Tacos Los Cholos

There's no LA-specific question more annoying than when an out-of-towner asks, "What's the one taco place I need to try?" Sorry, Steve from Cleveland, but it's not that simple. Tacos are kind of our thing, like broken dreams and botox. To pick just one place to recommend? That's impossible. Or at least it used to be. 

What Steve needs is one taco to rule them all, a leave-my-body experience with sizzling asada and meat cleavers whacking slabs of beef rib. A place to streamline the LA taco zeitgeist in one fell swoop, to burn his lips with salsa and have his hair smell like charcoal for 24 hours. What someone looking for an unforgettable taco encounter really wants is Tacos Los Cholos.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

This taquería isn't new to California by any means. In case you haven't gone south of Long Beach since 2019, we'll tell you that it's a big deal in Orange County. After setting up a handful of stands across the OC, Los Cholos opened a two-story location in Huntington Park that's all about smoke. Before you can take in the sheer size of the place—the multiple TVs, the graffiti murals, or the grill layered with flops of meat—you'll meet a wall of mesquite charcoal fumes. Picture a children's Halloween party after the babysitter left the fog machine running all afternoon. All this indoor smoke is a bit jarring at first, but it's essential to Los Cholos’ crispy carne asada.

In some ways, Tacos Los Cholos is more like a barbecue place than it is a straight taco spot. They just happen to use tortillas as a vessel for quality beef, pork, and chicken. Every cut is labeled either "regular," "premium," and "prime." Don't interpret these categorizations as hierarchical, necessarily—filet mignon is just pricier than chicken. The finely minced beef rib warrants its premium status with bits that crackle like Pop Rocks. As for prime cuts, the ribeye gets tenderized in lime until it takes on the texture of butter. One of these ribeye tacos will cost you $7, but it's the best thing on the menu. When you see the pile of meat on the lightly fried tortillas, any price-related outrage goes away.

Tacos Los Cholos will unquestionably be the highlight of Steve's LA trip—even if he sees the Chainsmokers at Erewhon. He'll wind up thinking every LA taco spot is just as special. And maybe we should let Steve from Cleveland dwell in blissful taco ignorance. Everyone deserves a smoky dream now and again. But if you already live here, you know not every taquería solidifies LA as America's official taco town. Tacos Los Cholos is the one that does.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Asada

This is not the standard carne asada taco. Sure, it has all the same components, but the woody flavor and minced texture make Tacos Los Cholos' version unforgettable. Edges are crispy but the meat stays juicy. And rather than tasting like it was reheated 20 times on the grill, every bite has a ton of smoke from mesquite charcoal.

Costilla De Res

If crackly bits are your thing, this beef rib will be up your alley. The meat is charred and chopped super fine, but there's still enough fat to translate that melty, high-quality meat feeling.

Ribeye

The best cut on the menu and 100% worth its $7 price tag. Tacos Los Cholos uses a ton of lime to tenderize these thick cubes of beef. The result is soft and zippy. Combine that with some burnt edges and smoke in every bite, and you're in for one of the better tacos of your lifetime.

Panela

This squeaky, salty slab of cheese wins the award for the deepest grill marks on the menu. It's torched but never melts, staying sturdy enough to carry a few salsas on its back.

AHM Taco

These push the limits of what a dainty corn tortilla can handle. An entire anaheim chile gets roasted until soft, then it's butterflied and crusted onto your taco with a cheesy costra. The chile adds crunch and smokiness. But, in comparison to the other tacos here, it feels a little busy and the meat gets lost.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Cholo Taco

This frisbee-sized costra is definitely for someone, just not us. There's a lot of greasy cheese to get through, and it goes down like an anchor in a kiddie pool. Stick to the other tacos.