[dropcap size=big]W[/dropcap]hether it is because you’ve eaten Thanksgiving leftovers three times in a row and can’t bear another bite or you have family or friends visiting and you want to take them on a genuine L.A. taco crawl, here is my personal list of taquerias in L.A. that are at their peak. L.A. Taco has confirmed that these hardworking taqueros will be open.
Video by Javier Cabral
Anything rolled in a sobaquera at El Ruso in Boyle Heights.
What a time to be alive and witness L.A.’s first sobaquera-style flour tortilla specialist unfold in front of our very own eyes. Sobaqueras are handmade bedsheet-sized tortillas that originated in Sonora, Mexico. It is extremely difficult to eat them freshly-made in the United States. Until two weeks ago, they were not available in Los Angeles, and then El Ruso stepped in. You can order them a la carte to take home or filled with his mesquite-grilled carne asada or Tijuana-style birria.
El Ruso will be open on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at 1401 Mirasol Street, Los Angeles, 90023. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
Chicas Tacos ‘Impossible Taco’ in downtown L.A.
Come the weekend, chances are that you may be just meated tf out. This may now be the perfect moment to try Chicas Tacos “Impossible Taco,” made with Impossible ground meat. It is proudly made in the American-style of tacos, yes, that means the tortilla is called a “hardshell” and it will have lettuce instead of cilantro. But once you stop sipping your haterade and take a bite, we are pretty sure you will love it. If you’re hitting downtown to hit any sales, this is your spot to refuel.
Chicas Tacos will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 728 S. Olive St. Los Angeles, CA. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
Bone marrow tacos at Pepe’s Red Tacos in Boyle Heights
If it’s chilly and you need something rich to keep you warm, look no further than Pepe’s Red Tacos truck in Boyle Heights. We’re pretty sure a cup full of their consomé and a plate of these Huesi-Tacos as they’re called on the menu will warm you up from the inside out. What is a bone marrow taco? Our taco correspondent Cesar Hernandez described it best: “The bone is simmered in their consomé, then seared on the plancha to finish it off. The huesi-taco is essentially a version of their barbacoa de res taco, with a marrow-filled bone resting on top of the meat. Inside that bone is the jiggly clump of tuétano that you push out into the taco.”
Pepe’s Red Tacos is at will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 3 PM. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
Mulitas at Birria Pa La Cruda in El Sereno
If you’ve had it up to here with the bland flavors of Thanksgiving, Birria Pa La Cruda’s spice-intensive birria consomé made from charred vegetables and a non-watered down amount of spices will wake your palate right up. Order their crispy mulitas or just regular tacos, but make sure you ask for a cup of consomé to wash it all down with.
Birria Pa La Cruda is on the corner of Eastern and Lombardy in El Sereno. They will be open Sunday from 9 AM until 2 PM or until they sell out. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
Beet tinga tacos at Bee Taqueria in West Adams
Can you detox with tacos? When those tacos are the light and welcomely refreshing beet tinga tacos at Bee Taqueria, we say hells yes. Memo Torres, our Director of Partnerships and Bee Taqueria's champion, said it best. “Bee is a great place for some fresh air. This bright taco shop surrounded by vibrantly painted rocks and storage containers offers a colorful assortment of tacos you can choose from that you’ll find written on an old door propped up against the order window. Ideally, you would make reservations for their eccentric Omakase menu, (that’s right a Taco shop with an Omakase menu). But if you just want to swing by, cleanse your palate with their vegan 'Tinga Betabel' Taco. It’s made with beets, chile morita, and avocado salsa. If you want a meaty option but a refreshing almost aguachile like one, get their Cochinito. If seafood, try their 'Media Luna,' a shrimp taco dorado served with a side of shrimp consomé."
Bee Taqueria is at 5754 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 and will be open from 11 AM to 2 AM on Friday and Saturday. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
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