By Anna Grace Moore
Photos by Blair Ramsey

Joe Kahn, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Condado Tacos, believes in the business of second chances. He got his start in the restaurant industry at 15 years old, when he began working at Sizzler and later on, Pizza Hut.

As time went on, Joe picked up bartending, working his way up to his first management position at The Outpost in Chicago. From washing dishes to waiting tables, Joe did it all, and eventually, he founded his own restaurant before it closed due to financial issues.

After several years of self-reflection and hard work, Joe’s wife gave him a second chance at his dream of entrepreneurship, giving him money from her 401K to start Condado Tacos with several business partners. In 2014, Joe opened the first-ever Condado Tacos in Columbus, Ohio–the melting pot of the Midwest.

Eight years later, Joe has grown the Condado Tacos brand to include more than 50 restaurants throughout the United States.

Although the vast, fast-paced growth of Condado Tacos is impressive, none of the restaurants are franchised simply because Joe did not want to water down the company’s culture. Condado Tacos’ quality of food, intricate murals and second-chance hiring speaks volumes about the foundations upon which it was built–namely, putting people before profit.

“I was homeless and down-and-out a couple times in life, and I didn’t get my break to open a restaurant of my own until I was 39,” Joe says. “Our company absolutely stands for second chances and the fact that anyone can accomplish something in this business, no matter your background.”

The menu boasts 15 different suggested tacos including seven build-your-own options, as well as eight burrito bowls, 16 dips, two nacho plates and 15 side dishes. All of the ingredients are made fresh and are preservative and GMO free.

A must-try on the menu, the Dado Supreme is a double-flour-shell taco with bacon, refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, pico de gallo, cilantro, onions, Middlefield smoked cheddar, cilantro-lime aioli and dirty sauce. This flavorful fusion tastes like a burst of spicy harmony.

The Purple Haze, too, is a staff favorite and consists of both a flour-soft and hard-corn-shell taco with sweet chili sauce, housemade chorizo, cilantro, onions, Thai chili red cabbage, queso fresco, cilantro and cilantro-lime aioli. Biting into this vibrant medley of flavor profiles is sure to wow any taco fanatic.

One would be remiss not to try any of the burrito bowls or dips. Packed with 61 grams of protein, the Swole Bowl contains roasted chicken, rice, black beans, queso blanco, red cabbage, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, monterey jack cheese and avocado ranch sauce.

While this entree is great for a hearty meal, one looking for a light snack should consider trying either the Mexican Street Corn or the Skywalker Nachos. The Mexican Street Corn, which has fire-roasted corn, sauteed diced jalapeños, red onion, red peppers and garlic, is a harmonious balance of rich flavors and textures as it is topped with cilantro lime aioli, cotija cheese, tajin and cilantro.

With rice, black beans, queso blanco, roasted chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, pickled jalapeños, corn salsa and salsa roja, the Skywalker Nachos prove to be popular option, and children love the customizable toppings.

Bob Wands, Condado Tacos’ general manager of the Cahaba Village location, says the quality of food is initially what encouraged him to work for the business. However, the company’s integrity and commitment to people is why he stays.

“The last call I was on with [Joe], he was just talking about how the company has grown over the years and is more financially driven these days, especially with private equity ownership,” Bob says. “He’s like, ‘That’s not why I started this company. I started this company to focus on the people. For the rest of this year, we’re changing our mindset, and it is going to be all about the people–not only the people that come through our doors, but also the people that work inside our four walls.’ That’s what’s important to Joe. Just to hear that from an owner of a company and to feel the compassion that he said that with was absolutely amazing.”

While customer service remains of the business’ utmost importance, treating employees right–offering livable wages, conducive hours–is why many workers say they feel proud to be a part of the Condado Tacos’ family.

Even the artists that Condado Tacos employ say they love working for the business because of how dedicated the company is to pouring back into local communities.

“Besides the great culture we all share at Condado Tacos, I also feel like our mural artwork on our walls represent our communities in the individual location Condado opens up in,” Joe says. “We try to employ as many local-area artists to incorporate with our own Condado art team and a lead artist, when we open each new location. Each of Condado’s walls represents the area and region where it is located. It’s one-of-a-kind within the restaurant environment and is very special.”

In the Cahaba Village location, the restaurant’s theme is Greek mythology, and between mythical figures such as Medusa and one-eyed serpents, dancing tacos, jazz musicians, warrior skulls and more, customers might spot some familiar spots around town including Vulcan and Sibyl Temple.

Birmingham artists Blank Space Bham, Andy Jordan, Dewon Moton, Colin Russell, Wide Awake Studio, Jake Kelly, John Lytle Wilson, Matt Miller and DEVI all helped design and hand-paint every wall of Condado Tacos’ Cahaba Village location. Elliot Chaltry drew all of this particular restaurant’s menu’s illustrations.

“To have team members on this that work for us and take so much pride in what they do is just absolutely amazing,” Bob says.

One consistency among not just the artists and management but also all of the staff members is their shared humanity. Notably, Condado Tacos is a second-chance employer, and although not every employee has been on the wrong side of the tracks, each one is given the same opportunities–a healthy work environment, suitable wages and overall, freedom to be himself.

“[Condado’s company culture] is not falsely advertised like many other companies,” Landon Vincent, a Condado Tacos bartender, says. “The ‘come as you are’ vibes are real and impactful. You get to be who you are and be celebrated for that every shift.”

For Bob, the best part of his job is getting to invest in his team, watching them achieve their goals that if not for Condado Tacos, may not be possible.

“Every one of us messes up,” Bob says. “Some of us pay harder consequences, but we can still learn from that and still be great at what we do. My goal in life is to impact people’s lives in a positive way. I love taking my staff, developing them into future leaders of this company and watching them grow.”

Customers dining at Condado Tacos will forever mean more to the individuals working behind-the-scenes because each delicious “labor of love” on the menu represents a second chance many of them have been given to lead a normal life.

Thanks to Joe Kahn and the second chance he was given, hundreds of underprivileged individuals nationwide are transforming their own dreams into reality. The best part is that this colossal impact started so small with just a wife believing in her husband’s dream.

Condado Tacos in Mountain Brook is located at 2800 Cahaba Village Place Space 130. It is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit condadotacos.com.

Chef Picks

Tacos
Sweet Heat
A flour-soft and hard-corn shell taco with queso blanco, braised beef brisket, cilantro, onions, Middlefield smoked cheddar, pineapple salsa, habanero-mango sauce and chipotle honey.

Bowls
Fire-Roasted Street Bowl
A protein bowl packed with roasted chicken, rice, black beans, fire-roasted corn, cilantro-lime aioli, Cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, Tajín and a lime wedge.

Sides and Dips
Strawberry Fields Guac
Traditional guac topped with strawberry salsa, goat cheese crumbles and balsamic glaze.