Meet Mike Connelly | Owner / Operator – Global Tacos Grill – Contemporary Catering & Special Events

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Connelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
I have always been an operations guy (in food & beverage) and sometimes tend to overthink things because I want everything to be perfect. What I finally realized for me (and this is not necessarily meant to be advice for anyone other than me), sometimes you just need to dive in, and figure it out along the way. The main thing was to just get started. I definitely had the ideas and experience, and drive to succeed, so just needed to get started. Business plans, ideas, processes, etc. will evolve. It is a constant learning process and if you go in knowing that you don’t know it all, and it might not go exactly how you envisioned, it makes the journey more enjoyable when you reach each milestone. If you chip away at one thing at a time, eventually it all comes together. Of course, there can and will be setbacks (i.e. Covid cancellations, labor shortages, food cost increases, etc.), but as long as you keep moving forward towards your goal, stay on track, believe in yourself, and treat people with kindness, business tends to grow.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have worked in the food & beverage industry my whole life, operating restaurants, bars, and catering companies, mostly fine dining. I love good wine and craft beer and pairing food with them. Deciding to open Global Tacos Grill stemmed from my love of good food and travel and experiencing all the unique flavors from different cuisines around the world, whether at a restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe, a churrascaria in Brazil, a bistro in France, Italian ristorante, dockside seafood restaurant in Tahiti, or beachside stand in the Caribbean. At Global Tacos Grill, we think that tacos are the ultimate handheld street food that everyone enjoys no matter where you are from or what your tastes may be.

GLOBAL TACOS GRILL is definitely Not your typical taco experience. We make contemporary gourmet tacos with global flavors where you can taste the difference of farm fresh produce, sustainable seafood, and high-quality meat served on our fresh grilled tortillas, all complete with our decadent homemade sauces.

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We carefully utilize local ingredients to showcase flavors from around the world, including those from Baja California, the Mediterranean, Asia, America, and beyond. There are no limits to our creativity. If it is crave-worthy, we will make it. Based out of San Diego, CA, it goes without saying that we ALL love tacos, but once you’ve had a taco from Global Tacos Grill, you will never look at ordinary tacos quite the same again.
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We provide catering services for private and corporate events. Also, look for us at your favorite festival, street fair, and farmer’s market as well.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, actually, a longtime friend just visited a couple of weeks ago. He had lived here before so he had some places in mind that he wanted to check out that he remembered, and I gladly obliged, but also made a few other recommendations myself.

Being live music fanatics, we went to a show at Winston’s in O.B.. I also love the Belly Up in Solana Beach for music, where you can stop by Culture Brewing on your way to a show and grab a bite from Global Tacos Grill beforehand on the weekend.

We had sushi at Sushi Ota on his request one night.
The following are the places I recommended for casually eating / drinking:
Del Mar Plaza – outside patio of Il Fornaio by the fire pit during sunset or Enoteca Del Fornaio;
Del Mar Highlands – Brewer’s Deck at the Sky Deck;
There are way too many new and higher end restaurants to mention here that weren’t for going to with him, but that I could tell him about to take his wife to who I finally met for the first time.

One night was a Padre’s game,
At time of writing, the Del Mar Racetrack was open, and should definitely be on the itinerary.
I don’t personally go downtown too often, but depending on who is visiting, there is definitely a lot to do / see / eat along the waterfront and Little Italy.
Beach Day(s) at WindanSea in La Jolla and Powerhouse Park Del Mar. Since he stayed in O.B., of course, had to check out Sunset Cliffs. I love hiking Torrey Pines, also.
He had kids in tow, so SeaWorld and the Zoo are no-brainers.
Honestly there is so much to see and do in San Diego, one week can’t possibly cover it all. I love this city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of course, my shoutout has to go to MOM. She has always supported and encouraged my dreams, even when I doubted myself. Ironically, she sometimes even makes little suggestions that I absolutely disagree with that lets me know that I am on the right track.

Website: www.global-tacos.com

Instagram: globaltacosgrill

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