Guisados, Boyle Heights

2100 E Cesar Chavez Ave · Los Angeles, CA 90033 · Neighborhood: Boyle Heights

I often refer to my own blog to jog my memory about a dish or place I have visited and today, while searching for my Guisados post, I… wait a sec… where is my Guisados post…??

Oh dear… It seems I haven’t written one. Geez, how have I NOT written a post on GUISADOS yet!? I have been going there since 2011, and raving to all who ask me which LA taco is my all-time favorite. THIS place.

I suppose since it is such a taco staple (in my head) I assume everybody already knows about it. Still I’ll indulge the few who don’t, and fill you in on LA’s (not-so) best kept taco secret. At the original Boyle Heights location (the one near Dodgers Stadium), you are met with a long line of locals, foodies, and in-the-know art-heads (it’s just a few minute drive from the Downtown Artist District, thus all the artist types).

Owner Armando De La Torre, is quite often at the restaurant and is most likely ringing you up or serving you tacos himself.

Ok, so what to order? Tacos of course! The taco sampler is your Go-To if you’ve never been before. You get 6 baby tacos with any meat of your choosing. I love the Cochinita Pibil and Mole Poblano. Choose your level of spiciness and get ready for the burn…

The word, “guisado”, in Spanish means stewed. Thus, all the meat here are slowly stewed in various seasonings and spices and that’s what makes them so darn tasty and unlike any other taco you’ve had. Even the veggie tacos are good. They are juicy and spicy and drippy and savory and finger licking-dripping-down-your-arm good.

If that wasn’t enough, the tortillas are freshly made in-house daily and are thick and chewy and probably some of the best tortillas I’ve ever had. Try it, you’ll see what I mean…

To drink, you can’t go wrong with the horchata or any agua fresca.

They opened up another location early this year in Echo Park (Hooray! It’s much closer to my house). This one has a cozy interior and hip back patio. The menu is virtually the same, save for their tamales, which are reserved for the Boyle Heights location only.

There’s a location coming soon to DTLA. Check out their website for details and updates!

Want to see what the Echo Park location looks like? Click on the picture below to watch the video… and “don’t forget your taco!”