For my sixteenth birthday, I took a trip to Los Angeles with my parents and my two best friends. We stayed in Santa Monica, and were eager to find the restaurant with the best tacos in the area to go to for dinner on my actual birthday. After walking down Ocean Avenue, we came across small Mexican restaurant right across from the Pacific Ocean called Blue Plate Taco. This is when my love affair with Blue Plate Taco began.
Located right across from the Santa Monica Pier and the Pacific Ocean, Blue Plate Taco is stationed on the main street in Santa Monica and is in close proximity to the rest of the area's main attractions.
On that trip to Los Angeles, we ate at Blue Plate Taco twice because we loved the vast selection of tacos and the ocean view from the restaurant. The food we had at the restaurant was some of the best of the entire trip, and my friends and I still talk about the meal that we had there. Three years later after choosing to attend the University of Southern California, I took my mom on a trip to Los Angeles to visit the school and we wound up walking around Santa Monica. While looking for a place to eat, I wondered if Blue Plato Taco still existed, as I hadn't been to Los Angeles since my birthday trip three years ago. We wound up eating at Blue Plate Taco that day, and the tacos were just as good as I had remembered from January 2014. Now, Blue Plate Taco is my roommate and I's go-to place to take our visitors in Los Angeles as we think they have the best tacos in LA. As Blue Plate Taco's best customer, here is my guide on what to order when you go to visit Santa Monica's best taco establishment:
What to Drink:
Blue Plate Taco has an extensive drink menu with margaritas, house cocktails, and aqua frescas. Try the Hibiscus Prickly Pear aqua fresca for a sweet and refreshing start to your meal.
What to Eat:
Guacamole and chips are an essential component to a meal at any Mexican restaurant. Blue Plate Taco serves their homemade guacamole and chips with their house ranchero salsa.
With eight different types on the menu, the tacos are the standouts of the main course selections. I've tried every taco on the menu over the years, and the short rib tacos are my go-to. Topped with avocado and queso, these tacos are the perfect savory bite. The tortillas can also be swapped with lettuce for an LA twist on the Mexican classic.
Not in the mood for tacos? Blue Plate Taco has plenty of other menu items, including their fajitas that come with a side of tortillas, rice and beans, and guacamole. The fajitas allow for the ultimate interactive dining experience as customers can build their fajitas according to their liking.