Best hard tacos?
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?
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re: flowergirl
Foodandwine
Mar 2, 2009 04:27 PM
I actually like Titos Tacos for Hard Shell on the Westside..
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Tito's Tacos
11222 Washington Pl, Culver City, CA 90230 -
re: flowergirl
Servorg
Mar 2, 2009 05:25 PM
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.
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Pacos Tacos
4141 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066Mariscos Chente
4532 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066 -
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re: kproq323
Servorg
Mar 3, 2009 01:47 AM
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).
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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.
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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 -
rednyellow
Feb 24, 2009 09:23 PM
I like the beef hard tacos at the stand next to the car wash on Vermont just north of Hollywood blvd.
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Hershey Bomar
Feb 24, 2009 04:21 PM
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.
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johnnyshungry
Feb 24, 2009 12:04 PM
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.
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re: johnnyshungry
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.
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David Kahn
Feb 24, 2009 11:03 AM
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.
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Lucy's El Adobe Cafe
5536 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038›3 Replies -
sbritchky
Feb 23, 2009 11:22 PM
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.
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Chelo's Authentic Mexican Food
1987 W Ramsey St, Banning, CA 92220 -
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monku
Feb 23, 2009 03:51 PM
$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.
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Barragan's Mexican Restaurant
1538 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026Barragan's Mexican Restaurant
814 S Central Ave, Glendale, CA 91204Barragan's Mexican Restaurant
730 N Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502 -
truetraveler
Feb 23, 2009 03:44 PM
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.
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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.
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Vaya Con Carne
Feb 23, 2009 03:21 PM
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.
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My Taco
6300 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042›1 Reply -
Foodandwine
Feb 23, 2009 03:13 PM
The El Tarasco hard taco might help with the fix your are seeking. I like the Manhattan Beach location
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El Tarasco Restaurant
316 Rosecrans Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266›1 Reply -
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a_and_w
Feb 23, 2009 01:03 PM
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...
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