This Weekend: Persian Mole, Belizean Lamb Chops, and ‘Black Goodess Salad’ on Slauson
Plus, Halal wagyu smash burgers and where to find free turkeys for families in need, and more in this weekend's roundup.
Here’s The First Look at Punk Rock Bowling’s 2025 Lineup, With Cock Sparrer, Social Distortion, Peter Hook, and More
"This is Punk Rock Bowling’s 25th anniversary, so it’s extra special," Shawn Stern, Presidente of the Punk Rock Bowling Festival, tells L.A. TACO.
L.A.’s Latest Great Sonoran Taco (and Hot Dog) Contender is a Taco Stand in Boyle Heights
The menu includes crispy lorenzas, papas locas loaded with asada, and bacon-wrapped "momias." This taquero keeps his homemade flour tortilla purveyor a secret, too.
In Absurd Twist, City of L.A. Serves Itself a ‘Notice of Violation’ After Installing Anti-Homeless Fence On Sidewalk
The city now finds itself in an embarrassing situation where one city department is using taxpayer dollars to erect a fence that limits people’s access to public space, while another city department uses up even more city resources to have that same fence taken down.
The 23 Best Tamales In Los Angeles
Banana leaf ones, savory pudding-like ones, sweet ones...Los Angeles really is the best city in the U.S. for tamal season. Here are our best ones from all corners of the County.
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L.A. TACO’s 2024 Holiday Gift Guide
From a lowrider rug to "bong candles" to a handmade goth Huichol-inspired bead necklace to a cazo for carnitas to decolonized coffee, here is our gift guide that focuses on local small businesses and unique things around. L.A.
L.A.’s First ‘Paw-nadería’ For Dogs Just Opened Its Doors In Downey, With Pet-Friendly Pan Dulce
After a year of doing pop-ups, Adriana Montoya has opened L.A.'s panadería in southeast Los Angeles, including a menu of all the pan dulce classics, doggie guayaberas, and even 'Paw-cifico' cold ones to crack open with your loyal canine familia.
Foos Gone Wild’s Insane, First Ever Art Show Was Held at Superchief Gallery In DTLA, Here’s Everything You Missed
Punk foos, cholo foos, Black foos, old lady foos, and young foos all came out to check out Foos Gone Wild's highly anticipated art exhibition at Superchief Gallery L.A. just south of the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. It was the craziest ensemble of thousands of foo characters ever to assemble anywhere in the most peaceful way.
LAPD Officers Watched a Nearly $1 Million Metro Bus Get Lit On Fire. Why Didn’t They Do Something?
On social media, people were quick to criticize fans that participated in the celebrations. But few people questioned why the LAPD, a public agency with an annual budget of over $3 billion, stood around and waited until the bus was on fire before they did something. Or why the city wasn’t better prepared to handle public celebrations considering the same exact thing happened three years ago when the Dodgers won the World Series (again).
A ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ Star Looks Back On Filming at Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights After 40 Years
“I remember driving early in the morning, in the dark, to get to the cemetery,” says Heather Langenkamp, who played Nancy. “I remember thinking to myself, 'I’ve never been over here, but I’ve heard that there’s really great tacos over here on Soto. Robert Englund was such a foodie. He probably told me that the best food in town was over there.”
Arlington Heights’s 11-Year-Old Salvadoran Panadería Serves Crispy Shrimp Pupusas, ‘Slutty’ Semitas, and Chocolate Rats
The couple credits their bakery’s success to high standards. Whereas many Central American bakeries may lean on more obtainable, cheaper cream cheese for their quesadillas, the family imports the unique type of hard cheese traditionally used in El Salvador.
The Evil Cooks Open Their First Brick-And-Mortar In ‘Hell Sereno’
After being a pop-up taquería since 2018, Evil Cooks' now has a brick and mortar business a few blocks away from their original front yard location, featuring their infamous taco creations like their 'McSatan' and 'Rock Lobster.'
News
Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra Director Seeks Donations to Avoid Losing Childhood Home in Leimert Park
After Session’s landlord “abruptly” served him with a 60 day notice earlier this month, “for no other reason than wanting to sell the property,” Session decided his best chance of staying in the house would be to buy it.
Street Vendors Injured By LAPD Projectiles While Caught In Crossfire During Dodger Celebrations
A father and son team team selling bacon-wrapped hot dogs were in a state of shock after being hit in the dome and neck by 'less-lethal' projectiles fired by the police. Instead of rendering aid to his father, the son said police kept “aiming the guns at us again.”
L.A. TACO Investigative Reporter ‘Detained’ While Filming Encampment ‘Sweep,’ Released Without Charges
Ray was released by LAPD Sergeant Delano Hutchins without being cited or charged. Upon releasing Ray, Hutchins explained that our reporter was “detained” and not “arrested” because Hutchins determined he had not violated the law, due to Ray’s “media first amendment status.”
ACLU SoCal Demands LAPD Officers Stop Obstructing L.A. TACO Reporter From Filming Homeless ‘Sweeps’
“Hopefully this letter will send a clear message to LAPD top brass that officers do not have the right to obstruct members of the media from exercising their 1st Amendment rights during encampment clearings," Lexis-Olivier Ray said in a statement.
Guides
The 24 Best Tacos Al Pastor, Adobada, and Árabes In Los Angeles
Is al pastor L.A.'s official taco? Judging by the sheer amount of crispy-edged trompos dotted around every single corner of this beautiful city, we can certainly make that argument. Here is our vetted list that took us nearly two decades to compile. ¡Provecho!
The Ultimate Guide to All the Day of the Dead Events in Los Angeles ~ 2024
Here is how to make the most of this quickly fleeing Muertos season in Los Angelestitlán in 2024, from San Pedro to Downey to Northridge and many more.
The Five Best Taquerías Within Walking Distance to Dodger Stadium
Pre-gaming with tacos before a Dodger game is one of the best decisions you can make. Here's where to go, whether before or after the game.
L.A.’s 15 Best Panaderías For Pan De Muerto During Dia De Los Muertos
Los Angeles has the best pan de muerto scene in the country, from sourdough and vegan variations, to recipes that have been passed down through generations. Here are fifteen panaderías around L.A. where you can find the fluffy, gently spiced, sugar-dusted pan dulce that is as delicious as it is crucial to the Dia de Muertos Mexican tradition.
Neighborhoods
Nine L.A. Restaurants That Will Do Thanksgiving For You, From Pupusas to ‘Chinese Turkey’
From 12-hour-roasted brisket in East L.A. to a Thai feast in Atwater and Chinatown’s famous Chinese Turkey, have a stress-free Thanksgiving and buy your dinner this season at these L.A. restaurants.
L.A.’s First Cochinita Pibil is Legendary and Still Amazing, 52 Years Later
“Cochinita is my fountain of youth,” jokes Marc Burgos, the second-generation owner of this pioneering panaderia. At 50 years old, he is younger than his father’s pioneering Yucatán bakery, the first in L.A. to offer cochinita pibil tacos.
Nine L.A. Bars To Eat and Drink Your Blues Away While Watching the Election
These are the watering holes for anyone looking to hang on every minute of the election madness to come, leaning on the shoulders of similarly minded strangers or raging at people you don't agree with.
Mountains Of Barrel-Smoked, Colombian Barbecue At Lake Balboa
Fat links of chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), crisp-skinned chicharrón (skin-on pork belly), tri-tip, and pork ribs, along with hand-shaped arepas and wedges of pineapple, plantain, and salted potatoes, await you in the Valley.