Guatemalan Night Market
Guatemalan restaurant · Westlake ·
Pupusas, tamales, grilled meats, and specialty drinks
Pupusas, tamales, grilled meats, and specialty drinks
"Pull up to Westlake’s “humo en tus ojos” (smoke in your eyes) churrasco stands for a vision of the lakeside town of Panajachel, next to MacArthur Park Lake. On the northeast corner of Bonnie Brae and 6th Street are chapines (Guatemalans) serving tamales de arroz (rice flour tamales), paches (mashed potato tamales), and pork and chicken tamales wrapped in banana leaves all flavored by tomato-based recados (stews) and sweetened by bell peppers and mild chiles guaques. There are chuchitos, too, wrapped in corn husks, for contrast in perhaps one of the greatest tamal cultures in Latin America." - Bill Esparza
"An informal street-food fair around the curbs of Sixth and Bonnie Brae where vendors from LA’s Guatemalan, largely Indigenous Maya, community sell hearty, inexpensive plates of pollo y papas fritas — heaping fried chicken and thick seasoned fries dressed with mayo, ketchup, and a mild green picante. Stands cook to order over smoky grills, and one vendor from Sololá dips chicken in a well-seasoned batter, fries it hot, and finishes it with Bijol (annatto powder), mustard, milk, and secret spices; customers swarm the stall and the food is typically eaten with corn tortillas, making it a filling communal meal and a nightly crowd favorite." - Eater Staff
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"A well-known Westlake night market that gathered many street vendors and community members was abruptly closed without notice, displacing sellers and scattering their customer base across the city." - Zoie Matthew
"In Guatemalan neighborhoods all over the country, nights fill the air with smoky churrasco: barbecued steak, longaniza (sausage), carne adobada (pork in achiote marinade), and chicken served with refried beans, thick corn tortillas, and coditos (macaroni salad). One of the best examples is the night market at 6th and Bonnie Brae in Westlake. Shopping carts converted into street grills serve churrasco, as well as fried chicken with French fries, a Guatemalan street food essential. Also consider the many types of Guatemalan tamales, plus wavy tostadas spread with flavorful beans or guacamol (avocado spread). Everything can be washed down with a crowd favorite, fresco (fresh water) de crema, an ultra rich, sugary drink of corn starch, evaporated milk, and vanilla." - Bill Esparza
"The popular Guatemalan night market just blocks from the park has faced increasing enforcement over the past year, including shutdowns and confiscations, highlighting how the city’s permitting options remain narrow, costly, and effectively out of reach for many vendors who depend on these markets." - Farley Elliott
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