Tapo Street BBQ Lands at Happy Face — and the Whole Crew Is Coming
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Tony Bones and the full Tapo Street BBQ crew are confirmed for the Happy Face Music Festival on Saturday, May 23 in Simi Valley. They were the most requested food vendor of the year. Now they are locked in.
Anyone who has tried to get some of the legendary BBQ over the last several months knows the deal. The lines are long and the food runs out. Tapo Street has built one of the most loyal followings in town. The ultra slow-smoked meats are unlike anything else in the area. People have driven from as far away as Texas to try the food.
The reach picked up sharply earlier this year. After a CLAIR News post featured the restaurant, Tapo Street went viral. Dozens of high-profile influencers and food critics made the trip to Simi Valley in the months that followed, and each visit confirmed what locals had been saying for a long time. Online engagement across social platforms has climbed into the tens of millions of views.
There is no all-day menu. There is no dinner rush. The food drops, the line moves, and when it is gone, it is gone. That has been the whole experience. Show up early. Hope you timed it right. If the brisket runs out before you reach the front, that is the story you tell your friends. People have planned their weekends around it.
A chance to enjoy Tapo Street BBQ at the Happy Face Music Festival changes the math.
Eric Kaufman, vendor rep for the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise, said the crew is taking no chances on running short. "Tony's team will have their equipment delivered days before the festival and plan to work through the night to make sure everyone is taken care of," Kaufman said.
VIP ticket holders get a head start. Early entry means they're allowed in 30 to 40 minutes before general admission, with first access to the food booths. "I'm encouraging people to support our local vendors, buy some great food and eat as much as they want," Kaufman said.
The crew is bringing the whole operation to the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park and Festival Grounds. The same BBQ that usually disappears within a few hours will be available for the length of the day. For a vendor that sees its customers treat every visit like a small miracle, that kind of access is new territory.
For festivalgoers, the practical news is simple. The BBQ that has been hardest to get in town will be there all day on May 23.
Tapo Street BBQ is confirmed. The Happy Face Music Festival hits Simi Valley on Saturday, May 23.
