✦ Mexican · DTLA

Best Mexican Restaurants in DTLA

The best Mexican restaurants in DTLA, Los Angeles — 3 ranked picks with ratings and must-try dishes.

3 picks

DTLA has 3 Mexican restaurants we would send anyone to, ranked here by rating and review depth. Tacos 1986 sits at the top with 4.7 stars. If you only order one thing, make it the arachera taco at Tacos 1986. Most of this list stays under $40 a head. None of these take online reservations — they are walk-in or phone-only, so go early.

Downtown LA's restaurant scene has transformed dramatically — the Arts District, Little Tokyo, and the Historic Core each have their own identity.

Tacos 1986 Watch

Tacos 1986

Mexican · Tacos · Tijuana-style  ·  DTLA  ·  $

★★★★½ 4.7

Tijuana-style tacos in DTLA — wood-fire-grilled arachera and the best al pastor this side of the border

Must-try: Arachera taco, Al pastor taco, Vampiro (crispy cheese tortilla)

📍 Multiple DTLA locations — check @tacos1986 for nearest

Full Details View on Maps
Sonoratown Watch

Sonoratown

Mexican · Tacos · Northern Mexican  ·  DTLA  ·  $

★★★★½ 4.7

DTLA's essential northern Mexican taqueria making flour-tortilla tacos the Sonoran way — simple, precise, and impossible to stop eating

Must-try: Flour tortilla taco with carne asada, Taco de guisado, Agua fresca

📍 208 E 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

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Cielito Lindo Watch

Cielito Lindo

Mexican  ·  DTLA  ·  $

★★★½☆ 3.9

a nearly century-old stand frying taquitos under tangy avocado salsa

Must-try: Taquitos with avocado sauce, Shredded beef tacos, Horchata

📍 E-23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Full Details View on Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Mexican restaurant in DTLA?

Tacos 1986 — 4.7 stars across 5,100 reviews, the highest on this list. Tijuana-style tacos in DTLA — wood-fire-grilled arachera and the best al pastor this side of the border.

Do these restaurants take reservations?

None of the 3 on this page take online bookings — they are walk-in or phone-only. Going early, or on a weeknight, is the reliable move.

What should I order?

The arachera taco at Tacos 1986, the flour tortilla taco with carne asada at Sonoratown and the taquitos with avocado sauce at Cielito Lindo. Those are the dishes regulars point to first.

How were these picked?

Ratings and review volume decide the order, but the list itself is drawn from restaurants people actually post about — 3 of the 3 here have a TikTok attached to their card. Every entry is checked as open before it ships.

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