PoeticChef

One of my favorite taco spots to eat at in LA! Very fresh and straight to the point. The menu is short and sweet. I always get the Adobado and chicken tacos with the guacamole on it. Straight 🔥 the lemonade is fire 🔥 as well! They also have a sauce/dress station for your needs. Check out this location it’s the only one I Goto if I am not mistaken there’s 6 locations? I think!! 🤔 in Los Angeles. Parking is not so bad it’s literally next to a park and pay as well. TREAT YO SELF! POETIC APPROVED!

+21

Jay Keyes

Tacos 1986 is best known currently for its Tacos de Adobada, essentially marinated pork shaved off of a spinning trompo into corn tortillas. Rather than being sweetened with pineapple as Al Pastor pork typically is, the sweetness in Taco 1986's recipe supposedly comes from strawberries, which is unusual on this side of the border, even for Tacos de Adobada. Also, Tijuana-style Tacos de Adobada are typically served in a parchment paper used to pinch the taco closed. I enjoyed the texture of the adobada meat at Tacos 1986: some pieces crispy and charred like sturdy bacon, other pieces tender and sticky. I also enjoyed the white corn tortilla used in this taco, griddled until it started to brown -- another unusual twist for a Los Angeles taco purveyor. I ordered my taco "con todo" and it was topped with guacamole, chopped onions, and cilantro. Any application of salsas is DIY, and I recommend you add the incendiary salsa macha. Taco 1986's "Taco de Adobada" would perhaps be in the same top tier as the "Al Pastor" offerings from Leo's, El Flamin', and Ave 26 Taco Stand if the adobo glaze on the meat itself didn't have as grassy of a finish. I like achiote laying on my tastebuds when I eat adobada pork, but Taco 1986 takes it just a touch too far, and the strawberries don't provide enough sweetness to balance the bitterness. A better option to order is the "Carne Asada Vampiro." A "Vampiro" is a taco made using tortilla shells that have been griddled for a while over low-heat until they are dry and crunchy; the tortillas contract and ruffle a bit during this process, often resembling a "vampire bat wing," hence the name. Some taquerias serve their vampiros as one tortilla topped with melted white cheese and the toppings, while other places, including Tacos 1986, use two corn tortillas to make a "sandwich," similar to a mulita, stuffed with the toppings and melted cheese. The "Carne Asada Vampiro" here lacks for nothing. Besides being stuffed with one of the most deliciously-seasoned renditions of carne asada I've had in Los Angeles, the supporting guacamole and melted white cheese are also top notch and issued in a perfectly harmonious ratio with the smoky beef. Vampiro "shells" elsewhere can often end up with a stale texture due to lazy cooking, but here they are perfectly crispy.

Miguel Hernandez

One of the best street food tacos in downtown LA. I come all the way from the San Fernando Valley just to try their amazing mushroom marinated tacos, which I was totally surprised and amazed of the quality ingredients and flavor that bursted in my mouth, when I took that first bite. The Adobada, was also delicious. something recommended to try, the only thing that was a downside was that they do not add pineapple to the Adonada taco which traditionally, that's how it should served, but never the lease it is still delicious. Great experience, will be going back as a regular customer.

Aaron Bright

I was a little skeptical of a mushroom taco but it was pretty good. The place makes fresh food and has a roller in the back for all of their tortillas. I also had a adobado vampiro which was also delicious. I’d is a fried cheese tortilla, taco filling and hard shell in sandwich form. Staff was friendly and place was clean.

Decent for a late night street taco spot or a quick bite. Everything is made fresh on the spot including the tortillas. Good size portions. They definitely don't skimp on the guac!!!!

Shanelle S

Small taco storefront in downtown that’s open late night. Came here after a Wrecks concert at the Regent around midnight and there was a line of about four parties ahead of us. Note that if you check in on Yelp, you get a 10% discount. We had two tacos each, which was good for a late night snack, but if you’re hungry, I think four should do it. We both got the carne asada and adobada - the preferred the adobada. There’s standing room with counter space outside to eat. There’s a salsa bar by where you pick up your food and there’s four different types of salsa in addition to radishes and limes. Street parking. Dogs were allowed inside. No public restrooms. Credit cards accepted.

Teiste

Pretty much not the best not the worst tacos in downtown L.A. The mushroom ones are decent but the Al Pastor and Asada ones are quiet disappointing.The salsa de fresa is pretty good but , unfortunately , the meat flavors are not there to be enhaced by the salsa. The location is nice enough and service was good. Nothing really extraordinary of a place but neither so terrible or bad (besides parking on this area).

Betty

I drove from Phoenix Arizona to see what the hype was all about. I ordered a taco de Adobada and a vampiro de Adobada. My favorite hands down was the vampiro. The taco just didn't taste like a street taco from Tijuana. Which is what I thought they were known for. However, I did appreciate the fact that they do pack those tacos with plenty of everything. I also appreciated the simple side of the menu.

+1

G Z

Got three tacos, all con Todo (with the works of top): carne asada, adobada, and mushroom perron style which is melted cheese griddled on the tortilla. Mushroom was definitely my favorite, the adobada was pretty solid but not amazing to be honest. Carne asada was disappointing to be honest. There wasn't much char or smoky flavor and surprisingly it was quite bland considering I've heard some people say online the CA tends to be too salty. Beef was also a little overcooked. And the melted cheese on the perron taco wasn't browned enough so it was sort of like rubbery cheese. Would come back once or twice to get a better take especially since this brick and mortar just opened, but I'd say the first try was underwhelming given the press.

+4

Rigo Garcia

Tacos 1986 used to be one of my favorite taquerias in LA, so much so that I drove 20 minutes out of my way and parked 8 blocks away on a Friday night, to come and eat some tacos. I ordered four tacos, one of each, and was very disappointed. The chicken, carne asada, and mushrooms or all bland. The Al Pastor was the only good one. Very disappointed, don't know that I'll be back 😔

Carrie Z

Small storefront setup with some standing and counter seating. I ordered a $3.45 taco, which was a good sized with plenty of meat and a nice scoop of avocado. They also have a self-serve salsa bar. I tried the al pastor — while it had a crispy texture, the flavor was disappointing, and unfortunately, I didn’t feel great after eating it.

Denise Campos

Tacos 1986 WHAT HAPPENED?? The quality has gone out the door. These tacos were not it. Smh. I’m so disappointed. What did I just eat? 😥 the meat was not fresh, no taste, bland for a taco even with the sauce. Do better please.

Lux Muse

Most underwhelming tacos I've ever had. pastor and chicken had zero flavor. And the salsas??? What is this? Does a white person make these tacos? It's bad! I give it a negative 5 Chicken was bland and the cheese on side and avocado on the other side. No love or care for the presentation.