The fifth first round battle is between Santa Monica&#8217;s most popular taco spot Tacos Por Favor, and the wonderful carnitas of Carnitas Michoacan. Vote below!

Taco Madness 2009 First Round Voting ~ Tacos Por Favor vs. Carnitas Michoacan

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<p>One of L.A. TACO&#8217;s co-founders, Hadley Tomicki is a writer and editor on food, travel, and culture whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, UrbanDaddy, High Times, and many other places.</p>


Hadley Tomicki

Taco Members Only

Weekend Eats: Chicago-Style Hot Dogs and Wild Pita Sandwiches For CHIRLA

An avocado sliced in half and filled with burrata cheese and tiny, yellow noodes-like nylon sev, with green and orange dots of sauce, and an edible pansy on top

Food

Bite This: Modern Indian Restaurant’s ‘Avocado Burrata Chaat’ Links the Obsessions of California and India’s Streets

A watercolor painting by Ricardo Barragan, of a King Taco sign reading We Specialize In King Taco Beef & Pork Soft Tacos and Burritos

Tacos

Starting Friday, You Can Finally Get King Taco On L.A.’s Westside

<p><span class="OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Janette Villafana is an award-winning bilingual multimedia journalist. Her heart lies in community-based reporting, and her work is highly centered on showcasing and uplifting community voices, with a significant focus on the Latino community. She developed her beat at L.A. TACO, covering street vending communities in Los Angeles. Past work has been featured on NBC, LAist, Latino Rebels, and more. She is currently featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington in an exhibit titled “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking News.”</span></p>


Janette Villafana

13 Dog-Friendly Places in L.A. To Eat, Drink, and Play with Your Loyal Pup

<p>Lexis-Olivier Ray is an award-winning staff investigative reporter for L.A. TACO known for holding powerful people in Los Angeles accountable and his reporting on Los Angeles culture. As well as an artist and filmmaker. In 2022, the Society of Professional Journalists&#8217; Los Angeles chapter named Ray one of their &#8220;distinguished journalists.&#8221; In 2023, Ray won a second place Anthem Award in their Health Innovation category for a texting service geared towards the unhoused community and service providers that he launched in 2021 with L.A. TACO and Subtext. Ray was a 2020 USC Center For Health Journalism (CHJ) Data Fellow. As well as a 2022 CHJ Impact Fellow. As a freelancer, Ray has contributed to the L.A. Times, Men&#8217;s Health Magazine, KCET and SFGATE.</p>


Lexis-Olivier Ray

Hailey Bieber's Strawberry Glaze Skin $20 Smoothie. Photo via Erewhon.

News

Erewhon’s Santa Monica Location Closes Cafe Due To ‘Major Vermin Infestation’

<p>I document Los Angeles. I walk the streets religiously trying to expose every alley, avenue, and crack the sidewalks have to offer.</p>


Kemal Cilengir

Pacific Palisades

The Palisades I Loved, Then and Now

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Celebrating the Taco Lifestyle in Los Angeles, CA

L.A. TACO

<p>Karina Soriano is a Los Angeles-based journalist who covers the crossroads of music, food, art, and social issues. She spotlights the everyday people who really keep L.A. moving. Usually, while stuck in traffic, looking for a good place to eat.</p>


Karina Soriano

You See His Murals Across L.A. and at Your Favorite Restaurants. Now Meet the Painter

<p>Jared Cowan is a photographer who also writes and podcasts extensively about L.A. filming locations. He is the co-founder of My Valley Pass, through which he leads film tours of the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena. Jared is also the co-editor of the recent book &#8220;World Film Locations: Los Angeles Volume 2&#8221; and the editor of the upcoming &#8220;World Film Locations: Philadelphia.&#8221;</p>


Jared Cowan

L.A. Taco Guides

The Ten Most Shocking Movie Scenes Ever Shot in L.A., Ranked

<div>Ivan Ehlers is an Ecuadorian-American cartoonist and writer. He is a regular contributor to <i>The New Yorker</i>, <i>MAD Magazine</i> and the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>.</div>
<div></div>
<div>IG: <a id="m_-8957504711371111195plusReplyChip-0" class="gmail_plusreply"></a>@ivan_ehlers</div>


Ivan Ehlers

Comix

Sunday Taquitos #31: “For Sale: Basketball Team, Never Won” (Plus Bonus Taquitos!)

Aisha Wallace-Palomares

Update: Adelanto Detainees Sign Letter Demanding Authorities Investigate Processing Center’s Water Quality Issues

<p class="p1">An award-winning journalist covering ICE and immigration raids. Host of the Daily Memo. ‘Where Memo Torres Eats’ on Apple Maps. Seen on Netflix, occasionally on KCRW. 3rd-gen landscaper. Proud son of an immigrant. Golden Bear.</p>


Memo Torres

Kavanaugh stop. Photo via Memo Torres for L.A. TACO.

This Case Has the Power to Stop L.A.’s ICE Raids. Here’s What Happened This Week

Sean Maung

<p>Julianne Le graduated from UCLA in 2025 with a major in English and minor in Asian American Studies. Maybe it&#8217;s because she isn&#8217;t jaded yet, but she is super eager to peek into the overlooked corners of L.A. and write about them. Le is the former editor-in-chief of UCLA&#8217;s Pacific Ties Newsmagazine and was a finalist for the Associated Collegiate Press&#8217; &#8220;Podcast of the Year&#8221; award in 2024.</p>


Julianne Le

Photo Essay

Photo Essay: East Hollywood Gay Club Famous for Its “Vaquero Nights” Turns 35

<p>Former editor of L.A. Taco. I still live in Los Angeles but mainly just hang out at parks and stare off into the distance.</p>
