Los Angeles, California is only three hours from the Mexican boarder and with such a location comes the food and hospitality from this fine Hispanic culture. There are so many "hot" Mexican restaurants and markets in LA that I cannot name them all, but I can point you in the direction of the best authentic Mexican in the city of Los Angeles, CA. For any one who has not visited Mexico or LA..... not all Mexican food is healthy and if purchased from the wrong vender you may encounter a sleepless night on the porcelain thrown.
The best Mexican restaurant in the south bay is Pancho's. This famous Mexican restaurant features a beautiful atmosphere with the warmth and hospitality of an elegant hacienda. The food is top notch, but priced slightly high for beans, rice, tortillas and shredded beef. You can park on the street, but on the weekend your best bet is to use theri valet parking. Pancho's is definitely a family restaurant, but if you would like to get goofy over margaritas, Pacifico, and shots of Patron there will not be anyone holding you back from having a fun time.
The most famous Mexican restaurant in Santa Monica has to be El Cholo. This is not the place for all you Mexican food connoisseurs. What makes El Cholo famous is its accommodations for large parties, especially the kind that likes to get load and have a rowdy evening. There are no food recommendations for El Cholo, but if you are a Margarita drinker then this is the spot for you. Locals from Los Angeles, more specifically Santa Monica believe El Cholo's has the best margaritas in the city.
If you classify the best Mexican restaurant as the one with the most Mexican customers then Paco's Tacos will be your favorite Mexican Restaurant in LA. Paco's Tacos is located in a predominately Mexican neighborhood giving this Mexican restaurant a real Mexican flavor. The food is cheap and greasy leading to lined out the door, but it will be worth your wait if this is your type of Mexican restaurant and evening.
Don Felix Has the BEST carne asada If you are going to stay home and cook your favorite Mexican dish, don't go to your local super market and buy ground beef and some taco seasoning packets. Head to Don Felix Meat Market. This small Mexican meat market (carneceria) has the BEST carne asada north of the boarder. The food is cheap and you can even pick up some avocados, hot sauce, cilantro, tomatoes, and onions for some homemade qualsa. The produce is not always the greatest, but the carne will bring you back every time. If you think you need only need a couple of pound of carne asada make sure to pick up at least five, you will not be sorry. If you cannot wait to eat some Mexican food then step next door to the taqueria. The friendly Spanish speaking workers will be happy to make you some fresh tacos...... mmmmmm, tacos!
Qualsa:
"A mixture between guacamole and salsa, the best of both worlds"