[dropcap size=big]Y[/dropcap]es, I tried every taco. Carnitas El Momo, Mariscos Jalisco, Guerrilla, Macheen. I had all the micheladas. Near the end of it I found a new friend and I danced as the sun crested over the towers of Bunker Hill. The people, the tastes, the sounds, the vibe — everything about Taco Madness last year was perfect, and this year, Taco Madness Live 2019promises to be even better.
Now stop dillydallying and mark that schedule. Here is everything you need to know to attend the tenth annual Taco Madness Live.
What is it?
Taco Madness is L.A. Taco’s signature annual food event featuring the city’s best taquerías. The live gathering is the culmination ofan annual online voting bracketthat is open to the public. One taquero is named champion, but we're all the winners. The event is about fun, community, excellent local food, your favorite chefs, great drinks, meeting new friends, and celebrating that taco lifestyle!
When and where is it?
Taco Madness 2019 is this Saturday, May 4, at LA Plaza de Culturas y Artein the historic heart of el pueblo de Los Angeles, from 6 pm to 12 am, aka Cinco de Gringo.
How much is it, or how does it work?
It is free to enter! However we are capping attendance inside at 5,000 to ensure everyone’s comfort. You can buy individual tickets for plates and drinks at $8.00 each, so super flexible: eat and drink as much or as little as you like. But keep in mind, the event is 21 and up.
That’s it?
Yes and no, because once again this year, we are offering a VIP early entry period from 5-6 pm, that is only for ticketholders and for our exceedingly cool and lucky L.A. Taco Members. (Join today, like immediately, if you want this perk and other incredible deals for members only!)
Who puts it on?
Taco Madness is a production of Taco International (L.A. Taco’s parent company), in collaboration with Hecho in LA productions byFernando Lopez and Suavicrema by Paola Briseño, as well as partnering producers, partnering sponsors, and friends who support our mission to elevate tacos for all. We are an independent, community-oriented operation.
What’s the event like, or what?
It’s like, really fun. We have another stellar lineup of DJs and live artists. L.A. Taco will also have a booth featuring members of our crew to, you know, answer your questions and generally talk about tacos and life. The vibe is super friendly and easygoing and honestly I don’t know why we don’t this at least once a month.
How should I get there?
Try transit, or try car-pooling. LA Plaza is a skip or two away from Union Station, hub for regional rail lines from Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Gabriel Valley, as well as the local Red Line and Gold Line in L.A.'s subway rail. Of course any bus that hits Union Station or crosses downtown north-south will get you close enough, too. You will want additional micheladas and tequilas!
What hashtag should I use?
Thanks for asking. We’re going for #TacoMadness to keep it simple.
Get all your other deets here, on FB, and at the ticketed Eventbrite page. Nos vemos el sábado!
Daniel Hernandez is editor emeritus of LA Taco, serving 2017-2019. He is currently a staff writer for the L.A. Times. He is former Mexico bureau chief for VICE News, and former staff writer at the Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly. Daniel is author of the book "Down & Delirious in Mexico City."
The month-old strip mall taquería in Anaheim make all their flour tortillas from scratch using both lard and butter, resulting in an extremely tender vehicle for their juicy guisados like carne en su jugo, carne deshebrada, chile colorado, chile relleno, and chicharrón. Every tortilla is cooked to order, too.
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Despite many requests to publish this guide, L.A. TACO has been somewhat protective of these gems to not "burn out the spots." However, we wanted to share it with our small, loyal pool of paid members, as we appreciate your support (and know you to be okay, non-NARCs). Please enjoy responsibly and keep these 'hood secrets...secrets.
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