Boyle Heights is arguably the city’s most important local taco galaxy in the larger universe that is Los Angeles. Its proximity to downtown Los Angeles offers the long-established neighborhood a perk that many other ‘hoods do not have: a shot to introduce extremely legit regional taco variations to visitors and, more importantly, not have to dumb down their flavors because they have a community of nearly 93,000 residents who support them every night. You also have a few outlier tacos that can only be classified as “only in L.A.” style, which have their roots in Mexico but evolved to be their iconic selves in Boyle Heights.
L.A.’s other B.H. is also home to Olympic Taco Row, which may be the quickest and most convenient way to cover the most ground via taco styles within a very walkable three-block radius. Boyle Heights also stands out because it is a powerhouse in daytime and nighttime tacos; you can have your pork belly burrito for breakfast, your crispy shrimp taco for lunch, and then your handmade picadita with grilled tasajo for dinner.
Remember, this is Boyle Heights! It's not East L.A. and it is most definitely not “the Eastside.”
Mariscos Jalisco
Is there an iconic taco in Los Angeles that is more iconic than the shrimp taco dorado from Mariscos Jalisco? Often duplicated and imitated by countless others, this L.A. original taco stays unbeaten. Covered in an un-watered down and refreshing salsa roja and buttery avocado slice, this taco has been recognized time and time again as one of L.A.’s best since the late great Jonathan Gold praised it as one of his favorites. While they now have a truck in West L.A. and a restaurant in Pomona, this original location in Boyle Heights still has the most charm, with its spacious indoor dining area and bathrooms. All these decades later, it's still an addictive taco with an unforgettable taste. Warning: After you have this taco, a craving for it will creep up when you least expect it.