El Super Taco - 3.0/5.0 Jarritos

El Super Taco used to be one block from my place. That was before I moved from the Westside. And that was before El Super Taco burned to the ground.



Actually, that’s not true. El Super Taco did not burn to the ground. I believe the complex caught on fire and then El Super Taco moved to a different location.



El Super Taco is nothing special – it’s purely your average neighborhood taqueria. And for being your neighborhood taqueria, it’s quite delicious. But since it’s no longer my neighborhood taqueria, it’s quite unlikely I’ll be coming back to this place unless I want to relive the glorious memories of living near Santa Monica Blvd. and Bundy.

After burning to the ground, El Super Taco moved to Pico and Sawtelle, south of Best Buy. It’s kitty-corner to the billboard that always advertises for 4-Play. Umm, not that I’ve ever been to 4-Play, or know what that fine establishment is.



El Super Taco is right across the street from the migrant worker nightclub. Just kidding, it’s not a nightclub. If you’ve ever been in that area on Exposition under the 10 freeway, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you’re not familiar with this area, it’s basically where a ton of day-laborers hang out.

A couple of years ago when I was moving out of Westwood, I rented a moving truck from Public Storage. I made the mistake of turning onto Exposition. About 20 guys suddenly jumped out of nowhere and started whistling at me, trying to waive me down. I had to steer with one hand, shake my head the entire block, and use my other free hand to tell people “sorry, I don’t need your help.” In case you were wondering I don’t know sign language, but I’m fairly certain there’s no sign for “sorry, I don’t need your help.”

I honestly thought about driving around the block and then drive down Exposition again. But then I realized that my moving truck would’ve been struck by lightning.

The great thing about El Super Taco is that you always know what you’re getting: good, greasy tacos. El Super Taco offers things other than tacos such as tortas. This should come as no surprise, but I’ve never ordered anything other than their tacos. And yes, I’ve been to El Super Taco probably more than 50 times.

The new digs are pretty nice for a taqueria. It’s got that “new car” smell. Who am I kidding, I can’t smell anything to begin with. The tacos are simply meat and two tortillas and they come with a serving of slow-grilled onions. There’s a decent salsa bar with various types of salsa, including avocado salsa, as well as the onions/cilantro mix.




As you fill your tacos with the toppings of your choice and walk to your seat, you’ll start to notice why El Super Taco serves their tacos on not one, but two paper plates. There’s a trifecta of grease-producing greatness on those two paper plates: (1) meat, (2) tortillas, and (3) grilled onions. Some would be turned off by such a sight. But when you’ve worked a long day and/or had a great workout, the sight of your paper plate getting soaked in grease just makes your mouth water. Needless to say, if you’re on a diet, you should probably go somewhere else. Then again, if you’re on a diet, this website is probably not for you.



The problem with El Super Taco is that the quality of their meat seems slightly below average. Their al pastor is crispy and lacks flavor. The carne asada is salty (surprise, surprise), but passable. But if you’re coming to El Super Taco, you’re not coming to eat high-end tacos – you’re coming here to fill your belly with tacos and leave satisfied.

And that’s what I like most about El Super Taco: they’re not pretending to be a high-end taqueria, yet they’re trying to make their place more than just a run-down taco shop. How have they spruced up the place? Notice the flat-screen television blasting the nightly Mexican soap opera.



One final thought about El Super Taco. The service I’ve received from El Super Taco’s employees has always been excellent. Even though the above-mentioned service simply involves taking my order and then calling me over when it’s ready, I’ve never received attitude. I attribute this to the fact that El Super Taco serves a ton of college kids, so they’ve probably developed patience after serving people who come in and stare at the menu for 7 minutes before finally ordering.

Yet the question remains: Would I recommend this place? Sadly, I would only recommend El Super Taco if you are in the Westside, put in a long day at work, and want to quickly stuff your face with tacos. If you’re looking for the best tacos in the Westside, you’re better off going elsewhere. That said, there have been countless occasions where I’ve been in West LA, didn’t feel like going somewhere for dinner that involved a giant production, and immediately drove to El Super Taco. And every single time I’ve left El Super Taco, I’ve felt incredibly satisfied.

Much love till my next post.

El Super Taco – 3.0/5.0 Jarritos.

El Super Taco
11300 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (On Pico, west of Sawtelle)
Google Maps: Link