Skip to Content
Tacos

Taco Madness Is Back ~ L.A.’s Original Head-to-Head Taquero Bracket Returns

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]ime to stand with your favorite taquero, Los Angeles. Taco Madness, L.A.'s original bracket-style taco battle, returns for the 10th year in a row, with brackets released March 25 and online voting starting April 1. This year's ballot is brought to you in partnership with Jarritos, the official drink of tacos.

As in years past, the online vote will pair 32 of L.A.'s favorite taco shops, stands, trucks, and restaurants in head-to-head battles to determine LA's favorite taco. The 32 locations will be picked by our panel of experts which includes our food writers and others from around the taco-verse.

Readers can nominate their favorite places to be considered by our panel by tweeting using #TacoMadness2019 or tagging us on Facebook and Instagram with your top picks. You can also nominate a taquero for consideration in the comments below.

Last year's winner was Taqueria La Venganza who defeated Cena Vegan, Ricky's Fish Tacos, Burritos La Palma, and Carnitas El Momo on the way to the finals against Macheen.

This year's online vote runs through five rounds and concludes May 3. On May 4, we will celebrate all the taqueros and the winner at LA Plaza with Taco Madness Live, where some of the best tacos in L.A. will be available along with the city's best music, micheladas, live artists, and more. Last year's event was a true celebration of the best of L.A. and we plan on repeating the good times.

See you there!

Key Dates:

March 25: Brackets released

April 1: First round voting begins

April 8: Second round voting begins

April 15: Third round of voting begins

April 22: Final Four voting begins

April 29: Final vote begins

May 3: Voting concludes.

May 4: Taco Madness Live at LA Plaza!

RELATED: Taco Madness 2018 Bracket and Winner

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Tamal or Tamale? How to Correctly Pronounce the Singular Form of Tamales

The tamal vs. tamale debate has an almost emotional connection with people simply because it becomes a “how my family speaks the language vs. how it’s ‘supposed to be’ written” type of language conflict. In a culture like Mexico, where family always comes before anything, it makes sense that people will go with what feels familiar rather than what they are expected to say.

December 24, 2024

L.A.’s 13 Best Bars With Games and Activities

The best L.A. bars for axe-throwing, cumbia nights, playing pool, doing graffiti, smoking, playing pinball, and other fun, possibly delinquent activities.

December 23, 2024

Everything Wrong with Tesla’s $500 ‘Mezcal’

"Mezcal has become a commodity for many, without any regard for the earth, [or] for Indigenous people's land rights," says Odilia Romero, an Indigenous migrants rights advocate from Oaxaca and the executive director for CIELO. "Oaxaca is also having a water access issue.

December 20, 2024

This Weekend: Sonoran Caramelos, Brisket Tteokbokki, Mex-Italian Fusion, and Country-Fried Tofu

Plus, Malay-style wings, a collaboration pizza-topped with Philippe The Original's French-dipped beef and hot mustard, and more in this week's roundup.

December 20, 2024

More Than 70 People Reported Feeling Ill After Eating Oysters At L.A. Times ‘101 Restaurants’ Food Event

Ragusano is disappointed that the L.A. Times didn’t publicly disclose that there was an outbreak at their event. “Obviously they’re not going to print it in their paper,” Ragusano said. “But they‘re a newspaper and newspapers are supposed to share the news. This is how people usually find out about something like this,” she added. “It's ironic because it happened to them.”

December 19, 2024
See all posts