Located Danny Trejo is the most iconic Hispanic character actor of his generation. From Dusk Til Dawn to Breaking Bad, his baritone voice and screen presence are undeniable. His exit from Breaking with his infamous character Tortuga, beheaded and riding the back of an actual turtle, is embedded in the brains of us fans of the show. I'd heard of his foray into the food industry and, of course, was intrigued by the concept. Come on, you have to admit that the restaurant name Trejo's Tacos does amusingly trip off the tongue. So while in town for business, we decided to take a trip to his Hollywood cantina to see what all of the fuss was about.
The interior of the space is sleek and modern, tucked into an LA strip mall. The walls are adorned with murals of the characters that the star has appeared in over the years. There is also a gift shop where I regrettably didn't buy a memento, with shirts, mugs, and other tchotchkes in different shapes and sizes: next time, Mr. Trejo.
The first let down from this spot was the chips and salsa. If you want some, then you shell out some dinero to pay for them. My favorite Mexican restaurants generally bring you a hot basket of chips with their signature salsa when you sit down to dine. At Trejo's, it's pay-for-play. So, we started with their chips and cheesy bean dip for our meal. They were good —not groundbreaking —but pairing them with the OG Margaritas helped ease the financial stress of it all. Next up, we tried a taco sampler. The Baja fish tacos with pineapple salsa were delicious, with flavors that melted nicely on the tongue. The carnitas were tender and savory. Then the surprise taste of the night was their mushroom tacos, which they sear in a citrus-soy marinade and top with salsa verde slaw and pepita pesto, served on a soft corn tortilla. It was an incredible bite, and one that I will be thinking about again and again.
We left satiated but sad that we didn't have room for dessert. Hot churros fondue sound good to you? They did to me, too, but the stomach only has so much room. Til next time Tortuga. I will visit again.