Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner and I know there are a ton of restaurants gearing up to make the best Mexican dishes just for you (hey, and me too). Knowing that, I thought it would be great to highlight these spots prior to the big day. I pulled out a pen and paper and started to jot down my favorite spots. “Oh my gosh, I don’t know any.” Yeah, you read that right. I just admitted that I, a restaurant blogger, don’t know any great Mexican restaurants. I know a few “ok” ones, but none worth writing about. So I took to my personal Facebook page and this blog’s Instagram account and asked. “Who makes great Mexican food in LA? Tell me where to go and this time I’ll follow your gut.” And that’s exactly what I did.

One of my Facebook friends, Patrick, gave me his answer in two words: Guisados tacos. The name was familiar and that was because they’re down the street from my job. So, I made them my first stop. Sorry turkey sandwich, you’re getting replaced. Once lunchtime hit, I drove for less than five minutes and parked in front of my destination. Here’s what you need to know about this location: they have a parking lot, but there’s only a few spaces. If you can’t get a spot, then make use of street parking on Sunset Blvd–there’s tons of curb available. While that’s good to know, the most important thing about this place is it will pull a line in a second. When I got there, around 11:45am, there were about six people ahead of me. In just a matter of minutes, the line stretched far behind me. Clearly, this place is in demand. But don’t fret, they do their best to move people quickly.

I like that once you’re inside you can see everything being made. From the tortillas being prepped in front of the window to the meat being cooked on the stove, it’s all in front of your eyes. This is when I started to salivate. “Give me tacos now!” As I wiped the drool from my mouth, I thought: “What’s the relationship of tacos to Cinco de Mayo anyway?” So I Googled it; which I’ sure made my history teachers proud of the hours they put in with me. “Sorry Mr. Edwards!” According to the Smithsonian, the theory behind the taco is that its origin dates back to Mexican miners who made the style of food in the 18th century. As time passed, people became familiar with it and it gained popularity. Around the 1900s, tacos picked up in the states once the original recipe expanded to include different types of meats and vegetables. And with that you and I get to enjoy the taco, voilà! I think I summed that up right, if not, please school my gut.

At this point, it’s my turn to order tacos. Before I did that, I made a big mistake and I ordered the Jamaica ($2). Jamaica is a hibiscus iced tea, and I hate iced tea. I hate ice tea so much that when I go to hotel events/seminars, I put a soda in my purse because they only serve water or iced tea. I meant to get the melon: the orange drink that looks sweet and refreshing. Not the dark drink that Satan sips in hell. What made it worse was the cashier even repeated my drink order back to me. “Yeah, that’s right”. No, Danielle it’s not. Understand that I didn’t dislike the Jamaica because of Guisados, I dislike it at any restaurant. It’s bitter, dry, and has a harsh aftertaste. It’s kind of like a weird Starburst combination of both grape and cherry. It’s Gerry. My simple mistake, don’t judge me.

What I did get right was my taco order. I got the Mole Poblano and the Steak Picado ($2.75 each). I sat in the outside patio area in front of the colorfully decorated wall and near the water fountain. After just a few moments, the waiter brought the tacos to my table. The steak picado (right taco) is made of flank steak with green bell peppers and bacon. Of all the tacos, the steak picado is the possibly the safest route. It’s your simple taco of a spicy steak with easy flavors—hello, bacon. There’s nothing overpowering about it, yet it still maintains its distinguished flavors. If you’re on the fence about trying something new, get this one. Opposite of this, the mole poblano (left taco) has shredded chicken breast with a poblano style mole. The mole is a thick chocolatey flavored sauce that is packed with great taste! And let’s not forget, the taco is topped with red onions, dried chile, and my favorite: sour cream. Once the sour cream was on the taco and swirled with the mole, it was clear that this would be my favorite taco. Plus I devoured it in one breath which made it obvious.

This restaurant is great. It’s fast food, but it doesn’t skip out on quality or the rich taste of Mexican food. The dishes aren’t expensive and the environment combines authentic culture and modern aesthetics. For my first Cinco de Mayo review, I’m really glad I went to Guisados! Now let’s see if the next restaurants can match this one.

Follow Them.

Address: 1261 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026
Phone: Phone: 213.250.7600
Hours: Monday to Thursday – 10:30am to 10:00pm, Friday and Saturday – 10:30am to 11:00pm, and Sunday – 9:00amam to 5:00pm
Social: Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.