Villa’s Tacos – Highland Park (Los Angeles), CA

I Love L.A.’s Tacos

Villa’s Tacos – Highland Park (Los Angeles), CA

Visited: February 2026

While watching the energetic and entertaining Super Bowl LX Half-Time Show, we were thrilled to see local taquería, Villa’s Tacos, on stage with Bad Bunny. Villa’s Tacos keeps popping up as one of the best tacos in Los Angeles and had been high on our list to visit, specifically for its queso tacos, a crispy layer of cheese grilled inside the handmade blue-corn tortilla before filling. Now we had to go try one.

In 2022, Villa’s Tacos chef/owner Victor Villa was featured in season three of the Netflix series Taco Chronicles (Las Crónicas del Taco), where he explained that he learned to cook from his grandmother using her traditional Mexican recipes and had started his business in 2018 by selling tacos from her yard. A son of immigrants, Victor opened his first brick and mortar location in 2023 quickly earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award. In addition, Villa’s Tacos is a three-time champion of LA Taco Madness competition in 2021, 2022 and again in 2024. Villa posted on its Instagram page, “Our tacos are different. They’re special! You can’t find these in Mexico or you can’t find them anywhere else in the world.”

Victor commented in the Netflix show that, “Traditional tacos are from Mexico, but Villa’s Tacos is from L.A.”

It just so happens that my best friend Jeff and wife Cecilia had visited the grandma’s house location and purchased some of his delectable tacos. As they departed, they overheard someone asking, “Did the elderly couple get their tacos?” When he told me the story I laughed and mocked him before quickly realizing I’m four days older than he is.

There are currently three locations in the Los Angeles area, two in Highland Park and one in the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles. We went to the original location in a strip mall in Highland Park on a Thursday arriving ten minutes before it opened at noon hoping the line would not be too long. There were already about 20 people ahead of us.

It was well worth the time, because while waiting in line, we got to witness first hand the entrepreneurial mindset, energy and charm of Victor Villa. Just before opening, he came outside to enthusiastically thank everyone for their business, take some selfies and videos with customers, explain the menu and ask for patience as his staff was working at top speed to get everyone fed.

Oh, and Jeff would have been happy, because I was the most “elderly” in line.

Villa recommended that if you were undecided on what to order try the Speciality Sampler Trio, which includes a Ranchera Asada (skirt steak) as well as two off-menu tacos (Papas con Chorizo and Black Bean con Pollo). There is also a Vegetarian Sampler Trio. There are three choices for the taco base and six choices of fillings in addition to several fresh made salsas and aguas frescas to choose from. The base options are Taco (onion, cilantro and guacamole), Queso Taco (cheese grilled onto the tortilla) or Mulita, which has the cheese grilled between two tortillas. The Queso and Mulita tacos are both finished with onion, cilantro, guacamole, Cotija cheese and Crema Mexican over whichever filling you choose.

Tracy and I shared a Speciality Sampler Trio as well as ordering an additional Ranchera Asada and Grilled Soyrizo with pineapple and onion. The tacos are delicious with the crunchy grilled cheese lining the tortilla taking it to an entirely new level. Wow! We liked the Grilled Soyrizo and the Black Bean con Pollo best. The tacos are served with sliced radishes, lime wedges, hibiscus-pickled onions and whichever fresh salsa you pick from the salsa bar which range from mild to extra hot.

On the day we visited there was a Carolina Reaper salsa (with a warning to eat with caution) which burned my lips off, so my heat-loving wife took one for the team and ate the rest of that salsa. Carolina Reaper is the one of the HOTTEST peppers in the world measuring 1.6 to 2.2 million SHU (Scoville Heat Units). As a comparison, a jalapeño pepper is 2,000 to 8,000 SHU.

These tasty tacos can be messy (especially for me), so be sure to grab plenty of napkins. There is no indoor seating but there are a few picnic tables outside.

Why did it take me until I’m nearly 74 to have my first Jarritos Mandarin? It will not be my last.

Victor kept busy throughout our stay, taking time out for an interview.

Just down the street at 6103 N. Figueroa is Villa Taco’s newest location, which serves fish and shrimp tacos.

The building is covered on one side with a Dodgers mural (that even this Padres fan admired) painted by artist Jonas Never featuring Freddie Freeman celebrating his walk-off grand slam from the 2024 World Series. Yankee fans might want to look away.

Don’t miss the side of the building facing the metro tracks featuring Cheech Marin, Fernando Valenzuela, Carlos Santana, Vicente Fernandez …

… Frida Kahlo, Salma Hayek, Jenni Rivera, and Selena Quintanilla-Pérez by muralist and street artist Sloe Motion.

We wanted to take a photo of the mural in its entirety, however that would entail us to stand on the metro tracks, and that did not seem prudent at the time.

And in the small seating area, there is another mural by Jonas Never.

There are numerous colorful murals in the surrounding area and throughout Highland Park.

There is no parking lot at this particular location, although street parking is available. Victor says they will be opening three additional locations in 2026.

Inside the original Villa’s Tacos, while we ordered, the Bad Bunny half-time show was being replayed behind the counter.

On his Instagram, Villa thanked Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (Bad Bunny) and posted, “This one was for all the Mexicans. This one was for all the Latinos. This one was for all the immigrants. It’s crazy where a taco can take you.”

And Villa’s tantalizing tacos are crazy good!

Villa’s Tacos
5455 N. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Daily • 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Parking: Free (Lot)
Villa’s Tacos

Villa’s Tacos – Grand Central Market
317 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tuesday – Sunday 11 a.m. 9 p.m.

Villa’s Tacos #3
6103 N. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Thursday – Sunday 12 pm – 9 p.m.