Every Tuesday, students line up by the dozens, chattering, laughing and preparing their order for the evening.

“It’s close to campus, everybody loves it,” said architecture junior Tyler Craven, alongside his roommate and friend.

Taqueria San Miguel is a staple in the Cal Poly community, serving as a local hotspot for Taco Tuesday.

By 6 p.m., the line of students begins to form and soon after, the line sprawls across the entire storefront and two buildings over.

“They’re always happy and helpful and they never complain, so they’re good people,” said employee and Cuesta College student Anayeli Aguilar.

Aguilar prepares for the busy evening, where they frequently receive hundreds of orders in a single night.

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s kind of stressful to have so many people sometimes,” Aguilar said. “But since you start taking orders, you start liking the conversations with students, even if they’re really quick.”

Those smiles and brief exchanges shape the atmosphere at Taqueria San Miguel, where a small kitchen of workers creates a space where student community flourishes.

“Taco Tuesday’s a vibe,” Craven said.

Craven frequently visits on Tuesday evenings and often brings along friends and new groups of people.

“You go to like a more high production taco place and it feels like corporate,” Craven said. “This looks like these are just local people in this place sitting outside.”

The local, authentic and relaxed setting keeps students coming back every week, and it would not be possible without the business’s welcoming attitude.

“We try to be a good place for customers, or mostly for students because we know they have classes, so we try to serve food really fast for them to be able to be at time with the school or work or anything like that,” Aguilar said.

The restaurant started in a Mexican grocery store in San Miguel but has become a Cal Poly favorite. The owners are broadening their facilities into adjacent properties to allow more space for customers and storage, according to Aguilar.

The pocket of community continues to provide space for new connections and old friendships to thrive.

“I think it’s the local vibe, but it feels like a home away from home,” Craven said, smiling with his roommate and friend.