CALLE TACOS
HOLLYWOOD STREET CRED FOR TASTY STREET FARE

The quality of fine Mexican food in Los Angeles is a bone of contention for many folks, but there is one thing that you can count and that’s being able to get a good street taco pretty much anywhere at any time. The husband and wife team of Dorian and Javier Villaseñor at Calle Tacos have put they’re very own cool take on quality street food inside their trendy Hollywood location.

While many Mexican restaurants these days may start out as food trucks and developed into a brick and mortar location, Calle Tacos took a different approach to its food truck by finding a permanent place to park along Hollywood Boulevard to begin with. They actually have a food truck parked inside their restaurant, well, at least the façade of one, which helps create a great atmosphere for quality Mexican street grub.

“With our homemade salsas, secret family recipes and our ‘we don’t make it till you order itphilosophy,’ we are earning our street cred one taco at a time,” the Villaseñors say.

Their homemade salsas and secret family recipes come from their hometowns of Jalisco and Distrito Federal (Mexico City) in Mexico. Located next door to Playhouse, L.A.’s hottest club, this is perfect food for late night post clubbing eats, or to get your motor running before hitting the dance floor. On Playhouse nights, Calle Tacos is open until 4am. And Tuesday’s popular dollar taco day creates quite the scene. Daily Happy Hour is from 4-10pm and includes beers for $4.50, shots for $5 and margaritas for $6.

During our recent visit, we started with the Jamaica (Hibiscus water) Margarita, which was sweet, although somewhat weak. Guys, stick to beer or shots. Their Horchata (sweet rice water), without any booze, is delish!

Portions are very generous at Calle Tacos and are ideal for sharing if you want to order a bunch of food. We began with the Chipotle Fish Tacos on flour tortilla, which are very flavorful and an instant fave.

The Chicken Quesadilla came highly recommended and I must admit I was somewhat doubtful as chicken isn’t the most exciting of meats, but this proved to be surprisingly flavorful with a very nice spice. This is a solid, hearty item. Thumbs up!

The Al Pastor Taco is marinated in achiote—a spice that gives the pork a rich flavor. Add a little lime and some salsa verde and you have a killer taco on your hands.

Looking for something a little off the beaten path, instead of an order of nachos, go for the Asada Fries, which started an immediate conversation among fellow diners as their eyes popped out of their heads when they saw this dish. “That’s as decadent as you can get,” one diner exclaimed. “Wow” is all another could muster.  Be aware, this is a huge, extremely hearty item. Don’t even think of finishing it.

And if you have room for dessert, go for the stuffed Churro, which is simply heaven! Yes, it’s one more decadent item on the menu, but it’s so savory and a must-have. You will need to dance until 4am if you’re chowing down on a club night or this is the perfect food to soak up after booze-filled fun night on the town. And even if you’re not part of the club scene, this makes for a great, affordable meal in the heart of Hollywood.

Calle Tacos is located at 6508 Hollywood Blvd. Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11am-4am; Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday 11am-2am. Call 323-465-9100.