LA's Best Tacos

This clean, airy and family-owned spot is open all day, so pop in when the mood strikes to sample their daily specials. Consult the chalkboards for the latest update, then snag a seat at one of the few tables with a view of the grill. Cochinita pibil, shredded pork with sweet achiote spice and creamy black beans, is the very picture of comfort, especially when bested by the warm and toasty tortillas, made in-house, naturally.

This distinct Oaxacan eatery knows exactly what its culinary mission is. A grill station fills the room with the scent of blistering peppers and more. Mole estofado is so complex that it is nearly impossible to pick out the ingredients creating such a rich and dark sauce, slathered onto chicken or pork. Everyone gets a taste of mole coloradito, drizzled over gratis chips.

This is a simple but sweet setting, with a string of café lights, handful of covered tables, as well as an open-air courtyard outfitted with picnic tables and a blazing fire pit. Tacos, ceviche and tostadas reign supreme on the menu, which draws culinary inspiration from the chef's childhood in Mexico City. Don’t miss the special tender chicken tacos—starring red mole made from bougainvillea and garnished with purple spinach and shaved red onion. 

Chef Thomas Ortega fuses his specific style of the city’s Mexican cuisine, like handmade tortillas and spicy salsas, with an American twist. Look for that Coca-Cola glaze on his pork belly or the sprinkle of Doritos on chilaquiles, not to mention such luxurious accents as truffles. It’s hard to miss with any of Chef Ortega's tacos, which range from crisp beer-battered cod with smoky salsa de arbol to tender, charred al pastor.

La Azteca is an easy restaurant to find. Just look for the line of people snaking out of its front door. Flour tortillas are made in-house every day in full view of the dining room and boast a kind of richness and chew that others don’t. Take your pick from four options: carne asada, carnitas, chicharron, or the veg option, cactus with pico de gallo. 

The large and enclosed back patio here is the place to be—pleasantly green and breezy with ceiling fans, hanging plants and potted palms. It's the perfect setting for relishing the kitchen’s Nayarit-style cooking that showcases shrimp and fish—the three taco options (fried fish, smoked marlin, and shrimp with sautéed vegetables). 

Hanging on the wall of this stamp of an establishment is a T-shirt that reads, “Better than your grandmother’s mole.” If you aren’t Mexican, the slogan definitely holds true, but if you are it probably still holds true. Taco options are asada, chicken, cochinita pibil, or vegan (corn, chile poblano, and zucchini flower).