Tire Shop Taqueria
Taco restaurant · South Los Angeles ·
Handmade corn tortillas, mesquite-grilled asada, thick guacamole
Handmade corn tortillas, mesquite-grilled asada, thick guacamole
"“The first time I had it I was on the set of Beef, we were shooting Downtown. And the director kept talking about this old tire shop that sells the most incredible quesadillas. And I thought to myself, ‘How much better can a quesadilla be than one you can make at home?’ Well, I didn’t know quesadillas could taste like that.”" - brant cox
"There are plenty of parking lots in LA where you can pick up a solid order of tacos, but few run as smoothly as Tire Shop Taqueria. The operation at this cash-only taco spot in South Park involves multiple tents divided into stations for making hand-pressed corn tortillas, grilling carne asada, chopping chorizo, and scooping toppings. Just standing in line can be a mesmerizing experience, but actually eating the tacos here is even more incredible. Tire Shop Taqueria makes some of the best carne asada tacos we’ve ever had—they’ve got a perfect balance of smoky flavor from the charred edges and richness from the marinade. Aside from the beef, the chorizo is our other favorite option here. It’s very spicy, nicely grilled, and tastes like it’s just been rolled down a hill of red peppers." - nikko duren
"A compact, high-energy stand that evokes Tijuana with handmade corn tortillas, mesquite-grilled asada, thick guacamole, and a lineup of taqueros working out of a liquor-store parking lot. While the carne asada is reliably smoky and tender, the cabeza—mostly cheek (and sometimes tongue)—is the sleeper hit: slowly braised until collagen-rich and meltingly tender, it delivers a beefy, unctuous flavor balanced by nutty tortillas and buttery guacamole, producing what the author calls 'taco euphoria.'" - ByJavier Cabral, as told to Sam Stone
"As one of the early Los Angeles stands that introduced the Tijuana al-carbon style to Angelenos, Tire Shop Taqueria helped establish the flame-grilled, trompo-driven tacos that later inspired taqueros from Puebla to spread the style north." - Lena Park
"Known for long lines, tacos, and mulitas, Tire Shop Taqueria is a step above most with hand-made tortillas, along with perfectly seasoned and marinated beef grilled on mesquite charcoal." - Mona Holmes
