Mondo Taco (1292 S. La Brea Ave.) is not trying to be an authentic taqueria. The goal here is to make lots and lots of different kinds of tacos using every possible ingredient from shrimp to soyrizo, creating a menu of over 40 tacos with weekly and daily specials in case that isn't enough. The homie Ryo1 from Ghetto Dojo insisted that LA TACO come down to this place because friends who live in the neighborhood swear by it. Open for less than a year, Mondo Tacos is run by Sam, a Philly transplant who has been in the LA and Las Vegas restaurant game for over 20 years. His laid-back and friendly vibe set the tone for this hole-in-the-wall taco spot that can seat about 24 guests.
We ordered a grip of tacos to make sure we could taste a bit of every major grouping on the menu. Our favorites being the more fusion-y items, especially the seafood items. The shrimp and fish tacos with asian seasonings were on point with the best one being a daily special called "Texas Taco Ticos". In general, when ordering here, the further you get from traditional tacos the better-- in other words, don't bother with the carnitas or other standard fare because that's not what this spot is about. All tacos are served on fresh tortillas which can vary in quality and at times could use a bit more oil and time on the grill to make sure they can stand up to the high amounts of sauce most tacos come with. You can get any item in a bowl or as a burrito if that's your thing.
The menu is extensive and broken up into "Crawls" "Grows" and "Swims". As you can see there are 4 options on the board for vegetarians, and more off the menu if you ask for other vegetarian items.
"Angry Chicken"-- spicy fried chicken with a generous helping of bleu cheese crumbles.
This was the daily special that everyone agreed was the best taco of the day. Not 100% sure what the spices were but it was bomb.
Overall Mondo Tacos is a fun spot with relatively pricey tacos (up to $3 each) but the portions are large and the atmosphere is chill. Mondo Tacos is a nice addition to the neighborhood and is definitely worth checking out for anyone living the taco lifestyle in LA. Ryo1 (above) approves.
Mondo Taco
1292 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA
MondoTaco.com
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