Skip to Content

It's that time of year again, when L.A.'s taco fanatics get to vote for their favorite tacos and crown a new winner in the most important competition in town... TACO MADNESS!!

Update: 4/8

Congratulations to our winner, Revolutionario!!!

This first-time competitor steam-rolled the competition until the last round, when it met former champion Mariscos Jalisco, and pulled out a slim victory in the wee hours of the night.

Chef Zadi's unique North African "Tacos Sin Fronteras" proved themselves to be the people's choice. If you haven't tried their tacos yet, go check them out today!!!

1436 West Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles 90007

Update: 4/1
Second Round Voting is now complete! We have our regional winners...
Northwest: Ricky's Fish Taco
Southwest: Revolutionario
Northeast: Carnitas El Momo
Southeast: Mariscos Jalisco

It's an incredibly strong field, including one former champion (Mariscos Jalisco), a repeat Final Four competitor (Carnitas El Momo), and a total newcomer (Revolutionario) who just knocked off returning champ Guerrilla Tacos in the upset of the decade.

This year is a special new geographical format, with our city cut into four quadrants, basically following the ugly, if true boundaries of Los Angeles-- freeways. We divided the city by 10 and 110 Freeways, although we had to make a few adjustments to get everything to fit. For some locations we needed to use one of their multiple locations; for Guerrilla Tacos we used their Culver City spot, and for Kogi BBQ we chose the location of yet-to-open brick and mortar location. Coincidentally, those two will face off in an epic first round battle of L.A. taco pioneers.

Which region will reign supreme? All four corners of our taco universe have strong competitors, with each region having at least one returning champion. This year's competition has four returning champions in total (Guerrilla Tacos, Two-time winners Mexicali Taco & Co., Mariscos Jalisco, and Yuca's) and three first timers (BS Taqueria, Tacos La Güera, Revolutionario).

Here is the complete list of the top 16 places which qualified, due to votes by our seeding committee, along with our internal research, grouped by geography:

Northwest
Tacos Leo
Yuca's
Tacos Punta Cabras
Ricky's Fish Tacos

Southwest
Guerrilla Tacos
Kogi BBQ
Revolutionario North African Tacos
Coni Seafood

Northeast
Carnitas El Momo
Tacos Cuernavaca
BS Taqueria
Mexicali Taco & Co.

Southeast
Mariscos Jalisco
Tacos La Güera
Los Originales Tacos Arabes de Puebla
"Tire Shop Taqueria"

tacomadness_2016_bracket_finals

This is the 8th annual Taco Madness. Here's the history of our winners...

2009: Yuca's
2010: La Estrella
2011: Mexicali Taco & Co.
2012: Guisados & Mariscos Jalisco
2013: Mexicali Taco & Co.
2014: El Coraloense
2015: Guerrilla Tacos

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

‘It’s Colonizing All Over Again:’ Chefs and Tortilleros React to California’s Fortified Tortilla Mandate

A new California law, penned by a Fresno assemblyman, mandates folic acid in corn tortillas to curb birth defects in Latina women—rattling L.A.'s taco universe. Tortilla makers in California, who have followed the same 12,000 year-old recipe, now must add a synthetic vitamin... but not all are complying.

January 8, 2026

Pasadena Community Job Center Director Speaks Out About Arrest While Observing Federal Immigration Activity

“They didn’t stop the ICE agent, but they stopped me,” said Jose Madera, who followed a vehicle driven wrecklessly by ICE agents, who continue to roam freely nationwide, even after killing 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier today.

L.A.’s Young Magicians Are Blowing Minds at Clubs, Pop Video Sets, and Taco Stands

Today's budding magicians are trading college and 9 to 5s to work with Chappell Roan, raise money for cancer patients, and perform at Magic Castle, marking a comeback for magic tricks in 2026.

January 7, 2026

DAILY MEMO: Border Patrol Returns On Dia De Los Reyes, Taking at Least Eight in Orange County and Injuring Elderly Man

In another incident, a vendor in Fountain Valley was released after being questioned and detained, but not before CBP called for help from paramedics to use bolt cutters to remove the handcuffs used on the vendor.

January 6, 2026

DAILY MEMO: Masked and Unmasked Agents Kidnap at Least Eight Around Southern California In First Weekend of 2026

During the first weekend of the year, agents targeted areas nearby a Dollar Tree, PetCo, and more common errand hotspots—even a Wienerschnitzel.

January 6, 2026

Nine Places to Get to Know Venezuelan Food In L.A.

These are L.A.'s nine best places for getting to know Venezuelan cooking, from its beloved arepas, tequeños, and cachapas, to its national dish of pabellón criollo.

See all posts