Tacos Los Chollos

The first thing that hits you when you walk into the new Tacos Los Cholos in Huntington Park is the smoke. The smell of mesquite and charred meat hovers in the room like it does at the very best neighborhood cookouts. Then you look around, clock the size of the space, the brash black and red color scheme, and the massive, flaming Santa Maria-style grill that pops and crackles and powers the whole operation. It is an impressive foray into LA county for the OC favorites, fresh off a thrilling win at LA Taco’s Taco Madness this year. The tacos are also impressive, and the perfect showcase for all the immaculate, smoky, and salty protein from that grill, from the sleeper hit mushrooms to USDA Prime-grade filet mignon. Salsas are good if maybe a bit of an afterthought, and if you’re feeling wild, they have a range of more extravagant creations too, like the Cholo Pizza (an overstuffed layered quesadilla with tons of salsas) and the Papa Loka (an overstuffed layered baked potato with tons of cheese).