Tacos are the everyday food of Los Angeles. You find them at trucks parked on corners, at stands in markets and at sit-down restaurants with lines out the door. The styles vary as much as the settings: stewed guisados, Sonoran flour tortillas, al pastor shaved off a spit, Tijuana-style carne asada and fried shrimp tacos. This list covers six places worth a trip and the styles they are known for. We checked addresses and hours on each place’s site or listing in October 2026; prices change, so we only list the ones the restaurants post.
In this guide
It is part of our best restaurants in Los Angeles guide. For more food ideas, see our best Korean BBQ and best brunch lists.
LA tacos at a glance
- Guisados Stewed fillings on handmade tortillas, Boyle Heights, open daily 9am to 9pm
- Sonoratown Sonora-style flour tortillas, Downtown and Mid-City
- Leo’s Tacos Truck Al pastor from the trompo, 15 trucks around LA
- Tacos 1986 Tijuana-style tacos, several locations from Downtown to Santa Monica
- Mariscos Jalisco Fried shrimp tacos, East LA area, open daily 9am to 5:30pm
- Holbox Mexican seafood with a Michelin star, Mercado La Paloma
The list
Guisados (Boyle Heights)
Guisados serves tacos filled with guisados, slow-cooked stews of meat or vegetables, on fresh corn tortillas. The original location is at 2100 E Cesar E Chavez Ave in Boyle Heights, open every day from 9am to 9pm. Tacos are listed at $4.50, and seafood tacos at $4.95. If you cannot choose, order a sampler to try several fillings at once.
Sonoratown (Downtown and Mid-City)
Sonoratown opened in 2016 and serves tacos in the style of Sonora, in northern Mexico, with thin flour tortillas made with pork lard. It was started by Teodoro Diaz-Rodriguez Jr. and Jennifer Feltham as a tribute to the food of Sonora. The Downtown shop is at 208 E 8th St, and there is a second location at 5610 San Vicente Blvd in Mid-City, plus one in Long Beach. Try a chivichanga, a burrito-style roll, or tacos on flour. The menu notes that the flour tortillas contain pork lard, and vegetarian swaps with grilled poblano and pinto beans are available.
Leo’s Tacos Truck (citywide)
Leo’s is the best-known al pastor truck in town. The Martinez family, from Oaxaca, started with one truck and now runs 15 in the greater Los Angeles area. The al pastor is cut from a trompo, a vertical spit of marinated pork, often with a slice of pineapple. The trucks are popular late at night. Check Leo’s site for where each truck parks.
Tacos 1986 (several locations)
Tacos 1986 started as a street cart and serves Tijuana-style tacos with handmade tortillas and meat grilled over fire. Its LA-area locations include Downtown at 609 S Spring St, Beverly Grove at 7235 Beverly Blvd, Westwood Village at 10874 Kinross Ave and Santa Monica at 135 Colorado Ave, near the pier. Besides tacos, the menu has quesadillas, mulitas and vampiros, which are crisped tortillas with toppings.
Mariscos Jalisco (East of Downtown)
Mariscos Jalisco is a seafood truck known for its taco de camarón, a fried shrimp taco topped with salsa and avocado. It parks at 3040 E Olympic Blvd and serves daily from 9am to 5:30pm. It is a lunch spot, so go early. You can call ahead at (323) 528-6701.
Holbox (Mercado La Paloma)
Holbox is chef Gilberto Cetina’s Mexican seafood counter inside Mercado La Paloma, at 3655 S Grand Ave near USC and Exposition Park. It holds one Michelin star. The counter is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed Mondays, and it also offers a separate tasting menu on some evenings by reservation. Try the seafood tacos and ceviches. It pairs well with a morning at the Natural History Museum nearby.
Taco styles to know
| Style | What it is | Where to try it |
|---|---|---|
| Guisado | Stewed fillings in corn tortillas | Guisados |
| Sonoran | Thin flour tortillas, grilled meats | Sonoratown |
| Al pastor | Marinated pork from a vertical spit | Leo’s Tacos Truck |
| Tijuana-style | Grilled meat with guacamole on handmade tortillas | Tacos 1986 |
| Taco de camarón | Fried shrimp taco | Mariscos Jalisco |
| Mariscos | Mexican seafood | Holbox, Mariscos Jalisco |
A few terms
- Asada: grilled beef.
- Carnitas: braised and crisped pork.
- Cabeza: beef head meat, often steamed.
- Mulita: two tortillas with cheese and meat in between, like a small sandwich.
- Vampiro: a tortilla grilled until crisp, topped with cheese and meat.
- Trompo: the vertical spit used for al pastor.
How to order like a local
Taco tips
- Order a few at a time. Tacos are small, and most people get two or three per round.
- Use the salsa bar if there is one, and try the salsas before loading up.
- Bring cash for trucks as a backup, even though many take cards.
- Go early for lunch spots and seafood trucks, which can sell out or close mid-afternoon.
- Expect lines at night at the popular trucks. They move fast.
Planning a taco crawl
Los Angeles is big, so group stops by area:
- East of Downtown: Guisados in Boyle Heights and Mariscos Jalisco on Olympic Boulevard.
- Downtown: Sonoratown on 8th Street and Tacos 1986 on Spring Street. Grand Central Market is close by.
- South: Holbox at Mercado La Paloma, near Exposition Park.
- Westside: Tacos 1986 in Westwood or Santa Monica after the beach.
The Metro E Line stops near Exposition Park, and Downtown is walkable between stops. See our Downtown Los Angeles guide and LA Metro guide.
Tacos near the big sights
If you are sightseeing, a few of these line up well with the main attractions. Tacos 1986 on Colorado Avenue is a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier. Holbox is a few minutes from the museums in Exposition Park. Sonoratown and Tacos 1986 on Spring Street are both close to Grand Central Market and The Broad. Guisados in Boyle Heights is a short drive east of Little Tokyo and the Arts District.
When to go
Lunch is the easiest time at most sit-down taquerias. Seafood spots such as Mariscos Jalisco keep daytime hours. Trucks often stay busy late into the evening, and weekend nights draw the biggest crowds. Check hours before you go, because they change and some places close on certain days.
Beyond this list
There are thousands of taquerias, trucks and stands in Los Angeles, and many of the best are neighborhood places without websites. Look for a busy truck with a line of locals, especially on the Eastside and in South LA. For more, see our list of things to do in Los Angeles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous taco in Los Angeles?
Al pastor from a truck is the classic. Leo’s Tacos Truck is one of the best-known places for it.
Where can I get good tacos in Downtown Los Angeles?
Sonoratown at 208 E 8th St and Tacos 1986 at 609 S Spring St are both in Downtown.
Are there vegetarian tacos?
Yes. Many places have bean, cheese or vegetable options, and Sonoratown offers swaps with grilled poblano and pinto beans. Note that Sonoratown’s flour tortillas are made with pork lard.
Which taco place in LA has a Michelin star?
Holbox, the seafood counter in Mercado La Paloma, holds one Michelin star.
What are Sonora-style tacos?
Tacos on thin flour tortillas with grilled meat, the style of the northern Mexican state of Sonora.
Official sources: Guisados; Sonoratown; Leo’s Tacos Truck; Tacos 1986; Holbox; MICHELIN Guide: Holbox.