It's come down to this. But first of all, a round of applause for our last round of taqueros! You all went down swinging, and both taquerías that are not advancing, Borreguitas and Birria La Unica, should be extremely proud to make it this far. Remember, there is always next. year! And it's never too late to start strategizing.
Here it is, the moment where an everyday taquería has the opportunity to become a legendary taquería. Will Tacos Los Cholos become the next three-time champion? Or will Mariscos Corona rise above like a blazing phoenix and be crowned the first winner from the San Fernando Valley?
Come to TACO MADNESS this Saturday to find out! The winner of this online tournament will be announced live on stage. Along with our "Best In Show" trophy, chosen by our esteemed panel of judges, including chef Curtis Stone, Camilo Lara of Mexican Institute of Sound, and Yarel Ramos from Univision.
Get your tickets here for our biggest fundraiser of the year. Every single ticket sale directly supports our daily independent journalism.
Members get in for free!
We're now down to the final four! These four last-standing taquerías are so close; they can already taste the delicious beer they will be drinking out of the trophy at our live event! These four deserving taquerías will now compete for a spot in the final round.
Vote now to help decide L.A.'s Favorite Taco!
And don't miss the live event on May 2! Want to come for free? Become a member.
Key Dates
April 13: Round 3 Voting Begins
April 17: Sabrocho Voting Begins
April 22: Final Four Voting Begins
April 29: Finals Voting Begins
May 2: Voting ends at 6pm, during Taco Madness Live!!
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Third round of TACO MADNESS, and the bracket is officially spicier than that habanero salsa you ate way too much of that one time.
We’ve already seen massive upsets: Guisados ate Evil Cooks alive, Tijuanazo just smacked the #1 seed La Carreta, and Holbox refused to die with an insane last-day comeback to stay in the tournament. Chuy’s had Tacos El Toro against the wall all week… but Toro woke up and fought back like a warrior. This isn’t a bracket anymore—it’s a taco war.
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That first round was a doozy!
There were upsets, with a first-round exit for past TACO MADNESS favorites, Tacos Estilo Guadalajara, ousted by Guisados, Homestate got beat by Chulita, and Teddy's Red Tacos is out! Their Birriamania-winning quesabirria tacos were beaten by the barrio-favorite carnitas, Los 5 Puntos.
Check out who else advanced in the second round below.
The voting for this second round will end at midnight (PST) on Sunday, April 12th, and the third round will open the following Monday, April 13th, at noon.
Vote for your favorite taquero below.
Taco fanatics, it’s our time to gather again!
Taco Madness 2026, our online tournament to pinpoint L.A.'s favorite taco, is officially on the horizon, and it's shaping up to be our wildest yet.
For years, TACO MADNESS has crowned champions in the brackets, as we've watched taqueros go all-out in epic battles, and thrown the biggest and best taco party in L.A. to cap it off.
Now, we're bringing it all together for one massive live celebration on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 3 - 9 p.m. at Downtown's iconic Gloria Molina Grand Park. This will be our biggest TACO MADNESS festival ever!
Expect the city's most legendary tacos (fresh off the grill, straight from the spots you love), sick DJs keeping the energy high, a full bar with craft beer flowing all afternoon, legendary local artists painting live on the spot, and that unbeatable feeling of pure, unfiltered Los Angeles taco culture.
This isn't just an event—it's a full-on tribute to the taco lifestyle that makes our city legendary.
This year will also welcome guests of all ages! So bring your kids, nieces, neighbors, and nephews. There will be tacos for all!
Whether you're repping your favorite taquería from past Madness tournaments or just here to partake in the taco life, don’t miss this year’s celebration.
Tickets are live! Secure yours now! Each ticket sale also directly supports our independent, street-level journalism. Get your tickets to the live event on May 2, here. Members, you'll get an email with a special code to get your free ticket in your email, or contact us if you can't wait.
L.A. TACO's 2026 TACO MADNESS Bracket:
