Chichen Itza

"When you’re craving comfort food, resist the urge to order in Domino’s and go to Chichen Itza. Located just east of campus inside the multicultural marketplace that is Mercado La Paloma, it’s one of the only walkable off-campus dining options that’s actually great. The best thing here is the Cochinita Pibil – basically a heap of super-juicy pork shoulder served with rice and beans." - amy clark, katherine lewin

"Owned by the same family that runs Holbox, this busy stall inside Mercado La Paloma near USC has been serving traditional Yucatan cuisine for the past twenty years and is still going strong. You're going to want to start with their flagship cochinita pibil—sweet and savory slow-roasted pork that’s been marinated in achiote and sour orange and cooked inside a banana leaf. It's the best version in the city and therefore sets the standard for all others. But don't ignore the shredded turkey panuchos, housemade longaniza, and char-grilled pollo asado, too. These are tough decisions to make, which is why we usually order several rounds of tacos at Chichen Itza rather than choose one entree—somehow, you can always find room for one more taco. " - sylvio martins, garrett snyder, brant cox, nikko duren

"Owned by the same family as Holbox, this humble food stall inside Mercado La Paloma serves traditional Yucatan cuisine that's as craveable as anything you'll find in LA. You’re going to want to start with the sikil-pac, a tomato and pumpkin seed dip, plus an order of the football-shaped fried kibi, then end with their signature cochinita pibil, slow-roasted pork that’s been marinated in achiote and sour orange and wrapped in a banana leaf (a.k.a. our version of heaven)." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder

"Chichen Itza is a Yucatecan food stall inside Mercado La Paloma near USC that makes truly spectacular cochinita pibil. The slow-roasted pork is marinated in achiote and sour orange, and just as delicious eaten on its own, folded inside tacos, or tucked into one of Chichen Itza’s housemade pan frances. These bread rolls resemble a softer, wider cousin of the baguette, which means all of the tangy marinade soaks into the roll while remaining sturdy enough to hold in the mattress-thick layer of pork, salsa, and pickled onions. " - sylvio martins

"If you’re in line at Chichen Itza to eat cochinita pibil tacos, we don’t blame you. This Yucatan stall inside Mercado La Paloma makes some of the best in LA. Just make sure you also order some tamales. There are three different kinds of the menu, including the crunchy horneado and razor-thin vaporcito. Our favorite is their tamal de colado, though. Steamed and wrapped in a giant banana leaf, the milled corn masa is sweet and moist, blending with the shredded achiote-seasoned chicken to create an almost stew-like consistency. They’re available a la carte, or you can order from the catering menu where a dozen runs for about $40.  " - brant cox, sylvio martins