Skip to Content
Signage

El Chato ~ Los Angeles

4:58 PM PDT on October 2, 2007

La Brea near Olympic ~ Los Angeles, night time

El Chato is a can't miss proposition. The location is just about perfect for hundreds of thousands of Angelenos craving late-night sustenance on their way home from wherever, and the tacos are solid and sometimes sublime. I have stopped at this spot more times then I can count, sometimes without even really meaning to. Have you ever been in a situation where you're cruising down the street, not really even thinking about tacos, when all of the sudden a gleaming white taco truck catches your eye, and, as if under the power of a Haitian voodoo priest, you pull over and order some tacos, and scarf them down before the spell is lifted? If you're like me, the answer is yes and such is the power El Chato holds over me.

The pastor is the standout here, it's moist, tangy, spicy, and everything a good pastor should be. Add their grilled onion on top and you've got just about everything you need on a paper plate. Asada is also good if not super-especial like the pastor. Next time you're on your way somewhere on La Brea, look for the white glow in the auto-repair lot and give in to El Chato's late-nite powers.

Our fearless photog Cbro spotted El Chato on their way home after a long night of taco-slangin' and snapped these action shots. These pictures were incredibly dangerous to procure so enjoy them. One note-- El Chato used to be called El Pecas #2 so if you remember that wagon, parked in the same spot, have no fear, this is the same place.

chato3.jpg
Chato1.jpg

Los Angeles ~ CA

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

Sunday Taquitos #33: One of the Good Ones (Plus Bonus Taquito!)

Sunday Taquitos! Art by Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ivan Ehlers.

September 20, 2026

Try L.A. TACO’s New Beer, An ‘OG Kush’ and ’24K Gold’-Infused West Coast Pilsner, at Our Long Beach Release Party

On September 26th at ISM Brewing in Long Beach! With our new radically dank beer discounted for members! And a special menu collaboration with Sonoratown offering a Caesar salad topped with crispy tripitas a mahi-mahi fish taco on those famous flour tortillas.

September 18, 2026

Where to Find East African-Style Barbecue with Kenyan Flatbread This Weekend

Black tiger shrimp, rosemary lamb, and steak on stick from a cookbook author who celebrates her Kenyan and Nigerian heritage through cooking.

September 18, 2026

Subs on Subs: The 11 Best Sandwiches in L.A. According to Gimps and Submissives

We collected the data, ran the numbers, and let them out of their cages. These are their favorite things to eat between two pieces of bread in the city.

September 17, 2026

The City of L.A. Leads in One Thing: ICE Kidnappings

ICE is becoming quicker, sneakier, and targeting people as they go about their daily routines.

September 17, 2026

Could This Proposal Finally Put a Stop to Secret Deputy Gangs In the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department?

Since 1973, 27 gangs or subgroups have been identified through lawsuits and reports compiled by the department’s independent oversight bodies.

September 16, 2026