Wahoo’s Fish Taco

Wahoo’s Fish Taco is a regional fast-casual restaurant brand built around fish tacos, bowls, and burritos that mix Mexican, Brazilian, and Asian influences. The chain is best known for its relaxed, surf-influenced atmosphere and a menu that can serve a broad range of guests from quick lunch traffic to casual evening dining. It operates primarily in the western United States with a strong base in Southern California, along with locations in Colorado, Texas, Nevada, Hawaii, and a limited international presence.

The company was founded in 1988 in Costa Mesa, California, by brothers Wing, Ed, and Mingo Lee. They grew up in a family that owned and operated Chinese restaurants and were closely connected to the local surf and skate community. The first Wahoo’s opened near the beach as a simple spot where surfers and locals could get grilled fish tacos and rice bowls at approachable price points in a come-as-you-are setting. Early growth was fueled less by formal advertising and more by word-of-mouth in the surf, skate, and snow scenes, supported by grassroots sponsorships and partnerships with action sports brands.

From that single Costa Mesa location, Wahoo’s spent the 1990s and 2000s building out across Orange County, then into greater Los Angeles and San Diego, before extending into additional states such as Colorado, Texas, Nevada, and Hawaii. By the early 2010s it had grown to roughly 60 units and shifted to a mix of company-operated and franchised locations. As of October 2024, the brand operates about 50 restaurants, based on its store locator and third-party listings, with a footprint that includes inline suites, endcaps, and select non-traditional placements in sports arenas, airports, and other venue-based settings. The business remains independently owned by the Lee family.

Over the last five years, Wahoo’s has focused on steady, selective growth rather than rapid national rollout. The company is actively marketing franchise and licensing opportunities, with an emphasis on infill development in Southern California and other existing markets, along with targeted out-of-state and international deals. New units continue to open in neighborhood and community centers, while the brand also pursues non-traditional locations such as airports, campuses, and entertainment venues. This approach has allowed Wahoo’s to preserve its identity as a West Coast lifestyle brand while testing formats that fit travel, event, and mixed-use environments.

For real estate partners, Wahoo’s represents an established, recognizable regional concept with more than three decades of operating history and a loyal following in core markets. Many locations serve beer and other alcoholic beverages, which supports evening and weekend traffic alongside the daytime business. The concept can adapt to a range of footprints in street retail, neighborhood and lifestyle centers, campus environments, and destination venues, giving landlords, brokers, and developers flexibility in how it is integrated into a merchandising plan. As of October 2024, its combination of selective franchising, lifestyle positioning, and proven performance in both traditional and non-traditional settings positions Wahoo’s as a stable yet growth-minded tenant for Western U.S. and select destination projects.