Skip to Content
Events

Taco Madness 2023 Early Bird Ticket Sales Are Now Live

L.A.'s OG and longest-running taco festival and the tournament are back! And we are taking it back where it all began: Downtown Los Angeles at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes beautiful courtyard.

On Saturday, May 6th, join us while we crown the online tournament and in-person "Best in Show" Taco Madness champions. For one day only, catch all of L.A.'s best taquerías in one place. From 5 PM to midnight, the Taco Life comes to you live and in person.

For tickets, click here. Reminder: Members get in for free! Every single ticket sale supports L.A. TACO and our inclusive, award-winning street-level journalism.

For some of us, tacos mean the world. They represent nostalgia, regional pride, hard work, accessibility, culture, and perhaps most important of all: sustenance. Tacos unify everybody in this city. No matter where you are from and how much this city changes, the one constant will always be tacos and the desire to know where to find the best ones for residents and visitors alike. Yet, as you’re rushing through the streets of Los Angeles to get to your next destination, it’s easy to take the flashing neon signs, trompos, and smokestacks that dot almost every other corner of this city for granted. This is why we created Taco Madness more than 12 years ago, to remind you that we live in the best taco city in the country, and it is up to you to keep it that way.

Keep driving a little out of your way to try a new spot. Keep hitting one up to feast after going to a show. Keep challenging yourself to pronounce their names in Español better. Keep tipping your taqueros and taqueras, and keep supporting your taquerías. The Taco Life calls you, Los Ángeles-dwelling and hardworking person, to show up for your favorite taquero or taquera.

This year's Taco Madness is presented by Bud Light Chelada.

Keep an eye out for our announcement of the curated list of tacos to be featured in this year's tournament and festival.

2023 Key Dates

April 3: Voting begins!

May 6th: Taco Madness Live!


Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)
Los Angeles, CA - May 04: LATaco.com’s 10th Annual Taco Madness May 04, 2019. (Brian Feinzimer)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Sunday Taquitos #28: Get Out, LOSER!

Sunday Taquitos! Art by Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ivan Ehlers.

June 14, 2026

What You Need To Know About ICE At The FIFA World Cup

Plus, CHIRLA and LAARN published a “Know Before You Go” safety guide for fans attending World Cup-related events.

June 13, 2026

L.A TACO’s 2026 Guide To Free Summer Concerts in L.A.

Los Lobos, Keyshia Cole, DJ Quik, Kurupt, The Paranoias, Jungle Fire, and Delfonics are among the many artists you can catch for free in L.A. this summer, if you know where to look. Just don't look at that Rivers Cuomo too closely.

A Ninja Turtles-Themed Pizzeria with a Serious New York Slice

Take it from a California-raised food writer who did ten years in NYC, these slices slaughter the competition like a sai to Shredder's face.

June 12, 2026

When Pedro Arrests Juan: Why Latinos Join Border Patrol and ICE 

Many Latino families inherited the same lesson generation after generation: When society views you as foreign, proving your Americanness can become its own form of survival.

June 11, 2026

Daily Memo: Ms. Rachel Visits D.C. With 545 Letters From Children Currently Being Detained By I.C.E.

Speaking of children, Jacob Soboroff reports that ICE is holding an average of at least 25 children a day who are three or under. There have been at least 500 babies and toddlers who have spent significant time in ICE detention.

See all posts