As Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, March 5, many Catholics will be abstaining from meat and incorporating more fish into their diets. Fish tacos are a very Angeleno way to enjoy seafood, and we've put together some of our favorite places for you to try.
Why fish? It goes back Biblical times when the people who lived along the Mediterranean Sea commonly ate fish, while meat was a rarer occurrence.
Where should I go? Great fish tacos are everywhere, from old favorites in East Los Angeles to newer spots in Mid-City and Whittier.
It's hot, it's sunny, you may be feeling beachy.
But if it's a good few miles sitting in traffic for you to get to the sand, why not get your sea breeze vibes another way with fish tacos?
L.A.’s got plentiful places showcasing the best flavors of the ocean. Here’s some of our favorites.
Del Mar Ostioneria (Mid-City)
Oysters, and the baja and tamarindo shrimp tacos from Del Mar Ostioneria on La Brea Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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If you're searching for mariscos in the Mid-City area, Del Mar Ostioneria has you covered. The stationary food truck, parked in the same parking lot as a massage parlor, juice bar and wedding chapel, tends to blend into the scenery, perhaps due to the tan-colored paint job that camouflages it among the surrounding buildings. However, if you take the time to find it, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.
Taco selections include Baja-style fish and shrimp (both $10) served on a hand-made blue corn tortilla piled high with fresh-tasting guacamole, cabbage mixture and pico de gallo. Other choices include the tamarindo octopus taco ($12), which features charred octopus over a bed of fresh guacamole bathed in a spicy tamarindo salsa.
If you're still hungry, try their ceviches, such as kanpachi, which is made with yellowtail tuna, avocado, sweet peppers and red onions, dashed with crushed chili peppers and spicy ponzu sauce.
Location: 830 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, 90036 Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.
Holé Molé (Long Beach)
The fish tacos from Holé Molé
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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If there were ever a dish synonymous with Long Beach, it would be the fish taco at Holé Molé. There’s something about popping into one of its many locations for a quick bite that screams Playa Larga vibes.
Your money will go far at Holé Molé, where a fish taco goes for $1.29 a pop and shrimp for $1.95. Grab a few of these tacos if you want to feed a small group of people for around $20, which seems unheard of these days. But that's part of what makes the people of the 908 keep coming back.
Tacos de Camaron and Oysters Peinados from Mariscos Jalisco
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Brian Feinzimer
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If you ask people where to find the best tacos in Los Angeles, there’s a good chance Mariscos Jalisco will come up. In 2002, Raul Ortega opened his nondescript-looking food truck, painted white with red, blue, and green lettering and parked in an industrial section of Olympic Boulevard. There he serves mariscos dishes from his hometown of San Juan de los Lagos in Jalisco, Mexico.
The menu at MJ is straightforward, consisting of tacos and ceviche. However, for all its simplicity, the care taken with each item shines through, especially in dishes such as the shrimp tacos ($2.50 each).
These are not Ensenada-style shrimp tacos, which are usually made of batter-fried shrimp in a corn tortilla topped with cabbage and cream. Instead, Ortega fills corn tortillas with minced shrimp, vegetables and other secret ingredients kept under lock and key. The tacos are then deep-fried and topped with light red seafood salsa and thin slices of avocado. The result is nothing short of L.A. taco magic.
The heavy crunch of the taco symbolizes monumental things to come as you reach its contents, revealing a soft and creamy texture inside. The rush of tanginess from the salsa roja, permeating the rest of the taco as it dribbles down your hand, adds to the experience.
Location: 3040 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, 90032 Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tacos Baja (Whittier)
Shrimp and fish tacos from Tacos Baja in Whittier.
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Gab Chabrán
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There are fish tacos, and then there are fish tacos from Tacos Baja. With its original location in East L.A. and another just further down the road in East Whittier, in a converted A-frame, the humble mariscos spot offers a menu of fish and shrimp tacos, ceviches, and other miscellaneous items.
But a couple of crucial factors allow it to stand out. First, the light, tempura-like batter, which contains notes of sweetness and plenty of savory crunch. Then there’s the topping: a perfect amount of crema and a sprinkling of diced tomato, cabbage and cilantro, all folded into a quality yellow corn tortilla. The level of detail, from the superior batter containing just the right amount of crunch to the quality of the tortillas, sets these tacos apart from the rest.
Location: 13320 Whittier Blvd., Whittier, 90601 Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Ditroit Taqueria (Arts District)
Fish flautas and glass of palo santo, yuzu, and cucumber agua fresca from Ditroit Taqueria in the Arts District.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Ditroit Taqueria is mainly hidden behind a parking lot off Violet Street. You'll know you're in the right place when you hear the soft, slowed-down beat of cumbia music playing from an outdoor speaker.
The restaurant features a walk-up window where you can place your order, with plenty of outdoor seating in the patio under the shade of strategically placed foliage, making it feel like a little hidden taco oasis.
While Ditroit offerings include various meat and veggie options, the fish flautas are worth seeking out ($9 for two). Flautas land somewhere between a taquito and a burrito. Medium in size, a rolled blue corn fried tortilla is filled with a fish machaca, a dried fish mixture seasoned with different spices and chilies. The umami-rich bite pairs well with the crunchy tortilla, topped with cabbage and crema.
Wash it down with one of their agua frescas, such as my favorite, made with palo santo (a plant whose name means "sacred wood," native to the Yucatán, which contains notes of citrus, mint and pine), as well as yuzu and cucumber, or their iced cafe de olla if you need a little pick-me-up afterward.
Location: 2117 Violet St., Los Angeles, 90021 Hours: Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
