If we had to distill the highs of living in Los Angeles into a single moment, it would be in that rush of endorphins that comes with taking your first big bite of a taco you’ve looked forward to all day.
Whether it’s the taco stand a block away that you walked to because that’s all you had the energy for after a hard day's work, that trek across the city to your favorite tried-and-true weekend classic, or simply when you roll the dice on a new spot you've caught wind of—tacos give us life here in Los Angeles. Our world-renowned taco life is the one constant blessing everyone can share in our fine city.
This year’s openings emboldened our claims of being the best taco city in the country, as ever more regional styles commanded the respect they deserve, obstacles for street vendors slowly get dismantled, and hard-working immigrants continue to hustle their way into Michelin star rankings, media fever, and Angeleno hearts.
As the first L.A. publication proudly dedicated to covering L.A.'s Taco Life since 2005—and as the stakes are only getting higher in journalism and our city’s cutthroat taco scene—for the first time, we are ranking our list of the city's best tacos. It's also a members-only article dedicated to those who keep our street-level, independent local journalism alive. And sure, you can be as mad as you want about it. Our newsroom had to slug it ourselves, and not a contributor left unscathed. But as the city's only James Beard Award-winning publication led by editors who were raised in Los Angeles and understand the taco life because we live it every day, we are prepared to defend our rankings in a dark alley if need be.
Our ranking criteria considered the quality of meats, tortillas, and salsas, regional representation or originality, consistency, and accessibility in that order. A certain X factor also went into play.
While tacos are one of the most democratic and working-class foods, they can also be ephemeral and sophisticated—dictated as much by what’s in season as how things were done in the hometown of one's mother, depending on the taco. We took everything into account. The taco is a many-faced god, after all. Catch us in the streets!
Here are the tacos that define Los Angeles ranked.
1. Taquería Frontera ~ Taco Al Pastor ~ Cypress Park
To be the best of the best in the most competitive taco city in the nation, you have to excel at all three facets of a taco, and Frontera’s al pastor taco does just that. It starts with heating yellow tortillas, imported from El Grano de Oro tortillería in Tijuana, to a slight oily crisp on the plancha, making for a tremendous textural introduction as you take your first bite. This is followed with a bold and robust marinade on their al pastor, which is slow-cooked and seared on the trompo before being sliced directly right onto that glimmering tortilla.
The taco is finished with a custom salsa and tamed with a splash of the restaurant's signature cilantro crema and a slice of lightly grilled pineapple. Frontera's taco al pastor wins with one bite, at a taqueria built to bring you close to others while standing at their counter and admiring the taco-making action. As if this perfect taco, representing the Tijuana-to-L.A. conduit, isn't already enough, Frontera's unbeatable message of “more tacos, less borders” exemplifies the best of L.A.’s cross-cultural, transnational relationship with tacos.
700 Cypress Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90065. Closest Metro Station: Metro J Line ~ "Lincoln/Cypress"
2. Holbox ~ Pulpo En Su Tinta ~ Historic South Central
It’s hard to choose the best taco at Holbox, the pioneering Mexican marisquería that was the first to win a Michelin Star award in the U.S. But there’s no other taco like their pulpo en su tinta, a braised, fried, and tender octopus is served with a squid ink reduction sofrito on a perfectly nixtamalized heirloom Mexican corn tortilla sourced from the molino right next door. It's a deep dive into seafood umami-land and the kind of taco you will go crazy for if you're the type of person with an insatiable craving for ceviches and aguachiles. If there is a line to order, this taco is worth the wait alone.
3655 S. Grand Ave. #C9 · In Mercado La Paloma.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro J Line (910/950) or Bus Line 460 - “37th Street/USC Station.”
3. Sonoratown ~ Taco de Tripa ~ Downtown
Whether visiting their downtown, Mid-City, or newest location in Long Beach location, Sonoratown consistently delivers when it comes to taco that stand out from 99% of its competition in this city. The taquería is beloved for its San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora-style flour tortillas and mesquite grilled asada. You also can’t go wrong ordering its chicken chimichangas. But the taco de tripa here is the underdog secret star of the menu. High-level taco eaters know this already, and word is spreading slowly, since it is increasingly known to sell out early on various days.
Owners Jenn Feltham and Teo Diaz abide by the same tripas technique maintained at the San Luis Rio Colorado taquería they are inspired by, where they purposely leave a bit of the tripa's "velvet" interior before boiling it for hours. They render the fat and crisp it up with no extra oil. The result is some of the naturally crispiest and tastiest tripitas in L.A.
208 E 8th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 76 “Spring / 7th."
4. Mariscos Jalisco ~ Taco Dorado de Camarón ~ Boyle Heights
Mariscos Jalisco's taco dorado de camarón is L.A.'s most iconic taco, certainly by daylight. It is everything you want in a taco: filling, balanced heat, refreshingly cool, custardy, and buttery, thanks to the thoughtful avocado slices. Speaking from the euphoria-to-bite ratio, no other taco is as purely delicious to inhale as these: crispy, creamy, refreshing, and spicy all the same time. This taco is timeless; this taco is perfect.
3040 E. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 62 - “Olympic/Dacotah” or Bus Line 605 - "Grande Vista/Olympic."
5. Mochomitos ~ Taco De Costilla ~ Whittier
A taco served with a smokey grilled brontosaurus bone? Yes, please. While Mochomitos in Whittier may not be serving up dino bones exactly, they are serving up one of Los Angeles's best taco de costilla (beef rib). The family-owned truck is known for its paper-thin handmade flour tortillas, and everything on its menu is done just right, from its rich aguas frescas to the tacos it serves. According to our editor, Javier Cabral, they are the first truck in Los Angeles to treat asada like an adjective by offering you such cut options as arrachera, costilla, and sirloin.
The beef rib tacos are a must when stopping by. It comes with perfectly grilled meat on a freshly handmade flour tortilla, topped with cilantro, onion, guacamole, and, on the side, a rib bone to nibble on. We recommend you top your tacos with their silky smooth beans, which they will add only upon request.
2252 Whittier Blvd. Whittier, CA 90602
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 251 “Soto/Whittier” or 18 Bus Line “Whittier/Boyle”
6. Birria El Jaliciense ~ Taco Dorado de Birria Tatemada ~ Boyle Heights
All they have at this stand, which is only open for one morning each week, is birria tatemada—the meat of a recently slaughtered goat that is steamed for four hours before it gets finished in the oven, achieving a type of birria-flavored bark not unlike the kind you’ll find on a good piece of barbecue. You can get it on a plate with a ladle of a tomato-rich consomé and a pile of corn tortillas or tucked inside tortillas in taco dorado form; we prefer the latter, but it's all juicy goaty greatness.
The consome broth is more tomato-heavy because Hector prepares it in the style of his hometown, Belén del Refugio, Jalisco. This region is closer to Aguascalientes, where they are known to use more tomatoes in the broth than Jalisco. These tacos dorados are the easiest way to eat the birria but pro-level birria eaters ask for his birria by the cut so they can gnaw their way through the bones. Our favorite cut? Costilla (ribs). Just get there early before he runs out.
Only open on Saturday mornings from 8 A.M. to sell out. 3442 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 62 - "Olympic/Spence", Bus Line 66 - "8th/Spence", or Bus Line 605 - "Lorena/Olympic."
7. Tacos La Carreta ~ Carne Asada Torito ~ Long Beach and Whittier
What makes Tacos La Carreta float among L.A.’s sea of amazing taqueros? It's chef José Manuel Morales Bernal’s hyper-focus on Sinaloan-style asada. For the longest time, it was the only carne that the taquero carried on the menu, and the heavenly smell of the grilled sirloin attracts those who know what’s up from all corners of L.A. County to his taco truck.
La Carreta’s torito is their stand-out offering, an absolutely beautiful charred Anaheim chile that is butterflied and layered with a scant amount of cheese and asada. The tiny details Morales puts into his tacos don’t get enough love. Like the fact that he uses a fatty piece of beef like a paintbrush to gently brush each and every tortilla, instead of dipping them in oil to toast them, boosting each tortilla with an added dose of beefy umami as they crisp up.
401 E. 69th St., Long Beach, CA 90003.
11402 Washington Blvd, Whittier, CA 90606.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 266 - “Lakewood/Flower” or Bus Line 265 - "Paramount/70th."
8. Evil Cooks ~ The Poseidon ~ El Sereno
After power-sliding into Northeast L.A.’s Mexican food arena with their death metal-inspired taquería, Evil Cooks unleashed a new taco more terrifying to behold than Cthulhu. The Poseidon assumes its menacing form on a spinning trompo; an avalanche of octopus tentacles tumbling down beneath a jet-black recado negro made from Yucatán chiles and spices, which make it look like it just came back from a weekend trip to Hell. Served with pickled onions, creamy avocado salsa, and pineapple in a handmade corn tortilla, it is, true to the claims of owners Alex and Elvia Garcia, “the best pulpo al pastor” around.
Evil Cooks is at Smorgasburg L.A., 777 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021, every Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Follow them on Instagram to see when their new brick-and-mortar restaurant will open.
9. Tacos Los Cholos ~ Panela ~ Huntington Park
Tacos Los Cholos won our coveted online taco tournament in 2023, knocking out two-time champion Villas Tacos with their grilled meat and high socks. The original Tacos Los Cholos is located in Anaheim, but recently, they opened a location of their family-run taquería in Huntington Park. Their award-winning tacos include premium prime-grade meat upgrades for nearly every taco they offer.
While the taste and texture of their grilled meats are the people’s favorite, their panela taco is a sleeper hit. It is deceivingly simple: a fresh corn tortilla sourced from La Rancherita in Santa Ana filled with a slice of grilled panela cheese, a firm Mexican cheese that holds its shape when grilled. Add any of their endless salsa options and you are set for a very satifsying bouncy, meat-free bite. The taco as a whole is an ode to the founding taqueros's mother, who prepared this dish for them growing up. In a taco universe of quesadillas, it's surprisingly really hard to find an unmelted cheese taco like this unforgettable one at Tacos Los Cholos.
7127 Pacific Blvd. Huntington Park, CA 90255.
Closest Metro lines and stops: Bus Lines 60 or 251 “Pacific/Florence.”
10. Tire Shop Taquería ~ Taco de Carne Asada ~ South Central
If there's one taquería that everyone reading this list was expecting to see here, it's this one. Tire Shop Taqueria is one of Los Angeles' most beloved taquerías and confidently holds its place among L.A.'s street taco royal court. Its fame didn't grow with social media or heavy marketing. It earned it through its delicious Tijuana-style tacos served on handmade tortillas with bright green creamy guacamole and smokey cuts of meat. In a city bulging with tacos, Tire Shop stands out for its consistency—year after year—and ability to recreate that mesquite and thicc guacamole euphoria that you can usually only find after driving two and a half hours to Tijuana. South Central L.A. is lucky to have Tire Shop Taquería and it's worth any detour on the way back home.
4077 Avalon Blvd, Los Angeles CA 9001. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 51 - “Avalon/41st.”
11. Taco Nazo ~ Fish Taco ~ Multiple Locations
Arguably the first fish and shrimp tacos to start it all in L.A., Taco Nazo still stands out all these decades later for serving ever-crispy batter and potato tacos forged in the style of Ensenada, Baja California—since 1978. Also on the menu are micheladas, shrimp ceviche, and extremely addicting fried chiles güeros dusted with chile powder. They are to their fish tacos what french fries are to a legendary burger. Unlike many other spots in Los Angeles that cut corners and use lower-priced tilapia for their fish, Taco Nazo still keeps it wild and uses cod in their fish tacos.
Several locations across L.A. County. Check out their website to see which one is closest to you.
12. Macheen ~ Pork Belly Breakfast Burrito ~ Boyle Heights
Some people will argue that a burrito is not a taco, but we beg to differ, which is why Macheen’s pork belly breakfast burrito is a meal that's more than worth the taco hype. Amongst the bustling sounds that make up Chavez Avenue in Boyle Heights, you will find this perfectly sized on-the-go breakfast inside Milpa Kitchen. The burrito consists of hashbrowns, crispy adobado-style pork belly, scrambled eggs, and gooey Swiss and cotija cheese; all complemented with delicious green salsa. The eggs are soft and practically melt with the cheese, and the pork belly is cooked to an artistic ideal, with each bite having the right amount of crunch. This burrito was dubbed one of Macheen’s most popular items by former L.A. TACO writer and current San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Cesar Hernandez.
2633 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Los Angeles, California 90033.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 70 - “Cesar E Chavez/Mott” or Bus Line 251 - "Soto/Cesar E Chavez."
13. Carnitas Los Gabrieles ~ Taco de Carnitas Con Jalapeño ~ Downtown
One taquera has risen above the colorful papier-mâché -lined streets of the Piñata District to become queen of the block: Guadalupe Baez, found in Downtown with her cauldrons of Michoacán-style carnitas. The tender and juicy pork meats, from cueritos to costillas, have earned her loyal patrons over a three-to-four year stretch. To top it off, these might be the only carnitas maker in Los Angeles who, after spending hours preparing and cooking pork, still puts in the extra effort to make handmade tortillas for her customers.
Carnitas Los Gabrieles isn’t just one of the best tacos in downtown L.A., it’s also one of the best carnitas in the whole county. It’s also worth noting that Baez isn’t just excelling with her carnitas, but she’s also succeeding with a typically male-dominated taco specialty.
1251 E. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90021.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus line 51 "Westlake / MacArthur Park Stn" - "San Pedro / 9th"
14. El Barrio Cantina ~ Taquitos de Papa ~ Long Beach
The best tacos come with a story, and these crispy tacos de papa have one we can all relate to: tacos de papa is a simple meal that most Mexican mothers prepare as comfort food, and this recipe comes from Chef Ulisses Pineda-Alfaro’s late mother’s own. What makes them so good isn’t just the heavenly crunchy bite and rich potato filling; it’s also the salsa de aguacate and queso fresco with onions and cilantro pre-mixed in. These are techniques passed down from home to your plate for you to enjoy.
1731 E. Fourth St. Long Beach, CA 90802.
15. Simón L.A. ~ Soft Shell Crab Taco ~ Silver Lake
Simon L.A. is unlike any other mariscos truck in L.A., stoked by the sure hand and innovative ideas of a progressive Oaxacan fine-dining chef who knows the coastal cuisine of Mexico’s Pacific Coast like the back of his ocean blue lonchera. In between owner Francisco Aguilar’s classic taco gobernador and unique shrimp, bacon, and bean taco, his softshell crab taco awaits. Delicately poised on a corn tortilla, the entire body of a formerly feisty crustacean now stands immobile, tempura-fried and paired with pickled red onion, pineapple pico, and a creamy yellow sauce made from chintextle, the Oaxacan paste of pasilla chiles, avocado leaves, and shrimp shells. Crunch into this lightly battered beauty, and you’ll be hooked.
3667 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 2 or 4 - “Sunset/Maltman.”
16. Ditroit ~ Suadero with Chicharrón Taco ~ Arts District
At this critically acclaimed taquería, located in the back alley of a fine dining restaurant in the Arts District, you’ll find one of the best and most perfectly engineered vehicles for suadero in Los Angeles. This taco features larger-than-usual handmade corn tortillas made from heirloom Mexican corn, nixtamalized in-house, plus slow-cooked beef brisket cooked in its own fat to achieve a tenderness similar to carnitas.
What makes this taco really stand out are the fine grains of garlicky, house-made chicharrón sprinkled on top for textural complexity. Razor thin radish rounds complete the scene, garnished on top of everything for a stunning presentation and added layer of depth. It’s no wonder why Chuy Cervantes’ taco from Ditroit was unanimously crowned champion at TACO MADNESS this year.
2117 Violet St. Los Angeles, CA 90021.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 60 - “Santa Fe/Violet”
17. Tacos Árabes de Puebla ~ Taco Árabe Especial ~ Boyle Heights
On the corner of Olympic and Esperanza in Boyle Heights, you will find a bright-colored food truck named Los Originales Tacos Árabes, where the Villegas family specializes in Puebla-style food like cemitas and their renowned taco árabe especial.
So what is a taco árabe? It is the Lebanese-influenced cousin of al pastor, according to the Poblano owners, and while both are cooked similarly, the taste is significantly different, filled with marinated pork sliced straight off the trompo. It is topped with stringy quesillo, fresh slices of avocado, and a drizzle of chipotle salsa. It all sits on a flour tortilla known as "pan árabes" because of its thicker, pita-like consistency. Pair one with a refreshing agua de maracuya and you'll have a superlative street food supper in Boyle Heights.
3600 E Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90023.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 260 - “Olympic/Mirasol” or Bus Line 66 - "8th/Mirasol."
18. Santa Cecilia Mexican Food ~ Taco de Tripa Bien Doradita ~ Boyle Heights
This unassuming storefront, serving L.A.’s best taco de tripas, is nestled in a hidden corner of Mariachi Plaza with hand-painted signage, mirroring the secrets of the taco de tripas themselves. Because when requested “extra crispy,” they are nothing short of a revelation.
The tripa is so addictively crispy, it borders on the levels found in a great chicharrón; it is also seasoned magnificently—with the haunting flavor of tripa as the backbone. We suspect dried chile and cumin.
Whatever Don Armando Salazar uses, the tripa taco will convert even the most squeamish into a tripas fiend. This study in the savory is underscored by a soft, warm, handmade white corn tortilla, a rarity in L.A. tripa taco game. It’s the kind of taco you think about even days after eating it.
1707 Mariachi Plaza de Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro E Line or Bus Line 106 - "Mariachi Plaza Station."
19. Los Dorados L.A. ~ Taco de Papa
The flautas from Los Dorados are mind-shatteringly crunchy. This taquería has two small loncheras that set up around Los Angeles and only sell flautas. The potato flauta is the purest way to experience Los Dorados, giving you the chance to really relish the crew's fantastic green and red salsas. The lamb barbacoa is a close second. Covered with a mole-esque salsa borracha, is just insanely good, gamey and meaty, but enlivened with a smokey salsa and tangy crema.
Follow Los Dorados on Instagram to see when they are going to pop up next.
20. Villa’s Tacos ~ Taco de Chorizo ~ Highland Park
Victor Villa’s larger-than-life persona is reflected in his award-winning, maximalist tacos. Served on hand-pressed, Dodger-blue tortillas sourced from Kernel of Truth Organics, the loaded tacos are served with two types of cheeses, crema, guacamole, salsa, and pickled onions. Made from scratch, the chorizo stands out among the protein options, its bright crimson pork ground into a delicate crumble. It is fatty, but never greasy, packed with slightly sweet and spiced notes. Visit to find out why Villa’s has won TACO MADNESS three times in four years and always has the longest lines at L.A. TACO's events.
Multiple locations: Check IG for addresses and hours.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 81 or 182 - “Figueroa/Avenue 54” or Metro A Line - "Highland Park Station." (Highland Park location)
21. Cacao Mexicatessen ~ Duck Carnitas ~ Eagle Rock
Enjoyed inside of one of the most underappreciated tacos in L.A., these duck carnitas come from Cacao Mexicatessen, a long-standing community gem in Eagle Rock. There’s nothing quacky about this taco, in which duck carnitas are served on Kernel of Truth’s organic blue corn tortillas. The taco is fluffy, light, and juicy. They're also astonishingly pillowy, no less considering its confit rendering method. Be ready to let out a slight “holy duck” with your first bite.
1576 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 180 - “Colorado/Townsend.”
22. Ponchos Tlayudas ~ Tlayuda Mixta ~ Historic South Central
Poncho’s Tlayudas is a proudly Indigenous pop-up that appears every Friday night outside of CIELO, a women-led organization fighting for Indigenous civil rights and social justice in Los Angeles. Zapotec chef, owner, and James Beard-nominee Alfonso Martinez makes the city’s consummate tlayudas, the Oaxacan dish of a large, paper-thin, handmade tortilla spread with asiento, cabbage, meats, and cheese, grilling each to-order over charcoal, as one expects in Oaxaca but finds so rarely in L.A.
While we have a soft spot for his lengths of organic moronga (blood sausage) that burst at the seams, the beefy tasajo and snappy chorizo are equally as stunning. Fortunately, you can have all three with a single Poncho’s tlayuda mixta, your order handed over from the grill hot and folded over in a massive triangle of masa and meat.
Poncho’s magnitude in the realm of L.A. food is so prominent that it warrants inclusion on this list, even if an enclosed span of masa stuffed with protein, cheese, and roughage doesn’t fit everyone’s exact specifications of a taco. Look at it closely.
4318 Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90037.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 105 - “Vernon / Main”
23. La Azteca Tortillería ~ Chile Relleno Burrito ~ East L.A.
We find three problems with a majority of the burritos in Los Angeles: the beans suck, they’re stuffed with rice, and the tortillas are treated as gummy covers no better than an average wrap. Thank East L.A. for La Azteca's solid burrito that defies all the would-be norms of today’s burrito scene. Head to this historic tortillería in East L.A and order the chile relleno burrito. Taste the world of difference that a fresh buttery tortilla with delicious beans can make as all the cheesy gooeyness spills out over your plate. It’s a one-of-a-kind burrito.
4538 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90022.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 70 - “Cesar E Chavez / Ford”
24. Los Sabrosos Al Horno ~ Suckling Pig Taco with Mustard Salsa
The folks at this roving taquería specialize in an extremely regional variation of suckling roasted pig, made in the style of Acaponeta, Nayarit. Hot, chopped, roasted young pork in steamed tortillas, dressed with two mustard salsas, and garnished with an ultra-glazed, shatteringly crispy pig skin quickly made this spot stand out. The tangy yellow salsa makes it even more of a wholly unique taco-eating experience that grows on you the more tacos you eat.
Follow them on Instagram to see when Los Sabrosos will pop up next.
25. Tacos Pasadita ~ Suadero ~ Van Nuys
This taco stand, set up in front of a CVS in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, embodies everything great about L.A.'s Taco Life. When you're speeding by Victory Boulevard, it looks like any other unassuming stand while actually making one of the best suadero tacos in Los Angeles.
Unlike every other street taquero in L.A. who fries their suadero in lard or vegetable oil, these taqueros, hailing from Oaxaca's Mixe region, gently simmer untrimmed brisket in water until it falls apart. When you order it, they grab it and cut off a piece—luscious fat included—and are extremely generous with each taco. Their salsas are also potent.
As if that wasn't enough, they make their own tortillas to order, using a steel roller. Where has this taquería been all our life? In the Valley, naturally, where L.A. TACO contributor Noe Adame is lucky enough to call himself a regular here.
13231 Victory Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91401.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 164 - “Victory / Fulton”
26. Barbacoa Ramirez ~ Costilla de Borrego ~ Arleta
There are plenty of barbacoas around Los Angeles, but many, if not most, fail to please or attract the masses. But if you were to give one lamb barbacoa a try, it should be Barbacoa Ramirez. From raising the goats, roasting them in an agave-lined pit, to serving them with handmade tortillas, Gonzalo Ramirez is genuinely devoted to mastering his craft. He pops up every weekend across from the Arleta DMV, serving the traditional flavors of his hometown of Atotonilco El Grande, Hidalgo, Mexico. For real barbacoa lovers, enjoy the pansita (stomach) and homemade moronga (blood sausage), as well. This is one of the Valley's true hidden gems.
14263 Hoyt St. Arleta CA, 91331
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 233 - “Van Nuys / Canterbury”
27. Tacos El Cachetón ~ Asada with Habanero Salsa ~ Compton
Tacos El Cachetón is a rare kind of L.A. taco truck that stgays open for lunch and also late into the night. You might drive by every day without realizing how tasty it is until the day you finally stop for a taste. Parked right off Rosecrans next to an off-brand gas station, you'll see a color-changing neon sign above the lunch truck with Indigenous Huichol art in the background.
Its meat is steamed and soft but never breaks through its steamed tortilla, the meat diced finely so it virtually disappears in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. The sleeper taco here is the asada, which is actually grilled with mesquite and then steamed until it falls apart—all the while remaining smokey. The habanero salsa is tasty, floral, and packs the power to cut right through all the rich meat.
4518 Rosecrans Ave. Compton, CA 90221.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 125 or 260 - “Rosecrans/Atlantic.”
28. Burritos Los De Juárez ~ Burrito de Carne en su Jugo ~ Anaheim
The first taquero to unleash a new regional style of burrito into Southern California’s expansive taco universe is worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize, in our opinion especially when the results are as delicious as they are at Los De Juárez Burritos in Anaheim.
A Juárez-style burrito is immediately recognizable by its thin, elongated, tube-like shape—it resembles a flauta but in burrito form. It is traditionally stuffed with a whisper of frijoles guisados (refried beans) and a reserved amount of stewed meat or vegetable-based guisado, so it’s never too messy. The flour tortillas are also a bit thicker than the paper-thin Sonoran style, which have been trending in Los Angeles in the last few years.
While every burrito filling at this strip mall gem is outstanding, it's the carne en su jugo option that wows us the most. It's not traditional since the guisado is normally served somewhere between a soup and a bowl of tacos. Here, it's more stewey, making for an incredible bite when rolled up in the shop's handmade flour tortillas made with butter and lard.
1101 W. Lincoln Ave. Anaheim CA 92805.
Closest transit lines and stop: OC Bus Lines 42 and 42A - "Lincoln/West" or OC Bus Lines 43 and 543 - "Harbor/Lincoln."
29. Asadero Chikali ~ Guisado de Chicharrón ~ East Los Angeles
This Mexicali-style food truck and stand launched on Atlantic Boulevard in East Los Angeles in 2018 before opening its second location in Inglewood. The food at Asadero Chikali straight-up tastes like home cooking.
Here, you will get a northern Mexico-style breakfast with guisado offerings like rich beef barbacoa, carne asada, and our favorite, their chicharrón en salsa roja. All the tacos are simple: a perfectly cooked flour tortilla, a smear of their creamy refried beans, and a spoonful of chicharrón en salsa roja.
While they come with salsa on the side, it is unnecessary, as the guisado itself packs all the right levels of punch. The beans and flour tortilla, combined with the tender strips of chicharrón, are instant nostalgic; the closest thing you will have to a traditional Mexicali breakfast.
321 S. Atlantic Blvd. East LA, CA 90022.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 260 - “Atlantic/Olympic”
30. El Cocinero Restaurant ~ Vegan Birria ~ Van Nuys
It all started with a vegan pop-up-turned-taco truck, formally named Vegatinos, which reached its apex when winning our "Vegan Taco Madness" tournament before disbanding to start El Cocinero.
If you want a vegan birria with consomé, this is the spot for you. Made from a jackfruit base that has been conquered by chiles and spices, this taco could please even the goat birria-aligned purists out there. Birria isn’t the only protein that chef Vargas has successfully substituted. You can find crunchy soy chicharrón and a juicy al pastor, amongst other choices. Van Nuys would be home to nothing less than L.A.’s elite vegan tacos.
6265 Sepulveda Blvd. Unit 12, Van Nuys, CA 91411.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 154, 164, 234 or 237 - “Sepulveda/Victory” or Metro G Line - "Sepulveda Station."
31. Tacos El Toro ~ Lengua en Trozos ~ East Los Angeles
Tacos El Toro stands on the corner of Bradshawe Avenue in East Los Angeles. Just follow the smell of steamed cuts of beef. Standing behind the vaporera, the Mexican cooking vessel used to keep the meat hot and tender, you'll find the Padilla family slanging tacos al vapor, offering cachete, steamed lip, cabeza, and our favorite, tacos de lengua en trozo (sliced).
While it offers a version where the lengua is finely chopped, we find that it tastes better by the slice. The taquero pulls a hot and steamy piece of lengua out of la vaporera before slicing it into a thick, meaty piece and placing it on top of the steamed tortillas. One glance and you might think the slab of tongue is too thick, but here at El Toro, there’s no such thing because the tongue is cooked so well, it is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Accompany it with their salsa verde and a dash of their spiciest salsa, and top everything with cilantro and onion. Trust us, you will be ordering another one in seconds.
600 Bradshawe Ave. East Los Angeles, CA 90022.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 40 - “Beverly/Bradshawe” or Bus Line 18- “Whittier/Leonard”
32. Antojitos Los Cuates ~ Dorados de Requesón ~ Compton
The food at Antojitos Los Cuates makes this Compton taqueria a bastion of straight-up home cooking. It's a small, peach-colored restaurant decorated with yellow lettering and iconic locations from Jalisco. Upon entering, you just know amazing antojitos are coming to pull your heartstrings from the feel of the dining room alone.
Its tacos de requesón come with four tacos dorados filled solely with requesón (Mexican ricotta cheese), one of the simplest tacos in L.A. at the only place we've found that makes them. This place hooks it up with repollo (cabbage), rábanos (radish), salsa de tomato, and salsa de botella, too, for additional texture and heat. The tortilla never gets soggy despite the fresh cheese. If you are craving nostalgia for home-cooking in the form of a taco, this is the place to check out.
1811 N. Long Beach Blvd. Compton, CA 90211.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 60 - "Long Beach/Pine" or Bus Line 125 - "Rosecrans/Long Beach."
33. Teddy’s Red Tacos ~ Birria de Res Vampiro ~ Echo Park
The vampiro at Teddy’s Red Tacos is made with two of Teddy’s signature chile de árbol-stained tortillas , which are seared on a plancha and topped with a thin layer of Monterey Jack cheese that spills onto the grill, making for a satisfying crispy border.
For his birria de res, Teddy Vasquez uses shoulder clod as the cut, which yields a strong beefy flavor. The meat is shredded into a texture of thin strings and incredibly tender, making it one of the best versions of birria de res in the city. Instead of radishes, vampiros come garnished with cucumber, which helps to balance out the intense flavor and spice from the birria and salsa.
Multiple locations, check IG for addresses and business hours.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Sunset/Beaudry” (Echo Park location)
34. Tigres Fuego ~ Turkey Carnitas ~ Redondo Beach
It may not seem like much, but this tiny Redondo Beach taqueria is low-key one of the best in all of Los Angeles. Not only do they purposely source tortillas from Mejorado (flour) and masa from La Princesita for their house-pressed corn tortillas, but they satisfy a deeper taco craving when you're seeking something just a bit more original and nicer than your average taco.
We've never seen anything quite like their "turkey carnitas" taco, but it makes all the sense in the world once you go in for that first big bite. The secret to making turkey as tender as it can be is delicious duck fat, and using lots of it. It drips from your taco as you pick it up to eat it, transforming the turkey into a surprise carnitas-adjacent protein. The salsas are also great. Their sweet potato taco and crispy fish (cod) taco also deserve a shout-out.
1223 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. Redondo Beach, CA 90277.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 232 - “Pacific Coast Highway/Avenue F.”
35. Mariscos Tocho ~ "Taco de Chichi"~ Lynwood
L.A.'s taco universe will always find a way to shock and delight you with a new regional taco variant. The latest taco to do achieve this is Tocho's weekend-only, Rocky Point-style taco stuffed with braised sting ray that the owner brings from Sonora. Sure, there are about 69 dumb jokes you can make on the name of this taco but don't let its witty name fool you.
The very juicy stingray guisado is served on a lightly fried tortilla with cheese and Tocho's lights-out delicious salsas. He has a secret white one that packs a lot of umami and a smoky, full-flavored salsa negra. Imagine a seafood version of picadoillo and you'll come close to its pleasures. This taco—and Tigre's aguachiles—are worth the drive from anywhere in L.A. to try, especially if you're crudo.
10530 Long Beach Blvd. Lynwood CA 90262
36. Komal Molino ~ Taco Sonia ~ South Central
Why did it take so long for L.A., the undisputed best taco city in the United States, to get its own craft molino (mill)? One that nixtamalizes nothing but ethically sourced, heirloom corn from Mexico? Even Bushwick, Brooklyn, got a great one of its own in 2022.
Komal's opening menu features eight antojitos, which are mostly masa-based—and all priced under $10 an item. The star is the “Taco Sonia,” an ode to the co-owner's mother and the filling, working-class tacos that he ate weekly growing up in Mexico City. It features a six-inch handmade tortilla with a seared slice of lean beef shoulder, crispy, crumbled pork longaniza made by hand, and a generous amount of fluffy mashed potato. It’s a simple oversized taco that satisfies even the biggest appetites with just one or two tacos.
Molino Komal ~ 3655 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, California 90007
37. Tacos Estilo Guadalajara ~ Cabeza ~ Lynwood
If there’s ever been a taco that’s particularly addictive, it’s the fluffy taco al vapor from Tacos Estilo Guadalajara. It is consistently one of L.A.’s most underrated and underappreciated tacos. The textural variety of the protein—made using all the meats from a cow’s head—is the only complex part of this simple dish, served on sand-dollar-like tortillas softened with steam and finished with habanero salsa. You should have no problem putting down at least a dozen of these.
10733 Long Beach Blvd. Lynwood, CA 90262.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 60 - “Long Beach/Martin Luther King Jr.”
13121 Lakewood Blvd. Downey, CA 90242.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro C Line - "Lakewood Boulevard Station" or Bus Lines 117, 265, or 266 - “Lakewood/Gardendale.”
724 W. Holt Blvd. Ontario, CA 91762.
Closest transit line and stop: Omnitrans Line 61 - "Holt/San Antonio."
38. Anajak Thai ~ Dry Aged Striped Bass Fish ~ Sherman Oaks
Anajak's dry-aged taco is one of the few recurring menu items featured at the 42-year-old Thai restaurant's weekly "Taco Tuesday" event. The striped bass is hung and aged for a little over a week, fried at a low temperature, then seared to develop smokiness. The taco is then topped with Boon sauce, a chile oil made by L.A. chef Max Boonthanakit, as well as a house mayo for a touch of Ensenada realness.
The bass's dry-aging adds a fruitful flavor that effortlessly combines with the sauce’s heat and the mayo's umami. The tortillas are sourced from La Princesita. In addition to the tacos, Anajak's Thai Taco Tuesday is also appealing because of the vibe and natural wine. It's a truly "only-in-L.A." phenomenon that we hope stays around for another 42 years, at least.
14704 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 155 or 240 - “Ventura/Cedros.”
39. Birriería Gonzalez ~ Birria de Res ~ Compton
You gotta give it up to one of the O.G. beef birrieros of L.A., who brings consistently well-balanced birria de res to the streets. They have grown to ten locations in L.A. and are one of the first L.A. locals to also open in Las Vegas. A good tortilla, robust broth, and sharp salsa roja make these ones of L.A.’s most sought-after birrias. Many have come and gone, but L.A. will always have Birrieria Gonzalez in its heart.
Multiple Locations.
40. Brothers Cousins ~ Suadero ~ Sawtelle
Not only has Brothers Cousins become a staple on the Westside as a formidable street stand, but they’ve maintained their dominance with their taquero-esque banter, a delicious trompo, and a chorizera full of meats, nopales, and papas. Of their stewing meats, their suadero stands out as one of the best in the city. The added sear on the plancha after it's chopped gives it the nice seared bits to balance out this juicyl meat's tender texture. It’s one of the best bites on the Westside, if not all of L.A. ~ Memo Torres
11341 National Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro E Line or Bus Lines 233 or 761 - “Expo/Sepulveda Station.”
41. Coni’Seafood ~ Smoked Marlin Tacos ~ Inglewood/Culver City
If deeply unkosher thoughts of cheese and Sinaloan seafood are caught dancing together in your head, point your wheels toward Coni'Seafood, where a minced pate of smoked marlin mingles with melted cheese, tomato, onion, and a crescent wedge of avocado inside of a lightly toasted tortilla. This simple, comforting trio of fish tacos is made transcendent by the restaurant's sharp, tangy salsa habanera. Be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this is the spot to recommend for anyone who wants to squeeze in some memorable, last-minute tacos on their way to LAX as well or as soon as they land.
3544 West Imperial Hwy. Inglewood, CA 90303.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 120 - “Imperial Highway/Yukon.”
4532 S. Centinela Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90066.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 108 - “Short/Centinela.”
42. Tacos La Rueda ~ Tripa de Leche ~ Bellflower
A mural of an Indigenous Yaqui man looks down, mid-stride in La Danza del Venado in the Sonoran desert coast, as you take your first big bite of an Obregón-style taco de asada at year-old Tacos La Rueda, located in a Bellflower strip mall.
The crispy-grilled tripas are a contender for the best in this part of town. They are also of the rare "tripa de leche" variety where a cow's milk ducts are cooked until tender and then fried to a crisp. If you're lucky, you'll get a little cottage cheese-like action in a delicious 2-for-1 bite. La Rueda’s thin flour tortillas are made just for them by a local tortillería, specifically with lard, because that’s how it’s supposed to be if you’re eating tacos in Sonora. The salsa recipes were coaxed out of the owners' mom, who flew into L.A. just to be able to recreate them and teach this place how to scale up.
16900 Lakewood Blvd. Bellflower, CA 90706
43. Tacos La Guera ~ Taco al Pastor ~ Multiple Locations
Tacos La Guera is like the AC/DC of tacos; accessible, consistent, universal, and electric. With numerous locations throughout the city, you’re likely to find one within driving range. Watch as your taquero goes Edward Scissorhands on a big red beehive of adobo-marinated pork, skinning off big meaty shards of finely grained pork and snipping off a big chunk of pineapple, which will then do a Biles straight into your double tortilla.
Many of the meats at these Tijuana-style street stands are worthy, but the al pastor, with its caramelized edges, citrus-forward acidity, and the tropical sweetness that backs up its tender pork, is the meat candy you require and without doubt the best taco here.
Multiple locations.
44. El Ruso ~ Taco de Chile Colorado ~ Echo Park
If you crave a robust shot of northern Mexican flavor, hit up El Ruso on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. Tijuana-born, Culiacán-descended chef Walter Soto has made a name for his meaty guisados and smoky asada, which come packed into tacos and burritos on Sonoran flour tortillas, including the giant 18" tortillas sobaqueras handmade here on occasion. Soto's chile colorado bursts with slowly stewed pork, braised in dried red chiles. It is simple, more than filling, and completely satisfying, bearing an elaborate realm of spices and a subtle natural sweetness from the chiles in every bite.
1647 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line. 4 - “Sunset/Echo Park.”
45. Tacos El Vampiro ~ Vampiro con Cabeza ~ Sylmar
This family-owned Slymar taco shop earns instant points in our book for its subtle, vampire-taqueria design touches like the vintage Dracula poster and adorable bat mascot on the walls.
Not that it needs any extra credit. Its true strength already stems from the clever engineering of its vampiros. These are thinner, lighter versions of the convex, meat-loaded, grilled tostadas, shattering in two or three bites with a corn-concentrated blast into a base of stretchy mozzarella and succulent chorizo, cabeza, lengua, tripas, pastor, asada, and chicken that each pack a ton of personality.
We like the super-soft lengua and beefy, buttery cabeza best, especially when loaded with their fiery, oregano-steeped pickled onions and colorful housemade salsas. If you like your masa audibly crispy, El Vampiro is a must-stop Valley shop.
12737 Glenoaks Blvd. Ste. 27 Sylmar, CA 91342
46. Birria Pa La Cruda ~ Birria ~ El Sereno
A birriero that shops for his ingredients at L.A.'s farmers markets? That's proudly Birria Pa La Cruda. He's a birria romantic who backs up his passion for birria de res with a deeply flavored consomé made from charred vegetables. When ordering a taco de birria, ask for your tacos to be extra dorados, as former L.A. TACO scribe Cesar Hernandez recommends. Birria Pa La Cruda's don recently started another pop-up, Teo, where you can find his farm-to-tortilla approach there on Monday and Tuesday nights in Highland Park.
Check Birria Pa La Cruda’s IG for hours.
47. Gracias Señor Taquería ~ Hongos ~ Pacific Palisades
DREAMer Rudy Barrientos' Pacific Palisades taco truck has defied the odds, parking a tried-and-true taqueria in a wealthy, primarily-White suburb and quickly gaining a dedicated following of locals and Westsiders for his hand-pressed tortillas, rich sazon, and marinades and salsas made from scratch each day. There's no going wrong with the meats, be it the high-quality asada or the Tecate-battered tilapia. Still, the taco de hongos is our favorite, with its juicy shroom innards lending an earthy, sweet funk to the taste of the clean, corny, and rustic tortillas.
15120 W. Sunset Blvd. Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 602 - “Sunset/Carey.”
48. Los 5 Puntos ~ Taco Surtido ~ Boyle Heights
The Boyle Heights staple on East Chavez Avenue specializes in tender and sticky carnitas. As you walk into Los 5 Puntos, you'll notice the succulent, slow-cooked meats being chopped and an endless supply of fresh, thick, hand-formed corn tortillas being heated on an enormous flattop. While you can’t go wrong ordering any of the pork on offer, we highly suggest their tacos de carnitas surtido, which comes with a mix of carnitas, cueritos, and buche. You can order it by the pound or as an order of tacos. The best way to enjoy these carnitas tacos is by having them topped with their hottest salsa, guacamole, and nopales. The corn tortillas are handmade and extra thick, as is the norm in old-school East L.A. and Boyle Heights-style. Ask for a chile en vinagre, bite the tip, and squeeze the jalapeño juice on your taco, and you are set.
3300 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90063.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 70 - “Cesar E. Chavez/Indiana” or Bus Line 106- “1st/Lorena”
49. Razo’s Tacos ~ Lobster Taco ~ North Hollywood
Razo Bakhtamian does fish and lobster tacos differently. The Armenian-born, Russian-raised former fine-dining chef has been in L.A. for less than a year but has already staked a serious claim to some of the city’s best fish and lobster tacos. He hand-batters, sears, and fries each lobe of lobster to order, using sunflower oil, then snipping each piece in half to allow its pearly white meat to peep through a gaping hole in its golden hull.
Lobster, so frequently misused, tough, and lost in luxe sides of mac-and-cheese and over-the-top tacos, may have finally met its taco-apex here. These are snappy, juicy tacos where the flavor of lobster pops beneath waves of butter and garlic, among the very best Baja-style seafood tacos we’ve had in town.
11513 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601.
50. Tacos Don Cuco ~ Vampiro with Chorizo ~ East Los Angeles
Tacos Don Cuco and their mini Tijuana-style empire have stayed loyal to the very same craft chorizo maker they’ve used since starting in East L.A. six years ago. Each link is handmade, and they pride themselves on keeping their chorizo maker local and 100% ground pork-based, not industrial. Their customers know this, too, since they sell just as many chorizo tacos as they asada and adobada. The chorizo is charred on their mesquite grill until crispy, chopped, dolloped with thick guacamole and salsa de molcajete, and rolled tightly in Don Cuco’s handmade corn tortillas sourced from Acapulco Tortillería in East Los Angeles. It’s one of the best taco bites in the extremely competitive East Los Angeles tacospace.
Multiple locations. Check IG for addresses and business hours.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 18 - “Whittier/Ferris” or Bus Line 258 - "Arizona/Whittier." (East L.A. location)
51. Loqui ~ Achiote Chicken Taco ~ Multiple Locations
When do you come to a taqueria and order... chicken?! When you're at Loqui, of course. The San Francisco-bred chain serves one of our favorite chicken tacos in town, featuring a surplus of tender, smoky, red-stained thigh meat that’s been marinaded in citrus and achiote, and served with a habanero salsa, cheese, and pickled red onions.
You can get it in corn or the restaurant’s signature buttery flour tortillas. Just make sure to add a liberal scoop of guacamole and prepare to use these words with friends a lot in the future: “No, really, try the chicken at Loqui. You’ll just have to trust me on this.”
8830 Washington Blvd. Suite 104, Culver City, CA 90232.
803 Traction Ave. #150, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
12751 Millennium Dr. # 145, Playa Vista, CA 90094.
52. Balam Mexican Kitchen ~ Tropical T Taco ~ Lynwood
It's okay to be taco-curious. So if your eye catches the coconut shrimp on a "jicama tortilla" on the menu at Balam, go for it. Is it officially a taco if it has no flour or corn tortilla? Maybe not. But it's still one of the most memorable taco-ish bites in a city full of easily identifiable tacos. It's refreshing, tart, crispy, and definitely carries the feeling of paradise that its ingredients—mango, forever mango—suggest.
11700 Long Beach Blvd. Lynwood, CA 90262.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro C Line or Bus Line 251 - "Long Beach Boulevard Station" or Bus Line 60 - “Long Beach/Josephine.”
53. Tacos y Birria La Única ~ Quesavirria de Chivo ~ Boyle Heights/Mid-City
La Única is one of the first and most famous birria trucks in the birria game and a frequent caterer to celebrities like Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. One of their competitive advantages is that they sell both birria de chivo and birra de res on handmade corn tortillas, which are equally as tasty.
The quesatacos are the main attraction, crisp tortillas filled with melted jack cheese and beef or goat biria. Their adobo leans heavily on tomatoes and the taste of cloves, the way many devotees feel that birria should taste like.
2840 E Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023.
5871 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019.
54. Guerrilla Tacos ~ Sweet Potato Taco ~ Arts District
Guerrilla Tacos marked a major shift for tacos in L.A. and no taco is more emblematic of that than the sweet potato taco. It consists of a few coins of yam, slightly crisped-up with clarified butter, leeks, and herbs, then topped with creamy feta cheese, corn nuts, and a spicy chile de árbol-based almond salsa that veers into Spanish romesco territory. This taco will go down in the annals of history as a taco game-changer and for that, remains an L.A. classic.
2000 E. 7th St. Los Angeles, CA 90021.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 60 or 62 - “7th/Imperial (westbound)” or "7th/Santa Fe (eastbound)."
55. Angels Tijuana Tacos ~ Taco al Pastor ~ Multiple locations
If you don’t currently have an Angel’s within spitting distance of your place, just wait. This workhorse of a Tijuana taqueria has stands spread widely throughout the city, from Chatsworth to West Covina, the Inland Empire, and even O.C. This means there are seldom the hour-long lines of the past to get its tender, thick handmade corn tortillas filled with charcoal-grilled asada and massive, loaded spuds.
We tend to skip the beef entirely for Angel’s tacos stuffed with al pastor, plane-shaved from a squat trompo of salty pork packed with crispy-edged angles, soon to marry with a sizable plop of guacamole, onions, cilantro, a nub of pineapple, and your pick of a salsa roja and/or verde to hold you over until your next visit to El Gordo.
Multiple locations.
56. Mariscos Corona ~ Tacos Governador ~ Van Nuys
While the hype mostly surrounds Mariscos Corona's unique take on mariscos, their tacos are also worthy of a trip on their own. A trio of tacos de gobernador ooze with sauteed shrimp and cheese, folded inside tortillas that are so seasoned you could mistake them for quesabirria tacos.
The fried fish taco features a flaky sea bass served with pickled onions and salsa, while an off-menu pulpo a la diabla taco finds a zesty hot marinade on perfectly grilled octopus tentacles. The usual proteins, like asada, al pastor, and carnitas, get the same dank treatment.
14901 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91405.
57. A Tí Los Angeles ~ Fish Tacos ~ Echo Park
Who is the next tortilla trailblazer in Los Angeles with no fear about getting crazy with their tacos? Someone who is not afraid of getting technical with the classics and carrying the texolotl along the nixtamal-paved road started by Southern California’s masa stalwarts like Wes Avila of Guerrilla Tacos and Carlos Salgado of Taco Maria?
We say A Tí's Andrew Ponce has a fair shot. With his striped bass fish tacos, in particular. We've had a couple of iterations, including one with a koji-enriched guacamole. Currently, he is serving them with a habanero-and-Kewpie mayonnaise at his freshly opened bar in Echo Park.
The one constant with any of his tacos is dedication and a love for Kernel of Truth Organic's American-grown corn masa, which is nixtamalized in Boyle Heights.
1498 W. Sunset Blvd. #2 Los Angeles, CA 90026.
58. Taquería Juquilita ~ Taco Al Pastor ~ Hollywood
The unassuming taco stand outside of Hollywood Forever cemetery was first covered on our news trompo by activist Odilia Romero, whose first report for L.A. TACO traces how Oaxaca’s Indigenous Mixe culture has opened some of the city’s best al pastor taquerías, including Leo’s Tacos and Tacos Tamix (both L.A. TACO hall of famers).
However, Taquería Juquilita is on another level of sazón completely. The layers are compressed as tightly as a chocolate babka, the tinge of the crimson adobo appears to have seeped deeply into the thinly-carved pork, showing that the pork had enough time to marinate in the adobo before being stacked and impaled on the trompo. Juquilita's trompero is also one of the most skilled in the city, always slicing paper-thinnest pork directly onto your tortilla.
5944 Santa Monica Blvd. 90038.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 4 - "Santa Monica/Bronson."
59. My Two Cents ~ Ox Tail ~ Mid-City
The oxtail taco at My Two Cents is braised for nine hours until the meat falls off the bone in flavorful waves of rosemary, fresh garlic, a soul food rub, and orange juice. The result is a barbacoa-like guisado with a gentle, meaty texture. It gets topped with a whiskey reduction, red onion, roasted tomato, and shredded raw kale for crunch. For James Beard nominated chef Alisa Reynolds, the oxtail taco unites her different upbringings, merging soul food and Latin recipes. It’s a taco that tastes truly representative of L.A.’s flavors, proving that in this city, tacos can bring us all together.
5583 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019
60. Saby’s ~ Chicken Tinga Machete ~ Mar Vista
We could eat the supple quesadillas with flor de calabaza at Alejandra’s Quesadilla Cart in Echo Park every day. Unfortunately, due to its limited days and hours, that isn’t an option.
Mar Vista’s Saby’s, which recently came under the new ownership of mother-and-son Graciela and Javier Diaz, has come to the rescue, serving mammoth machetes on tortillas made with blue corn that the family nixtamalizes themselves. Landing on your table with all the weight that the biggest tacos in town should have, the craggy, crusty masa splits impressively into a morass of smokey chicken tinga, melding the masa's nutty flavor with a creamy cheese, tiny fried potatoes, and tangled briar of lettuce. As big as our forearms, it’s impressive long before you slick it down with Saby’s fresh salsa verde y roja.
12900 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066.
61. Tacos y Que ~ Bulgogi Taco ~ Whittier
There are more notorious Korean tacos in the city, but none with the excess of flavor you'll find at fast-casual Whittier taqueria Tacos y Que. The flavors of scorched sugar resound from this testament to caramelization, where a world of sweet, spicy, deep, dark, and rich flavors ring with every bite through your snappy, pliant Sonoran-style flour tortilla, tender cuts of beef, and squiggly purple cabbage coleslaw. It’s a rabbit hole of echoing umami worth chasing your most curious cravings into, without looking back.
12824 Hadley St. Ste. 103 Whittier, CA 90601.
62. Mideast Tacos ~ Falafel Taco ~ Silver Lake
Falafel balls—airy, light, and crisp—are spiced liberally, making for one of the city's more standout falafels. Served as a taco with sumac and a yellow, arbol chile-and-chipotle-stained toum (a garlicky Armenian aioli, this colorful version inspired by Wes Avila's own salsa de árbol), this is Mideast Taco's signature and a great introduction to this fusion concept from partner and chef Armen Martirosyan, a scion of the family behind Glendale's cherished Mini Kabob.
3536 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Sunset/Maltman”
63. Tacos Lionydas ~ Taco Al Pastor ~ Long Beach
The Mixe-style adobo found on many of L.A.'s pastor trompos usually has a higher amount of vinegar and dried chiles, reflecting Oaxaca’s similar allegiance to these flavors in their famed chorizo. The Mixe-powered al pastor taquería playbook usually also includes supplementary options of excellent, fatty cabeza (steamed beef head), and decent mesquite-grilled asada. All these taco standards are honored at Tacos Lionel.
E. Atherton St. and Clark Ave. Long Beach, CA 90815.
64. Burritos La Palma ~ Burrito with Birria ~ Multiple Locations
We can’t talk about the beef birria or flour tortillas infiltrating Los Angeles these days without mentioning the O.G.s: Burritos La Palma. You can find them in El Monte, Boyle Heights, Highland Park, and Santa Ana, serving an array of burritos that are snack-sized, but filling.
Each burrito is served with a spicy salsa de tomato and a raw chile serrano, just like it would be served at your grandmother or mom's house. It’s one of those burritos where one bite insights a deep feeling of nostalgia. Also, no matter what time of day you are stopping by, their birria will never, ever be dry.
Multiple locations
65. Sky’s Tacos ~ Crawfish Taco ~ Mid-City
Each taco is wildly different at Sky’s longstanding stronghold of healthy-leaning, soul food-inflected tacos and burritos. The substantially-sized, amply-priced crawfish taco is one we’ve been returning to for 20 years. It’s a seafood-forward, Cajun-inspired taco heaped with cumin-and-paprika-spiced mudbugs and shredded cheddar cheese on a grilled, slightly firm corn tortilla, sprinkled in diced tomatoes and cilantro, and served with a small cup of sweet, red, tomato-based liquid that tastes like salsa roja if it was made by Old Bay. It’s a little like étouffée in a tortilla and so much easier to eat by hand.
5303 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019.
66. Arturo’s Puffy Taco ~ Carne Guisado ~ Whittier
Arturo's was the first to unlock this new taco over four decades ago in Whittier, serving generations of Angelenos with the minor miracle of puffy tacos ever since.
Credited to San Antonio, the style involves masa that is deep-fried into v-shaped tortilla-balloons with airy, puri-thin skins. These get filled quickly and efficiently with iceberg lettuce, fluorescent orange cheese, your choice of carne molido, carnitas, guisado de res, chicken, or picadillo, and chunky salsa roja or a spicier, creamier salsa verde. Hot and messy, sweet dreams are made of these.
15693 Leffingwell Rd. Whittier, CA 90604.
Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 120 - “Santa Gertrudes/Leffingwell.”
67. Ruta 15 ~ Discada de Mariscos ~ Long Beach
L.A.’s mariscos game is up there with those of the biggest cities in Mexico. We have it all. Now we even have a seafood version of northern Mexico's famous discada tradition, via the newly opened Ruta 15 in Long Beach.
This is a wildly creative and never-before-seen pescatarian take on the meat-intensive discada usually simmering with deli meats, only made here with smoked tuna, shrimp, and octopus instead of ham, weenies, and chorizo. The morass is topped with a bit of cheese and served with rolled-up yellow corn tortillas just begging you to fork up the biggest cheese pull into your own DIY taco. The salsa they serve with it also incredible.
If you drink, take advantage of their Negra Modelo on draft served in a frosted mug, which is hard to find on tap and tastes even smoother than the canned or bottled versions. It's a lil' slice of paradise in Playa Larga for sure.
1436 E. 7th St. Long Beach, CA 90813.
68. Blue Hole Restaurant ~ Belizean Orange Walk Tacos ~ Gardena
Orange Walk Tacos are widely coveted in Belize, where they're traditionally consumed as a comforting breakfast treat aside a cup of morning coffee. In Gardena, Blue Hole’s are notably juicy, rolled tacos in handmade corn tortillas, bearing super tender chicken rubbed and marinated in a ground recado, before being shredded and slowly stewed in its own juices. These tacos are imbued with the kind of love that only comes from homecooked, instantly apparent, even if you've never spent a minute in Belize.
14008 Crenshaw Blvd. Gardena, CA 90249.
Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 209 or 210 - “Crenshaw/139th” or Bus Line 125 - "Rosecrans/Crenshaw."
69. Kogi ~ O.G. Taco with Tofu ~ Multiple Locations
Ten out of 10 cardiologists agree that you can’t eat carnitas, suadero, and chorizo for every meal. When faced with this hard truth, we tend to reach for the tofu taco at Kogi. While the Korean short rib and spicy pork tacos still draw crowds, those who have been eating at Roy Choi’s genre-shifting taco truck for a long time concur that the tofu tacos have some bomb-ass flavor, if not the greatest tortillas in the world.
Still, soft, custardy cubes of tofu are soaked in a bath of garlic, citrus, and chiles, then crisped on the grill before being slotted into their corn-based slipcovers and drizzled with tangy salsa verde and a texturally clever combination of crunchy cabbage and soft lettuce slicked with sesame dressing. Never has a taco that tasted so good been conceivably so good for you.
Track the schedule of Kogi’s four taco trucks online, as locations vary.
