The Los Angeles Taco Trail Of The City’s Best Tacos

King Taco is a Los Angeles institution which started in a converted ice cream truck in 1974. King Taco is consistent, dependable and very easy to find, with 22 locations around the city. It’s a place you can rely on for delicious Mexican comfort food. There are lots of meat options, including truly authentic parts like suadero and buche, not just for your tacos but also for burritos, nachos and quesadillas. In certain locations, you can also order special items like pozole, menudo, chile relleno and guisados.

Tacos 1986 seemingly popped up out of nowhere in the streets of L.A. in 2019 and their Tijuana-style tacos took over the city by storm. They’ve thankfully opened several brick-and-mortar locations in easy-to-access locations, for which we are eternally grateful. Tacos 1986 has a simplified menu of four filling options, which include asada, mushroom, adobada and chicken. And you can get these on tacos, quesadillas, mulitas or vampiros. You might be surprised to learn that the mushrooms are hands-down the star on the menu. The smoky, savory and meaty mushroom filling on literally anything is a must-try.

If you want to sit down and eat at a very local Mexican restaurant, Salsa and Beer is always there for you. Salsa and Beer is a beloved favorite in North Hollywood and Van Nuys. It’s the kind of place where you can bring the whole family to dig into big sizzling plates along with some margaritas. You can find any Mexican dish you’re hankering for in the menu. From enchiladas to wet burritos to camarones to flautas. And of course, you can get tacos which come loaded with accoutrements. Salsa and Beer will give you an authentic local experience, whenever you feel like sitting in at a restaurant rather than eating standing up next to a taco truck.

The Avenue 26 Night Market is L.A.’s best kept secret that’s really not so secret anymore. The Avenue 26 Night Market, which is actually on Artesian Street, in Lincoln Heights just might be the highlight of your trip to L.A. It all started with the immensely popular Ave 26 Tacos Stand, which exploded into a sprawling outdoor market with everything from tacos, churros, pupusas, micheladas and vibrant merch. The best part is that it’s open every night until 1 AM and until 2 AM on the weekends.

Ave 26 Tacos dominates the night market with its impressive set up of steaming vats, towering trompo of meat and salsa bar. You get your tacos instantaneously as soon as you walk up and order. There’s no place to sit but walking around while chowing is part of the fun of the night market. The mighty business has since expanded to a brick-and-mortar location in Downtown LA with another taco stand in Eagle Rock. Ave 26 Tacos was named the #1 taco in America by Business Insider, and the constant lines in front of the original taco stand are all the proof you need.