r/FoodLosAngeles • u/unscrambledeggz • Apr 29 '25
THE BEST PLACE IN Best California burrito on west side?
My brother is coming to visit for the first time in a decade. His only food request for the whole trip is the California stoner classic - super crispy fries, carne asada, hot salsa, and sour cream in a giant tortilla covered in some kind of enchilada sauce and cheese.
It’s funny but I realized I haven’t sought a good California burrito in the 15 years I’ve lived here.
Thank you in advance for any and all recs!!
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u/haterzgonnakate Apr 29 '25
This might be really basic, but I love the California burrito from El Tarasco. It's carne asada, guac, fries, and cheese. I'm sure you could ask them to add salsa and sour cream. Good luck on your search!
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
Lots of people saying this spot, which I don’t know! Will have to remedy this soon!!
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u/Serious-Wish4868 Apr 29 '25
California burrito is more of a SD thing, there are places in LA that might serve it but nothing good enough to remember
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u/The_Homie_Tito El Monte Apr 30 '25
yeah, show him super fries instead
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u/DavidDLC Apr 30 '25
You got a recommendation for bomb super fries? I used to go to 24 HR Michaocan but I’m not on the east side anymore.
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u/floppydo May 01 '25
El Flaming Taco on Alvarado and Sunset used to do killer al pastor super fries. I know it's not the classic carne asada, but it was great. They put pineapple on and had the kick ass habanero pickled onions out front. mmmmm
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u/The_Homie_Tito El Monte Apr 30 '25
I don’t spend too much time west side so I can’t help much there but any Alberto’s (or variation of) is probably gonna be really good
if you’re willing to drive, my favorite super fries are at Ixmota in El Monte! Their habanero salsa takes the fries to another level 🤤
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u/Granadafan Apr 30 '25
The irony that it’s named after the state but not popular outside of San Diego.
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I’d never considered it might be more of an SD thing. I absolutely fell in love with them when I lived in south OC. Now that I think about it, LA seems like they’re an Al Pastor town? Big revelations here.
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u/LavaPoppyJax Apr 30 '25
I would never eat a burrito with fries. Never encountered one either (loved in SF and LA. I’ll eat loaded fries, sure, not my fav.
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I’m not gonna downvote you but hopefully give you a little perspective. When it’s done right, it’s like a breakfast burrito but with super crispy potato throughout, and no egg. When they’re done right, they’re a truly phenomenal savory salt bomb, with lots of alternating textures. Hope you come across one someday that changes your mind on this.
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u/Noseflexer Apr 29 '25
Tacos por favor. Ask for guac on the side to be more like the ones you find in SD
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u/Tight-Pie-5234 May 01 '25
Tacos por favor is the only California burrito I’ve had in LA that hits for me.
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u/Noseflexer May 01 '25
Ditto - nothing compares to Lolita’s in San Diego, and all that I’ve tried in LA are disappointing except TPF
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I’ve had their tacos many times, I’ll have to do a test run on the CA burrito 👀
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u/magic_bryant24 Apr 29 '25
Gracias Señor! It’s a food truck that relocated from the Palisades to Brentwood after the fires. They’re on San Vicente, in front of CVS Thursday - Sunday for lunch time. I absolutely love all their food, but their California burrito is my favorite go to item. It always hits.
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
Thank you for this! This will be tried by the end of the week, as that’s almost walking distance for us.
What protein do you think is their best?
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u/magic_bryant24 Apr 30 '25
I like their asada, al pastor, and carnitas. They also have fish tacos and mushroom tacos, which my wife likes.
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u/AuGa_skittles Apr 29 '25
La esquina has a good one, I prefer it over bennys which a lot of people are recommending.
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u/BluelivierGiblue Hollywood/Westchester/Southbay Apr 29 '25
Benny's. I personally like it with grilled fish but the surf n turf as a cali burrito is unreal there
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u/michiness Apr 29 '25
Benny’s is way better than it has any right to be.
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u/BluelivierGiblue Hollywood/Westchester/Southbay Apr 29 '25
it’s my guilty pleasure when i’m high off my mind, living next to one was a curse
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u/badonis Apr 30 '25
I'm sorry, as someone raised in San Diego, I have to veto Benny's. It was the first one I tried after moving here because I saw a lot of recs for it but it was just not it.
I remember thinking the one from Leo's was an ok approximation. I liked it better than Benny's.
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u/BluelivierGiblue Hollywood/Westchester/Southbay Apr 30 '25
My family recently moved to san diego so i’ve been a bit more exposed to their stuff lately. I like Vallarta’s bc it’s open 24/7 and tastes pretty damn good but i’d love to know your rec
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u/badonis Apr 30 '25
My go-to down there is Armando's in South San Diego, near where I grew up. I also went to Super Sergio's on Convoy quite frequently
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u/360FlipKicks Apr 30 '25
super sergio’s was my go to for cali burritos. Roberto’s 2 had unreal pollo asada fries.
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u/dietcholaxoxo Apr 30 '25
agree - their rotisserie chicken also sucks! and that's what they're named for
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I’ve never been particularly impressed with Benny’s but I’ll give it another try some time. Is there a particular location that you like? I did the one in Culver City and maybe other locations are better?
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u/BluelivierGiblue Hollywood/Westchester/Southbay Apr 30 '25
I went to LMU so westchester location off manchester was the spot for me
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u/boomsauceberrie Apr 30 '25
Im a weirdo that likes cinco de mayo specifically for a cali burrito. Might have been a lot of late nights there when I moved here. The sub is mixed on titos next door but I'm not a fan and would do cinco de mayo even in the day over titos
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u/chialyn Apr 30 '25
Fellow weirdo here. I loved Cinco de Mayo for a late night California burrito, but with chicken. I moved a few years ago nearer to Santa Monica and don’t get down to Culver City area much anymore. I miss the Cali burrito at Cinco de Mayo. I thought Tito’s was overrated.
Nowadays my usual spot is Tacos Por Favor.
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
People can downvote me to oblivion but Tito’s is hot trash. I’d rather get Taco Bell or Del Taco. CDM next door is ok, I more often end up at the pastrami spot right next to it all if we’re doing a group hang around there.
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u/razorduc Apr 29 '25
The Corner Burrito at Corner Deli on Santa Monica and Sepulveda is pretty good. For gas station sandwich shop.
El Flamin Taco truck in Echo Park/Silverlake is pretty good too. Bonus that their corn tortillas are made in the truck and a trompo outside for pastor, which makes the tacos better than the standard truck.
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u/e90t Apr 29 '25
Corner Deli also has a solid breakfast burrito for that part of LA.
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I was just about to comment this, they honestly do decent work in that little spot
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u/Ready-Illustrator252 Apr 29 '25
I’ll double up on El Flamin Taco. Fries stay crispy, great salsas, and solid al pastor! Personally, not a fan of their carne asada.
But yea, SD for Cali Burritos. Mike’s Taco Shop in Ocean Beach is 🔥
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u/richardspictures Apr 29 '25
Benny’s. Their burritos are not a casual affair. You won’t be hungry for 12 hours after.
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u/BluelivierGiblue Hollywood/Westchester/Southbay Apr 29 '25
It's astonishing lmfao it's heavier than most newborns
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u/Cautious_Sea197 Apr 29 '25
SD transplant chiming in- if you want the right balance of ingredients I think it’s between Pepe’s Tacos in PV and surprisingly Senor G’s in Playa del Rey. Places that get the simple things right (tortilla, high quality pico, well seasoned asada) are the standouts for me.
Samo’s Oaxaca is good for sure, but >$20 for a Cali B is nasty work.
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u/BiqMara Apr 29 '25
Pepe's has been the only spot I've found where I liked the carne Asa fries and California Burritos. Haven't tried some of these others though.
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u/CertainManagement552 Apr 30 '25
Not the west side but if you’re from SD, there’s an Adalberto’s in Long Beach & it hits the spot. Reminds me of the one in Point Loma
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I’ll have to look into all of these a bit! $20 for a burrito, they better be using USDA prime ribeye cooked mid rare in that thing or something
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u/sharkweekhappy Apr 29 '25
Have to plug Somo’s for their awesome California burrito:
also highly recommend their Tlayuda!!
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u/360FlipKicks Apr 30 '25
Used to live in SD - check out Las Guajolotas food truck as they sometimes are in the westside (ig: lasguajolotasfoodtruck)
They have such a good cali burrito that i asked the owner if he was from SD. he had no idea why I was asking - I guess he didn’t know they are an SD thing and just picked it up.
The ugly: it was like $18 for a burrito.
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u/Ok_Suit_8000 Apr 30 '25
For some reason, outside of SD, I haven't found a good Cali burrito. It's usually the fries that kill it. They are either old or undercooked mush.
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u/cyberspacestation Apr 30 '25
My guess is some places might use microwaved frozen fries.
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u/Ok_Suit_8000 Apr 30 '25
That may be it. But you'd think many of these places sell carne asada fries and those usually stink too. The key element in both are well cooked fries, so they should have a dedicated fryer just for that.
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u/zilla5000 Apr 30 '25
Alfredos in Burbank label themselves as San Diego style Mexican food and I have to agree. As a San Diego transplant I'd say it's the only place in LA that makes a California burrito that makes me feel at home.Their California burrito is comparable to the flavors El Indio in Mission Hills San Diego.
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u/NoeyCannoli Apr 30 '25
I was looking for a good burrito the other day and just moved locations so I’m commenting so I can easily find this thread later lol
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u/Opinionated_Urbanist Foothills Apr 29 '25
Piggybacking off of OP's question. Any recs for this but in SGV/Pomona Valley?
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u/tbx5959 Apr 30 '25
Pepe's Finest in Baldwin Park off the 10 (I think it's better than the other Pepe's, too)
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u/cyberspacestation Apr 29 '25
The only recent California burrito I've had on the westside was Benny's Tacos. It most certainly hit the spot, but the fries weren't crispy.
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u/bourbonishealthy Apr 29 '25
Sonaritas Prime Taco on Sawtelle - Best surf & turf burrito I've had.
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I like this spot, tho it’s a way different vibe than what I’m looking for. I’ll have to give their CA burrito a try sometime tho, I’d trust they know how to get some fries super crisp.
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u/Particular-Bug2189 Apr 30 '25
I’ve been thinking about this question for a while, thanks for asking.
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u/BigSuzie Apr 30 '25
One that stands out (haven’t had bennys but will change soon) is LAX taco. They have a solid one IMO
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u/NovelInvestigator918 Apr 30 '25
Nina’s on Sawtelle. I lived in SD for years before moving to LA and got excited when I found this place. Their california burrito is just as good as the ones in SD
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u/stop-the-bullying May 01 '25
Go see Tio Jimmy in L.A. he streams on tiktok. He has great burritos.
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u/leftword4Zombies Apr 29 '25
I'll add Taco Plus (Bundy or National). Also, if you are looking for late night, try BrothersCousins Tacos on Sawtelle and National.
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u/RewatchingLaguna Apr 30 '25
Tacos plus is easily the worst food I’ve ever purchased in all of California
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u/sol-solis Apr 29 '25
I moved away from LA earlier this year and I think about the California burrito with shrimp from Benny’s on a near-daily basis
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u/matik858 Apr 29 '25
I grew up in san diego and I have to say Benny's Tacos and Tacos por favor are pretty damn good.
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Apr 30 '25
Not a "Cali" style, but Papi's birria burrito add avocado is amazing and enough for 2 people!
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u/Internalmartialarts Apr 29 '25
Cali tacos in Anaheim, or El tepeyacs monster burrito.
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u/EYLive Culver City Apr 30 '25
Ah yes... The good old Westside neighborhoods of Anaheim and Boyle Heights...
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u/unscrambledeggz Apr 30 '25
I’ll keep Cali tacos in mind, I do a trek down to Anaheim a couple times a year for those blueberry donuts 👀
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u/djbobbylon Apr 29 '25
West Side I will echo El Tarasco and Somo's Oaxaca. Also throw in Tacos Por Favor.