Best Late Night Mexican Restaurants in Downtown LA
7 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Avenue 26 Tacos
High-volume street tacos with standout handmade tortillas.
Notable Picks
8.6
A late-night Little Tokyo parking-lot taquería that wins on sheer repetition: buttery handmade tortillas, properly charred meats, and a salsa bar that keeps regulars rotating through. The line moves fast and the flavors stay direct and satisfying, especially for classic street tacos and mulitas.
Must-Try Dishes:
Al pastor tacos, Asada mulitas, Cabeza tacos
What Makes it Special: High-volume street tacos with standout handmade tortillas.
8.6
Perched atop Level 8 across from Crypto.com Arena, Brown Sheep does chef-driven tacos on a rooftop terrace that runs deep into the night. Expect creative fillings like mushroom chicharron and crispy carnitas, cocktails from the adjacent bars, and a lively DJ-fueled scene that feels more night-out than taqueria.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mushroom chicharron taco, Carnitas taco, Carne asada taco
What Makes it Special: Rooftop gourmet taco truck by chef Ray Garcia with nightclub energy.
#3
Tacos Rojos
8.3
Tucked just off Flower Street, Tacos Rojos specializes in rich, crimson birria tacos served from a casual late-night stand that draws post-game crowds and downtown workers. The focus is on deeply flavored beef, tortillas kissed with chile-stained fat, and hot consomé that keeps lines forming until closing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Birria tacos, Quesabirria tacos, Birria consomé
What Makes it Special: Red-stained birria tacos and consomé a short walk from L.A. Live.
8.2
A Wilshire-front cantina with a real downtown happy-hour pulse, where tacos are the main event and margaritas keep the room humming. The menu leans classic-to-modern Mexican, and the taco lineup holds up whether you’re here for after-work bites or a late-night reset. Expect lively energy, steady crowds, and a bar-driven flow that suits sharing plates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Al pastor tacos, Quesabirria tacos, House margarita
What Makes it Special: A bar-first DTLA cantina where tacos and margaritas anchor a true happy hour.
#5
Tacos Tamix
8.2
Adobo-rubbed pork shaved to order off a spinning trompo onto palm-sized corn tortillas, served at $2 a pop from a gas station lot on Santa Fe Ave. The draw is straightforward: properly executed al pastor at a price point that makes this a nightly habit rather than a special occasion. Show up late, eat standing up, and leave with change from a ten.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tacos Al Pastor, Carne Asada Tacos, Tortas
What Makes it Special: Adobo-rubbed pork shaved to order from a spinning trompo onto palm-sized tortillas at $2 a taco across multiple LA trucks
Worthy Picks
7.8
Vibes:
Late Night Legends
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Crazy Tacos On 9th is a no-frills taco shop in the southern Historic Core known for hefty burritos, loaded nachos, and late-night taco cravings. It’s a quick, satisfying stop for al pastor, birria, and California burritos before heading home or back out downtown.
Must-Try Dishes:
California burrito with carne asada, Al pastor tacos, Loaded nachos with choice of meat
What Makes it Special: Straightforward tacos and oversized burritos serving downtown late into the night.
7.8
A street-side DTLA truck that’s all about fast, satisfying tacos for the post-show and post-bar crowd. The move is straightforward, well-seasoned meats on warm tortillas with salsas that carry real heat—simple, loud flavors that hit when you need a late reset.
Must-Try Dishes:
Asada tacos, Al pastor tacos, Carnitas tacos
What Makes it Special: Late-night truck tacos with no-frills DTLA street energy.