Taco Shops in SoCal

There's nothing better than going surfing or shopping all day in Southern California, exhausted and ready for a mouthful of Mexican food. Southern California has some of the best Mexican food in the country, and here are some favorites that are not to be missed.

Orange County

Pena's

1221 E 1st St.

Ste. C

Santa Ana, CA 92701

(714) 571-0415

Pena's makes their own tortillas and specializes in spices that put a little "pop" to all of their dishes. They have Mexican Coke, goat stew, and pork in their tacos that customers rave about (it's tender and slowly cooked in banana leaves). And you can eat all this while sitting in a saddle barstool while watching dishes be made.

Taco Adobe

121 N Lemon St.

Orange, CA

(714) 628-0633

This place is a hole in the wall, but then again some of the best places to eat are small, humble spots. They have a secret sauce they put in many of their dishes with soft, fresh tortillas. Their sauces aren't the spiciest, but everything has a lot of flavor and won't leave you with a heavy feeling because everything has very little grease.

Long Beach

Taco Surf

115 Main St.

Seal Beach, CA 90740

(562) 594-0600

My family has been frequenting Taco Surf for over ten years now, and it's safe to say the taste has only gotten better. Everything from their tacos to their enchiladas tastes authentic and it always seems to "hit the spot." The owner is a humble older man who serves colorful green and red chips, but will never admit to owning the place. Although you may feel stuffed to the brim after leaving since the ingredients aren't exactly the healthiest, it's a good place to visit occasionally.

El Burrito Jr.

909 Ocean Ave.

Seal Beach, CA 90740

(562) 431-8483

El Burrito Jr. isn't shy with their portions of chips and salsa (it could be it's own meal) and is across the street from the beach--a perfect place to stop after surfing or laying out. Their salsa is pretty basic, but the food is authentic with a lot of frying and flavor. The tacos are stuffed with tons of ingredients and good in price. It's not gourmet, but it's relaxed and chill enough to hang out at after being in the sun all day.

Los Angeles

El Atacor Restaurant

3520 N. Figueroa St. Ste 4

Los Angeles, CA 90065

(323) 342-0180

El Atacor Restaurant specializes in potato tacos and a super burrito that is bigger than the West Coast. They have homemade horchata, but they 76 the syrups and powders. There's not many places that you can buy a few tacos and a drink for less than five dollars, but you do have to spend at least ten bucks to use your credit card. If you're having a midnight craving, this is probably the best place you could visit that's still open at two in the morning.

Cactus Mexican Food

950 Vine St.

Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 464-5865

The tacos at Cactus Mexican Food are the best on the menu: overstuffed tiny corn tortillas with fresh avocado and an overload of carne asada. They also have shrimp and fish tacos, plus hard-shelled tacos with steak. It's not in the most upscale of locations so don't expect to be pampered, but most customers don't mind once they get fed.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com