Skip to Content
Photo Essay

Announcing the TACO MADNESS 2024 ‘Best in Show’ Champion, Plus All the Tacos and Good Times You Missed Out On!

Thank you to every single of you who came out to support us in our quinceañera edition of TACO MADNESS 2024! This year's winner was a shocker and first-in-its class! See if you spot yourself and your TACO MADNESS crew in our photo recap!

5:32 PM PDT on June 17, 2024

Award-winning taco de suadero de Ditroit. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.

At approximately 7:45 PM, a new TACO MADNESS best-in-show champion was crowned, and it was a first in its class! For the first time, it was from a fine-dining Mexican restaurant. It was a unanimous decision by our three esteemed judges: Ditroit. Chef Chuy Cervantes and his team of modern taqueros made a juicy, delicious, lime-juice forward suadero (beef brisket) slowly confit in its own fat. The taco was topped with crushed house-made chicharrón on a house-nixtamalized tortilla made with native corn imported from Mexico and topped with a dollop of guacachile.

Award-winning taco de suadero de Ditroit. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.
Chuy Cervantes celebrating his Judge's Choice TACO MADNESS win. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.
Chef Chuy Cervantes and his Ditroit team on stage accepting their win. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.
Ditroit at their booth. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.

Of course, it wouldn't be proper TACO MADNESS without our three-time people's choice taco, Villa's Tacos formally accepting his trophy and and also starting the party on the dance floor.

Victor Villa of Villa's Tacos celebrating his 2024 win. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.
Villa's Tacos giving their speech. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.
Villa's Tacos team. Photo by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.

Thank you to everyone who came out to eat, drink, dance, and have a good time supporting L.A. TACO and our independent journalism. Thank you to our judges: Anais Martinez, Ruben Leal, and Bricia Lopez. Thank you to our beer sponsor, Boomtown Brewery for supplying all the beer. Thank you to our tequila sponsor, Trujillo Tequila. Thank you to our soft beverage sponsor, Jarritos! Thank you to all our DJs for helping us Last but not least, thank you to our event partners, I Love Micheladas, for helping us throw the best taco festival in Los Angeles! See you all next year.

Here are some of our favorite moments of the night. All photos by Andrew Lugo for L.A. TACO.

More Stories

Sunday Taquitos #34: Coup Season

Sunday Taquitos! Art by Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ivan Ehlers.

October 4, 2026

Brick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street Vendors

The truth is, the city isn't particularly motivated to encourage or assist small brick-and-mortars or street vendors. What really gets them salivating is corporate investment.

October 2, 2026

These Wok-Fired Asada Tacos Are Available For Five Days Only, Starting Tonight

This unique taco collaboration between two local legends is paired with slushie sochu margaritas, mariachis, and a free fruit cart at a party on an L.A. sidewalk.

October 2, 2026

Becerra Vs. Hilton: Which Gubernatorial Candidate Disgusted Us Less at Last Night’s Debate?

Two millionaires—one milquetoast and one MAGA—face off to decide Californians' fate.

October 1, 2026

Joe Altmann’s ‘Gladiators’ Captures DIY Culture from L.A. to Saigon

Most of these photos, showing global subcultures and inked-up artists, are unpublished and only on display at this weekend's gallery in Echo Park, opening tomorrow night.

October 1, 2026

Read This If Your Loved One Has a Final ‘Removal Order’

An unannounced change took effect on September 15, adding another layer of difficulty for thousands of families and lawyers trying to locate detained loved ones.