Tacos Los Poblanos #1 Estilo Tijuana

You’ll probably smell Tacos Los Poblanos before you see it. This nighttime Tijuana-style taco stand grills its carne asada over mesquite charcoal, which sends a smoky trail wafting down Slauson Ave. Over the last few years, the Tijuana-style taco has taken LA by storm (see: Tacos 1986, Mexicali Taco), with Tacos Los Poblanos being one of the older spots on the scene. In fact, the stand is a sibling of the renowned Taqueria San Miguel (a.k.a. the Tire Shop Taqueria) stand a mile north in South LA. Their tacos are almost identical, but we think the well-seasoned beef at Los Poblanos might give it a slight edge. Our usual order goes like this: a few asada tacos, plus a cheese-lined vampiro with chorizo if we’re hungry, then a step back to watch the taqueros thwack-thwack grilled meat with a cleaver and fling spoonfuls of salsa with acrobatic precision. Each taco is crowned with a dollop of thick guacamole and wrapped in paper like an ice cream cone. Paired with a big gulp of agua de jamaica, it’s a taco ASMR experience that tickles all your senses.

photo credit: Matt Gendal