Here are our recommendations for the best Los Angeles tacos al pastor, adobada, and árabes.
This list may seem needlessly specific in its varied classifications, but that only speaks to the largess of L.A.'s pastor-packed scene. Almost as well as any Sunday evening drive, when our city streets become illuminated with generator-driven strings of lights and a steady flame shining its beam on a towering vertical beehive of slow-cooked, adobo-marinated pork.
Is al pastor L.A.'s official taco? By the sheer amount of seasoned pork stratas on spits we see, this beloved taco style definitely makes a case for this claim.
The diversity in L.A.'s al pastor scene runs parallel with a growing literacy that allows for the informed enjoyment of this slow-cooked, marinated pork as prepared by different chefs from various Mexican regions and communities.
In L.A., you'll find your al pastor tacos filled with razor-thin slices of red-stained pork butt and possibly a tiny bud of pineapple by dedicated taqueros who come from Oaxaca's Indigenous Mixe community; Tijuana entrepreneurs prone to calling it "adobada" before twisting tacos into a paper cone with a blob of bright green guacamole and a blur of superhuman speed; and tacos árabes, the al pastor ancestor that is credited to the lamb shawarma of Lebanese immigrants in Puebla, Mexico, who helped spread the joys of vertical-spit-roasted carne beloved throughout Mexico (which opted for pork and added adobo), Los Angeles, and the world beyond.
And those are far from the only influences you'll enjoy when eating al pastor in Los Angeles, especially if you're open to the types of ingenious Angelenos who stuff tacos with inky black whole octopus or mushrooms.
Al Pastor
Taquería Frontera
Cypress Park
Frontera’s al pastor taco currently ranks #1 on our 69 taco list, and for a good reason. This glorious taco 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 preface 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 onto a 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 taquería built to bring you close to others while standing at the counter and admiring the taco-prep. 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.
700 Cypress Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90065. Closest Metro Station: Metro J Line ~ "Lincoln/Cypress"
Tacos Los Güichos
Florence
Tacos Los Güichos is an al pastor king. Its domain is a tire shop right next to the 110 freeway. They take their al pastor so seriously that you get the tacos from the person manning the trompo almost as if it was a separate arm of the company. The sound of a raging fire licking the bright red trompo is mesmerizing. At the trompo station, taqueros will prepare your tacos with a different red salsa specifically tailored to al pastor's flavors.
320 W. Slauson Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90003. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro J Line (910/950) and Bus Lines 108 or 460 - “Slauson Station” or Bus Line 45 - "Broadway/Slauson."
Brothers Cousins
Palms
It's one of the Westside's best tacos, with the lines to prove it. They skin the slightly cooked pork off the trompo, then finish it on the plancha. After it reaches the ideal sear, it is served on small tortillas. The great thing about taqueros strapped with a choricera pan is that they’ll have things like nopales, caramelized onions, and on occasion, potatoes, which are all readily available for your taco's supplemental needs.
11341 National Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro E Line or Bus Lines 233 or 761 - “Expo/Sepulveda Station.”
Taquería Vista Hermosa
Downtown
Raul Morales has been making al pastor tacos for most of his life. It is his most precious family legacy. The pork glows red and is juicy from its slow trips around the trompo. Each al pastor taco is served with a freshly homemade curtido (pickles) of carrots, onions, jalapeños, and a creamy salsa verde.
At Mercado La Paloma ~ 3655 S. Grand Ave. #C5 Los Angeles, CA. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro J Line (910/950) or Bus Line 460 - “37th Street/USC Station.”
A Tí Los Angeles
Echo park
Who is the next tortilla trailblazer in Los Angeles with no fear about getting crazy with tacos? We say A Tí's Andrew Ponce has a good shot. While his striped bass fish tacos were worthy of L.A. TACO’s 69 taco list, their al pastor taco does not fall behind. The pork is perfectly marinated, charred, and topped with a creamy salsa de aguacate and pineapple. The one constant with 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. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Sunset/Portia."
Angel’s Tijuana Tacos
Multiple locations
There’s never a lack of hungry patrons at any of Angel's multiple locations and much of that draw is its behemoth trompo. The other carnes are impressive, but al pastor is the star of the show. An impressive flame imparts a quick sear but that trusty trompo swordsman moves quicker, making sure the pork never burns. It always has the right amount of crispiness and char. Each taco comes with guacamole and they’ll even dress it for you. Talk about convenience.
Tacos El Venado
Multiple locations
Sticking to the northern areas of L.A., El Venado is a taco destination. They even made it to round two of our 2019 Taco Madness tournament. They are known for slanging burritos, loaded fries, and fantastic al pastor, often presiding over a crimson trompo scabbed over with crispy parts, just begging to shaved. The crispy bits make a textural treat that imparts a slight smokiness.
Tacos La Güera
Multiple locations
This trompo flies low amid L.A.’s cutthroat al pastor game but can compete with the best in Mexico City on its good days, with locations spread throughout the Southland. This pork is tasty enough to bring staunch chilangos out, who love to come and talk smack about L.A.’s taco scene. One of these tacos usually shuts them right up.
El Flamin Taco
Multiple locations
The adobo used on the trompo here is heavily spiced but not overwhelming, leading to a maelstrom of cloves, chiles, and acidity that lingers like a ghost. The salsas act as flavor enhancers, making every bite of your taco shock the palate. The vibe around the truck offers a view into the multicultural scene that comes out to party in Echo Park on any given weeknight.
Tacos Los Palomos
Multiple locations
The al pastor is shaved thinly from a large trompo and bears a slight crisp from the roaring flame that licks the trompo. Each taco de al pastor is topped with shaved pineapple. You can find Taco Los Palomos curbside on Vermont near the 105 freeway, with a bright green banner adorned in white doves.
Tacos Don Goyo
Downey
This Downey taquería is a united front of CDMX and Tijuana-styles on fresh handmade tortillas. The asada is grilled over a flame to endow it with a smokey flavor, then topped with guacamole, onions, and cilantro. Just don't overlook the trompo-roasted, pineapple-topped al pastor.
8502 Telegraph Rd. Downey, CA 90240. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 62 or 266 - “Telegraph/Lakewood.”
Tacos Lionydas
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 that reflect Oaxaca’s similar use of 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., open 5 PM to midnight on weekdays, and 5 PM to 1 AM on Friday and Saturday.
Taquería Juquilita
Hollywood
What stands out in the al pastor at Taquería Juquilita is the tightly-stacked trompo. The layers are compressed as tightly as a chocolate babka and the crimson adobo’s tinge appears to have seeped deeply into the thinly-carved pork, ensuring that it had enough time to marinate in the adobo before being stacked and impaled. The second is the trompero’s slices. They are effortless and precise with each pass of the knife.
5944 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90038. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Santa Monica/Bronson.”
Leo’s Tacos
Multiple locations
Leo's distinguished itself long ago with the employ of a taquero specializing in al pastor and a hulking trompo that signaled traffic from deep within the chaos of a busy La Brea gas station.
While you can now find Leo's in a few different L.A. neighborhoods, it still tastes best to us at its original intersection, especially late at night when the pork is surgically sliced, fresh from the trompo, into thin red strips of bark, and topped with a wedge of pineapple that lands in the tortilla from off great heights with all the grace of Simone Biles. If this isn't enough, Leo's is also delicious enough for Bad Bunny to feature in his latest music video. Ayo!
Tacos Tamix
Multiple locations
Tamix is another major player in the al pastor game. After trying a taco, you’ll see why. The crispy pieces of al pastor manage to stay juicy, even though it is sliced very thin. The tortillas are small but absolutely packed with this winning al pastor.
Tacos Tlahui
El Monte
Tacos Tlahui is one of the best taquerías in El Monte, sending Oaxacan flavors singing through their powerful trompo of pork. The taquero will shave red slices off his huge meat cone, then place them on the plancha for a crisp sear at the last second.
12000 Valley Blvd. El Monte, CA 91732
Adobada
(Northern Mexico Style Al Pastor)
Tacos Don Cuco
East L.A.
One of East L.A.’s best Tijuana-style tacos, Don Cuco's adobada is grilled over coals instead of on a trompo like al pastor, which they believe to be the true method of adobada. The result is a smoky, succulent pork with a clearly different taste. Try the vampiro with a blend of both adobada and asada, basically a crunchy and meaty tostada sandwich with melted cheese.
752 S. Fetterly Ave. East Los Angeles, CA 90022. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 18 - “Whittier/Ferris” or Bus Line 258 - "Arizona/Whittier."
Ricos Tacos Naomi
Multiple locations
Mariana’s trompo features a Sonora-style adobada that contains her own world of flavors. You can almost taste the adobada with your eyes alone as the trompo handler turns the spit with his blade and slices delicately charred pork ribbons onto a tortilla in his left hand, in taco after taco. It’s like watching a potter sculpt a terra-cotta vase made from flame-kissed pork. It’s earthy, seasoned well, and so balanced that it just tastes like a solid but gentle embrace after a long day.
You can find Tacos Naomi’s locations on their Instagram or linktree, although not all are listed.
Tacos Árabes
(Al Pastor variant from Puebla)
Los Originales Tacos Árabes De Puebla
Boyle Heights
As you might have guessed, Lebanese-influenced, Puebla-style tacos árabes are the specialty of this Boyle Heights lonchera. The especiales add stringy quesillo and slices of avocado to thicker flour tortillas known as "pan árabes," filled with marinated pork. Even though the pork is shaved from a trompo, it is not the same as al pastor. This recipe for protein is one of the Villegas family’s most guarded secrets, having received and rejected offers of up to $15,000 to sell it. Their lonchera is still the only place to find it.
3600 E. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 62 - “Olympic/Mirasol” or Bus Line 66 - "8th/Mirasol."
Only in Los Angeles
Evil Cooks
El Sereno/Downtown
The sight of stacked tentacles bathed in Evil Cook’s flagship black pastor adobo, made from warm Yucatán spices, conjures up images of gods from another dimension. While Garcia would love to feature the Octo trompo every weekend, the multi-day prep that goes into it just isn’t feasible. So if you didn’t get to try it yet, keep an eye on their Instagram for updates on future Octo trompos.
Sundays 10 AM - 4PM at Smorgasburg ~ 777 S. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90021. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 53, 60, or 62 - “7th/Central.”
Pablito’s Tacos
North Hollywood and Burbank
Pablito’s Peruvian-tinged tacos aren’t trying to change the traditional street taco formula; they just add a different dimension of deliciousness by tapping into influences from the South American nation. Part of their secret is to add Peruvian chile to the trompo, serving the pork over fluffy but sturdy handmade corn tortillas then topping things off with guacamole and a final spoon of their signature aji.
5600 Vineland Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91601; 3803 Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505
Plant-Based
Ixmota Taquería
El Monte
The vegan al pastor, a spicy, chile-slicked assembly of crunchy mushrooms cradled in hot corn tortillas sourced from La Gloria in Boyle Heights, is texturally fascinating, if less true to the flavors of its carnivorous forebears. The taco is satisfying and worth ordering if you’re seeking meat-free Mex.
10021 Valley Blvd. El Monte, CA 91731. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 76 or 267 - “Valley/Baldwin.”
Borreguitas Bar Express
Pomona
Pomona has a low-key but solid vegan presence in its taco community. Borreguitas stands out above many taquerías in the general Los Angeles area. Their papas con soyrizo, re-chicken (“repollo” aka cabbage), papas con nopales, and veggie-based al pastor, to name a few, belong in the larger conversation of L.A.’s best vegan tacos. From the tortillas to the “meats” and salsas, these tacos carry the full palate-pleasing flavors that most non-vegan tacos in Los Angeles only pretend to provide. If you have a vegan skeptic friend, this is the restaurant where you can enjoy a convincing lunch with them.
977 S. Garey Ave, Pomona. Closest transit lines: Foothill Transit Line 291- "Garey/Ninth."
El Cocinero Restaurant
Van Nuys
It all started with a vegan pop-up-turned-taco truck, which reached its apex when winning our "Vegan Taco Madness" tournament before disbanding to start El Cocinero. This is the spot for you if you want to indulge in some al pastor tacos but are vegetarian. The plant-based al pastor is said to be good enough to compete against their meat counterparts. 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."
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