Alex Brambila is a long standing community member and business owner in Kings Beach. He came to Kings Beach in 1982 to help the original owners of Las Panchitas and eventually bought the restaurant in 2008. Alex grew up in a small rural town, Tamazulita, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. He says there are many similarities between where he grew up in Mexico and Kings Beach in terms of a small town vibe but that he was not prepared for one of the snowiest seasons on record when he arrived to KB in 1982. Alex married his wife, Reyna, in Mexico and she came to Kings Beach in 1993. They have two grown sons who were raised in KB, went away for school and now reside in the North Lake Community. He remembers his early days in Kings Beach, when the state park was a row of cabins and a bar where people would gather to play pool, drink, and enjoy the lake. While Alex has seen a lot of changes in his 43 years here, in many ways he feels as though very little has changed.

Alex loves calling Tahoe home! It is a truly beautiful place and after having the opportunity to travel to many places in the past 10 years, Tahoe always rings his bell and calls him home as a special place in his heart. Alex loves his restaurant and being a business owner in the Kings Beach community. He likes being able to walk around town and see familiar faces at his restaurant on a daily basis. Over the years many locals and tourists frequent Las Panchitas for their love of the food, company and the general atmosphere Alex and his team work to curate. The customers at Las Panchitas say they feel like they are at home when they come to the restaurant. Alex said, “The restaurant is not work for me, I enjoy it here.”

Alex is well known and loved in the KB community and has always felt welcome in this corner of Tahoe. When people need something they come and ask Alex for help which makes him feel good. He wants to be of service whenever he is able to do so. In his words, “I like to serve others, I don’t like to be served. I am a free spirit.” One of his mottos in life is that he believes in the power of living day to day and not focusing on what is going to happen tomorrow.

When asked what he loves most about living and owning a business in KB he replied, “I love the people, the lake, and the trees. You feel safe here and it is so quiet and a beautiful place to call home.” NTBA is honored to present Alex Brambila as the Grand Marshal of the 2025 Kings Beach Snowfest Parade!