Quick LA Mexican food recommendation

[Dexter Rutecki]

My brother is driving from Vegas to LA right now, and wants to know where he should get some Mexican food. It's gotta be easy to find, as even here in NY he gets lost. I told him he could go almost anywhere and find good Mexican food, but he wants someplace that's known for being very good.
Quick, he's almost there!

[Viva]

El Chollo. The original's on La Cienega in the Little Korea area (Korea Town?) and there's a newer on one in Santa Monica on Wilshire Blvd. More edit: It's on Western and not La Cienega- sorry.

There are numerous "hole in the wall" places that are very good. There's an excellent place near the USC campus and I can't remember the friggin name! Gillbert's El Indio on Pico Blvd in Santa Monica is another favorite of mine.


Edit: Shit! How could I forget El Coyote?! It's on either Melrose or Beverly somewhere south of Hollywood. Old school Mexican restaurant that, supposedly came up with the original margarita.

Per the following post, if it's cheap tacos one seeks, give Tito's Tacos a try. It's on Washington Pl. in Culver City just off of Sepulveda. Also, there's Paco's Tacos at Centinela and Washington Place and also in Culver City.

[AntiSoCalSkier]

I happen to like La Golondrina. It's a REALLY old Mexican restaurant in an even older building. They tend to have a lot of seafood.

If he's in the mood for cheap street tacos, Tacos Mexico, and King Taco are both pretty authentic. (Both places are chain restaurants, but they are usually located in heavily hispanic neighborhoods, and have consistently decent tacos.)

[skier0178]

There are numerous "hole in the wall" places that are very good. There's an excellent place near the USC campus and I can't remember the friggin name!

La Barca, great place for margaritas and good food. It's on Vermont right by SC campus...

[Helicrackjnky]

Gotta say bump on El Cholo, Blows La Barfa out of the water!!

[Viva]

No, not La Barca, although I like it.

[Superstar Punani]

Where in LA? If he's around LAX there's a good joint on Aviation, about 1-2 blocks north of the Aviation/El Segundo intersection. The place is red and is full of beer posters of latina mama's.

There's another good one on Rosecrans and Higland in Manhattan Beach next to the sushi joint. El Tarasco

As a general rule of thumb for Mexican joints you should look out for these features. These are the only ones worth going to.
- Ones that serve the genuine hardcore shit like Lengua, Sesos and Cabezas
- These almost always have a "B" or "C" rating provided by the LA Board of Health, but don't let that put you off. They serve much better food than any of the fake A-rating, non-lengua serving, americanized establishments
- Restaurant must have a majority of hispanics, including both servers and customers, vs. non-hispanics in there (whites/blacks/asians). If non-hispanics>hispanics then it's a fake americanized place, like Baja Fresh, Acapulco, and any other cheesy sounding name.
- There will be a TV showing soccer with spanish commentary, or a daytime hispanic talk show or soap opera with hot big-titted latina women, and mariachi music in the background.

Any mexican food establishment not having these is not the real deal, and is to be avoided.

...or your brother can hit up a Taco Bell.

(Edit...remembered some names)

[splat]

Panchos on Pico if it's still there.

[Viva]

Panchos on Pico if it's still there.

Doo0od, you know Panchos?! Absolutely the only place that actually looks and feels like it's in Mexico. Haven't been in years, but I think it's still there.

[Lone Star]

El Cholo. good stuff.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Cool! I'm speaking to him in a few moments when he finds a map so he can (hopefully) figure out how to get to some of these places. He's highly unreliable, so we'll have to see how this turns out...
Will post a TR of where he went and how it was later...

[comish]

Gotta be the lone discenting opinion on El Cholo's. Their house marg's come out of the bar gun thingy!?!?! Saw a rat run right across a few chairs/ stools in the bar area!!!!!!!!! and I got major food poisening there the first time I went, and the 2nd time I went back to give it another shot, had a big fricken fly in my Marg!!! These were all at the Santa Monica local.

Gave it a couple tries, but no more for this kid. I truthfully haven't found any on the westside that I really dig. There are more holes-in-the wall that conform to Pu's criteria down his way and in OC. Now if you make to San Juan Capistrano or East LA, I got a could great suggestions for ya.

[Blonde Battleax]

Gotta be the lone discenting opinion on El Cholo's. Their house marg's come out of the bar gun thingy!?!?! Saw a rat run right across a few chairs/ stools in the bar area!!!!!!!!! and I got major food poisening there the first time I went, and the 2nd time I went back to give it another shot, had a big fricken fly in my Marg!!! These were all at the Santa Monica local.

Gave it a couple tries, but no more for this kid. I truthfully haven't found any on the westside that I really dig. There are more holes-in-the wall that conform to Pu's criteria down his way and in OC. Now if you make to San Juan Capistrano or East LA, I got a could great suggestions for ya.

I agree: ixnay on El Chollo! Especially the Santa Monica branch. Neutered food, and a bunch of shrieking-drunk Gap ad people staggering around.

Punani is right on the money with his recommendations.

[Arty50]

Where is he at?

If he's still in the desert, there's a good place out in San Bernardino and it's not far.

La Via
276 West Valley Blvd
Colton CA 92324
(909) 824-0665

Take the 215 South instead of the 15 South (they both hit the 10),
then take the 10 West,
exit La Cadena Dr,
right on La Cadena,
left on Valley,
it's on the left hand side of the street

Otherwise there are lots of good suggestions here.

El Compa is another of my favorites, but it's in Paramount (near Long Beach).

El Compa
7010 Rosecrans Ave
Paramount, CA 90723
(562) 630-1068

Take the 710 South,
exit Rosecrans,
turn left (East),
and it's on the right hand side of the street


Or there's my new favorite, it's super fucking good

Teresitas Restaurant Inc.
3826 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 266-6045

For directions, he should call.

[yogachik]

El Cholo is a tourist trap. There's one on my corner and, even though I could eat Mexican food everyday of my life, I won't go there. The food is americanized and just plain bad.

It depends on what side of town he's on - the best mexican food is actually found at the stands downtown. LA Magazine just did a top 10 list of Mex food and they're almost all stands (except for yummy Monte Alban on Santa Monica in West LA).

**I highly recommend either
Lares (Pico near Centinela at the 10),
La Cabana (Lincoln and Rose in Venice) or
Guadalajara (Olympic b/w Bundy and Barrington).

Only go where they make their own tortillas.

Now I'm off to get Mexican food at my favorite stand on Olympic at 20th.

[The AD]

even though I could eat Mexican food everyday of my life

Before settling on yogachik, she briefly considered "gassychik" but figured that didn't have quite the same ring to it

[FollowMe]

I'm really surprised nobody has mentioned KING TACO - don't waste your time anywhere else .

[Tippster]

I agree w/ Viva:

GILBERT'S EL INDIO!!!

La Cabana (Lincoln and Rose in Venice)

Ate there last time I was in LA (August.) It's good, but not as good as Gilbert's.

[Arty50]

King Taco is damn good, but it's not the be all end all of Mexican food.

Only go where they make their own tortillas.

At El Compa not only do they make their own tortillas, but you can sit at the counter and ask them to hand you a couple of tortillas straight off the grill. The consistency of a fresh tortilla changes within about 10 seconds after you take it off the grill. I'm not kidding, if they have to walk to your table it's too late. Getting one within that 10 seconds is pure heaven.

As for going to stands, most stands/taquerias don't serve more traditional plates. Things like chile verde, pollo en mole, etc. Sure some taquerias have them; but for instance, the best plates of chile verde I've eaten have been in sit down joints. Each has their place. It's really hard to beat a taqueria for burritos and tacos. But for traditional platters you've gotta sit down and take your time.

BTW, the carne asada at Teresitas could be the best I've ever had. My brother got two carne asada tacos and let me try some asada. He never, ever let's me try his food. So this put me in shock, until I tried the meat. It was mindblowingly good.

[yogachik]

I agree w/ Viva:

GILBERT'S EL INDIO!!!

Ate there last time I was in LA (August.) It's good, but not as good as Gilbert's.

Ah, I missed that in Viva's post. Gilbert's is very good - at one time, my friends and I went every single Wednesday night. Viva - when you're in town, that's where we'll go. And Tipp - next time you're in town...