A family-owned North Hollywood restaurant is being hailed Thursday as having the best tacos in the country, according to Yelp.
Ahead of National Taco Day, which falls on Oct. 7, a Tuesday — Taco-Tuesday — Yelp released a list of the best tacos in the U.S. and not only did California rate well, with 45 of the top 100 ranked taquerias, but Birrieria Familia Castro in North Hollywood topped the list.
“Our birria is a family tradition passed down from my grandmother, who learned it from her mother,” says Anthony Castro, who owns the restaurant at 6102 Vineland Ave. with his mom and dad, Gema and José Castro.
Another L.A. taqueria, Michelin-starred James Beard Award semifinalist and multi-year Yelp winner Holbox (pronounced hol-bosh) came in fifth place. The stand, which specializes in fresh Mexican coastal seafood, is located in South Los Angeles’ Mercado La Paloma food hall at 3655 S. Grand Ave. and is named for an island close to chef-owner Gilberto Cetina’s naive Yucatan Peninsula.
Closing out the top 10 is proprietor Ruben Diaza’s private front yard operation, Mariscos El Chito, at 4970 Axtell St. in the El Sereno section of L.A.
Diaz watched his parents at the stove as a kid and has been operating an outdoor kitchen at his family’s house since 2018.