Cielito Lindo
Mexican restaurant · Historic Core
E 23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Highlights
Crispy taquitos slathered in avocado sauce since 1934
Crispy taquitos slathered in avocado sauce since 1934
"A family-run Olvera Street taquería founded in 1934 after Christine Sterling asked Aurora Guerrero to develop a different recipe, which led Guerrero to settle on taquitos covered in her original avocado sauce. Its signature “combination number one”—an order of two beef taquitos drowned in a complex avocado salsa and a side of refried beans with melted cheese—became iconic; customers slurp the salsa from their plates and order it to-go. Second-generation co-owner Susanna MacManus (born June 12, 1943; died June 25 at age 82 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease) was the longtime face of the place: she stepped in to run it in 2001 after her mother Ana Natalia died in 2000 and ran it alongside sister Diana (CFO) while sister Marianna remained a silent partner. Susanna earned a bachelor’s degree at Cal State Los Angeles and a master’s degree in Spanish at UCLA, taught Introduction to Spanish at Occidental College in the 1980s and 1990s while completing Ph.D. coursework, and continued to represent the family business at events (including a book release at Vroman’s in Pasadena where her team served the iconic taquitos). In a 2017 interview the author remembers Susanna’s willingness to share the famous salsa recipe — “Why not? I’ll give it to you,” said Susanna with one corner of her mouth turned up — and her energetic public presence. “She loved being on stage, but above all, carrying on the legacy of the family,” says her son Carlos MacManus Jr. “You know, she even tried to be hip with all the lingo with the music, that new music to keep up with the current generation,” says Carlos MacManus Jr., and Carlos Eduardo MacManus Jr. recalls that “The women always took care of business, and my mom grew up very independent since her mom, Ana Natalia, always worked.” Her daughter Viviana remembered how Susanna connected with customers: “I loved how she would talk to random people [in line], like this older gentleman with his grandkid and he would say, ‘I would come here with my grandfather as a kid and now I’m taking my grandchild,’” and “She was so touched by that importance.” In 2017 the taquería was featured on CNN’s Parts Unknown, where the late Anthony Bourdain discussed Mexican culture in Los Angeles with Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano and comedian Al Madrigal over plates of olive green salsa. The spot has long been seen as a gathering place and a touchstone of immigrant Los Angeles; as Carlos Eduardo MacManus Jr. put it, “Mom always thought of the restaurant as a sort of nexus or a gathering place of solidarity and community for the immigrant population in Los Angeles.” The business remains in family hands as a fourth generation sorts out next steps, and the line keeps moving on Olvera Street." - Bill Esparza
"Cielito Lindo is a food stand on Olvera Street that could easily be confused for a cantina-themed information booth, but make no mistake, the history on display is very real. This miniature taqueria has been open since the 1930s and is revered for one thing: crispy beef taquitos fried until golden brown in a big pan and smothered in an equally famous tangy avocado salsa. They're a simple, quick snack that delivers exactly what you crave while shopping for ceramic bowls, but they're also something else—a nearly century-old symbol of LA's Mexican American community and its deep roots that run through the city. Taquitos with avocado sauce, beef tamale" - brant cox, cathy park, garrett snyder, sylvio martins
"Downtown’s Olvera Street is rich in Mexican-American history, even if immersing yourself in said history can at times feel like you’re shopping for keychains inside an amusement park. But if there’s one thing you should prioritize while visiting this landmark, it’s the beef taquitos at Cielito Lindo. The nearly 100-year-old stand fries its signature dish in large batches before dousing each crispy rolled taco in an avocado salsa before handing them over. And Cielito Lindo’s secret sauce is just that: their sauce. It’s bright and tangy from stewed tomatillos and cilantro, with just enough avocado blitzed in to give it a silky texture. Some people come to eat as many a la carte taquitos as their body physically allows, but we prefer the #2 combo that comes with just two, plus cheesy refried beans and a fluffy beef tamal, which we think Cielito Lindo doesn’t get enough credit for. photo credit: Matt Gendal photo credit: Matt Gendal photo credit: Matt Gendal photo credit: Matt Gendal Pause Unmute Food Rundown Taquitos We give these taquitos a lot of grace out of pure nostalgia. Is the shredded beef inside a little dry? Sometimes. Does it matter all that much after they soften up under a big ladleful of tangy avocado salsa? Not really. Order as many as you want a la carte or a few as part of a combo plate, but whatever you do, make them the focus of your visit here. photo credit: Matt Gendal Tamales Cielito Lindo serves four different types of tamales, including a cheesy spinach one and, our favorite, the sneakily spicy beef. The masa is always plush and the red enchilada sauce on top has a sweet roasted pepper thing going on that’s a nice contrast to the tart avocado salsa on the plate. photo credit: Matt Gendal" - Sylvio Martins
"This historic, ‘30s-era stand is famous for pan-fried taquitos covered in tangy avocado salsa. They’re the perfect snacks to eat on the sidewalk before getting back to ceramic bowl shopping, as well as a nearly century-old symbol of LA's Mexican American community (and just plain old delicious). Skip the refried beans and order the two taquito combo with a spinach and cheese tamale—double the carbs, double the salsa." - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins
"There’s no room for nostalgia here, but these legendary taquitos aren’t just the original taco in Los Angeles. They might be solely responsible for the current taco craze in the U.S., and they’re delicious. Order deep-fried beef taquitos drowned in a runny avocado salsa oozing with a piquant beefiness thickened with avocado. It’s like being one with the taco universe. Since 1934, the story of the taco north of the Rio Grande begins and ends here." - Bill Esparza
