Located mere steps away from the bustling, eclectic Venice Boardwalk right in the heart of LA’s most unique neighborhood, sits a taco joint that every food loving tourist or Angelino should try. I’m talking about Teddy’s Red Tacos.
I know I’m late to the party on this, but the Venice location is brand new. And on the Westside we don’t have the wealth of great taco options that exist on the east and south sides of LA.
According to LA Taco, Teddy Vazquez started his taco business selling out of his car to unsuspecting Uber passengers who he would tempt with his famous birria. He has since moved on to taco trucks near train tracks, to brick and mortar restaurants in South LA, and now to Venice Beach. And his tacos are already the stuff of legend.
Now as many Southern Californians know, we take pride in the Mexican food here. There are endless fights over where to get the best carne asada or al pastor or tamales. And if you don’t mention the little hole in the wall close to where you live or where you grew up, I don’t trust you.
Every spot might have it’s specialty, and at Teddy’s it’s Tijuana-style birria. Birria, for those who don’t know, is a type of Mexican stew slow roasted over hours traditionally made with goat meat (Teddy uses beef) marinated with abodo spices. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation, and for many, abuela’s birria can be the ultimate comfort food.
Everything on the menu is flavored with this glorious stew: the shredded beef, the tortillas, the tacos, the quesadillas. As LA Times critic Patricia Escárcega puts it: “Everything on the Deluxe plate is stained, dipped or otherwise splashed in the house consommé, a bubbling, slow-cooked welter of tomatoes, roasted chilies, dried herbs and chuck steak that turns everything it touches a bright radioactive red. Every tortilla that passes through the kitchen is dipped in the scarlet broth, tossed onto the hot grill until it stiffens and crisps, stuffed with juicy parcels of shredded beef, and then splashed dutifully with more consommé.” Hell, you might just end up walking out of there dripping in birria yourself.
Teddy’s Red Tacos are the best birria de res tacos in the business and the best tacos period in Venice Beach. But don’t take my word for it, take Chrissy Teigen’s:
