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Riverside, California: Sanchez's Beer Bottle Chapel, Folk Art

Folk artist Martin Sanchez created Tio Tacos Dream Garden. He expanded out from his restaurant to populate the whole block and back court with junk art sculptures, towering garbage giants, and a bottle church.

Tio's Tacos and Centro de Frutas Naturales

Address:
3948 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA
Directions:
Tio's Tacos and Centro de Frutas Naturales. Much of the art is visible from the sidewalk.
Phone:
951-788-0230
RA Rates:
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Visitor Tips and News About Sanchez's Beer Bottle Chapel, Folk Art

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Sanchez's Folk Art.

Sanchez's Beer Bottle Chapel, Folk Art

Great sculpture garden, very cool to see how he transformed all these ready-made objects.

[Grace, 03/18/2016]

On the roof at Tio Tacos.

Tio Tacos Dream Garden

Visitors to Martin Sanchez's folk art environment can be overwhelmed by his tightly packed profusion of scrap sculptures and interwoven art. So don't forget to look up at the rooftops of the buildings on the property. There are dolls riding tricycles and stuffed dummies performing acrobatics.

Even the night security lighting system has been transformed into large, skulking (but observant) creatures...

[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 02/09/2013]

Tio's Tacos Chapel.

Tio's Tacos

Authentic Mexican restaurant with the most beautiful and interesting landscape and art. They have a certified chapel made out of beer bottles, a garden with fountains and water, statues and homemade art, each time you visit you will notice something new you never realized was even there.

[Brandi Bayus, 06/03/2010]

We just visited -- the zany sculpture displays, gardens and fountains cover property three or four times larger than the restaurant itself.

Folk art dream garden.

Tio Tacos Dream Garden

"I built my Dream" is how Martin Sanchez describes the environmental sculptures that he has created in and around his unique restaurant. Besides serving great food, Martin has created a feast for your eyes with all pf the sculptures, fountains. and topiary he has interwoven on his property. Martin claims to not have disposed of anything for 17 years, and instead used everything that comes his way. All you have to do is walk around the gardens to see exactly what he means.

This is one of those places that is a must see for anyone traveling near Riverside. A folk art lover's paradise!

[Phil Pasquini, 05/17/2009]

Beer bottle chapel by Martin Sanchez.

Taco Restaurant Beer Bottle Chapel, Folk Art

Martin Sanchez started building his vision 10 years ago on a city block in downtown Riverside. Water features, a chapel of beer bottles, gardens, mosaics, fountains of found objects and refuse, toys and ephemera. A true naive untrained folk artist, this place is on the scale of the Watts Towers.

Plus a great restaurant on site with fresh seafood and fruit smoothies. Named "Tio's Tacos", this name does nothing to convey the magnificence you'll find inside. This is a great stop on the way from LA to Palm Springs.

[Marlow Harris, 10/10/2007]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Mother of the California Citrus IndustryMother of the California Citrus Industry, Riverside, CA - < 1 mi.
President Taft's Chair, Nixon's VowsPresident Taft's Chair, Nixon's Vows, Riverside, CA - < 1 mi.
Southern California Medical MuseumSouthern California Medical Museum, Riverside, CA - 2 mi.
In the region:
Temperance Fountain, Ontario, CA - 17 mi.

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