The 33 best tacos in Los Angeles

Come on—did you really think we wouldn’t include these guys? One of the long-standing heroes of the old-school taco trucks (aka loncheros), Mariscos Jalisco has earned a deservedly loyal and devoted following. Their signature tacos dorado de camaron ($2.50) are far from a secret, but they live up to the hype with flavorful and fresh shrimp folded into a corn tortilla that is then fried to a golden brown and topped with thick slices of avocado and a vibrant and complex salsa roja. You’ll also want to save room for their legendary tostadas like the Poseidon ($9.50), topped with shrimp ceviche, octopus and a fiery red aguachile of shrimp.

If you want one of the most popular types of tacos from one of the most popular purveyors, grab a couple of tacos al pastor ($2 apiece) from Leo’s. Your meat is either pulled from the plancha or else sliced from the hunk of marinated pork that’s flame-roasting on the large trompo, then topped with fresh pineapple shavings for a spicy and sweet charred snack. Leo’s now has seven locations, but it’s the La Brea spot that offers the reliable outdoor trompo and talented taquero on weekends and after 5pm on weeknights. In normal times, crowds swell for a party vibe in the gas station parking lot.

This no-frills family-run food stall in South L.A. offering one of L.A.’s best Mexican seafood experiences—and all at a fairly reasonable price. Housed inside food hall Mercado La Paloma, Gilberto Cetina Jr.’s Yucatecan-style mariscos counter is a profound revelation for those who enjoy spice, citrus and smoke. The approachable deep-fried fish tacos and well-made coctel mixto, of course, bring in the daytime crowds, but more upmarket dishes like the smoked kampachi tostadas and freshly shucked oysters more than hold their ground against other seafood heavyweights. When it comes to tacos (around $6), the menu changes often and you’re just as likely to find scallops spilling from corn tortillas as you are uni, crispy octopus or kanpachi.

This beloved Orange County taqueria has finally expanded to Huntington Park, putting amazing mesquite-grilled meats within a short driving distance for much of Los Angeles. Open until midnight most days of the week (and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays), Tacos Los Cholos serves some of the best street meats on tortillas we’ve ever had. Yes, we mean ever. Three price tiers—regular ($2.35), premium ($3.50), prime ($7.50)—offer a wealth of flavors, from the chewy, perfectly grilled panela cheese to the ultra-tender rib eye. Our suggestion for first-timers? Go for mid-tier options like the costilla de res (pork ribs) and arrachera (skirt steak), which strike the balance between affordability and quality. Tacos Los Cholos’ self-serve topping station includes a creamy chipotle mayo, cucumbers and several varieties of salsa, ranging from mild to heart-stopping.

Drawn by the sight of glistening trompos, we’ve sampled al pastor all over town, hoping for a taste of sweet, porky nirvana—and now we’ve found it. While Leo’s continues to offer delicious, highly accessible al pastor (the kind that’ll never fail in your time of need), this South L.A. taco cart parked off the 110 freeway offers the absolute best taco al pastor ($2.75) in the city. Only available after 5pm (though the cart opens in the morning), Tacos Los Güichos serves the beautifully charred, slightly smoky meat sans the pineapple and avocado salsa other taqueros rely on to compensate for not-so-great al pastor. During the day, you’ll still find great cuts of offal like lengua and tripas, but the trompo is the true star here. Arrive in the evening and anoint your taco with their delicious salsa verde, or perhaps the subtly fiery salsa roja, and you won’t find a better taco al pastor in Los Angeles.

Named after the ancient Mayan site, this stall inside Mercado La Paloma from celebrated chef Gilberto Cetina Jr. specializes in affordable, authentic Yucatecan cuisine. There are tortas and full plates and tamales and even a handful of breakfast items, but we’re sold on the tacos ($6.45 to $7.65 for two), which come buried in saucy meats and tart pickled red onions. Try the cochinita pibil, the panuchos (miniature stuffed tortillas) and the octopus tacos—though take our advice and administer the habanero sauce carefully: A single excess drop of the fiery liquid will have steam shooting out of your ears..

It’s all in the name at Inglewood’s Carnitas El Artista, where Gustavo Chavez’s tender, slow-cooked Michoacan-style cuts of pork and offal will have you second-guessing the definition of carnitas. Best mixed with ribs, lengua and cabeza (though you can also order pure carnitas), the carnitas here offers a craveworthy mix of textures, from crispy to soft and buttery, plus a seriously aromatic mix of garlic, lime and spices. Order it inside tacos ($4.35), tucked into a burrito, heaped onto a platter of rice and beans or paired with chilaquiles for breakfast—the vehicle matters less than the meat itself, which is among the best carnitas in the city. The squeeze of lime and trio of housemade salsas simply gild the lily.

Can we be honest? We’ve never understood the hype around Sonoratown—whose flour tortillas often turn gluey and somewhat hard by the time we receive our tacos. Now that we’ve visited Tacos La Rueda, however, we completely understand the fervor over smoky meats, flour tortillas and sinus-clearing red salsas. This Bellflower strip mall joint offers the best Sonoran-style taco experience in L.A., with buttery, pliant flour tortillas that travel well, but taste even better eaten right on the spot. The carne asada, al pastor and crispy, crackly beef tripas are all winners here, as is the tender beef cabeza (available as a daily special), whether adorning a simple taco ($3.50 to $4) or piled into a decadent caramelo—which adds pinto beans, Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole and grilled Anaheim chiles into the mix. Stop by on the weekends for a soul-warming menudo.

If you’re looking for pura calidad, you’re in the right place. Taquero Walter Soto’s Echo Park taco trailer is one of L.A.’s most popular spots for perfectly tender mesquite-grilled meats and just-bubbled flour tortillas, and it operates under that slogan—and man, does it deliver. During the week you can find Sinaloa-style specialties (including corn tortillas, tripitas and tostadas), but from Friday to Sunday you can typically get El Ruso’s OG menu: the Sonora-style grilled meats stuffed into fresh flour tortillas for some of the heftiest, hottest, most flavorful tacos in L.A. Just note the tacos are on the more expensive side ($4.25–$4.75 apiece), though they’re much larger than the average street taco and we think the quality is commensurate with the price.

This South L.A. institution slings $2.75 Tijuana-style tacos absolutely dripping with avocado salsa—and now, you can also find sibling spot Tacos Los Poblanos at nearby 5821 Avalon Boulevard. At either spot, mesquite-grilled meats provide flavor and texture from the smoky char, especially the carne asada. The kicker? Tortillas here are made to order, then folded into little paper-wrapped cones that ooze the green salsa out of one end. Of course we’re also partial to the freshly grilled chorizo and the complimentary charred peppers, and the massive mulitas ($7.50) and, well, everything. Just be sure to bring cash, then make your way through the line, grab your plate and take a seat and make some friends at the large plastic tables.

After years of popping up around Highland Park (and a stint on Netflix’s Taco Chronicles), Victor Villa has brought his critically acclaimed blue corn tacos and mesquite-grilled meats to a strip mall storefront along Figueroa and a newer outpost within Downtown’s Grand Central Market. Made with family recipes, these “tacos estilo Los Angeles” are among the very best in the city, with seven different salsas to choose from and excellent guacamole, which is never extra(!). Three solid vegan taco options further broaden the appeal of Villa’s cooking, but the first-timer’s go-to order is usually the sampler trio of quesotacos (think charred, crispy Monterey Jack soldered to each handmade tortilla, drizzles of fresh snow white crema and a shower of cotija cheese). Lines here usually form early, but these tacos are worth the wait.

For die-hard birria fans, there’s nothing better than an excellent birria de chivo. After all, goat is the original protein of choice for the Jalisco-style barbacoa, which is traditionally served during breakfast. In a blind taste test, it’s hard to beat the version at Birria El Jalisciense, Hector Ramirez’s widely celebrated Saturday morning sidewalk operation in an industrial part of Boyle Heights. The northeastern Jalisco native bakes the birria de chivo into the oven at the end of the cooking process, charring the skin and rendering it slightly crisp. Starting at 8am until they sell out—and boy, do they do sell out—the no-frills operation serves both tacos suaves (soft tortillas) and dorados (deep-fried) at $2.50 apiece. Be sure to order the consommé; El Jalisciense’s version is fragrant and minestrone-like, with none of that slightly greasy aftertaste common to inferior birria consommés. If you want to really get your goat on, you can also ditch the tortillas entirely and order a bone-in combination platter ($15).

Angel’s Tijuana Tacos are packed with flavor and your choice of grilled meat and then, as to be expected from the style, get topped with cilantro, onions and a hearty dollop of avocado salsa. The handmade corn tortillas—which are exactly the perfect thickness—get formed, pressed and seared down the assembly line here and the trompo-shaved al pastor proves its own bit of showmanship, making every visit not only delicious but a feast for the eyes, too. Opt for tacos ($2.50), mulitas ($8), vampiros ($4.50), quesadillas ($9–10) and burritos ($9) in North Hollywood, Glassell Park, Echo Park, Sylmar, Van Nuys, Chatsworth and Long Beach (plus a few more in Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino).

Since 2015, Juan “Billy” Acosta has drawn braised pork lovers from across Los Angeles with his tender, oh-so-juicy carnitas served out of a Boyle Heights trailer and newer Monterey Park brick-and-mortar. While you can order them by the taco ($4), the commercially made tortillas aren’t the only delivery method for some of the best carnitas in the city; you can also order it by the pound, sandwiched in a cheesy mulita or tucked into a hefty torta. Choose from carne (shoulder), buche (belly) and cuero (skin), a slightly gelatinous, ultra-fatty cut, but we suggest ordering a mix of all three for best results. This is one of the hands-down best spots in town to pig out on pig. Just make sure you don’t stop by too late—the small family-run operation often sells out well before closing time, especially on weekends.

This Compton carne asada specialist relocated to Long Beach a couple of years ago, bringing Sinaloa-style chorreadas (a type of carne asada) to the LBC. A relatively new storefront in Whittier offers the same menu, plus a handful of tables. At Tacos La Carreta, each corn tortilla gets slathered with lard, then topped with asada and a hearty cabbage-thickened salsa. Add cheese to make it a vampiro—just be sure to get the grilled onions and hot peppers, too. It’s a delicious taco, and towards the center, where the meat juices and cheese have pooled and the tortilla is softer, it’s also a little like a delicious cheeseburger. You can also swap your tortilla for a baked potato, if you’d like to switch things up. Wash everything down with agua de cebada, which uses barley instead of rice for a creamy, horchata-like drink.

Teddy’s Red may have made birria popular citywide, but this cash-only taco truck in Boyle Heights and Mid-City showcases a cleaner-tasting, less greasy side of the ubiquitous stew originally from the Mexican state of Jalisco. Available in both goat and beef varieties, taquero Yasmany Mendoza serves fall-off-the-bone tender birria, dorados-style ($2.75), with a rich, salty consommé. While both are delicious, we prefer the mildly funky-tasting goat, which perfectly complements the vinegary adobo sauce. For even more flavor, order the deep-fried quesatacos ($3), which come with melted soft white cheese. Beyond birria, Tacos Y Birria La Unica also serves a few cuts of tender beef offal: cabeza (head), lengua (tongue) and hard-to-find labio (lips).

For the last five decades and counting, this family-run Boyle Heights institution has churned out juicy carnitas, ultra-crispy chicharrón and other standards all piled into thick, housemade corn tortillas. The long carnicería also sells spices, imported chilies and their tortillas by the dozen, but the reason this place stays crowded most days of the week is the affordably priced, delicious food. In addition to tacos, Los Cinco Puntos serves cheeseburgers, tortas, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and sopes, but we suggest starting off with a few tacos if it's your first time. Each taco runs in the $3 to $4 range, but you probably won't need more than two or three for a satisfying lunch or early dinner (the market closes at 6pm). Ask for one of everything from the fully loaded salsa bar, which stocks pickled nopales, chunky guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa verde and salsa rojo. Order your food to go or take your plate to one of the high-tops or the handful of patio tables stationed outside—you'll want to try the tacos from Los Cinco Puntos while they're hot and fresh.

It can take a few bites to appreciate the full appeal of a Baja-style fish taco ($3.99) from this local mini-chain, which has five locations throughout South L.A. and the San Gabriel Valley. It’s a familiar concoction—a warm soft corn tortilla stuffed with deep-fried white fish—but the batter is thick, the fish is flaky and the crema is rich, rich, rich. The seasoned and roasted small yellow peppers (“famous chili gueritos”) and the roasted chili salsa made on-site add nice spice and flavor to the taco. While the original location in La Puente is still going strong, you can also snag their delicious fish tacos in Bellflower, La Habra, El Monte and Baldwin Park.

The quality and consistency at the now-ubiquitous Tacos 1986 isn’t what it used to be—and while Angel’s has our back across much of the city, this newer evening-only sidewalk stand in Koreatown’s Little Bangladesh is filling the high-quality Tijuana-style taco void in Central L.A. with excellent handmade tortillas, molcajete salsas and juicy, well-made adobada (a.k.a. al pastor). For those farther east or south, Tacos El Chino also has other locations in Arleta, Wilmington, Florence-Graham and Boyle Heights. Eduardo Arizpe, the Puebla-born taquero behind the operation, has built up a strong following on Spanish-speaking social media. The tender asada is a surefire winner, but you can also opt for chicken or chorizo stuffed into quesadillas, mulitas, burritos and even papas locas-style, where a buttery baked potato is topped with meat, salsa and of course, a dollop of creamy guacamole. If you ask us, however, our favorite delivery method at Tacos El Chino is the vampiro. The toasted tortillas offer an almost earthen crunch, and the flattened surface area lets you savor the taste of meat in every bite.

Though its original Lincoln Heights location has since closed, this excellent taco stand (whose popularity eventually gave rise to the virally popular Avenue 26 Night Market) still has locations in Little Tokyo and Eagle Rock. You’ll know it when you get there because it’ll be a party: There’s usually music, and late-night revelers, families and all other walks of life are here and lined up for some of the city’s best tacos. Al pastor is the staple at them all, and every option here is cheap—just be sure to tell them you want a free broth-soaked potato to go with it, then make your way to the serve-it-yourself salsa stations. 

Northern Baja-style tacos reign supreme at Mexicali Taco & Co, which has locations in both Chinatown and San Gabriel, thanks to head chef Esdras Ochoa’s housemade tortillas and excellent salsas made with ingredients from just across the border. While you can’t go wrong with their regular tacos ($3.75) and, of course, their wonderfully crispy, crema-laden Baja-style fish taco ($4.50), the real draws here are more gluttonous dishes like the triple meat and cheese-filled Zuperman ($7.95) and the garlic-lashed vampiro ($6.75) stuffed with with hand-chopped carne asada. Then again, when everything on the menu’s a winner, it’s pretty hard to pick a true favorite.

At this Pico-Union bakery specializing in all things Yucatán, you'll also find an excellent cochinita pibil taco ($3)—one of the region's specialties. The menu expands on the weekends to include harder-to-find dishes such as rellenos negros ($3)—a type of succulent braised turkey meat—and blood-sausage tacos. The friendly service often leads to enthusiastic conversations on the subject of Mayan culinary history, so feel free to speak up while you chow down.

This Afro-Mexican food truck in Watts serves up pozoles, tamales and phenomenal tacos from Mexico's Guerrero region, piling avocado and cabbage and chicharrones atop hours-long–simmered stews, and folding masa into both corn husks and banana leaves, depending on your mood. Our advice? Order both varieties of tamales (as well as some sweet ones), and always order extra to take home with you. While better known for its tamales, the just-barely-fried tacos ($2) at Tamales Elena y Antojitos stuffed with barbacoa or pescadillas are excellent as well.

One of the stars of California-inspired and genre-bending tacos, Guerrilla was one of the first to blaze the Alta California-style trail with a food truck that lit up the streets of L.A. Now, these farm-to-truck goods—formerly led by Wes Avila, who has sinced decamped to Chinatown's Angry Egret Dinette—have a permanent home, and a more fixed menu, with fan favorite creations like the hamachi tostadas ($18) to the to sweet potato and feta tacos ($7). The tacos might be the move, but don’t neglect the daily specials either, and the cocktails—all priced around $14 to $15—are killer. 

This stylish backdoor taqueria in the Arts District serves gourmet tacos ($7–8) by way of chef Enrique Olvera, best known for Mexico City’s Pujol and New York’s Cosme. Though the tacos come at a premium, each one is made with the same delicate, housemade tortillas and fresh salsas served at its more upscale full-service sibling, Damian, for the kind of quality and freshness you can taste in every bite. Suadero tacos ($8 and a killer molenegro tamal ($7) highight seasonal California produce, all in lush, greenery-filled alleyway with free self-parking off Violet.

A slightly thick, freshly pressed corn tortilla does its best to wrap around piles of fillings so good it’s impossible to choose a favorite here. Armando de La Torre and his son, Armando de La Torre Jr., have built an L.A. taco brand whose foundation is in the very name of the business. Guisados, flavorful hours-long braised and stewed meats and vegetables, are what make these so special, whether you’re opting for the spicy cochinita pibil with pickled onions ($3.79) or the mushrooms with cilantro and queso fresco ($3.45). Of course we’re also partial to the lightly battered fish taco ($4.25) and the tamales ($4.75) are killer. Can’t decide? Get the sampler ($9.50) made of six mini tacos whether you’re dining in Boyle Heights (the OG), Downtown, Echo Park, Pasadena, Burbank, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills or Hermosa Beach.

Is a flauta a taco? Look, we’re not here to debate you on this, but yes. And fried up perfectly from a colorful truck, the flautas from the Los Dorados truck provide some of the most satisfying taco crunch in town—and come dripping with refreshing salsas for a perfect hot-to-cold sensation with every crunchy bite. Massive corn tortillas wrap around chorizo, chicken, potato, and our favorite, the lamb barbacoa, all ordered two of each variety to a pair ($9) and topped with a showering of cotija. Find them popping up at Smorgasburg on Sundays; follow along on Instagram for location updates and hours on other days of the week.

Since 1934, these legendary deep-fried beef taquitos ($3.60 for two) have sizzled in bubbling vats of oil on Downtown’s Olvera Street, the oldest street in all of Los Angeles. Smothered in a runny avocado salsa, these crunchy, corn-based cylinders are made fresh to order, as they have been since the shop opened, with a sort of nostalgic, crowd-pleasing deliciousness that once inspired the late L.A. writer Eve Babitz to extol their virtues in her autobiographical novel Eve’s Hollywood. Beyond the shop’s iconic taquitos, however, you’ll also find an extremely solid burrito ($7.50) and chile relleno ($5); all three are best enjoyed after strolling through the entirety of the touristy historical landmark.