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21 More Tacos to Try Before You Die in LA

by Farley Elliott Sep 15, 2014, 5:30am PDT

8 comments / new

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by Farley Elliott Sep 15, 2014, 5:30am PDT

8 comments / new

Bar Ama

Don't worry, there's always a lot of ground to cover when it comes to L.A.'s stellar taco scene. We've previously highlighted the potato tacos at El Atacor #11, the puffy tacos at Arturo's in Whittier and seafood highlights like Ricky's Fish Tacos and Mariscos Jalisco. But that's just the tip of the taco. Here are 21 more L.A. tacos to try before you die.

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Aqui es Texcoco

It’s all about the barbacoa at this Commerce institution, served with just a touch of fried crunch, little cups of lamb drippings and plenty of tortillas.

5850 S Eastern Ave, Commerce, CA 90040

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Bar Ama

Everyone knows about their fried puffy tacos, but don’t sleep on Bar Amá’s breakfast tacos, which are lumbering, eggy and perfect for clearing up a hangover.

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Cacao Mexicatessen

It’s almost always huitlacoche season at Cacao Mexicatessen, which means you can get their funky corn tacos whenever you’d like.

1576 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Chichen Itza Restaurant

It’s all about the cochinita pibil tacos at this popular Mercado La Paloma space.

3655 S Grand Ave, #C6, Los Angeles, CA 90007

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Also featured in:

El Parian

Tender, slightly funky birria (goat) tacos can be found on every plate inside this Pico-Union mainstay.

Open in Google Maps

1528 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

HomeState

It’s Austin-by-way-of-Los-Feliz at HomeState, where breakfast tacos rule the morning, complete with Cuvée coffee.

4624 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Visit Website

Also featured in:

La Estrella Taco Truck

Highland Park has had it this good for years, with La Estrella’s popular street carnitas and asada tacos.

Open in Google Maps

York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042

La Isla Bonita

As perhaps Venice’s hardest-working taco truck, customers line up for the mariscos and carne asada — with stewed pinto beans on the side, of course.

Open in Google Maps

400 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291

A close up photo of tacos with beans and meat on flour tortillas.

Los Anaya Authentic Mexican Food

It’s all about the taco sampler platter here, moving from carne asada to mole to carnitas to al pastor seamlessly.

Open in Google Maps

4651 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Los Cinco Puntos

East L.A.’ers know Los Cinco Puntos well — mostly for their boiling cauldrons of carnitas, served with a side of tortillas made by hand.

Open in Google Maps

3300 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90063

Los Esquipales

Perhaps the Valley’s best birria de chivo, served in steaming bowls meant to be spooned out, straight into waiting warm tortillas.

Open in Google Maps

15963 Yarnell Street, Sylmar, CA 91342

Malo

The somewhat polarizing ground beef and pickle fried tacos at Malo deserve their place, if only for their originality within L.A.’s taco scene.

4326 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Take Your Dollar Elsewhere: LA's 11 Most Overrated Restaurants

Metro Balderas

All parts of the porker are at work in this Mexico City-style carnitas shop in Highland Park.

Open in Google Maps

5305 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Metro Balderas Restaurant

Tacos Cuernavaca

Seek out the suadero, cecina and al pastor at this East L.A. late night truck.

Whittier Blvd, East Los Angeles, CA 90022

Also featured in:

A Quick Guide to Tacos in Los Angeles, 2017 Edition

Tacos El Pecas

Boyle Heights locals (and J. Gold himself) have long loved the cabeza street tacos here.

Open in Google Maps

994 S Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Tacos La Fonda

North Hollywood’s Tacos La Fonda trailer brings thick, hand-patted tortillas and lots of carne asada, all doused in endless salsa table options.

Open in Google Maps

2135 N San Fernando Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Tacos Los Guichos

This South L.A. parking lot operation turns out some of the city’s best carnitas.

Los Angeles, CA 90003

Also featured in:

Tacos Por Favor

Santa Monica’s longstanding Tacos Por Favor is the sort of everyday Mexican sit-down restaurant that the world could use more of.

1408 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Tacos Tamix

With thick slices of al pastor and plenty of pineapple, Tamix is always willing to give Tacos Leo a run for their money.

Open in Google Maps

2402 Pico blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Taqueria Emanuel

Cheap tacos with lots of salsa keep the Van Nuys neighborhood going all day long.

Open in Google Maps

6350 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA

Tire Shop Taqueria

A relatively recent addition to the South L.A. taco landscape, this Tijuana-style vendor is serving up impeccable carne asada.

Open in Google Maps

East 40th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90011

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Aqui es Texcoco

5850 S Eastern Ave, Commerce, CA 90040

It’s all about the barbacoa at this Commerce institution, served with just a touch of fried crunch, little cups of lamb drippings and plenty of tortillas.

5850 S Eastern Ave, Commerce, CA 90040

Visit Website

Bar Ama

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Everyone knows about their fried puffy tacos, but don’t sleep on Bar Amá’s breakfast tacos, which are lumbering, eggy and perfect for clearing up a hangover.

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Visit Website

Cacao Mexicatessen

1576 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

It’s almost always huitlacoche season at Cacao Mexicatessen, which means you can get their funky corn tacos whenever you’d like.

1576 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Visit Website

Chichen Itza Restaurant

3655 S Grand Ave, #C6, Los Angeles, CA 90007

It’s all about the cochinita pibil tacos at this popular Mercado La Paloma space.

3655 S Grand Ave, #C6, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Visit Website

El Parian

1528 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Tender, slightly funky birria (goat) tacos can be found on every plate inside this Pico-Union mainstay.

Open in Google Maps

1528 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

HomeState

4624 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

It’s Austin-by-way-of-Los-Feliz at HomeState, where breakfast tacos rule the morning, complete with Cuvée coffee.

4624 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Visit Website

La Estrella Taco Truck

York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Highland Park has had it this good for years, with La Estrella’s popular street carnitas and asada tacos.

Open in Google Maps

York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042

La Isla Bonita

400 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291

As perhaps Venice’s hardest-working taco truck, customers line up for the mariscos and carne asada — with stewed pinto beans on the side, of course.

Open in Google Maps

400 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291

A close up photo of tacos with beans and meat on flour tortillas.

Los Anaya Authentic Mexican Food

4651 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

It’s all about the taco sampler platter here, moving from carne asada to mole to carnitas to al pastor seamlessly.

Open in Google Maps

4651 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Los Cinco Puntos

3300 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90063

East L.A.’ers know Los Cinco Puntos well — mostly for their boiling cauldrons of carnitas, served with a side of tortillas made by hand.

Open in Google Maps

3300 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90063

Los Esquipales

15963 Yarnell Street, Sylmar, CA 91342

Perhaps the Valley’s best birria de chivo, served in steaming bowls meant to be spooned out, straight into waiting warm tortillas.

Open in Google Maps

15963 Yarnell Street, Sylmar, CA 91342

Malo

4326 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

The somewhat polarizing ground beef and pickle fried tacos at Malo deserve their place, if only for their originality within L.A.’s taco scene.

4326 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Visit Website

Metro Balderas

5305 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042

All parts of the porker are at work in this Mexico City-style carnitas shop in Highland Park.

Open in Google Maps

5305 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Metro Balderas Restaurant

Tacos Cuernavaca

Whittier Blvd, East Los Angeles, CA 90022

Seek out the suadero, cecina and al pastor at this East L.A. late night truck.

Whittier Blvd, East Los Angeles, CA 90022

Tacos El Pecas

994 S Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Boyle Heights locals (and J. Gold himself) have long loved the cabeza street tacos here.

Open in Google Maps

994 S Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Related Maps

Tacos La Fonda

2135 N San Fernando Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90065

North Hollywood’s Tacos La Fonda trailer brings thick, hand-patted tortillas and lots of carne asada, all doused in endless salsa table options.

Open in Google Maps

2135 N San Fernando Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Tacos Los Guichos

Los Angeles, CA 90003

This South L.A. parking lot operation turns out some of the city’s best carnitas.

Los Angeles, CA 90003

Tacos Por Favor

1408 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Santa Monica’s longstanding Tacos Por Favor is the sort of everyday Mexican sit-down restaurant that the world could use more of.

1408 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Visit Website

Tacos Tamix

2402 Pico blvd, Los Angeles, CA

With thick slices of al pastor and plenty of pineapple, Tamix is always willing to give Tacos Leo a run for their money.

Open in Google Maps

2402 Pico blvd, Los Angeles, CA