Tacos 1986 — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Tacos 1986 is best known currently for its Tacos de Adobada, essentially marinated pork shaved off of a spinning trompo into corn tortillas. Rather than being sweetened with pineapple as Al Pastor pork typically is, the sweetness in Taco 1986's recipe supposedly comes from strawberries, which is unusual on this side of the border, even for Tacos de Adobada. Also, Tijuana-style Tacos de Adobada are typically served in a parchment paper used to pinch the taco closed.

I enjoyed the texture of the adobada meat at Tacos 1986: some pieces crispy and charred like sturdy bacon, other pieces tender and sticky. I also enjoyed the white corn tortilla used in this taco, griddled until it started to brown -- another unusual twist for a Los Angeles taco purveyor. I ordered my taco "con todo" and it was topped with guacamole, chopped onions, and cilantro. Any application of salsas is DIY, and I recommend you add the incendiary salsa macha.

Taco 1986's "Taco de Adobada" would perhaps be in the same top tier as the "Al Pastor" offerings from Leo's, El Flamin', and Ave 26 Taco Stand if the adobo glaze on the meat itself didn't have as grassy of a finish. I like achiote laying on my tastebuds when I eat adobada pork, but Taco 1986 takes it just a touch too far, and the strawberries don't provide enough sweetness to balance the bitterness.

A better option to order is the "Carne Asada Vampiro." A "Vampiro" is a taco made using tortilla shells that have been griddled for a while over low-heat until they are dry and crunchy; the tortillas contract and ruffle a bit during this process, often resembling a "vampire bat wing," hence the name. Some taquerias serve their vampiros as one tortilla topped with melted white cheese and the toppings, while other places, including Tacos 1986, use two corn tortillas to make a "sandwich," similar to a mulita, stuffed with the toppings and melted cheese.

The "Carne Asada Vampiro" here lacks for nothing. Besides being stuffed with one of the most deliciously-seasoned renditions of carne asada I've had in Los Angeles, the supporting guacamole and melted white cheese are also top notch and issued in a perfectly harmonious ratio with the smoky beef. Vampiro "shells" elsewhere can often end up with a stale texture due to lazy cooking, but here they are...

This former taco stand turned brick-and-mortar location serves up elevated versions of Los Angeles street food classics at an only slightly elevated price point. You get what you pay for, though, as the tacos are made with better-quality meats than you generally run across at the local taco cart. The asada and chicken tacos are standouts, along with the adobado, although the adobado is definitely on the greasy side.

The ambience of the new permanent location was loud (mainly coming from the very vocal manager who humorously shouts out orders to both chef and customer at the top of his lungs) and crowded, but also bright, with the nostalgia factor turned up for those who grew up in L.A., as the menu fonts, uniforms, and overall decor recall that of certain taco "royalty" around town. That's where the similarities end, however.

One thing to note: I ordered a "quesadilla" thinking I'd be getting what that term is commonly thought to describe (a good mount of melted cheese between a tortilla or two), but the Tacos 1986 quesadilla is actually a standard street taco with a thin layer of melted/crispy cheese added to the tortilla before including the filling. It was certainly tasty, but a bit confusing to me. I don't think I would have ordered it had I known. However, I certainly will go back again to try something else.

Recommended for taco fans and street food...

Walked in and had 2 separate orders 8 carne asada quesadilla, soda and their hibiscus tea (yum!). 2nd order was 2 carne asada quesadilla and 2 regular tacos with 2 hibiscus teas. This was the 1ar time I had been here. Not really in the ideal spot but, the service was excellent, area was clean, the staff were very pleasant and helpful. I would normally eat 3 maybe 4 of the small tacos (they call them taco quesadillas because it's two tortillas with cheese at the bottom. They are NOT stingy with their servings. They packed the tortilla with carne asada, beans, cheese, cilantro, onions and tomatoes. You have your choices on hot sauce from mild, medium, warm, spivey, and HOT! There is also diced cucumbers and beets to add to your plate, if you wish. The prices are a bit on the higher than average for take out and/or deliver. It's well worth it. Everything is made fresh! Even the meat is made and served fresh. Well...