Tito"s Tacos Beef and Cheese Burritos Los Angeles

Where can I get a beef and cheese only burrito in LA, San Fernando Valley, Ventura as good as that at Tito's Taco in Culver City?

Sorry, no one comes close to Tito's Tacos!
 
 

Are Tito's tacos hard or soft shell?
 

Tito's are hard shell tacos.
 
 

I would love that place-prefer hard tacos!

Tito's Tacos are wonderful.
 

YUM!!!!!!!!!!

Never heard of them. Will try them out next time I fly down there

Just got back from Titos.  They were delicious as always!  The picture below is 12 tacos, a bean and cheese burrito, chips and salsa and a Pepsi in the background.  My buddy and I both ate 5 tacos while the wife ate 2.  They were so good tonight, I seriously think I could have ate about 8.  They had a tad less meat in them as usual but they were less greasy than usual too.  Whatever it was, they were fantastic tonight!  They are unique for sure and are the best hard shelled beef tacos you can get anywhere IMO.
 

So how much did this little feast set you back, if I may ask?  I've never seen a chain taco with that much cheese before!

Serious Eats wrote a nice story on Tito's Tacos...

http://www.seriouseats.co...tacos-culver-city.html


Is it a chain?

I think of Mighty Taco (in the Buffalo area) when I see Tito's Tacos come up. Mighty does not have the authentic vibe of Tito's ...but it's Buffalo. It's also delicious to me.

Oops!  My mistake; I'm not sure why I was thinking it was...I claim Monday-itis.
 
However, even though Tito's is an independent I've still never seen a Taco John's or Taco Bell offering loaded up like that!

I didn't know either way for sure.

San Diego to Tito's is a long long long drive...in NJ driving terms. I thought maybe a Tito's popped up closer.

My local mom and pop Mexican places serves up their tacos with cilantro and onions, no cheese. You have to order taco Americano to get cheese. My favorite is al pastor served Mexican style, marinated pork.

Tito's!  I always have to chime in on a Tito's Taco thread.
 
Praise about Tito's Tacos from someone who lives in San Diego says something!
 
The tacos without cheese are $1.75 and I think it's an addition of 50¢ for the cheese.  I get mine without because I think it detracts from the taste.
 
When I started eating them they were a quarter and cheese was free as was the guacamole.  (repeating myself)
 
However, when I get their tostadas the cheese is a good part of the overall taste.
 
This is the commercial that Suzy Gruyere seems to hate:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDUxp5dE9us
 
I remember when the gentleman with the white mustache had dark hair!
 
I can eat 3 tacos sans the cheese and a bean and cheese burrito.

Here is a recipe for Tito's salsa that someone gave me.  I haven't tried it so I don't know if it's similar or not.  Also seems to me that Tito's salsa may have some Mexican Oregano in it which this recipe lacks:
 
Tito’s Tacos Salsa
 
8 Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 small pickled jalapenos
One pickled carrot from the jalapeno can
One thin slice of white onion
Juice from 1/4 lime
About a tsp of salt
Ten or so dashes of pepper
 

Just put it all in a blender or food processor and process to desired consistancy.

I LOVE it!!

The only thing better than a Tito's taco...

Marlene, we stopped at Tito's before catching our flight back home last week.  It definitely wasn't like other Mexican places we've been -- more of an old-school Mex place, like when Mexican food first arrived in America.  Would you agree with that assessment?    Chris

 I love the commercial because it's low budget, unlike regular Los Angeles area commercials.
 
It's usually aired late at night on some of the off networks, but I've seen it recently during the day.

Chris, I'm so glad that you stopped there.  Did you like what you ordered?
 
I'd say it's very similar old school Mexican fast food. 
 
My very first introduction to tacos was in Tijuana when I was about eight...  Hard Shell just like Tito's.
 
It wasn't until years later that soft shell tacos and cilantro made their way to Southern California but by then I'd had them in Tijunana.
 
Tito's original location was right next to them on the corner of Washington and Sepulveda.  That location was quickly rented to another Mexican restaurant which is now called Cinco de Mayo.  Cinco de Mayo was originally (after Tito's) called Lucy's.
 
They're very different from each other and both seem to do well but I've never seen a line at the old location.
 
It's a great corner but Tito's needed a larger location with a larger kitchen.
 
Tito's has an interesting history which I grew up with.  Many years ago there was an intersection in the Culver City area a few miles south of where Tito's is now.  There was a shopping/restaurant area called Airport Village.  It was eaten up by the building of the San Diego Freeway now called I405.
 
One of the restaurant owners, (Not Mexican) reinvented himself as Tito's with a new menu invented by one of his employees... Amado Madera who happens to be the man with the white mustache.
 
The menu has hardly changed since I started going there in the early sixties except for the prices and tamales.
 
 

Mar...

Do you detect the taste of cloves in the meat?

What happened with the tamales?

Cloves?  I'm not even sure it tastes like meat.  I've always thought that they mix the meat with potatoes but I'm not sure.  It's a meat mixture.
 
I don't think they make their own tamales.  They're just okay and I don't remember if they always had them.  A number of years ago they added chicken tamales... which are awful in my opinion.
 
They also have never made good rice yet I order it now and then.  Great vehicle for the salsa.

@Screamingchicken-  Total was 35.05.  They always give you 50 cent pieces back in change which is odd but unique.  Left the lady a few bucks tip.  So grand total was about $38.  Totally worth it. 
 
There is another place in Anaheim that used to be Titos Tacos.  It is now called Toms Tacos.  I have not been but its pretty much an exact replica for people in Orange County.
 
 

Odd thing is the Tito's/Tom's in Orange County doesn't get the draw that the Culver City location gets.
 
I think they added hamburgers and French fries but I'm not certain of that.
 
Tom's is on my favorite intersection...  They're on the corner of Beach and Ball.

I'm not a fan of Tito's Taco's taco.  I do like that their bean and cheese burritos have no rice added.  I hate that so many places now added rice as a filler.  All it does is add to the size and adds nothing to the flavor.   If I want rice, I want it on the side.

Dimmie-cant you order it that way? I, too, am not a huge rice fan in something. Bob, however, loves it.

Tito's burritos do not have rice in them so we just order the bean and cheese burritos.  Delicious!
 
The regular Tito's burrito is bean, cheese and their stew meat and sauce.
 
A lot of people order the all meat (they don't call it beef!) burritos that don't have any beans in them.
 
 

Bean and Cheese Burritos are so boring!  You can make them at home for about .50 or less!
Try a Fish Burrito next time or a Chorizo/egg and cheese!  Soooooooo  much better!

I must have mis read dimmies post, Will and can love cheese and bean burritoes!Boring-no! If its good beans, they would be good!Would like their stew meat and sauce.

It's only boring when you are surrounded by Burritos.

Tito's bean and cheese burritos are no where near boring.  I don't eat them anywhere else.
 
Not only are the refried beans special at Tito's but there is something different about the flour tortillas... they have a chewiness and no dryness to them at all.  They're PERFECT!

Is the guacamole good?

Fortunately everyone has their own tastes and likes but to me B&C Burritos are boring! 
Dont get me wrong as from time to time I will divulge in one but the problem with most TexMex fast food places is they dont know how to make GOOD beans for their Burritos!  Most of the time the beans are runny and so sloppy they literally ooze/pour out of the Burrito like melted cheese would!  Another gripe of mine about them is that a lot of places that serve them dont properly melt the cheese and if you were to open the shell you can see its not melted but still in its original shredded form just as it came out of the package! 
The cheese to me must also have some flavor and not be so bland.  Most places if you ask nicely will substitute the yellow cheese with that of Pepper Jack which gives it much more flavor!
I'm not sure how many fast food Tex/Mex places are near you but in San Diego there are about 3 on every block!
I have eaten at literally dozens and dozens and dozens of different places and believe me.........NOT all B&C Burritos are created the same!
Also having a GOOD hot sauce to dip every single bite into is a must! 

mar52


Chris, I'm so glad that you stopped there.  Did you like what you ordered?

I'd say it's very similar old school Mexican fast food. 

My very first introduction to tacos was in Tijuana when I was about eight...  Hard Shell just like Tito's.

It wasn't until years later that soft shell tacos and cilantro made their way to Southern California but by then I'd had them in Tijunana.

Tito's original location was right next to them on the corner of Washington and Sepulveda.  That location was quickly rented to another Mexican restaurant which is now called Cinco de Mayo.  Cinco de Mayo was originally (after Tito's) called Lucy's.

They're very different from each other and both seem to do well but I've never seen a line at the old location.

It's a great corner but Tito's needed a larger location with a larger kitchen.

Tito's has an interesting history which I grew up with.  Many years ago there was an intersection in the Culver City area a few miles south of where Tito's is now.  There was a shopping/restaurant area called Airport Village.  It was eaten up by the building of the San Diego Freeway now called I405.

One of the restaurant owners, (Not Mexican) reinvented himself as Tito's with a new menu invented by one of his employees... Amado Madera who happens to be the man with the white mustache.

The menu has hardly changed since I started going there in the early sixties except for the prices and tamales.

We didn't have any expectations beforehand; Amy saw it and said, "That's the place Marlene loves!"  We ordered a taco with cheese and an enchilada.  We both grew up with hard-shell tacos, and I haven't had one in a very long time.  It came in a box with a handful of chips and a container of salsa.  The taco was great; the enchilada, not so much.  The salsa was so mild that it was almost sweet.  Can you order a spicy hot version, or is that the only option?  I was amazed by the menu on the wall and its simplicity.  We probably waited 30 minutes total, and I was also amazed at the gigantic boxes of food that people were leaving with -- enough to feed large families, which of course they were doing exactly that.  I wish I'd've talked to folks in line around me just to see what they were ordering, how long they'd been eating there, etc.  I'm kicking myself for not getting the burrito, because I do love bean & cheese burritos!  It's definitely a RF place, but I need to go again to get more photos for a review.  But I'd much rather read your review, Mar (nudge, nudge)!    Chris

I agree 100% with Mar52 and not just because my name is Mark Alan Reitman and I was 52, many years ago. Tito's is perfect! They've always been a destination stop when in southern California. However, we need to pace ourselves for the pastrami dip at Johnny's Pastrami, only a few small steps from Tito's.

Hmmmm 
 
Chris, I might just do that after another visit.  Tito's Tacos deserve a spot in Roadfood reviews.
 
You can ask them for green sauce which is just diced pickled jalapenos.  I usually add it to my tacos.
 
The enchiladas at Tito's are simply awful.  I guess some people like them, but my best description would  be rolled up grease.
 
CC...  The guacamole at Tito's is unlike any you've seen.  It's not thick at all.  More like heavy cream...  but I LOVE it!
 
Greg...  Pepper jack at a Mexican restaurant? That must be a San Diego thing. 

Here's an previously posted
 
picture which shows the quacamole, rice and green sauce:
 

I have a question about another SoCal Taco place-
King Taco.
This sauce thread has been going on for many years on CH,
and CC's question about cloves made me think of it.
Is it another Hard Shell place, or more trad Mex?
And is the sauce really as good as folks make it out to be?
 King Taco: what's in that sauce?!!?! [moved from Los Angeles board] - Home Cooking - Chowhound
 
 

Before Tito slaps me with a restraining order...

Bebe love Tito's too...

http://bebeloveokazu.com/2012/05/03/titos-tacos/

That Burrito (even with rice) looks fantastic!

Word on the Tito recipe circuit mentions ground peas? might be the secret to the guacamole. But this is the same circuit that gave us cloves? for the meat.

Tito's has been around for so long...never saw a "I used to work at Tito's and it's like this..." post. Paging former Tito's employees!

That rice in the burrito is a request thing... it does not come that way without asking for it.
 
Peas?  Are they serious?  No way!
 
Same with the change in ownership.  Mrs. Davidson, daughter of the original owner still owns it.
 
Strange what people post.

Interesting:
 
http://www.thefrontpageon...aHappyBiteofTitosTacos

mar52


Interesting:

http://www.thefrontpageon...aHappyBiteofTitosTacos

"Tit’s Tacos specializes in No.1 designations."
 
Really?

The only thing better...is 2.

I really don't understand that statement, but it originated with the author of that article, not Tito's.
 
Now as far as being a #1...
 
Tito's was the very first restaurant that I went to by myself to buy myself a meal.  I've been continually going there a minimum of 45 years.

chicagostyledog

However, we need to pace ourselves for the pastrami dip at Johnny's Pastrami, only a few small steps from Tito's.

CSD, I saw that place and will definitely revisit on my next trip.  The neon sign out front was amazing, for starters!  How does it stack up to Phillipe's or The Hat for French dip sandwiches?    Chris

mar52

I've been continually going there a minimum of 45 years.

All the more reason why YOU should review it!  Can you estimate how many times you've been?  And would it be your most frequented RF place?    Chris

chicagostyledog:  Sorry I missed your post.  I also love Johnny's Pastrami, but in my mind I think Tito's is healthier.  They steam the pastrami and load it on to the roll for a wonderful treat.  I have mine with Swiss Cheese.  It's a great sandwich which is easily shared.
 
1bbqboy  Bill, I missed your post as well.  I've never been to King Taco and I've been to a lot of taco places.
 
Chris, Johnny's is very different from Phillipe's.  Meet you there in December!
 
 

ayersian

chicagostyledog

However, we need to pace ourselves for the pastrami dip at Johnny's Pastrami, only a few small steps from Tito's.

CSD, I saw that place and will definitely revisit on my next trip.  The neon sign out front was amazing, for starters!  How does it stack up to Phillipe's or The Hat for French dip sandwiches?    Chris

Never been to Phillipe's or The Hat, however, I had a fabulous hand carved pastrami sandwich on rye last month at Langer's. Johnny's is a thin sliced, dipped sandwich, served on a roll. Both are top notch.

mar52


That rice in the burrito is a request thing... it does not come that way without asking for it.

Peas?  Are they serious?  No way!

Same with the change in ownership.  Mrs. Davidson, daughter of the original owner still owns it.

Strange what people post.

I grew up with peas in tacos in KC, specifically at La Cocina, discussed
in this thread from many moons ago...
deep fried tacos

I could see split peas being a way of adding a little body and extending the volume of a guacamole without it being obvious. I'll try it. I won't know any better.

No, our peas were mixed right into the meat. 
Guacamole was unknown to our tex-mex origins of the 50's-60's.
(and earlier)

I can see peas sweetening up the meat, but I'm thinking potatoes in the Tito's mixture.
 
I've heard of pea guacamole but that's when avocados (no e?) are not available.
 
Next time I go to Tito's I'll take apart a taco so you can see what they do with the meat.  The grind it together with something and it becomes one mass of meat when it's fried.

Thank you Mar!

here you go, Marlene...
 King Taco Restaurants

Thanks, Bill!
 
They sure do have a lot of locations.  I've driven by some of those locations and must not have noticed them.  Next time I'll make a point of stopping.  They're just not that close to me.
 
Maybe Long Beach is in my future.

Taco analysis... just what I always wanted to know!
 
http://www.kingtaco.com/menu/tacos.html

Taco King wears heels!


Sorry...King Taco. He carries a big cleaver too.

Walk softly and carry a big cleaver.
I must admit, I had to look up molleja & suadero.
We don't have any taco places that carry sweetbreads, which I think is a good thing.

That Chowhound thread is something. Just when you think they have cracked the King Taco sauce recipe...try this!

Are there any chiles left? They use about 100 at a time in every experiment.

They'll be here soon. It's lemon pepper! That's what's missing!

I also had to look them up.  Could be chicken gizzards which would be cheaper for sure.
 
But in a taco?