Rreal Tacos Counts Down to Tampa Opening with a Call for Local Artist

 September 24, 2026 — The countdown is officially on.

 

Rreal Tacos is preparing to open its first Florida restaurant in Tampa in mid-October, and after spending the past several weeks introducing itself to Tampa Bay in a decidedly unconventional way, the Atlanta-based restaurant group has one more surprise before opening its doors.

 

This time, it isn’t another giveaway.

 

Rreal Tacos wants to pay a Tampa Bay artist $2,500 to create an original piece of artwork that will be a part of its new Tampa restaurant.

 

“We want something from a Tampa Bay local living inside one of our restaurants,” said Javy Hernandez, Director of Construction of Rreal Tacos. “We’re coming to Tampa, we’re here to stay, and we want to get the community involved.”

 

The company is looking for a local artist capable of creating a larger-scale piece, with the exact canvas and scope being finalized. The finished work could incorporate Tampa Bay itself, but Rreal Tacos says it intentionally doesn’t want to over define the concept before finding the right artist. The goal is to allow the selected creative to bring some of their own style and perspective to the project.

 

 

The artist commission follows a month-long Tampa Bay social media campaign that generated significant attention for Rreal Tacos before the restaurant has served its first taco in Florida. The campaign included a series of cash giveaways culminating in $10,000 distributed throughout the community.

Now, the company says the $2,500 artist commission represents an evolution of that same idea: rather than simply giving something away, Rreal Tacos wants to invest in someone local and create something lasting.

 

“We learned very quickly that people respond when you find a way to genuinely involve the community,” Hernandez said. “The giveaways may be ending, but we’re definitely not done investing in Tampa.”

 

 

The local artist isn’t the only Tampa Bay talent Rreal Tacos is looking for.

 

The company is also launching its Tampa hiring push this month as it builds and trains the team that will open its first Florida restaurant.

 

The Tampa opening marks a major milestone for the independent restaurant group, which was founded in Atlanta in 2015 and has grown rapidly throughout Metro Atlanta.

 

Unlike many rapidly expanding restaurant concepts, Rreal Tacos is not a franchise and has no private equity or outside investors. The company develops leadership from within and gives the people operating its restaurants an opportunity to share in ownership.

 

Tampa will serve as the company’s entry into Florida, with an even larger multi-concept Rreal Tacos development already planned for downtown St. Petersburg.

 

 

Rreal Tacos is encouraging muralists, painters, sign artists and other visual artists throughout Tampa Bay to apply for the $2,500 commission.

 

TO APPLY:
Artists should DM on Instagram or TikTok with their

The artwork will be completed ahead of the Tampa restaurant’s opening and become a permanent part of the new location.

 

 

Rreal Tacos is targeting a mid-October opening, with additional details and an official opening date to be announced soon.

 

Select members of the media will also have an opportunity to receive a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of the new restaurant before it opens to the public.

 

And when the local artist is selected, Rreal Tacos plans to document the creation of the piece — giving Tampa Bay the chance to watch one local artist literally leave their mark on the city’s newest restaurant.