Los Angeles wouldn’t be the great city it is without the local mom-and-pop shops, long-standing restaurants, and businesses that fuel the community with culture, delicious food, inviting smiles, and resources.
Yet, with rising rents and the cost of almost everything going up, the local businesses that many of us love and have frequented for years are now more than ever in danger of closing. It seems that almost every other month, we hear about a business closing its doors or struggling to stay open. And now with Immigration and Customs Enforcement continuing to abduct hard-working community members across the city, small businesses are feeling the impact.
Last year, L.A. TACO reported on businesses that were on the brink of closing, like La Serenata and X’Tiosu Kitchen, which the community loves. Both rang the alarm last year due to economic struggles, adapting to social media, and a lack of customers. Luckily, they are still open, but many other businesses in the area are starting to express their struggle to stay open.
Here at L.A. TACO, we are committed to uplifting and supporting local businesses in L.A. by sharing their stories, dining at their establishments, collaborating with them on our events, and more. To help these businesses stay open rather than report on them once they’ve closed, we created this ongoing list of restaurants and businesses in Los Angeles that need the most support.
Start those group chats, plan your outing, and enjoy some of the mouth-watering food and fun activities these places offer, so they can thrive for years to come.
Honduras Restaurant
The family-owned Honduras Restaurant, located in Reseda, is currently in dire need of customers following two months of ICE raids across the city.
Despite serving inviting plates, including pollo frito con tajadas—a fried chicken dish accompanied by fried plantains, enchiladas, yuca with chicharrón, and sopa de mondongo con leche de coco—a diced tripe soup with coconut milk, among others, they said business is still at an all-time low.
Like many other businesses, they are struggling to keep the doors open when people, including their staff and customers, are consumed with fear. However, they hope that being open about their situation will help attract new and existing customers.
This family-owned restaurant comes recommended and vetted by L.A. TACO contributor, Vladimir De Jesus Santos, who brought you stories like the Salvi breakfast burrito, an extensive list of the best pupusas in Los Angeles and gave us a glimpse into Koreatown's taco scene.
6747 Tampa Ave. Reseda, CA 91335
Las Margaritas
Las Margaritas in Boyle Heights is a local gem. If you aren't from the area, you can easily miss this family-owned restaurant specializing in Jalisco-style flavors, specifically from the San Juan de Los Lagos area.
Fernando “El Ñaña” Vazquez owns the restaurant and operates it with his wife and kids; you’ll often find them cooking, attending to customers, and, most recently, thanks to their children, being active on social media. They recently shared that business is slow due to the current economy and high cost of almost everything, and like many, they are struggling to keep their doors open.
“I think all businesses are struggling right now, because of all the inflation on everyday items,” said Vazquez in Spanish. “I’ve tried raising the prices, but I can’t raise them too high because if we do, we won’t survive, my customers wouldn’t be able to afford it.”
Vazquez explained that figuring out how much to raise his prices hasn't been easy because the community he serves consists of working-class folk who work in factories and are, like them, financially struggling.
The family represents the real L.A.: hardworking, caring, and always looking out for others even when they are struggling. Vazquez told L.A. TACO he has often given out free tortas to high school students who have walked in but didn’t have enough money to buy one, saying he understands because he’s been there, too. At Las Margaritas, they look out for their community. People are not just customers; they become part of their family. It’s the type of mom-and-pop restaurant that deserves to stay open another 25 years and more.
The one item on their menu that has kept them open for many years is their San Juan De Los Lagos Flautas combo. This taquito style is not your typical taco dorado; they are skinny rolled-up tacos filled with ground beef, tomato, and onion. They are served plain, with a hefty plate of shredded cabbage, pickled cueritos (pork grinds), cheese, and lomo. It’s topped with crema, tomato, sliced pickled jalapeños, avocado, and two slices of limon. You are supposed to take a bite of the mixed lomo and pork grinds, top it with his chile de arbol salsa, and then bite your taquito. The citrus flavors from the limon taste great with the thin slices of lomo and cueritos, while the tacos add a nice crunch to your bite. Another popular item is their torta ahogada de lomo, which also pairs perfectly with their tacos, which can be dipped in that fiery red salsa.
The family hopes to celebrate 26 years of business this September, but they can’t do that without your help. The best way to support them? Simple. Eat there, talk to them, get to know them, and spread the word because it takes the community to save the community.
“I’ve seen generations of children who came here to eat with their parents, and they come back as adults, and they are surprised to see me still here,” he said. “I always tell them, gracias a Dios, thanks to God and to you guys, my customers who haven’t left my side.”
2914 Whittier Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023
La Pupusa DTLA
La Pupusa Urban Eatery in Downtown Los Angeles has been operating their business for years, feeding Angelenos its famous pupusas with many fillings like cheese, chicharrón, calabaza, and more. And now they need the community's help and support. Last week, the owners of La Pupusa, Juan and Stephanie, announced via a heartfelt social media post that they are in danger of closing. The restaurant, home to La Mamasota, a 10-pound pupusa, and overall authentic Salvadoran dishes opened up to their followers, letting them know how hard the last five years have been for them.
“Maybe we ran our course. Maybe it’s just been an extremely slow. We don’t really know, but we do know that we appreciate every single one of you,” the owners said online.
In the post, they talked about their journey and how they want to continue serving their community. After all, their customers come first; they actively listen to them. For example, they delivered when they asked for a bigger space, restrooms, and art reflecting its roots on the wall. And they want to continue to do that. While their post may have sounded like they feel a little disheartened, they are far from giving up.
“We’re not giving up just yet,” they said. “We know that we have made a true impact in our SALVI community. Making sure Salvies of all generations and different backgrounds felt seen.”
For business hours and special events, follow them on Instagram.
1051 W. Washington Blvd. Ste. G, Los Angeles, CA 90015
BYO Games
In early March, BYO Games, the first video game lounge in East Los Angeles, announced that after three years of providing a safe space for gamers and their families, they need help staying open. The lounge is run by Chuck Solis and Joannalyn Villanueva, a born-and-raised couple in Boyle Heights who provide East L.A. youth with an outlet that can help them stay away from “the streets,” a place where online gaming and Super Smash Bros tournaments take place.
They host affordable tournaments and events for both kids and adults, sponsor youth eSports teams, offer birthday parties and gatherings, and have created a space for the youth to have a creative outlet. They also provide two arcade-like gaming consoles in the front of their shop that are free for children who live nearby.
As they stated in their GoFundMe account, B.Y.O. Games is more than just a game lounge—it’s a homegrown community hub.
Solis and Villanueva shared via their GoFundMe that their struggles began after both of them fell ill for almost a month in February. Due to being out, they fell behind on bills and rent, and while they are doing everything they can to catch up on overdue bills, they urge the community to support them. After all, they are doing this on their own, having poured everything into this community space, emptying their life savings for this venture, with no help from investors.
“We’ve done everything possible to catch up, but without your support, we may have to shut down this community space we've worked so hard to build.”
They need $15,000, which they are raising through GoFundMe donations. So far, they have raised only 7% of their goal. They hope that by raising the amount they are asking for, they will not only be able to pay off their past-due bills but also provide more resources to the community they love.
Support them by joining their online raffles, attending their upcoming fundraiser on April 12, visiting their location, and donating to their GoFundMe.
3555 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90063
Un Solo Sol
Across the street from El Mariachi Plaza stands Un Solo Sol Kitchen. The vegetarian restaurant, which has been open for a little over a decade, has a Latin-American menu (there are also some Asian and Middle Eastern influences). It features vegan tacos de mushroom and a Persian herb stew. It is also home to the anti-chilaquiles, which replace the tortilla with potatoes. For years, they have continued to serve their hungry Eastside community, but as of this month, the restaurant is in danger of closing.
Like other businesses, the owner, Carlos Ortez, took to social media to plead with his followers and customers to support Un Solo Sol. He disclosed that if the restaurant didn’t see a rise in sales by the end of March, it would have to close its doors.
“Due to the ongoing economic crisis, the vulnerability of small businesses, and the lack of government aid, it’s up to you, the people, to save the small businesses in your community!”
1818 E. 1st Street. Los Angeles, California 90033
