The best fish tacos in Los Angeles

One of the longstanding heroes of the old-school taco trucks—a.k.a. loncheras—Mariscos Jalisco has earned a loyal and devoted following for their signature tacos dorado de camaron. The precious half moons live up to the hype with flavorful and fresh shrimp folded into a corn tortilla that is 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. Catch them in Mid-City, Downtown, Boyle Heights and Pomona, check their their Instagram before going and don’t forget to bring cash.

The low-key decor and ambience at this Inglewood eatery might best be described as “chill.” The food, however, is spicy and vibrant. You’ll find three types of fish tacos here: the crunchy battered fish tacos with spicy crema and slaw; the smoked marlin and cheese tacos, which are fried whole for a crispy, greasy treat; and the shrimp tacos with sautéed vegetables. Order a few, but the most popular dish here is the pescado zarandeado (grilled snook) which takes half an hour to prepare after you order it—request some tortillas on the side and you can turn this dish into delicious fish tacos, too.

Wes Avila’s Chinatown café is a veritable incubator for the chef’s ever-changing tastes, but the wild-caught fish tacos made with local rockfish are one of the lunch menu mainstays. Topped with mustard habanero and chipotle aioli, plus heirloom tomato molcajete salsa, cabbage, pico de gallo and chili crisp, each one is a flavor bomb you won’t soon forget. While the ever-changing dinner menu depends largely on seasonality and the chef's whims, you’ll usually find at least at least one seafood taco on the menu come evening—not necessarily using Baja-style rockfish.

If the name doesn’t tip you off, this neighborhood taqueria in Los Feliz serves some damn fine fish tacos. Are they the best? Probably not, but plenty of area locals will defend BFTIE to the death. The small, colorful eatery with a thatched patio feels like a tropical break from the busy streets of nearby Hollywood and Hillhurst, one where the menu is simple and to the point: fish tacos for $2.50, shrimp tacos for $2.95 and drinks for $1.

This Arts District taqueria helped bring chef-driven tacos into the mainstream—and while founding chef Wes Avila can now be found innovating over at Chinatown's Angry Egret Dinette, Guerrilla Tacos remains an unflagging resource for those in search of amazing fish tacos, including the "fish and chips" taco made with rock cod, shredded potato, pea-infused guacachile and tartar sauce. Prices might be a bit higher than most, but the high-quality ingredients and inventive sauces and salsas still hit the spot whenever we're in the mood for a good fish taco.

This beloved Whittier taqueria makes a classic street-food-style fish taco just the way you can probably picture it: with crunchy, battered sea bass, cabbage-and-tomato slaw, crema and red salsa. For a little variation, try a Baja taco with a mix of both shrimp and fish served inside a flour tortilla. Wednesdays are particularly crowded here for the $1 fish taco special, but the busy kitchen staff keeps the line moving. Order a couple tacos, then head to the condiments bar to grab some limes and roasted yellow peppers dusted with chili powder, and enjoy a simple coastal-inspired meal.

This local chain with seven locations across Los Angeles hits the sweet spot between affordable and artisan, and that's exactly how we like it. At Guisados, handmade tortillas are made to order and filled with grilled white fish, black beans, chile arbol, pico de gallo, cabbage and an avocado-cilantro crema. If you're looking for a different seafood option, they offer a fajita-style shrimp taco with onions, peppers and chipotle cream. Most locations feature some sort of patio seating, but if you wind up indoors, watch the kitchen in action as you dig into the mouthwatering tacos—washed down with refreshingly tart jamaica aqua fresca or creamy, spiced horchata.

With one owner hailing from Nayarit and the other from Sinaloa, the influence of both coastal regions mingles at this small Bell Gardens eatery, resulting in an extensive seafood menu that includes a variety of flavorful fish ceviches and tacos. We love the taco a la diabla, which can be ordered with either fried shrimp or fried fish and comes on a bed of cheese in the tortilla—add some house-made salsa for more kick.

You’ll find a variety of fish tacos on the menu at this Highland Park mainstay: tilapia, swai or mahi can all be grilled or batter-fried for your taco. In our experience, the battered swai is prepared the most consistently, generally coming out nice and tender with fluffy batter and a lot of rich crema and slaw. The salsa isn’t especially spicy, so if you like some heat, use the bottled hot sauces on the table liberally. The fried fish tacos here can be a little oily and, in short, a hot mess—the thin tortillas can’t withstand the wet toppings for long—but that’s all part of the fun at this outdoor stand, a neighborhood favorite for seafood and weekday specials.

It can take a few bites to appreciate the full appeal of this fish taco mini-chain with five locations throughout South L.A. and the San Gabriel Valley. It’s a familiar concoction—a Baja-style taco made with white fish—but the batter is thick, the fish is flaky and the crema is rich. The seasoned and roasted small yellow peppers ("famous chili gueritos") and the roasted chilli salsa made onsite add nice spice and flavor to the taco. While the original location in La Puente is still going strong, you can also snag their delicious fish tacos in Bellflower, La Habra, El Monte, Baldwin Park and Walnut.

We’re inclined to enjoy all tacos at Walter and Margarita Manzke's Petty Cash Taqueria, but their chef-driven fish taco is one of the best you'll find close to Beverly Grove, Fairfax and La Brea. The beer-battered rockfish here is flaky and piping hot; the crema, cabbage and pico de gallo are always fresh. Of course, there's a catch: these little tacos cost more than most of the fish tacos on this list. But if you're in need of a decent fish taco in Central L.A. and you're willing to splurge a bit, the version at Petty Cash will definitely hit the spot.

At this creatively inclined Mid-City taqueria, you’ll find several clues that the menu features fusion soul food: The hibiscus juice on the menu is sorrel (not agua de jamaica), which is the Caribbean version of the drink, and the taco options include Cajun-spiced crawfish. The fish tacos here are low-key: grilled tilapia or salmon with cabbage and lemon slaw, and just enough oily grilled flavor to keep things interesting. A dash of Tapatío salsa from the bottle on the table kicks the excitement factor up a bit, and you’ve got yourself a light but satisfying meal.