This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

the East Crossroads outpost of a St. Louis-based, multi-location Cali-Mex taco-and-margarita group founded by brothers Adam and Jason Tilford. The KC location opened circa 2018 as Mission Taco Joint and was rebranded to Session Taco in September 2024 following a trademark settlement with Gruma Corporation (Mission Foods). Classified Tier 3 — the ownership locus is St. Louis, not Kansas City.

Description

Session Taco is a modern Cali-Mex taco restaurant and cocktail bar in Kansas City’s East Crossroads Arts District, at 409 E. 18th St.1 The concept pairs chef-driven coastal-Mexican fare — tacos, burritos, nachos, and items such as blue crab taquitos and lobster tacos — with an extensive margarita and cocktail program and a laid-back, West-Coast / beach-town atmosphere featuring hand-painted murals.23

The brand draws its name and identity from skate, surf, and music “sessions” — co-owner Adam Tilford has described “Session” as evoking “skate sesh, surf sesh, jam sesh,” an approachable and fun experience.4 The KC location is one outpost of a regional group with multiple restaurants across St. Louis and the Kansas City metro.4

Ownership and history

Session Taco is owned by brothers Adam and Jason Tilford, who are based in St. Louis, Missouri.23 They launched the concept as Mission Taco Joint in 2013, with its original location in St. Louis drawing inspiration from San Francisco’s Mission District, and grew it into a multi-location group across St. Louis and Kansas City.2

The Kansas City Crossroads location opened around 2018 as Mission Taco Joint — contemporaneous customer reviews from mid-2018 reference it as a then-new KC arrival.5 on the precise KC opening date.

In 2023, Gruma Corporation — the parent company of Mission Foods tortilla products — sued the chain for trademark infringement over the “Mission” name. The parties reached a confidential settlement in February 2024, and the company announced its rebrand to Session Taco in September 2024, accompanied by menu changes.34

Local-ownership assessment: Session Taco is not a Kansas City-owned business. Despite its KC Crossroads presence, both the founders and the ownership/operational base are in St. Louis. It operates as a regional multi-location group, not an independent KC owner-operator.

See also

Sources

Footnotes

  1. Session Taco — official “East Crossroads Art District” location page. https://www.sessiontaco.com/locations/east-crossroads. Source asserts: address 409 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO 64108; phone 816-844-3707; East Crossroads Arts District. ↩ ↩2

  2. Feast Magazine — “How Session Taco is using a rebrand to return to its roots.” https://www.feastmagazine.com/restaurants/classics/session-taco-mission-taco-st-louis-jason-tilford-adam-tilford-calimex-cuisine/. Source asserts: founders Adam and Jason Tilford; founded 2013; St. Louis-based; Cali-Mex concept; multi-location group across St. Louis and Kansas City; rebrand from Mission Taco. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. KCUR (NPR Kansas City) — “Missouri-based Mission Taco rebrands as Session Taco after lawsuit from tortilla company.” 2024-09-10. https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2024-09-10/mission-taco-session-kansas-city-st-louis-trademark-lawsuit. Source asserts: St. Louis-based; Tilford ownership; Gruma/Mission Foods trademark suit (2023), confidential settlement Feb 2024, rebrand announced Sept 2024; locations across KC and St. Louis with two in KC area. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. KCTV5 — “Lawsuit means Kansas City’s Mission Taco is now Session Taco.” 2024-09-09. https://www.kctv5.com/2024/09/09/lawsuit-forces-popular-kansas-city-taco-joint-change-name/. Source asserts: rebrand details; “session” branding rationale. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. Tripadvisor — Session Taco - East Crossroads reviews (historical Mission Taco Joint reviews from mid-2018 referencing the KC location as newly arrived). https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g44535-d12965981-Reviews-Session_Taco_East_Crossroads-Kansas_City_Missouri.html. ↩

See also

Categories
  • Mexican
  • Crossroads