Chuy&#x27;s Tacos Dorados

The Best Arts District Restaurants in Los Angeles

"Fans of crispy tacos are spoiled in Los Angeles with Chuy’s Tacos Dorados, a puffy taco specialist in the Arts District. The fried outer shell, crisp and pleasantly oily like a good chip, holds up to fillings like shredded beef, chorizo, and beans. Most tacos come with a heap of shredded, crispy lettuce on top, but diners can also keep it more simple with just cheese and onions. Opt for the 10-pack to mix and match type each type of taco." - Rebecca Roland

LA Food Experts Share Their Favorite Go-To Restaurants in 2024 - Eater LA

"Known for crunchy tacos, recommended by Nicole Adlman." - Eater Staff

The Best Restaurants & Bars In The Arts District

"The crunchy tacos at Chuy’s might remind you of a classic Culver City taco stand that rhymes with “Rito’s,” which is probably the point. This semi-hidden walk-up window—located within the literal loading dock of a warehouse—is one of the Arts District’s best affordable lunch options, so don’t be deterred by the lack of signage (or limited patio seating). Around noon you’ll find a line of construction workers and security guards ordering bagfuls of hard shells stuffed with shredded beef, grated yellow cheese, and pickled onions, plus maybe a chorizo and bean burrito or two. Join them and make sure to ask for extra green salsa. " - brant cox, nikko duren, garrett snyder, sylvio martins

Chuy’s Tacos Dorado - Review - Arts District - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

@faimfatale

Crispy beef tacos af

DTLA + Nearby

P RANNA

Google

Had this place on my saved list for a while, finally got to try them on my last trip to LA🤙 Located in DTLA, went there before it opened so found street parking luckily. Ordering is simple through their kiosk, was in and out in about 10 minutes. Ordered the shredded beef tacos dorados which were very good with the onion garnish. Wish I ordered more but ill be back again. 5 stars🤙

The OC Notary

Google

Amazing tacos, the hype is real. Try them for yourself. This is a novel take on a traditional staple. Insanely crispy shells with close to a pound of cheddar on top. Parking and lack of a public restroom should be noted, but will not keep me from coming back again.

Victor “Bee” Bermudez

Google

Shredded beef and Potato tacos are AMAZING! Red and Green salsa are made to perfection. The limed onions, all I can say its the "cherry on top".

kenyatta cole

Google

I drove 20 miles for some of the best crispy 🌮’s in Los Angeles. The burritos 🌯 are a must. Check out some of their reviews on IG. Eat the tacos there for crispness. Get both chunky and green large salsa’s you won’t regret it.

Favorite Things

Google

Not too much flavor, but still better then Taco Bell or Mitla Cafe. Taco Bell meat might have more flavor, but you know it's not fresh there. At least everything is fresh here

Aaron Carpenter

Google

Can’t say enough good things about Chuy’s Tacos Dorados! I had heard good things and had this mapped out for several months to try on our next trip to Los Angeles for my home in San Diego county. Happy to say these were as amazing as the hype if not better the service was excellent and they even offered water for our dogs.

Arthur Bouffard

Google

Don’t listen to the haters, this place is amazing. The tacos and quesadillas are very good, and the prices for the area are very low: 4-7$ for decent portions. The salsa is free. You can order from two tablets outdoors and the service is very fast

Gilbert Moreno

Google

The food was A1. Great flavor and the pickled onion are spot on. Only thing that killed it was the place itself. DEAD. it had no life there was no workers visable. Just an empty space with computer screens...just felt really dead. But food is great.

Brenda R.

Yelp

Tacos were inctedible!! We got the beef and potato. I loved the potato- so we'll seasoned! The rice and beans are fabulous Bathrooms were immaculate!! Entire restaurant was clean and spacious! Cute and comfortable! Adorable and fun to eat in! Ordering was a breeze on the self serve computers! Parking is paid but they do validate! Definitely coming back!

Jessica F.

Yelp

Chuy's - Crispy Taco Heaven with a Quirky Setup Stopped by Chuy's to try their famous crispy tacos, and they didn't disappoint! I went for three of their best sellers: the Carne Molida Taco, Potato Taco, and Shredded Beef Taco--all topped with cheese and onions. Each taco was packed full and had great crunch. The Carne Molida and Shredded Beef were flavorful, but the Potato Taco threw me off a bit since the filling tasted more like mashed potatoes than a traditional taco. Still, it was tasty! The restaurant setup felt a little odd. The space seemed way too big for what they offer, and since it's mostly a walk-up kiosk ordering system, there's not much staff around if you need help. That said, the food makes up for it. If I'm in the area again, I'd definitely stop by for another round of tacos.

james c.

Yelp

Ok so the Apple Maps doesn't have Chuy's location right. Parking lot charges. Street parking is there. The place is new and uses 3 kiosks for ordering.. it's a little disorganized. We ordered 2 tacos each with rice and beans. And chips and salsa. Both Tacos were delicious. One has a lovely chipotle flavor. The shredded beef was our favorite. So good.These tacos are messy and overstuffed do not attempt to eat them while driving. The salsa that came with the tacos is good there's a jalapeño and a habanero salsa both fresh and tasty the salsa that comes with the chips has a good kick. We didn't love the beans. We did love the rice though. The chips and salsa needed more chips. All in all a good experience. The place is BIG so there plenty of seats and tables.

belinda n.

Yelp

Parkings not easy to find. If you blink you may miss the spot Order at an ATM kiosk thingy Ppl are eating outside A human places your food on a table No access to the establishments interior so cooking Is secret Polite single staff I encountered Forgot price, but not pricey Very Yummy tasting tacos, picked white onions & Unmelted shredded yellow cheese is an allure I vibe w/ I eat healthy so I'll never eat here again But I'll recommend !

Tee T.

Yelp

Food: tacos are amazing. If you're expecting anything else, don't because they have a very limited menu of tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, rice, and beans. Service: interaction with service folks is very limited. You order from the touchscreen and pick up your food from the counter when they call your name. Orders get put out pretty fast. Ambience: they just moved to a new location. Very fancy from the original location. That was just basically a stall in downtown with the roll up. Garage door. Now you're in a strip mall with a very sanitized Ste. Pros of the new location: parking is ample and seating is inside. Nice and warm. Pros of the old location: I'd like the old sketchy location lol

Charnie D.

Yelp

First time having Chuy's and they really packed it with cheese. You have to maneuver the taco to get a bite that has meat and lettuce/cheese. The cheese could be overwhelming if you aren't into cheese. The meat is flavorful and the red salsa pairs so well with it. I might come back and order a 10 pack for myself. The new location is pretty spacious compared to their old location. There are ample seating and the a great parking structure nearby. The tacos are a little pricey compared to other tacos places I have been to ($3.75-$4.35 per taco). Would recommend buying the 10 pack so you get a small discount on your tacos. (10 for $34.00, would only be logical to only get their most expensive taco - shredded beef taco @$4.35).

Joan W.

Yelp

If you're hankering for an old school crunchy taco with shredded beef stop in here! Lean beef, crispy shredded lettuce, lots of grated cheddar, and a smattering of pickled onions marry together in every bite. There's also potato filling if you prefer. Huge dining room and efficient staff. It takes a few minutes for them to make the order especially if there's large orders ahead of you. Might try ordering online before heading over to save some time.

Melissa A.

Yelp

So I've been wanting to come check out this taco spot for a while & finally had a chance today with a friend for lunch. I had a potato taco, Carne Molida taco and a shredded beef taco and all of them, except the potato were very salty . salty to the point where I did not enjoy eating them, so I stopped. the tacos had very little meat in them & were filled with tons of cheese more than anything. The rice was bland & dry & the chorizo beans were not flavorful unfortunately. I do not like leaving bad reviews, but I was really disappointed . I really hope management sees my honest review & others previously left & helps fix the situation food wise . Unfortunately I will not be back .

Margaret P.

Yelp

I've been wanting to try this place for a while, so was excited to finally get around to it. Entering this place, I actually thought it was going to be a let down. It didn't look like it was a well kept shop. The ordering was done through a computer which some of the kiosks were broken. However, my first impression was quickly turned around by the time I had my first bite of the tacos. These tacos are fresh and delicious. They run a little under $5 each, but they're pretty hefty in my opinion. I ordered two and was satisfied!

Rox C.

Yelp

Well I live nearby and read all of the great reviews & growing up in the area, we do have many places nearby and driving distance that offer great tacos. So we decided to give it a shot. At $5 a taco and out of a small storage-esque facility, it was definitely unique in its way. Servers were friendly, once you actually got to see him or her once they came out with your order. Place was clean and again, based on everything I read I was excited about the experience. Kind of cool seeing #grubwithgreg there too. Anyhow, well the tacos were a 5 1/2 out of 10. The shell fell apart and out poured all of the contents. Salsa was decent, but at $5 a pop, I know my favorite hard shell taco spot and I'll continue to go there instead. We overheard people talking about it and sadly they didn't seem much impressed at all either. Next negative.. parking was awful. Nothing nearby. All in all, cool little spot, but food was just ok

Reb D.

Yelp

Tacos tasted really good. Variety of choices in the menu. Deep fried tacos with the potatoes are by far my favorites. Love the sauces salsa. Awesome customer service.

crystal v.

Yelp

Saw this place on IG today and ordered takeout. I got the 2 shredded beef taco meal with a missing drink and an idol crunchy taco. I don't remember ordering a side of hypertension. Very, very salty, I couldn't finish it and now I have a stomach ache. Im only giving the 2 stars because the rice was okay. The beans weren't edible. It's like someone accidentally dropped an entire salt shaker all over every ingredient. Literally, not even the onions are safe. Maybe add crema or some mango habanero to the menu to cut some of the saltiness!

Rachael I.

Yelp

I was a victim of social media and I had to make the trip to downtown LA. Make sure you plan ahead of time because it took about 45 minutes to get the order (had to pay for parking too.) There are 2 pos screens where you order. Make sure both are being used bc space is so limited. A worker shouts out your name when your food is ready. And mannn it felt amazing to hear my name called. It is so packed! There is limited seating but I got lucky and got a seat right before my name was called so that was nice. My favorite tacos were the beef and the potato and beef. The crunch was so satisfying as well. This place is a must try. I will definitely be coming back tysm!

Jodi Y.

Yelp

Cute little shop in the Arts District. Order at kiosk and they call your name for pickup. Beef fried tacos were good! The taco shell was crunchy and light. I didn't order their nachos with salsa but definitely will next time. My only complaint is that the food took forever to come out. Chuy's tacos is a fast, casual dining style or grab and go. I ordered two tacos and I had to wait over 25 minutes at 1 PM on a Wednesday. The people in front of me had same sized orders and we were all sitting around the tables waiting for food to come out.

Alexis S.

Yelp

I came here because of the hype, but honestly, I was disappointed. I ordered the 10-pack of crunchy shredded beef tacos and a Coke. The tacos were way too salty, overloaded with cheese, and could've used more lettuce for balance. On the bright side, the red and green salsas were actually really good. Now, the Coke--completely warm, not chilled or refrigerated at all. Definitely not what I was expecting. The service was also a bit off. The girl handing out the tacos seemed overwhelmed and rushed. It was 7:30 PM, and she was already telling us to hurry up and eat because they close at 8 PM. The interior of the place is nice, but finding it was a hassle. I kept walking in circles, and Maps even sent me down the street. Overall, not the best experience.

Brian V.

Yelp

I'm updating my score. Recently came back to this place with some friends because we were kind of on a small impromptu taco crawl which included other tacos around the city. Yes, you ordered through the screen, but the people that bring you your food and help out are super great! Also, the combo is actually a really good value in my opinion. For two tacos, two sides, and a drink, it came to be about $13 (as of 8/24). I don't think that's bad at all especially since there's another place in the city that almost charges five dollars for each fried taco. And I had to say I think I like these better. They certainly don't hold back on that cheese, lol. I couldn't stop that cheese from overflowing or falling off the side while biting into the tacos. Also, they were fresh and crisp and not overly greasy. I thought the chorizo beans and Mexican rice were super tasty as well and great sides. Just great quality, service, and value. I wish this place was closer to where I lived, ha ha.

Alex C.

Yelp

Crunchy beef lettuce cheese filled tacos topped with pickled onions. Don't forgot the salsa to pour on top. 1st off you should know that parking is atrocious. Lucky if you find street parking or just double park like some people. No worries there is a parking garage nearby. There is a code at Chuys for a discounted rate. When you order it's at a kiosk. Pretty simple. Wait for your name to be called and your order is brought to you. Dining space is limited especially if it's busy. These tacos are a little pricey but whenever you have an itch for some crunchy tacos give this place a try.

Liz R.

Yelp

My first time at Chuy's Tacos I went because of social media The tacos looked really delicious. I was so disappointed with the product. I ordered the crunchy taco shredded beef and ground beef. I bought 10 to bring home and share. When I bit into the taco all I tasted was salt. My family had the same experience. The taco was not crunchy and it was so salty we did not finish the rest. It was a waste of money. I don't know if today was a bad day for them but I wouldn't go again. Thumbs down

Ernesto E.

Yelp

Wow! These are by far the BEST tacos dorados I've had!! The beef, cheese, pickled onions, and salsas go so well together. The service is always great. It might be busy during lunch but definitely recommend.

Camille G.

Yelp

Of the four tacos I ordered, the one I really enjoyed was the shredded beef taco. The others had lots of beans. Prepare for a long wait time. I waited an hour for four tacos. Servers are nice and you can tell they're doing their best. There is a seating area and I had no issues finding a spot to sit when I went on a Saturday afternoon.

Teera J.

Yelp

Back again! Pulled up to the new location on Santa Fe Ave and I am so impressed! It's bigger, brighter, and has better parking (in my humble opinion). I am so proud to watch Chuy's growth over the years! And in case you were wondering, the tacos are still a 10/10! Well done, Chuy's! You got a customer FOR LIFE!

Vivian B.

Yelp

Tacos and burritos were yummy. I liked the salsa verde. Place closed at 8pm and they will literally still take orders up until 8pm. When my order was ready around 7:50pm they told me we cannot dine inside after 8pm lol then when it was 8pm they dimmed the lights. My friend and I felt rushed and wished we knew prior from ordering. We ordered around 7:40pm on a Friday night. We ended up finishing our food outside in the cold.

Don K.

Yelp

The food was amazing I absolutely love the pickled onions ! I wish I could buy a whole jar of them ! If I lived in la I would come to this place every day

Hayley C.

Yelp

honestly I really wanted to like this place because of how much people raved about it but to put it simply, it just tasted like taco bell. same cheese, same lettuce, beef is better quality but that's really it. nice crunch to the tacos but they're honestly way too overloaded that everything falls out when you take a bite. good jamaica and horchata, decent seating area (it's out of a storage area essentially which is kinda cool). the employees are out of sight unless they are calling out an order, so if you have questions you better make it quick. they were nice though. all in all wouldn't come back unless I was invited to go again.

Mark A.

Yelp

Got the 10 pack of tacos to share. The red and green salsa it comes with really enhances the experience. If you like crispy shell tacos you will love these. Crunchy, flavorful, and great texture. Don't for get to dip in the salsa!

Jill M.

Yelp

Delicious! The best tasting tacos especially loved the pickled onions on top gives it the best taste They also have friendly customer service this is my favorite taco place to go

Tracy C.

Yelp

I've been wanting to try this place after hearing they are known for their hard shell tacos. It's located in the arts district so it's mainly street parking. I placed my order online and my order was ready about 20 minutes later. I ordered two shredded beef taco, two carne molida taco, and carne molida quesadilla. I also ordered the tacos with extra crispy shell and they stayed crispy after a 30 minute drive home. The carne molida definitely had the best flavor. I never would have thought to add potato and beef together for a taco. The carne molida quesadilla was beef and beans, which was still pretty good. The shredded beef lacked a little bit in flavor and I had to drown it in the salsa they provided. They had green and red salsa, and I believe the green salsa was the spicier one. I recommend checking this place out especially if you are in the area.

Stephen B.

Yelp

Hard Shell Tacos Dorados!!! excellent every time we come here. There's usually parking on the street, and there's a new parking lot nearby that just opened. We order the crunchy tacos!! The Dorados and the Idol(beans and chorizo added) are our go to. A Manzanitas soda is the perfect companion. Prices are a little more than your average spot(3.99 per taco) but the taste/quality are top notch. You order thru a kiosk and your food is ready in minutes. Even larger orders don't take too long, usually we wait about 5-10max. Can't wait to come back soon

Mari G.

Yelp

Tacos, rice and beans are delicious! It's a hidden gem! The wait was about 30-45 minutes, but it was definitely worth the wait. Don't expect for someone to take your order, you will have to place your order in the kiosk but trust me it's super easy. It can get a little crowded but it's a cool vibe.

ed t.

Yelp

Don't waste your time trying to go there! They move without even putting it on their own website. They don't bother to open if they don't feel like it. The food quality is very average. They must have lined up alot of social media influencers.

Kiki K.

Yelp

First time trying tacos dorados! Chuys is located in the arts district but the area isn't too busy. We came for dinner on a weekday and there was plenty of street parking, not sure how it would be on a weekend though. I got the shredded beef taco, carne molida taco and a horchata. They only take card here and you order yourself on their kiosk. They'll bring the food to you when its ready and it took around 10 minutes for us to get out food! The carne molida was definitely the star of the show! I loved the potato and beef together, such a good flavor combo. Next time I would get more of it! The shredded beef taco was just okay though. Each order came with one green and one red sauce. I just got 2 and the tacos were decently sized but I could have probably got 3 or 4 instead.

Tatyanna R.

Yelp

Ok I finally had time to visit and I'm not disappointed! The location is kinda sketch and parking is scarce but don't let that deter you from having some of the best tacos LA has to offer.

July G.

Yelp

Tacos are so good. Excellent food and fast service. Plenty of space to sit. Decent prices.

Danny V.

Yelp

I'm not sure why I waited so long, these tacos are arguably the best tacos dorados (deep fried) in LA. The ordering system is a bit different because you don't talk to anyone, you just order on the table and wait for your name to be called. Now on to the juicy part. I tried 4 different tacos, shredded beef, potato, ground beef & ground beef, chorizo and bean. They were all amazingly good. I need to come back to try more items on the menu. I am not big on raw onions, but these lime pickled onions are slices of heaven. They salsas are just the right spice. Since this is located right in the arts district and can go wash them down at a brewery down the street or with an iced coffee at a cafe.

Jessie Z.

Yelp

Street parking. Wasn't too bad Friday night near closing, maybe due to coachella. Its pretty self service (kiosk) besides the people bringing food out to you. Fountain drinks are self serve, self clean up, etc. No salsa bar, gotta order on the ipad. I got the ground beef and potato taco which I think is the most worth it, made it extra crispy with lettuce. The cheese was fresh, a bit messy to eat and extra crispy made a nice crunchy. The filling is a bit salty but the potato eases it out and is creamy. Overall, good crunch taco (better quality) but the price of 3.85 is pricy for what it is.

Arturo M.

Yelp

Can't say enough about these simple but consistently good tacos dorados. That's hard shell tacos for those north of the border. Chuys has a place in my heart and soul for this. My soul may be Mexican and my heart American, but my palette is the United Nations. Places like Chuy's compose an anthem that unites cultures. Stop by any given weekday and folks from Downtown and all the four corners of LA County - and beyond - line up for a taco fix. As the taco brings together the four food groups (dating myself), Chuy's brings together what is good with the LA Food scene: creativity, innovation, simplicity and execution. They are all on display here.

OG J.

Yelp

My whole family got sick here yesterday. Me my wife and my two kids. Don't eat here!!!!

Shelly S.

Yelp

Tried this place for the first time and wasn't super impressed with the food or the location. I'm not sure if employees have to use the same bathroom but their bathroom is inside of a parking garage a few feet away. Definitely would not go in there alone! Luckily hubby was with me. The garage was empty when we went but the bathroom was in dire need of being remodeled but hey, at least they had a place I could wash my hands. The tacos were good but nothing that would compel me to come back for. The facility is an empty warehouse delivery dock. There are tables and a TV and a heater. Kind of spooky at night. Tables weren't cleaned so we had to DIY. I can see why people would like it so I'm not knocking it, it's just not for me. If you like Tito's in Culver City (I do not), you'll like this place.

Jasmine L.

Yelp

Visited chuys tacos on Saturday and let me tell you , this place is poppin ! The seating area is small so you have to pay attention to who is almost done and the parking can be hectic .... But them tacos fire my favorite was the potato with the ground beef and them pickled onions are fucking life !!!! Combine the tacos with the green salsa and that amazing crunch from the shell you will fall in love !!! I got the ten pack you can be a greedy girl like me and not share or do what most do and share ! Either way go try Chuy's tacos

Delilah D.

Yelp

Parking can be tricky, but the tacos are really good! I noticed everyone ordered ahead and that's the way to go. I ordered quickly but it took about 20 minutes to get the food. The tacos were worth it tho. I love the spicy greens salsa. The potato tacos were delish! My fav was the potato and chorizo taco forsure!

Colin O.

Yelp

What a gem! Holy crap. Their crunchy tacos are wickedly good. The spicy salsa is way better than the mild. Also( the quesadillas are total fire. You order from a kiosk and they call your name. Super cool. Try this place!

Terry R.

Yelp

Was excited to try this place. We had the ten taco box with assorted toppings. The main theme is everything on that platter lacked salt. The potato tacos were especially bland. Pinch of salt goes a long way guys.

Stacey K.

Yelp

We have been waiting for 30 minutes for 3 tacos and a quesadilla...still don't have our food. And our 30 minutes of paid parking has already expired. Do NOT come here hungry or in any sort of time crunch. Also, there is no drinking water offered (unless you want to pay for a bottle of water). We will not be back.

Air W.

Yelp

You have to find parking and once You finally find parking you have to pay for it,and the tacos have more cheese and lettuce than the actual taco itself they just need to add more meat and it's fine.

Joseph M.

Yelp

They moved into a new gentrified location and the quality has gone down significantly. This b place used to have a line, maybe the new self checkout is that efficient, but there's not a line out the door anymore. Self checkout only, only Mexican coke and water available. Dine in takes way longer than to-go. Bathrooms were out of service, neighbors don't have a bathroom. But worst of all, absolutely no meat in the tacos. Couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the tacos to see why I wasn't tasting meat until the 3rd bite. I understand they've only been there a few months but damn. I don't see time fixing the issue of the amount of meat put into a taco. The new rent price definitely have them shorting the customer. They post the best looking tacos on i.g but the photos are from the old location, they don't look like that anymore. Now it's full of lettuce and cheese. Such a disappointment

Erica J.

Yelp

Very tasty! I got the beef and potato taco and the lime marinated onions was a nice touch. I would definitely come back

Patrick L.

Yelp

I went out of my way during a visit downtown to stop by Chuy's... ...it was well worth the visit! Tacos were excellent and the salsas delicious. For my visit, I ordered online ahead of time. It worked well - a few minute wait upon arrival. I ended up eating at one of the tables inside the warehouse, it was fine. Loved the shredded beef tacos - 5 stars for Chuy's!

Marie B.

Yelp

Placed an order online, 11 mins from me. 22 total, get home had very high expectations since people have been raving over tik tok, I was very underwhelmed. Soggy, too much filling, lacking flavor, only thing that gave the taco flavor was the pickled onion. Cheese I love so the amount did not bother me. Below is my order, not worth it , this is my opinion, but to each is own. 1 Taco 10 Pack $34.00 3x Idol Beef Taco 4x Idol Potato Taco 3x Carne Molida Taco Service Charge (2.90%) $0.99 Subtotal $34.99 Tax $3.22 Tip $5.25 Total $43.46

Brittany S.

Yelp

Foods good and over the top overflowing toppings. I liked the tacos. Get there early cuz it gets busy. Service is average. Not a fan of the cramped seating. Hopefully they expand the area

The Best Arts District Restaurants in Los Angeles

LA Food Experts Share Their Favorite Go-To Restaurants in 2024 - Eater LA

"Known for crunchy tacos, recommended by Nicole Adlman." - Eater Staff

The Best Restaurants & Bars In The Arts District