Yolanda Redondo, co-owner of Al Chile food truck, prepares a barrio chilaquiles dish at 5341 S. 12th Ave. in Tucson, Ariz. on October 8, 2026.
“I’m so sorry, we’re sold out for today,” Yolanda Redondo said with a sympathetic cadence in her voice as customers walked up to the Al Chile food truck on South 12th Avenue on Thursday afternoon.“Oh really? Okay thanks,” customers replied in a dejected tone after hearing those dreaded words, taking the long, sad walk back to their car with no chilaquiles.
Those lucky enough to get to Al Chile in time instantly fall in love, ensuring they get to the truck right at opening just to get the chance to indulge in the savory breakfast bowls.
“Life changing.”
“One of the few spots were going viral is actually warranted.”
“The best chilaquiles in Tucson!”
Those are just a few of the glowing reviews Al Chile, at 5341 S. 12th Ave., gets on a daily basis.
The bowls of crunchy tortilla chips, silky red salsa, gooey cheese and flavorful birria have captured the hearts of Tucsonans, with many standing in long lines hoping to get a taste before they sell out for the day.
Back in 2022, Redondo and her husband, Sergio Rivera, opened up their very own food truck, specializing in all kinds of Mexican delicacies. Though they sold tacos and other typical Mexican dishes, the couple had always imagined running a breakfast truck.
The wheels in their head started turning: what if they modernized the way to get chilaquiles? Instead of having to go to a sit-down restaurant to get their fix, customers could customize their very own to-go bowls.
Yolanda Redondo, co-owner of Al Chile food truck, pours green salsa over cheese and tortilla chips as she prepares a birria chilaquiles dish at 5341 S. 12th Ave. in Tucson, Ariz. on October 8, 2026.
It was decided: Al Chile was going to be a one-stop shop for chilaquiles.
The couple shifted to solely chilaquiles back in February, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since.
“We kind of took a bet on it, we didn't know if it was going to take off or not,” Redondo said. “When we started back in February, a lot of people did start coming by and we had a steady rush. But this last month, we really hit the rush where it's like crazy.”
Once you’re at Al Chile, you get to follow their easy, three-step ordering process. The first step: you choose your salsa. Your choices include red, green, crema poblana or divorciados, aka both red AND green.
Step two may be the hardest choice: you have to choose your protein. Al pastor, asada, birria, chicken, egg and machaca are all on the menu. Yes, you can add as much protein as your heart desires!
Finally, you get to choose your toppings, which include red onion, cilantro and avocado.
After you craft your perfect bowl, Redondo and Rivera get to work making it, serving you a fresh and delicious chilaquiles masterpiece.
Once you chow down on your chilaquiles, you’ll think to yourself, “how do they achieve these amazing flavors?!” It’s all thanks to the ingredients they use.
The couple did their homework when it came to sourcing ingredients, making sure everything they are cooking with is the best of the best.
“Every step has a little story,” Redondo said. “For the tortilla chips, they're strictly corn and we looked for a specific thickness that can hold the salsas and the cheeses while staying crunchy. We also don’t buy pre-grated cheese. We grate the cheese ourselves so it melts and tastes better.”
Their salsas are all homemade, coming from family recipes that have been passed down. The same goes for their birria. The couple had spent years perfecting the savory dish.
“I think a lot of customers really do come for the birria,” Redondo said “When people try the birria, they nod their head and a big smile comes across their face. It’s great to see.”
That’s the same exact reaction I had when I took my first big bite.
I tried a small bowl, choosing both red and green salsa, birria, onion, cilantro and a side of refried beans.
As soon as I dug in, my eyes widened: where had this been all my life?! The birria was so flavorful, pairing perfectly with the tangy, spicy salsas that smother each ingredient in the bowl.
What really blew my mind was the tortilla chips. Not only were they delicious, but they stayed crunchy despite all the ingredients that are piled on top of them! They never got mushy or weird; they kept that nice, corny crunch.
Just like all the reviews online, I would also wake up early on a Sunday morning and stand in line just for a chance at starting my day with a savory chilaquiles bowl.
“I've had customers come and try it in the morning, and right before we close, they come back again,” Redondo said. “We’re just grateful, and we thank everybody that has come down and supported us.”
Right now, the couple is working on getting their second Al Chile truck up and running, hoping to have to parked somewhere in northeast Tucson.
It’s only a matter of time until Al Chile’s chilaquiles take over the city and I cannot wait for that day!
The birria chilaquiles is a popular dish at the Al Chile food truck, parked at 5341 S. 12th Ave. in Tucson, Ariz. on October 8, 2026.
Al Chile can be found at 5341 S. 12th Ave. on Tuesdays-Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, you can visit their Instagram page.
