The battle for taco supremacy rages on! The taqueros that have made it this far have shredded the competition, grilled the underdogs, and now only eight taquerías remain. Who will claim the taco trophy at the end?
The furious battle to crown L.A.'s favorite taco concludes with our annual TACO MADNESS festival on May 3rd at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. We will be announcing both the champion for TACO MADNESS's online tournament as well as a "Best in Show" trophy.
Buy your tickets here!
Vote below!
The battle for L.A.’s favorite taco is heating up, and the stakes have never been higher. After two intense rounds of voting, only the elite taquerías remain standing. These unstoppable tortilla titans have fought their way through and are halfway done to being crowned TACO MADNESS. Now, it’s YOUR turn to decide who moves closer to taco glory.
Will a #1 seed take the crown, or will an underdog swoop in and pull a disappointment? Every vote counts in this clash of L.A.'s taco legends.
The first round of TACO MADNESS 2025 was an all-out guerra de sazón, but only the boldest taquerías survived. From legendary al pastor slingers to boundary-pushing vegan innovators, the Round of 64 delivered unforgettable matchups—and now, the field has been sliced in half. These 32 advancing taquerías didn’t just win; they dominated, securing their spots with crispy trompo mastery, next-level salsas, and tortillas so good they bring their loyal customers to their knees. The people have spoken: THIS IS THE POWER OF L.A.'s TACO LIFE in full display.
Who won the first round? The brave 32 taquerías reads like a dream taco crawl: Eastside icons clashed with Westside newcomers, birria giants faced off against quesabirria rebels, and a few new contenders pulled off upsets that’ll go down in TACO MADNESS history. Whether it’s a family-run lonchera with decades of tradition or a new-school spot redefining what a taco can be, one thing’s clear—these 32 are serving happiness wrapped in a tortilla.
Now, the battles are going to get a little crazier.
The Round of 32 kicks off with make-or-break showdowns: Will your favorite taquero or taquera survive the salsa gauntlet? Can a dark horse outshine a reigning champ? Defend your favorite taquería and vote now —because this is where legends are crowned, hearts are broken, and L.A.’s most beloved taco champion inches a little closer to glory.
The furious battle to crown L.A.'s favorite taco concludes with our annual TACO MADNESS festival on May 3rd at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
Tickets are now available for pre-sale. Every ticket sold supports our inclusive, independent, street-level journalism and keeps the stories you all love coming strong.
Voting concludes at 11:59 PM next Tuesday, April 8. No fooling.
Cast your vote for TACO MADNESS 2025 here.
Get those taco-triggers ready to vote for your favorite taco in Los Angeles in 2025. We have 64 taquerías ready to battle it out in this first round. Voting concludes at 11:59 PM next Tuesday, April 1. No fooling.
Cast your vote for TACO MADNESS 2025 here:
L.A. TACO's original taco tournament and live taco competition and festival is back for its 16th year! Voting is going live right now!!
This year, we are returning to our 64-seed tournament to feature twice as many taquerías as last year. We're also opening up the taco battles to include taqueros from the Inland Empire.
Many L.A. legends are duking it out again, but this year, we have a bunch of newcomers taking their first shot at taco glory. Make sure you vote today!
The furious battle to crown L.A.'s favorite taco concludes with our annual TACO MADNESS festival on May 3rd at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
Tickets are now available for pre-sale. Every ticket sold supports our inclusive, independent, street-level journalism and keeps the stories you all love coming strong.
If you are curious about our selection process, our annual 69 Best Tacos list was our tortilla compass. Not to say there hasn't been some shouting and near fistfights between Memo "El Tragon" Torres and Javier "The Glutster" Cabral inside our offices, both of them propelling criteria like consistency and the power to spread love throughout L.A.'s taco oasis to the top of their minds.
This year's poster illustration comes again from artist Hawk Krall, who has been gracing our tournament with colorful taco-related art since 2011. This year's poster is a tribute to Yuca's, the first winner of the annual competition, while the truck also nods to repeat winner Mariscos Jalisco.
