598678 Mon Feb 23 13:56:35 -0800 2009 41 2 Los Angeles Area 0 4444956 When I was a kid in Connecticut we had Tuesday taco nights . What my mom cooked was seasoned hamburger meat, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, and salsa from a jar. The taco shells were always hard and crumbly. I don't have much nostalgia for those dinners and until recently I hadn't had a hard taco in 15 years. I had one a El Pollo Loco and it was delicious -- and started my carving. I just loved the combination of the crispy taco shell, warm chicken, and crunchy cold lettuce and tomatoes. Next, I had Burrito King and that was awful. Over the weekend I had El Conquistador and that was lame. Where should I go for a really good hard taco? Tito's is to far and I'm sure there are some places in Silver Lake, Hollywood, Glendale, Pasadena? Mon Feb 23 13:56:35 -0800 2009 12909 Hershey Bomar 1 4444980 The monster taco -- the one with the slice of American cheese -- at Jack in the Box. Not the best by a long shot but truly a guilty pleasure that takes me back to my childhood. Might do the trick... Mon Feb 23 14:03:19 -0800 2009 4444956 18466 a_and_w 2 4445556 Haha! I gotta agree with you on this. Even Del Taco's are delicious! Mon Feb 23 17:01:29 -0800 2009 4444980 209207 Jaytizzle 2 4446301 I went to Jack in the Box on the weekend and they didn't have the monster taco on the menu anymore. Just the regulars at 2 for 99 cents. Mon Feb 23 21:46:07 -0800 2009 4444980 10764 monkuboy 3 4450786 Nooo!!! Stopped by yesterday and confirmed -- no more Monster Taco at Jack in the Box. May they rue the day... Wed Feb 25 09:03:42 -0800 2009 4446301 18466 a_and_w 1 4445356 Henry's Tacos, favorite of Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen (twins) Mon Feb 23 16:00:40 -0800 2009 4444956 11914 monku 1 4445391 The El Tarasco hard taco might help with the fix your are seeking. I like the Manhattan Beach location Mon Feb 23 16:13:02 -0800 2009 4444956 97161 Foodandwine 2 4445420 TITO'S----IS THE BEST Mon Feb 23 16:22:22 -0800 2009 4445391 260760 magic man 1 4445417 I love the tacos dorados (crispy tacos) at My Taco in Highland Park. You can get them filled with chicken, beef, or potato. I don't think they'll be anything like what your Connecticut mom made, but they are so, so good that I'm hoping it will not matter. Mon Feb 23 16:21:51 -0800 2009 4444956 174303 Vaya Con Carne 2 4446478 That lamb tacos dorados plate is a steal. Paired with a nice cup of agua fresca and I'm set. Tue Feb 24 00:27:46 -0800 2009 4445417 11358 mpken 1 4445443 Quite far from where you've mentioned, but my current hard taco love is the shredded chicken taco at Hermosa Beach Mexican Cuisine (most generic name ever but it's on Hermosa Ave in Hermosa Beach and has an anime character painted on its window). The shredded chicken taco is the only one that comes in the crispy shell and is lovingly made to order by the nicest people. All their food is sooo good. Mon Feb 23 16:28:43 -0800 2009 4444956 13860 TracyS 2 4445464 Another one not in your area but should you find yourself in Huntington Beach, try La Choza on Edinger their shredded beef crunchy taco is delicious! Mon Feb 23 16:37:34 -0800 2009 4445443 96905 bubbles4me 1 4445482 It's been a while since I've been, but have you tried Pepe's? Their hard tacos were yummy the last time I went! There's a branch in Pasadena, Alhambra and Azusa - I hear there is one in the OC, but not sure. Mon Feb 23 16:44:08 -0800 2009 4444956 259502 truetraveler 2 4445560 Pepe's are good, especially with their chunky guacamole. In the area I also love the hard shell tacos at Mexi-Catessan in Monterey Park Mon Feb 23 17:02:53 -0800 2009 4445482 14558 Ernie 1 4445510 $1 taco night at Barragan's is every Monday after 4pm.....go over right now. Hard tacos freshly made ground beef or chicken. Great chips and salsa too. Mon Feb 23 16:51:03 -0800 2009 4444956 11914 monku 1 4445525 I'm a fan of Josie's Place in Gardena, but this is far from you. The chicken tacos are tasty. Mon Feb 23 16:55:17 -0800 2009 4444956 235517 annapurna7 2 4446285 taos dorados at alegria on sunset -- chix taco is killer. Mon Feb 23 21:34:21 -0800 2009 4445525 17418 Silverlaker 1 4446418 Its been a few yrs since I've been, but I remember Campos having a pretty good (hard shell) turkey taco. Mon Feb 23 23:20:44 -0800 2009 4444956 67980 mdpilam 1 4446457 The gringo taco at Taco Plus is my flashback hardshell. There's no tomato on it, but there is pico de gallo at the salsa bar. Tue Feb 24 00:01:38 -0800 2009 4444956 214265 foh 1 4446467 I love the hard shell tacos at Paco's Tacos. That is about the only thing worth getting at that place. Not the best, but definitely good. Tue Feb 24 00:10:23 -0800 2009 4444956 254809 A5 KOBE 1 4446475 That's ridiculous, HB! You talk as though most of us have a secret yearning for gringo tacos. Myself, personally, I'll only eat soft tacos made from dried, ground huitlacoche and filled with chopped hard-shell beetles from the Valley of Mexico lightly drenched in mole de la non-gúi. The beetles, I mean. Very, very occasionally -- no more than once or twice a week -- I'll stop at Chelos in Banning as I go out to the desert, but those are certainly not what you're talking about. Sure, it's a hard corn shell with highly seasoned and juicy hamburger, lettuce, tomato, yellow cheese, and manufactured sauce -- but that's the only similarity. Tue Feb 24 00:22:51 -0800 2009 4444956 77350 sbritchky 1 4448104 I know exactly what you mean. Lucy's El Adobe, on Melrose across the street from Paramount , has good, albeit greasy, bbq hard tacos. Extremely calorically dense. And, no disrespect intended, but I really, really don't get the appeal of JITB tacos. I love their tv ads, which are consistently funny, but the couple of times I've tried the tacos, they tasted as if they were made with dog food. Sorry, I know some folks love them, but they just seem bad to me. Tue Feb 24 12:03:03 -0800 2009 4444956 10134 David Kahn 2 4448135 Man, do I hear you on the JITB tacos, I do like quite a few things there...best fast food breakfast by far but those tacos, (shudder) cannot gag them down. Tue Feb 24 12:10:07 -0800 2009 4448104 96905 bubbles4me 3 4448356 I think maybe JITB T's taste better after a bowl of MJ Tue Feb 24 13:00:00 -0800 2009 4448135 12909 Hershey Bomar 4 4449626 They are definitely drunk/munchie food Tue Feb 24 19:44:30 -0800 2009 4448356 75012 jencounter 1 4448376 Macho's Tacos next to the car wash on vermont has good hard shell tacos like my mom used to make.,hit the spot when I have the craving. Tue Feb 24 13:04:31 -0800 2009 4444956 67986 johnnyshungry 2 4449108 I second Lucy's El Adobe, but I prefer their chicken hard tacos with shredded chicken, lettuce, cheese and guacamole. Add a combo of their mild and "hot" salsa and you have a delicious experience. The taco dinner is overpriced--in the neighborhood of $15. It comes with a simple but good soup and salad along with rice and beans. Tue Feb 24 16:38:52 -0800 2009 4448376 89981 Wolfgang 1 4449241 Get thee to Ricks in Silver Lake!!!! The hard shell beef tacos are delicious and huge. They follow the tried and true formula of your mom's, except the salsa is not from a jar. Tue Feb 24 17:19:27 -0800 2009 4444956 20767 bluemonster 1 4449249 I tried RICK'S in Silver Lake today (total dive on the corner of Fletcher and Riverside). The taco's were like a diner version of what my mom made. The shell was greasy and crispy, a few tomato chunks, and tons and tons and tons of ground beef, lettuce, and totally un-melted cheese. I would say if this sounds good to you then it won't get much better than this. This baby's are huge! I tried El Gran Burrito (AKA Midnight taco or whatever on Sunset and Vermont) and the ordering and seating there is very confusing. The hard taco's shell was ultra thin and delicate like those crackers you sometimes get at Indian restaurants back east. All I remember is sour cream. I never eat sour cream. And the mess I made... I have to explain that I'm not craving ground beef taco's like at Ricks. I'm just craving hard tacos. So I'll try the places that seem to fit the bill. Tue Feb 24 17:21:05 -0800 2009 4444956 12909 Hershey Bomar 2 4450792 On a tangential note, there are Indian places in LA that serve papadum (lentil wafers) too. They come with every order at Nawab. Wed Feb 25 09:05:18 -0800 2009 4449249 18466 a_and_w 1 4449895 I like the beef hard tacos at the stand next to the car wash on Vermont just north of Hollywood blvd. Tue Feb 24 22:23:36 -0800 2009 4444956 60617 rednyellow 2 4451574 Machos Tacos. Cheap, good and just like my mom used to make Wed Feb 25 13:21:10 -0800 2009 4449895 67986 johnnyshungry 1 4461969 I am always looking for hard shell tacos made with shredded beef. Several weeks ago i stopped at a small place off the 605 fry on Beverly in Whittier -- El Buen Gusto .These were exactly as they should be. Perfect shell, jucy roast beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and some sour cream on the side. Very good service with seating inside or outside. Very clean place. El Buen Gusto (Hard Shell shredded beef or chicken tacos and Huevos Rancheros) 10820 Beverly Blvd # A2 (East of the 605 at Beverly, Workmen Mill Rd. and Norwalk Blvd. Next to Baskin Robbins) Whittier, CA 90601 562-692-4448 Sat Feb 28 21:52:48 -0800 2009 4444956 90917 JeetJet 1 4464700 Hello? Nobody's rec'd Benito's Tacos? Shredded beef? Check. Queso cotija? Check. Deep fried? Check. Don't miss this joint in your travels! 2 or 3 locations... one at fairfax @ beverley and another on pico somewhere. Way better than all the other recs in these comments. Oh, and don't forget to order 3 rolled tacos with guacamole. Reminds me of my time in San Diego with all the Roberto's, Alberto's, Alaberto's, Jilberto's, etc. Sun Mar 01 22:19:51 -0800 2009 4444956 271003 loisandshark 1 4467484 Any suggestions for great hard shell beef tacos on the Westside? Mon Mar 02 17:01:33 -0800 2009 4444956 155608 flowergirl 2 4467576 I actually like Titos Tacos for Hard Shell on the Westside.. Mon Mar 02 17:27:34 -0800 2009 4467484 97161 Foodandwine 2 4467751 Paco's Tacos on Centinela just barely south of Washington Blvd. in Mar Vista with their fresh housemade tortillas (they even have cochinita pibil, which is not always the case for westside places). And if you make it there then wander down the street south another couple of hundred yards and go to Mariscos Chente for unreal Sinaloan seafood (shrimp, fried fish or cocktails with octopus and shrimp) in some of the most incredible sauces you will ever experience. Mon Mar 02 18:25:45 -0800 2009 4467484 108169 Servorg 2 4468029 Tacos Por Favor Mon Mar 02 20:30:44 -0800 2009 4467484 12909 Hershey Bomar 3 4468272 I'll second Tacos Por Favor. Also Don Antonios on Pico on the Westside serves up some old school ground beef greasy hard tacos. Mon Mar 02 23:25:50 -0800 2009 4468029 23526 kproq323 4 4468347 Doh!! Hard to believe I forgot Don Antonio's since it's a regular stop for us. Great recommendation and I second this. They have picadillo (ground beef) tacos which are great as well as shredded beef and (and then taco Wednesday when all tacos are 99 cents each). Tue Mar 03 02:47:25 -0800 2009 4468272 108169 Servorg 1 4470810 You should try Tops Jr. on Main Street in Alhambra. Certainly not a taco spot, but they do them just they way you like 'em. Tue Mar 03 16:41:30 -0800 2009 4444956 259583 ohdaylay 2 4470872 i like pepe's hard taco with guac in alhmabra....also do like jack in the box 2 for 99cent taco :) Tue Mar 03 16:57:44 -0800 2009 4470810 79299 rickym13