Hurry inside the Far East Plaza for a taste of Roy Choi's ultimate post-drinking destination. The Chubby Pork Belly at Chego is the rice bowl that brings you back from the brink. More
As a slightly upscale alternative to the late night cafes, trucks, and tables that run along Cesar Chavez Avenue, La Serenata de Garibaldi has been pushing plates of fresh seafood, simple tacos, and stiff margaritas for more than 25 years. And people are still leaving with smiles on their faces. More
Is flatbread pizza? The debate is certainly nothing new. But at Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos, the self-styled flatbread makers don't worry too much about labels. Instead, they focus on ingredients. Here's a look at the ten pies that emerged most recently from the 20-ton, 900º masonry oven that hulks along one wall in the open dining room. More
The Dee Snider at Grill 'Em All Burgers features bacon, Sriracha, peanut butter, and jelly—some might call it the perfect hangover cure. More
Henry's Tacos has died; long live Henry's Tacos. The Studio City gringo taco spot, with its faded yellow sign and Googie-style architecture that jutted south from the corner of Moorpark Street and Tujunga Avenue, closed last year amid much controversy. Did the landlord cave and let Henry's return after owner Janis Hood sold the place to one of her decades-long employees? Nope. They just moved across the street. More
The rare Mexican pambazo sandwich from Metro Balderas offers potatoes, chorizo, and queso fresco inside chile-dipped bread. More
It doesn't take much to please the locals out in Venice. They've got sunshine on their side, the beach at their feet, and a closeknit sense of neighborhood that's practically unrivaled anywhere else in Los Angeles. And it is that perfect Venice mix of well-heeled hippie, lanky surfer, aging musician, yoga pants moms and perpetually busy twentysomething that all lines up on weekdays for La Isla Bonita. This is their neighborhood taco truck. More
Carnitas Michoacan in Lincoln Heights serves up tasty tacos beyond their namesake carnitas, and a plate of carne asada fries that's not to be missed. More
There's a lot to love about the sausage breakfast taco ($6), that's for sure. This thing is curvy, a half moon of thick hand-patted tortilla, blistered and spotty in all the right places. Instead of trying to button itself up inside the weighty tortilla, this chunky concoction spills hefty yellow nuggets of softly scrambled egg all over the place. You can't stop the breakfast taco; you can't even contain it. More
Metro Balderas in Highland Park serves up weekend-only carnitas tacos that resemble the finest versions from Mexico City. The carnitas here runs the gamut from thin and crispy to rich and fatty. More
My Taco in Highland Park is a strip mall taco joint with a Le Cordon Bleu chef making barbacoa de borrego tacos in the kitchen. More
How has Kogi's kitchen weathered the rapid rise and slow deflation of the food truck climate they helped to create? Pretty well, actually. More
When you've got a mezcal hangover and the harsh morning light is streaming through the plate glass windows, look to Chef Josef Centeno's puffy tacos at Bar Amá. Depending on the level of your hangover, actually navigating the oversized taco might be a bit of a challenge, but if you can manage to find the middle of your face, just poke around until you find an open mouth and you should be all set. More
CaCao Mexicatessen in Eagle Rock serves high-class tacos that may just be worth the $5. Served with thin radish sticks and full corn kernels, the Mexican corn smut taco is the single best taco you can buy at CaCao Mexicatessen. It has the funkiness of an aged cheese, with the same slight tang. More
Around many kitchens, the lowly potato simply serves as a starchy filler in the absence of meat or a supporting role to meat. After all, potatoes are cheap, easy to cook and season, and readily available all over the world. But at El Atacor #11, the Cypress Park outpost of a dwindling Los Angeles Mexican food chain, the fluffy, fried potato tacos are legendary. More
It's entirely possible that you've never considered pasta for breakfast. You've probably been thinking that the most important meal begins at cereal and ends at pancakes. That sounds like a nice life. Quaint even. Except that it's completely wrong. More
Tacos y Carnitas Sahuayo in Santa Ana offers cuts from the whole pig for your tacos, and you shouldn't miss out on trying them all. That means the ears, the snout, tail, and more piggy parts. More
The discussion of what it takes to allay a hangover in Los Angeles doesn't even really begin until you mention Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles. #3 Herb's Special is all basics: half of a chicken, Southern fried, with two large waffles. What's not to like, especially when you're trying to wash down the memories of a night spent belly-up at a bar? More
Alebrije's Grill taco truck in Orange County serves up plenty of bold flavors, especially in their Taco Acorazado. More
Orange County mega-chain Chronic Tacos is a booming business built on a foundation of bad Mexican food. More
We've already mentioned the salted caramel pecan babka roll at Sycamore Kitchen as the site's heavy-duty sugar supplier, but there is a simpler and heartier pastry that deserves your attention after a night of expensive Champagne toasts. And its nom de plume is the savory yam galette ($4). More
We set out to do what nobody before us has ever done before: try every single hot dog on the menu at Pink's Famous Hot Dogs in Hollywood. For those uninitiated to the Pink's hot dog legacy, the 73-year old stand on the corner of Melrose and La Brea serves up everything from basic chili cheese dogs to double-dogs stuffed into a single bun, weighed down with guacamole, chili, cheese, onions, tomatoes, pastrami, bacon... you name it. More
I devoured many tacos last year; far more than a list of ten favorites could ever tell you (I'm sure my girlfriend would have a few words to say about my taco eating habits). But here are ten that represent the newest, the tastiest, and the most unexpected tacos that you should give a try. The selections truly run the gamut, with fish taco entries from East L.A., weekend-only carnitas off Slauson Avenue, and a trip to the desert of the Baja Peninsula. More
La Super-Rica was one of Julia Child's favorite places to eat, and it's not hard to taste why. To this day, La Super-Rica often has a line out the door, which actually isn't that difficult given the tight entryway and sparse patio seating. And what exactly do folks line up for? A bit of nostalgia, perhaps, but also some seriously good Mexican food. More
Do you know someone who loves tacos? Not 'really likes' tacos, or 'enjoys' tacos, but really, really loves them? Well, you're a lucky person, because that means you have a guaranteed taco buddy any time you want. Here are some gifts to show your appreciation for the unabashed taco aficionado in your life. More
I has a sad.
Minus that beans, rice & ... cole slaw... abomination at Taqueria El Milagro, these look fantastic. I'm excited for the day that we get Freaky Friday'd and I start eating all the Chicago tacos and you chow down in L.A.
@DPiez - Although I'm certainly not an expert, I'd have to say that the likely answer is that penis just seems more shocking. It's also something that comes a bit more camera-ready, shall we say. And when it comes to uterus, I would imagine that it would look much like any internal organ, which doesn't offer the same visual value as a roasted up tube of you-know-what.
Everything about this looks fantastic.
@Lorenzo - that's the al pastor quesadilla. It's not a big, loping burrito-sized quesadilla; they use the same tortillas as their tacos to make it, just double-stacked.
@Notoriousjoe - I do think that La Super-Rica has done an excellent job of selling the Julia Child angle, and I would agree that it's not my favorite Mexican food in the world, but I certainly found their simple recipes to be an absolute delight.
@Madenson - There's not really a difference between the wood and cast iron option, except for perhaps the longevity mentioned with cast iron. That being said, you certainly seem like someone who's taken the time to keep your press in good working order, so it shouldn't be a problem. And yes, you can NEVER have too many tortillas!
These definitely are not cheap tacos, and they reflect the market value for the areas they tend to serve. They're also generally an upscale catering service, so it's a bit different than being a normal of-the-streets taco operation. That being said, the tacos themselves are fantastic. Sure, it's a different experience than the $1 Jalisco-style tacos you might find elsewhere, but the relative value really depends on frame of reference, ingredients, location and all that other fun stuff.
I say there's room for delicious and cheap and delicious and pricey in this taco universe.
Lunch in the Loop is definitely one of my favorite recent additions to the SE-verse.
I know it's a bit unfair to jetset over from Los Angeles and try eating at Brooklyn Taco Co., but on my most recent NYC visit this summer I was disappointed. Shopsin's, however....
All - after being contacted by Mexikosher regarding their cheese, I'm now told that it is in fact vegan Kosher cheese. On my second visit, I inquired about the cheese and was told (to my surprise) that it was 'American', and not 'American-style'. Regardless, it's a fine cheese, if a bit thick for the traditional melt you might be looking for on a burger. I'll update the post accordingly.
Ugh, this place has been a disappointment, sadly. There's a real ratio issue between beef and bun yet, as you say, you don't find yourself wanting to dig into another overcooked patty.
@Juliet - I don't even begin to understand that logic...
Woah.
@WilyWiley Sorry you feel that way, I certainly did my best to reach every national chain that exists in and around Los Angeles (nine of them). Also, I still love reading about Shake Shack, and that's clear on the other side of America!
In regards to Chipotle, there might be a bit of confusion regarding the origin of all these posts. Basically, I spent the better part of the past two months eating every style of taco (chicken one week, steak the next, carnitas to follow, etc.) at every national Mexican fast or fast-casual chain I could find from out here in LA. As such, I never explicitly ate, say, a steak burrito from Chipotle - the only times we venture into burrito territory is with the veggie burritos.
That being said, the slides above that do discuss Chipotle & Qdoba (as a similar order-it-your-way chain) talk at length about the quality of their ingredients, the flavors and how the operations are run. Perhaps jumping through to each post individually (as laid out above) will offer a bit more context.
@imwalkin - It's actually not bad, especially if you just stick with the cheese. I ordered one up for a gigantic picnic I put on for a couple hundred friends, and it was pretty hilarious watching four grown men carry it across an open field.
All - I've updated the above to more closely reference the specifics of Mexican chain bowls, as well as the Qdoba / Chipotle issue. Thanks for the heads up!
@Walrus - I actually did try the Maui Bowl, but didn't include it here because it had largely the same steak that I hated previously, but with a touch more sticky teriyaki glaze. I tried to stick to bowls that weren't just exact combinations of items I'd previously eaten, sans tortilla.
Sobriquet, others - Sorry for the confusion regarding Qdoba and Chipotle. Because we've already covered all of their ingredients at length in all of our other posts, and it's purely a do-it-yourself spot, it seemed a bit redundant. We've already covered their steak, chicken, veggies and even the carnitas options, where available. And since there are likely thousands of different bowl combinations possible, it seemed best to let the other posts do the talking.
This is absolutely one of the finest - if not the finest fried chicken sandwich in all of Los Angeles. A true treat.
Jesus that looks great.
@texas Believe me, I feel you. LA is overrun with great Mexican options beyond the drive-thrus and $1 bean burrito joints. In the weeks that I've been doing this, I'm continuously shocked at the different people choosing to eat at a Del Taco in the middle of the afternoon, when there are so many great places just around the block.
@Laurie I hadn't really considered the 'healthy' aspect of Wahoo's, because none of what I've seen in their promotions has talked about it, but that seems to make sense in a way. Pared down Mexican options for someone looking to avoid a ton of cheese and grease makes Wahoo's at least more understandable. But, as a straight up place offering some version of Mexican food, they're pretty terrible.
Woof. Hot lettuce is one of the worst things.
We set out to do what nobody before us has ever done before: try every single hot dog on the menu at Pink's Famous Hot Dogs in Hollywood. For those uninitiated to the Pink's hot dog legacy, the 73-year old stand on the corner of Melrose and La Brea serves up everything from basic chili cheese dogs to double-dogs stuffed into a single bun, weighed down with guacamole, chili, cheese, onions, tomatoes, pastrami, bacon... you name it. More
At Tacos Los Guichos, carnitas is a weekend tradition. Well south of USC and just east of the 110 freeway, this long-standing trailer offers late-night eats to a hardworking mix of folks, all milling around in the gated parking lot of a car repair shop. The long-simmering carnitas make this one of the best tacos in Los Angeles. Just make sure to show up on a day that begins with the letter S. More
The taco tables are a ubiquitous late-night sight along the avenues and corners of much of Los Angeles. Heading east from Western along Pico Blvd. towards downtown, the weekend streets are awash in tacos (and taco tables). More
There are approximately a gazillion taco destinations in Los Angeles, and Farley has made it his mission to eat all the good ones. Every Tuesday he talks tacos with us, whether deep-fried shrimp tacos from a truck or late-night chorizo tacos from a taqueria next to a car wash. So what else is Farley into besides tacos? He's here to tell you. More
Tacos Arizas is a long-standing member of the Echo Park taco tradition. Their trailer idles nightly just off Sunset Blvd., alongside the Walgreens on otherwise forgettable Logan Street. If you're not already familiar with the location, feel free to let your wandering stomach and a multi-colored neon sign guide you. The chorizo is the best choice on an already satisfying taco line-up. More
The lovely and talented Katie Robbins dined with me and taco titan Farley Elliot broke burgers with some Yelp reviewers for the reopening of Burger Kitchen. It's being pitched as "most intense Kitchen Nightmares of the year." The first installment aired last Friday and tonight is the conclusion which includes the a reworked Burger Kitchen menu, staff, and interior. More
Two trucks, Tacos Leo and Tacos Tamix, bring the trompo (that beautiful log of spinning al pastor) to heights not often seen outside of Mexico City. At each, the taqueros use a sharp knife to ease off generous slices of pastor directly onto a warm, waiting tortilla with a hunk of pineapple for good measure. But is one better? More
It's a jungle out there, folks, especially when it comes to tacos northeast of downtown. Taquerias and loncheros lurk around every corner, ready to satisfy your meat and tortilla needs. There are heavy hitters like La Estrella amidst an unending sea of nameless taco tables, each with their own white-hot string of lights overhead. And then, there's Rambo's Tacos on Eagle Rock Boulevard near York. More
Since time immemorial, two taco trucks have parked in front of the dimly lit auto body shop at Western and Lexington. Two competing trucks, not 20 feet from one another, with no plenty of other real estate around and no other trucks in sight. Granted, the neighborhood seems more than happy to oblige them both, and flashy bar LA Descarga down the street certainly offers up a nice influx of late night eaters. But... two?! More
Taco Zone is one of Los Angeles' most beloved late night taco trucks, having successfully weathered the flood of gourmet fusion trucks that continue to zip around town (although, with the tide receding, some are beginning to look for any brick-and-mortar in a storm). In fact, it almost feels like Taco Zone has been there forever, quietly serving a wide selection of meats while the Echo Park neighborhood around them changes. More
Among the late-night Hollywood set, there's a quiet war being waged on the streets. As you pile out of whatever expensive social experiment you spent the evening in, do you choose tacos or bacon-wrapped hot dogs? Both are delicious, widely available and an essential source of Vitamin-Sober. But for all the consistent greasy goodness that a street dog provides, it is no match for the wondrous highs of a perfectly executed taco. Particularly if it's the birria taco from Cactus Taqueria on Vine. More
Parked not half a block from La Estrella, one of Highland Park's most venerable taco trucks, El Pique has had to scrap and fight for every $1.25 taco sale. Luckily, there are a few options (including the cabeza tacos) on the menu to throw your spare change at, should the line at La Estrella bend past the curve of tolerability. More
Though the truck is on the east side of Los Angeles, it has not succumbed to the "into it before it was cool" movement. I've been coming to La Estrella's truck since I first moved to Los Angeles four years ago, and they were parked in the same spot long before that. There was a line to order before I got there; there'll be one when I leave. This is why. More
Los Angeles is a city full of American brunch spots, unrivaled Mexican food, and a wonderful knack for blurring the borders between the two. Where, then, are all of the great breakfast burritos? The answer is a bit muddled. With thousands of taco trucks, taquerias, and upscale breakfast eateries, they're absolutely everywhere in Los Angeles. Yet, the truly great examples are undeniably hard to find. Here are ten that we'd wake up early for. More
In Los Angeles, the prevailing sentiment seems to be that the sandwich has gone the way of our beloved La Brea Tar Pit mammoths. But the "Godmother" sandwich from Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica is a testament to old-world sandwiches still being done right, as the perpetual line in front of the deli counter can attest. Genoa salami, prosciutto, mortadella, coppacola, ham and provolone cheese are all thinly layered inside a crusty length of Italian bread. Be sure to give it "the works." More
This is written beautifully.