The best food trucks in Los Angeles

What is it? A quartet of trucks (Boyle Heights, Downtown, Pomona, La Cienega) slinging Jalisco-style seafood across the Southland. It’s one of L.A.’s most old-school taco players, and known for its deep-fried shrimp tacos, but Mariscos Jalisco also serves fresh-to-death ceviches, tostadas and oysters on the half shell. 

Why we love it: In essence, everything is good. Their signature tacos dorado de camaron live up to the hype, with flavorful and fresh shrimp folded into a corn tortilla that's then fried to a golden brown and topped with thick slices of avocado and a vibrant and complex salsa roja. You'll also want to save room for their legendary tostadas such as the Poseidon, which comes topped with shrimp ceviche, octopus and a fiery red aguachile of shrimp.

Time Out tip: The Boyle Heights and Downtown locations are cash only, so come prepared. Speaking of prepared, if you're eating then and there you can request the tacos be fully loaded on the truck for you; if they need to travel, assemble the components yourself so the taco shells stay perfectly crunchy until they're ready to be eaten.

Address: Multiple venues, inc. Boyle Heights, Downtown and Mid-City

Opening hours: Boyle Heights: Daily 9–6pm; Downtown: Wed–Fri 10am–4pm; Mid-City: Mon–Fri 10am–4pm; Sat, Sun 10am–5pm; Pomona: Mon, Tue, Thu–Sun 10am–5pm

What is it? A fleet of 12 cash-preferred taco trucks across L.A. that serve some of the best al pastor tacos in the city. Though they also offer burritos, mulitas, huaraches and other Mexican street food specialties, your eyes will likely be drawn to the trompo–a rotating spit of tender, marinated al pastor topped with a shaved, juicy hunk of pineapple. 

Why we love it: Tacos on late nights! Tacos in the afternoon! Although Leo's draws its largest crowds on weekend nights from the going out set, this isn’t just your average drunchie. Operating like a well-oiled machine, the staff at each Leo’s location deftly serves each customer's tacos, calling out numbers in both Spanish and English. Upon receiving your order, you can ask them for pre-packaged little plastic baggies of onions, cilantro and salsa—a pandemic-era safety and hygiene upgrade. Whether eaten in open air or taken home, the thin slices of al pastor, topped with a bit of pineapple, are a beautiful sight to behold—and consume. 

Time Out tip: Though it may be tempting to only order their tacos al pastor, Leo‘s is no slouch in the offal department either. To diversify your taco order, order their buche (pork), cabeza (beef) and tripas (beef).

Address: Multiple venues, inc. Mid-City, Hollywood and Pico-Union

Opening hours: Mid-City: Mon–Thu 10am–2am; Fri, Sat 10am–3:30pm; Sun 10am–2am. Check Leo’s Instagram for hours of operation at other locations

What is it? Roy Choi’s critically acclaimed Korean-Mexican fusion taco concept and the granddaddy of the 2010’s food truck bonanza.

Why we love it: Since 2008, Kogi has served a delectable mashup of Korean and Mexican flavors. The signature short rib taco delivers big with double-caramelized Korean BBQ depth that’s balanced with a bright spike of salsa roja, a chile-soy slaw, cilantro and onions on two grilled-and-charred house tortillas. The now-classic kimchi quesadilla is still a winner, but the blackjack quesadilla with spicy pork, caramelized onions and salsa verde is also a solid choice. And if you’re looking to skip the meat, you can always swap in tofu as a filling. There are four trucks roving around (known as Roja, Verde, Rosita and Naranja), but most are typically booked for catering gigs. To find out where Kogi is headed next, you can check ahead online for the weekly schedule.

Time Out tip: In the evenings, the most dependable spot for a taste of Kogi is the Alibi Room in Culver City.

Address: Varies

Opening hours: Varies

What is it? A cash-only truck in Boyle Heights and Mid-City that showcases a cleaner-tasting, less greasy side of birria. 

Why we love it: Teddy’s Red and other viral birria joints may have made the dish popular citywide, but Tacos Y Birria La Unica’s Yasmany Mendoza serves a superlative version of the dish in both crowd-pleasing beef and more traditional goat varieties. The birria here is fall-off-the-bone tender. I like to order the tacos dorados with a side of Tacos Y Birria’s rich, salty consommé. While both meats are delicious, I prefer the mildly funky-tasting goat, which perfectly complements the vinegary adobo sauce. For even more flavor, order the deep-fried quesatacos, which come with melted soft white cheese. 

Time Out tip: Tacos Y Birria La Unica also serves a few cuts of tender beef offal: cabeza (head), lengua (tongue) and hard-to-find labio (lips). These are also delicious.

Address: Mid-City: 5871 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019; Boyle Heights: 2840 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Opening hours: Mid-City: Mon, Wed–Sun 10am–6pm; Boyle Heights: Mon, Wed–Sun 8:30am–4:30pm

What is it? An East L.A. taco truck that specializes in tacos arabes, a unique specialty from the state of Puebla. 

Why we love it: This East L.A. taco truck run by the Villegas family provides one of the most unique tacos in the city: the taco arabe. Influenced by 19th-century Lebanese immigrants who settled in Puebla, each thick flour tortilla holds curls of a distinctive shawarma-like al pastor that tastes faintly of cumin and marjoram—though the exact recipe is a deeply guarded Villegas family secret. Topped with stringy Oaxacan cheese and slices of avocado—a.k.a. especiale—and paired with a tangy chipotle salsa, these super-hefty, super-delicious tacos are worth going out of your way for. 

Time Out tip: Unless you’re super hungry, you very likely won’t need more than two.

Address: 3600 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Opening hours: Wed, Thu 2:30pm–10pm; Fri, Sat 2:30pm–11pm; Sun 2:30pm–10pm

What is it? A family-run taquería in East L.A. and Inglewood that specializes in Mexicali-style guisados, which are saucy, ultra-tender braises and stews (as well as the name of the popular citywide taco chain).

Why we love it: I’ve visited and enjoyed Guisados before, but I didn’t really understand the hype around tacos guisados until I visited Melva Pérez’s roadside trailer in East L.A. Previously, Asadero Chikalo only served guisados before 1pm, but now you can grab the breakfast-ish tacos ($3.75) all day. Each comes on a handmade flour tortilla stuffed with the likes of steak and potatoes, chicharrónes in red salsa, spicy chorizo with scrambled eggs and other mouthwatering varieties. You’ll also find those same paper-thin tortillas used in classic carne asada and chorizo tacos. 

Time Out tip: If you’re not in the mood for guisados, order one of the vampiros ($5)—the grilled asada particularly lends itself to the crisp corn tortilla and oodles of melted cheese.

Address: East L.A.: 1321 S Atlantic Blvd, East Los Angeles, CA 90022; Inglewood: 4233 W Century Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90304

Opening hours: East L.A.: Wed–Sun 8:30am–3pm; Inglewood: Tue–Thu 8:30am–8pm, Fri–Sun 8:30am–9pm

What is it? An eye-catching deep blue lonchera in Silver Lake’s Sunset Triangle Plaza.

Why we love it: The wait during lunchtime can be killer, but Simón serves some of the most creative mariscos in town, including a unique fish al pastor ($7). Drawing upon culinary school training, Francisco Aguilar serves a seasonally driven menu of tacos, tostadas, ceviches and aguachiles that pack acid, flavor and heat all into one delicious, beautiful package. If available, be sure to get the soft-shell crab taco ($7), but you also can’t go wrong with the fish al pastor and enchilada suiza ($7)—a mouthwatering mix of grilled shrimp, melted cheese, habanero lime crema, avocado slices and salsa verde. Best of all, Simón offers a selection of colorful, ultra-fiery salsas that add even more zhuzh to your meal.

Time Out tip: If I had to choose, however, I actually prefer the ceviches and aguachiles here, which come with tostadas on the side.

Address: 3667 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Opening hours: Tue–Sun noon–6:30pm

What is it? An Afro-Mexican food truck in Watts serving pozoles, tamales and phenomenal deep-fried barbacoa tacos from Mexico’s Guerrero region.

Why we love it: For close to three decades, Watts local Maria Elena Lorenzo has been vending tamales alongside her husband and five daughters. More recently, however, she made waves in the L.A. food scene once she began serving other specialties from Guerrero, a southern state known for its pozoles, moles, grilled fish and unique tamales delicately wrapped in banana leaves. Briefly, Tamales Elena y Antojitos operated as a full brick-and-mortar in Bell Gardens, but the Lorenzo family has since gone back to serving exclusively from their Watts food truck. While the truck is better known for its tamales, the just-barely-fried tacos ($3) stuffed with barbacoa are excellent as well, especially with a side of consommé. Just be sure to order at least a few tamales (as well as a sweet one, if you’re coming on the weekends), and order extra to take home with you.

Time Out tip: If you see pescadillas—a type of deep-fried fish taco—on the specials menu, add a couple to your order.

Address: Wilmington Ave & E 110th St, Los Angeles, CA 90059

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 6am–2pm (or until sold out); Sun 8am–1pm (or until sold out)

What is it? One of L.A.’s great taco generalists. 

Why we love it: There are certain trucks around town that we rely upon for knockout renditions of one particular type of taco, but El Chato manages to deliver excellent options across the board (or plancha, rather). And since their small, palm-sized tacos run for $2 apiece, you can easily sample your way through the menu without breaking the bank. Favorites include the diced carne asada, al pastor, chorizo and lengua, all of which are treated to a healthy splash of their smoky roasted salsa roja, cilantro and onions. 

Time Out tip: If you’re looking for a more hefty option, the quesadilla is a solid choice and still perfect for those on a budget. 

Address: 1013 South La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Opening hours: Wed, Thu 6pm–midnight; Fri, Sat 6pm–2:30am

What is it? The first bagel truck in Los Angeles, as well as a  mainstay at the Melrose Place Farmers Market on Sunday mornings.

Why we love it: A decade in, Yeastie Boys still draws big crowds for their high-quality hand-rolled bagels served up with plenty of schmear and swagger. Available in plain, poppy, sesame, everything, blueberry and a very craveable cheddar (plus three gluten-free varieties!), the bagels here offer that sought-after delicate balance of fluffy center and thin crust. They hit particularly well after a late night—the Game Over scores with soft scrambled eggs, bacon, tomato and house-made jalapeño schmear, while the Lox Deluxe features smoked salmon, house scallion spread, tomatoes, red onion and capers. You can follow the fleet on Instagram for daily locations and the specials to be had at their eight trucks around the city.

Time Out tip: For extra crunch, add a hash brown onto any of Yeastie Boys’ signature sandwiches. 

Address: Multiple venues, inc. West Hollywood, Los Feliz and Manhattan Beach

Opening hours: 8am–2pm (except Venice, which runs 7am–1pm) 

What is it? A Sinaloa-style seafood truck with locations in Highland Park and Culver City.

Why we love it: This Sinaloa-style seafood truck is a Northeast L.A staple for tostadas, ceviches, fish tacos, and gloriously fresh shrimp empanadas. More recently, Mariscos El Faro has expanded to Culver City, where a second truck now maintains a post on a busy stretch of Venice Boulevard. The deep-fried shrimp tacos here are skippable, but the raw items offer a unique, Sinaloa-style take on ceviche and sashimi dripping in Maggi seasoning and mayonnaise. The lobina, or salt-cured sea bass, is another milder highlight. Everything comes with a side of perfectly crispy tostadas for a silken and crunchy combo with every bite.

Time Out tip: The tacos here aren’t a culinary highlight, but El Faro does offer a two-for-one tacos on Tuesdays.

Address: Highland Park: 6139 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042; Culver City: 9070 W Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Opening hours: Highland Park: Tue–Sun 10am–6pm; Culver City: 10am–5pm