South Mooney Panda Express location is closer to opening, though the restaurant’s website does not have an official date listed.

The Texas Roadhouse, located next to the Panda Express and Dutch Bros. (also expected to open soon), was the first business to break ground in the area in 2022. The eatery celebrated its grand opening in December.

Construction on the new Akers location started just a few weeks ago.

Construction on South Mooney's newest Panda Express began in October 2022.
Construction on South Mooney's newest Panda Express began in October 2022.

Burger King to open in NW Visalia?

While construction on new homes near West Riggin Avenue and North Mooney Boulevard continues, a new project popped up over the holiday break near the Starbucks and Our Little Pizza Place parking lot.

No signs have gone up; however, sources say the new restaurant is rumored to be a new Burger King. The chain — founded in 1954 — is home to the infamous Whopper and is the second-largest fast-food hamburger chain in the world.

A new project popped up over the holiday break near the Starbucks and Our Little Pizza Place parking lot, off of West Riggin Avenue and North Mooney Boulevard.
A new project popped up over the holiday break near the Starbucks and Our Little Pizza Place parking lot, off of West Riggin Avenue and North Mooney Boulevard.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Tacos Ensenada to open second location, others breaking ground