Yeah, you read that headline right.

I know that the competition for amazing tacos in Los Angeles can be as vicious and cut throat as a season of The Bachelor so to claim a restaurant has amazing tacos will cause a debate to ensue. To make such a bold statement, especially about a relatively new restaurant might even raise the blood pressure of any taco lover listening, but before you get your red blood cells boiling let me explain. Last week I was invited to Trejo’s Cantina in Hollywood to check out their menu. The cantina is the sister restaurant to Trejo’s Tacos that sits less than 5 miles south. The two culinary concepts come from actor Danny Trejo. You probably haven’t seen him in the kitchen as much as you’ve seen him in movies like Desperado, Con Air, or Machete but to see his name across the restaurant building made me wonder if the food would be good or if it would just be a celebrity throwing his name on a new venture. Regardless, TJ and I had already paid for parking we were about to find out.

Walking in, the cantina feels friendly and welcoming. While the city surrounding Trejo’s Cantina is bustling with noise and party goers heading into places like Stout, the spot manages to leave the chaos at the door. Although it’s not as boisterous as its surrounding counterparts, it feels good to be in a place in Hollywood where you can hold a conversation without shouting. Atmosphere aside, the interior is made of a giant painting of Danny Trejo which stands at the entrance, a deer head sits above guests, and a wall of wood is displayed by the restroom. While I’m not exactly sure about the exact theme is, I’m not bothered by it whatsoever.

TJ and I sat at the bar and were greeted by the lead bartender, Ryan Kolbe Website, also known as The Beer Guy. We would quickly find out that the actor/writer/bartender was not only great at suggesting beers, but also at making us laugh. He was such great energy the minute we sat down and it never disappeared. After our introductions and a few preliminary laughs, Ryan gave us a menu and walked us through what we would have. Each dish was paired with a beer from their 20+ selection of beers available. As I got excited by the food listed, TJ was excited by the beer; there was clearly something for both of us.

To start we had the Gucamole ($7) made with Hass avocados, onions, serrano chilles, lime, pistachios, and served with salted tortilla chips. The guacolme was chunky and thick, spicy from all the chilies, and had a beautifully refreshing citrus taste from the perfect amount of lime juice. I was so close to devouring the guacamole and crunchy chips but had to remind myself that it was simply the starter. Slow down, Danielle, slow down!

Following the chips and guacamole was the Street Corn ($5) and Trejo’s Poppers ($3). The street corn took a bowl of fresh corn, popcorn, chipotle cream, and seasoning. It was small, cute, and fun; something I wasn’t expecting from such a macho man like Trejo. Ryan poignantly described the petite dish as “the evolution of corn”. It was the most poetic sentence I heard all month—maybe all year. I really liked the varying textures within this dish and the contrasts within the flavors. It was so good that I had a hard time sharing it with TJ. Once I realized I hadn’t tried the poppers, I handed him the street corn. The poppers on the other hand were made of beer battered chili, corn, shallots, garlic, and topped with a cashew cream, pico de gallo, and micro cilantro. Each bite of the small popper was full of flavor from the chili and garlic. I liked how this one was drizzled with a creamy sauce to cover the popper in because it gave it such a rich taste!

After we cleared the starter, the main plates arrived: tacos! It was an incredible array of some of the restaurants best tacos and TJ and I were both excited to try them all. We were given so many small versions of their normally oversized tacos that I thought it would be impossible to find a favorite, yet somehow I did. I was pretty surprised to find that the ones I liked the most were the ones I thought I would like the least. Those tacos were the Black Pepper Tofu ($4), Rainbow Cauliflower ($4), and the Blackened Salmon ($6). I was shocked that I, the professed carnivore, was infatuated by the tacos that had no meat. In spite of that I was impressed with the appearance, creativity, and taste of these tacos. I loved the tofu because it came with carmelized shallots and pickled onions that cascaded down the bean curd. It sounds odd, but the moment I ate it and could taste the smooth exterior of the tofu with the mild flavor that escaped the opinion wrapped within the tortilla, I was hooked.

What I loved about the cauliflower taco was that it was so bright in color and full of vegetables. Yes, vegetables won me over. I couldn’t pinpoint if it was the corn or the cauliflower in particular but I liked them both and the combination of the two was so refreshing. Add to that, the cilantro gave it a nice kick! Last but not least was the salmon taco. A large cut of salmon sat on top of the tortilla with white corn, cherry tomatoes, and an orange cream alongside it. The salmon tasted so fresh, the slaw added a gentle crunch, and the orange cream was a great addition to make it all feel like it dissipated in your mouth. This was such a nice taco!

The final dish was the Shrimp Tostada ($9). One of the lovely guests in the restaurant suggested this and her excitement over it made us so excited that we had to order it too! I’m glad we did because it was my favorite from the entire night. The tostada was covered with a hearty helping of avocado and then topped with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, orange slices, Serrano peppers, and jumbo pieces of seasoned shrimp. This tostado is not one to attempt to look pretty while eating. Let that dream go and attack it with all your might. I loved the way the creamy avocado danced with the shrimp and how the citrus of the fruit provided a pleasant level of juiciness. It was so exhilarating to bite into the crunchy tostada and enjoy all the soft and smooth flavors from the components it was covered in!

To end the entire night we had dessert. We split a Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwich ($6). The super soft cookies enclosed a solid mound of sweet stawberry ice cream. It was just the right amount of sweet milky goodness that we could have wanted to end the dinner!

I know the discussion of which restaurants in LA have the best tacos can be a hard and sometimes violent exchange of opinions. However, based on the taste of the food at Trejo’s Cantina, the restaurant should be considered for the running. Taking a look at the beautiful and well-developed types of tacos, their delicious tostada, and their creative sides the restaurant is one that I would highly suggest.

To see more delicious eats from the entire night, check out the photos below!

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Address: 1556 N. Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 461-8226
Hours: Sunday through Thursday – 11:00am to 11:00pm and Friday & Saturday – 11:00am to 2:00am
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