Skip to Content
Events

What to Eat at Taco Madness 2019! ~ Menu Guide

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]he day is almost here! Our yearly version of End Game or the Battle for Winterfell, Taco Madness, is this Saturday. After all the truly exciting taco battles, we get to relax and try several of the contenders May 4 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. The competitors get to showcase some of their fantastic tacos so you can try them and decide in person.

One of the major differences this year was the addition of BBQ-style tacos. A's BBQ and East L.A. BBQ Company are two exciting Chicano-Q vendors who offer wonderful smoky tacos. Expect a tangy smoked cochinita pibil taco from A's, and a soft and smoky lengua taco from East L.A. BBQ – both on Kernel of Truth tortillas!

Leo's is gonna be slanging their iconic tacos al pastor, shaved from an enormous trompo. Catch Macheen making their version of a birria de res and pulpo taco – of course each taco will have its own colorful tortilla. Mariscos Jalisco is bringing what has become one of L.A.'s most recognized food items, tacos dorados de camaron. For dessert Balam, one of the exciting taquerias from my hood, is making a dessert taco. Paramount's Horchateria Río Luna (shout out SELA!) will be selling several of their dessert drinks that have earned them long lines. And I Love Micheladas will be serving their signature miches.

It's gonna be a great fucking time and probably more exciting than Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones. Check out the complete list of food vendors and their menu items below.

RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Taco Madness 2019 ~ Celebrating Ten Years of Tacos!

Sonoratown

Three tacos de costilla on handmade flour tortillas.

Guerrilla Tacos

1. A tostada and a chicken taco.

2. Tacos Al Vapor San Marcos.

Leo's Tacos

Four tacos: asada, al Pastor, pollo, carnitas.

Mariscos Jalisco

Two tacos de camarón and a tostada de ceviche.

A'S BBQ

One taco de cochinita pibil on a blue corn Kernel of Truth tortilla and a chopped brisket taco with a three cheese queso blend and mole BBQ sauce.

Balam

1. Pork belly taco: orange pork belly, salsa macho, papaya, Jarritos glaze, bean sprouts.

2. Cochinita taco: cochinita en recado negro, jamaica jicama, black beans, habanero onions, chicharrón de ajonjolí.

3. Desert taco: vanilla tortilla, flan, orange peel, candied coconut, polvoron cookie.

Macheen

An octopus and a birria taco.

East LA BBQ

A smoked lengua taco and a smoked tri-tip taco with pico slaw.

Horchateria Río Luna

1. Horchata, regular or vegan (which is made with oat milk).
2. Iced green tea horchata.
3. Horchata iced coffee.
4. ChataMaica (iced horchata with hibiscus tea).

Entrance to Taco Madness is free from 6 pm to midnight, Saturday, May 4 at LA Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. VIP tickets will get you in an hour early and feature an open bar. The year's Taco Madness is powered by Jarritos, the official drink of tacos.

RELATED: There is Still Time to Vote for the Taco Madness 2019 Championship

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

The Evil Cooks Open Their First Brick-And-Mortar In ‘Hell Sereno’

After being a pop-up taquería since 2018, Evil Cooks' now has a brick and mortar business a few blocks away from their original front yard location, featuring their infamous taco creations like their 'McSatan' and 'Rock Lobster.'

November 13, 2024

Nine L.A. Restaurants That Will Do Thanksgiving For You, From Pupusas to ‘Chinese Turkey’

From 12-hour-roasted brisket in East L.A. to a Thai feast in Atwater and Chinatown’s famous Chinese Turkey, have a stress-free Thanksgiving and buy your dinner this season at these L.A. restaurants.

November 12, 2024

This Weekend: Thai-Salvadoran Sandwiches, Asado Negro Tacos, and New Westside Korean

Plus wild caught Maine lobster rolls, Guatemalan garnachas on a lake, and a favorite for tacos al vapor.

November 8, 2024

L.A.’s First Cochinita Pibil is Legendary and Still Amazing, 52 Years Later

“Cochinita is my fountain of youth,” jokes Marc Burgos, the second-generation owner of this pioneering panaderia. At 50 years old, he is younger than his father’s pioneering Yucatán bakery, the first in L.A. to offer cochinita pibil tacos. 

November 7, 2024

The 24 Best Tacos Al Pastor, Adobada, and Árabes In Los Angeles

Is al pastor L.A.'s official taco? Judging by the sheer amount of crispy-edged trompos dotted around every single corner of this beautiful city, we can certainly make that argument. Here is our vetted list that took us nearly two decades to compile. ¡Provecho!

November 7, 2024
See all posts