Mannys Tacos — Restaurant in Signal Hill

I lived in Long Beach for years and was a weekly regular at this place. Now, I drive hundreds of miles to visit (more often than not to eat at this specific taco truck as many times as physically possible during my trip). I’m a Mexican food snob, I’m a taco truck snob, and frankly I’m a snob in general. Yet this little hidden gem blows my mind every time I eat there (and the mind of anyone I can convince to come with me, because I will not shut up about it). I haven’t had a single bad item on the menu, but the shrimp tacos, fish tacos, and shrimp burrito in particular really speak to my soul. If you’re concerned about some of the reviews (which are offensively low for the quality of the food), I can assure you that most of the complaints aren’t really valid. The food? Yes, they occasionally won’t have your favorite meat option. It’s a taco truck. They have limited space, and when it’s busy, you might not get exactly what you want. You will face that problem at every single food truck in existence. The good news? Literally everything they make is delicious. The cleanliness? I have OCD (clinically, not just in a “I like to be organized” way), and I am VERY easily sketched out by food safety. Manny’s Tacos keeps it clean. Sure, there is occasionally some spillage by the salsa bar. However, they regularly maintenance the area, and you can’t really blame them for not wiping it down after every. single. customer. uses it. Again, it’s a taco truck. They have limited staff, and when there’s a rush, things might get the tiniest bit messy. However, you’re not getting food poisoning here. You might just need to snag an extra napkin if you hit it at the exact wrong time. The service? These people are so nice. If you happen to catch them when they’re not all smiles (rare), please recognize the industry that they work in. Food service is hard. People are difficult. They may be tired and a tiny bit burnt out for the day, but they are always polite, and the food quality will never suffer. If you’re still not convinced after reading this, I implore you to at least give them a chance. The food is cheap, the portions are generous, and I promise you won’t be...

Manny’s Tacos 2 – Late-Night Taco Fix by Long Beach’s Pike Outlets

If you’re exploring Long Beach’s waterfront near Pine Avenue Pier and craving a quick bite, Manny’s Tacos 2 is a street-side food truck conveniently parked just across from the pier, right outside the Pike Outlets. Even at 8:30 p.m. on a Monday, the truck was still open and serving, which is a big plus for late-night visitors or tourists looking for a no-fuss meal.

The menu offers classic street taco choices like pastor, pollo, and carne asada, along with fish and shrimp options. The prices are reasonable for the location — $2.50 per taco, and they accept a wide range of payments, including cash, card, Venmo, and Zelle.

That said, there were some issues with the visit. The menu listed lengua and cabeza, but unfortunately, those were unavailable when I ordered. The staff seemed unenthusiastic and not particularly patient, making communication (in either English or Spanish) a bit of a struggle.

Food is prepared fairly quickly when there’s no long line, and the asada and pastor tacos were decent — flavorful, if not outstanding. The standout for me was the buche taco, which had a tasty mix of pork skin and tripe, topped with fresh cilantro and onions for a nice bite.

However, one noticeable downside was the hygiene at the sauce station. The bottles were sticky, and the squeeze nozzles left sauce on my hands — not a pleasant or clean experience. It raises some concerns about overall cleanliness.

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Manny’s Tacos 2 is a convenient taco truck with fair prices and a solid buche taco, perfect for a quick street-style bite near the Long Beach waterfront. But don’t expect top-tier service or immaculate cleanliness. If you’re in the area and craving tacos late, it does the job — just bring some napkins and...

Nope! Tacos are not good at all. The meat tastes old (if that makes any sense). We ordered asada, al pastor and asada tacos. We were not even able to finish them. The asada and al pastor did not have flavor at all. I don’t know if they only use salt as a marinade or if they just don’t marinate their meats. The only condiment I was able to taste was salt. The chorizo tacos were a little better. The salsas though need help. Neither the red nor the green salsa taste like anything. They are very bland and need a kick of a tangy taste. Sometimes the tacos themselves are not the greatest but the salsa saves them....