The Brief

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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LAist

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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.

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.

Mariscos Jalisco (East L.A.)

Tacos de Camaron and Oysters Peinados from Mariscos Jalisco

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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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.

Tacos Baja (Whittier)

Shrimp and fish tacos from Tacos Baja in Whittier.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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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.

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.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.