5 Questions with Lahaina Tacos’ New Viral Influencer

Photo: Courtesy of Lahaina Tacos

“Guys,” a man in a cowboy hat and mustache begins his Instagram reel. He’s speaking into what looks like a torn-off piece of tortilla. “I am, like, literally and figuratively and exponentially ob-SESSED with this place that I found in Downtown Honolulu. The place is called Lahaina Tacos … and it is owned and operated by a Mexican family. Like, how freaking innovative is that.”

Meet Pedro Haro, Hawai‘i’s new viral Instagrammer. Haro’s shtick is that as owner of Lahaina Tacos, he can’t afford to hire an influencer to promote it, so he’s become his own influencer—in videos that spoof influencer conventions. Haro’s first attempt, in mid-September, got 127,000 likes. The one quoted above, his second, racked up 406,000 likes and 18,800 comments from viewers all over the world. It landed him local press and a feature article on NBC News’ today.com, the website for the most-watched morning news show in the country—whose staffers, Haro learned, were quoting his videos.

Photo: Courtesy of Lahaina Tacos

So who is Pedro Haro? In a nutshell, Haro bought Lahaina Tacos in May from his brother, Armando, who launched the business in Pioneer Plaza in January 2025. With sister Ana Lilia Haro, who cooked at Star Noodle and Merriman’s Kapalua, in the kitchen, Haro took over operations. His newfound social media fame has exploded Lahaina Tacos’ Instagram following from 1k to 42k and doubled sales at the lunchtime counter.

What most people don’t know about Haro:

• He’s the executive director of the American Lung Association in Hawai‘i. That’s been his day job since 2020.
• Before that, he worked to curb smoking, launch a suicide prevention app and help pass the Kūpuna Caregivers Act.
• He’s an actor and singer who’s appeared in locally filmed TV productions like Hawai‘i Five-0.
• Haro grew up on Maui. When the Lahaina fire in 2023 destroyed the homes his 25-member extended family were mostly renting, he raised nearly $50,000 on GoFundMe and got them to O‘ahu.
• The fire also took Armando’s dream food truck weeks before its launch. Armando opened Lahaina Tacos in Honolulu, but this past spring decided to close it and return to Mexico. “It hit me in the stomach,” Pedro Haro says. “This was his dream. I thought, I’ve done good things for a lot of people. What if I use all those skills and talents and put it into this? Maybe this is the origin story. I called my brother. He said, ‘I thought you would be the best person to take over.’”

SEE ALSO: Lahaina Tacos, Downtown’s New Taqueria, Opens Today in Pioneer Plaza

Here are 5 questions we asked Haro on Tuesday.

You’re a nonprofit leader, community health organizer, actor, singer, and today you’re in Washington, D.C. for work. What’s it like to be Pedro Haro, influencer?

It was supposed to be a one-video thing. I filmed it, and I held onto it because I thought this is too stupid and silly, even for me. I have a career. It was about doing a little balance between cute and funny but still allowing myself a little dignity if anybody were to find it from my professional world. But it took off so much, I thought I’ll do another one. And it was even more popular. So I was like, I guess this is part of the business plan now.

What do you really think of influencers?

What is super interesting about influencers is that they bypass the ecosystem that was meant to influence people. They have the ability to talk directly to an audience without any filters or middle people. Influencers sort of broke the mold of what we thought about advertising. They are individual people who have a lot of sway on their audiences. Before that it was Oprah, you wanted to be on Oprah’s list or in Oprah’s Book Club. Now, there’s a million Oprahs.

For me, it was a struggle. Because is this the right perception for an executive director? But I’m also a small business owner. I knew one doesn’t preclude the other.

Once it blew up, I really had to be OK with it. Even now, as I’m editing or I’m filming, I will go oh my God, what are you doing? My board is absolutely delighted, and some of them have asked me to do videos for their causes.

Favorite accounts to follow?

Any dog or cat. I love watching videos of dogs and cats being rescued. I will stop and like every single one and watch more than 30 seconds so the algorithm keeps pushing it to more people so they do better. I could do that all day long. It’s helpful for the soul, it really is.

Best DM, comment or follow?

I think my favorite comments are the ones from my nieces that are sort of amused by what’s happening, but they say that they don’t find me funny. I’m very sure that the first few videos, they were like oh my God, what is he doing? I can’t believe I’m related to this person.

Final question: Pico de gallo or guacamole?

Guacamole. Avocado’s great. Avocado goes with everything. You can make it sweet if you want to. It’s a food handed directly from God into our mouth.

Open Monday to Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 900 Fort St. Mall, Downtown, lahainatacos.com, @lahainatacos

Mari Taketa is editor of Frolic Hawai‘i and dining editor of HONOLULU Magazine.