Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

This is the hardest question ever. I was going to tell you just to stop at any taco truck you see, but I'm assuming that's not specific enough.

I've always had really good luck with the taco trucks near Olvera St. The usual stuff; carne asada burritos, tacos al pastor- whatever, it's all delicous. Plus, there's a tiny Mexican food joint at the end of Olvera St. that has the cheapest, yummiest food and the best mango margaritas. It may seem kind of typical to reccomend the most Mexican Street in Los Angeles as a place to find great Mexican food, but I'm a native Angeleno and a Mexican, so I reserve the right.

i just came back from a week in Guadalajara... and I had some of the best mexican food ever.

I know this does not answer your question specifically, but I tried for the first time some "rajitas de nopal" and "rajitas de jalapeño" and they were awesome!! These are just tiny strips of nopal cooked in a sauce with corn and eaten with white corn tortillas. I also had chiles rellenos with cotija cheese with a tomato sauce with nopales... super good all the way.

I also tried jamaica agua fresca... its a "tea" made from the jamaica flowers and served chilled like an iced tea. It's fuschia in color and sweet. Pretty unique if you ask me...

So if you find some nopales or agua fesca de jamaica on the LA menus, give them a try...

Near Venice, I'd try Tacomiendo - consistently good, perfectly "hole in the wall"-ish and so so reasonably priced! There's not a lot of seating so think about taking it to go!

http://www.ta-comiendo.com/index.htm

Tito's Taco's in Culver City and El Coyote in the West Hollywood area are a couple of my favorites.

I'll be headed home myself in a couple of weeks...can't wait for some good Mexican food!

PumpkinBear...which end of Olvera St?

I have the best memories of taquitos from some vendor when I was a kid. OMG...I can still taste and never found any better.

I have a friend visiting in September and will be seeking them out.

That Mexican stand in Los Feliz is called Yuca's. It's def. worth checking out, namely for their carne asada burrito. For the best fish tacos, head out toward East LA to a place that does Baja style: Tacos Baja Ensenada. The shrimp ceviche is great too. And the Taco Zone truck in Echo Park on Alvarado and Montana. Happy eating!

i love love love mexican food and have been to a lot of mexican restaurants. el coyote is great and has cheap margaritas for happy hour and different enchiladas than other places (they are super greasy and dark but delicious). sol y luna in tarzana is kind of out of the way but their mexican food is one of the best i have had in the city. then there's always el cholo, they have a bunch of different locations, which is nicer quality mexican food and has a bunch of different kinds of enchiladas. loteria is great too because it is different than the typical mexican food you find at most restaurants here in la.

now for taco trucks, i haven't been to that many necessarily to have a favorite, but there is a website all about the tacos in la http://tacohunt.blogspot.com/ which probably gives you too many options but it is very helpful.

Avoid El Coyote, especially if you're looking for anything approaching authenticity. It's only worth it for the margaritas and to see the 'Tate Booth' where Sharon Tate supposedly ate her last meal.

The best Mexican I've had in LA was in Boyle Heights, near downtown, at Cirros. Cheap, authentic, slightly fancier than most dives. El Tepayac, home of some of the world's biggest and best burritos is right across the street. They also have a lot of good taco carts and trucks there at night, especially on the weekend.

Closer to the westside but still pretty far east from Venice, I heartily endorse Tere's, Yucas (2 locations within a mile of each other), King Taco (many locations), and Cactus Tacos.

I'll probably get yelled at for suggesting this, but I like El Cholo on Western. It's an LA institution that's been around since the 1920s. Particularly recommended are the green corn tamales, chile con carne (big chunks of meat served in an excellent sauce), and Enchiladas suiza.

It's Tex-Mex, I suppose, but darn if it ain't good.

I also like Tere's Mexican Grill on Melrose, just west of Vine. They make their own chips fresh, right there in the restaurant. I've been known to go there for nothing but the chips and a little tub of guacamole.

I THIRD the recommendation for El Cholo. Especially right now when they're making green corn tamales. Hey, they've been around for 80+ years...they must be doing something right!

Casa Vega has occasional celeb sightings, and they meet 4 of the 5 of our diagnostics: chips, salsa, 'ritas, beans and rice. I feel they falter on the rice.

Barragan's is great. We visit the Burbank location. I'd recommend the Huevos Divorciados.

We also like Don Cuco's in Toluca Lake, but mainly for the Sunday bartender, Jesse. Location, location, location.

El Coyote and Teres are more like Tex-Mex in my mind. I live near the Grove but drive to Venice when I want authentic Mexican. Try La Playita. It's a little hut at 3306 Lincoln (almost at Rose). They have amazing shrimp stuff, cocktel, ceviche, tacos, tostadas and burritos. I think it's actually my favorite place to eat in all of LA. It's mostly populated by Hispanic dudes at lunch, a very very good sign in my books.

Also, if you've never been to Grand Central Market downtown, GO! It's full of great places to eat really good Mexican and Salvadorean. Try either Roast to Go for INSANE tacos, huge and spicy and so good, or Sarita's Pupuseria. Hope this helps!