Villa's Tacos - Grand Central Market — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Villa's Tacos at Grand Central Market - Worth the Hype?

So, my friends and I finally made it to Villa's Tacos for lunch after hearing tons of recommendations. I had to see what the hype was all about. It's been in the Michelin Guide for two years straight since they opened, which was super appealing to me as someone who loves checking out Michelin-featured spots.

Parking If you know Grand Central Market, you know parking is a struggle. There are a few paid lots nearby, but they can get pricey. Luckily, I found a street parking spot near Angels Flight, which seems to have open spots pop up from time to time.

Ambiance Classic Grand Central Market vibes packed during lunch hours. You line up to order (there was a bit of a wait, but nothing too crazy), grab your food, and find a seat at the nearby communal tables. Fast service, minimal wait time.

Food I went with the Villa's Trio 3 tacos($16.50), which the cashier recommended. For tacos, it's a little on the pricier side, but they're definitely not your typical street tacos. They hand-make their tortillas, and they're black corn tortillas, fried on a flat-top, giving them a unique chewy, crispy texture something I hadn't tried before. The flavor was interesting in a good way.

The meat and sauce were solid, but was it Michelin-worthy? Not sure. I guess the uniqueness of their tacos is what sets them apart. You don't really find tacos like these elsewhere, so I get why they stand out.

Final Thoughts It's good, but not an everyday taco spot for me, mainly because of the price. That said, it's worth trying at least once for the experience. I'd probably stop by when I'm in the area and craving something different.

One thing that really stood out, though while chatting with the cashier, I found out they've been giving out free meals to LA wildfire victims and first responders. That's amazing, and honestly, that alone makes me want to support them more.

Big shoutout to Villa's Tacos for giving back to the...

Terrible experience as a whole. We’re excited to give this place a try since it got featured in so many places and there’s usually a long line. Food is cold and misplaced when i got it. We ordered and had to wait 15mins to get our food. Everyone who ordered their food after us literally got their tacos before us. When we asked about our order, the lady said they’re being made and then there was a back and forth between the guy who took our order and the lady. Then the lady took our order again. Mind you it was not busy at all. We’re the second in line at the time and there’s only 3 ppl after us. And we ordered chicken and beef tacos. Once we got home (walkable distance from the market), we were hungry and excited to try their tacos but the meat was all over place. Didn’t give much onions and cilantro. Tacos were cold. They’re not bad but just mediocre. Just another hype restaurant that doesn’t live up to the hype. Sadly. Wont...

The location is historic obviously but it's about the food. I heard about this place online so I thought I'd give it a try rather than the other epic authentic LA spots near by. There are no prices on the wall so I ordered what I saw ..... 3 Asada and 2 chicken tacos. The first thing that really got me was the price. Charging $5.50 for a normal plain street taco is just insane. I don't really care if the tortilla is dark blue no street taco is worth almost $6. Do the math.... 5 x$5.50 = a shhhh, lot of money. Paying almost $30 for 5 street tacos is a kick in the balls. So I limped away having not seen the food yet hoping for the best tacos on the planet. (Box opens) ......🙄 complete disappointment. Tacos were average at best. The meat seemed like it had been sitting awhile. The red and green salsa provided was also average at best. Save your money and your appetite and steer clear...