Tacos 1986

Tacos 1986 began in 2018 as a Tijuana-style taco stand in Hollywood and grew into one of Los Angeles's best-loved taquerias before opening its first New York location on Cornelia Street in July 2025. The West Village shop sits at the corner of West 4th Street, a few steps from the Washington Square subway, and it is part of a three-part space that also includes Mixteca, an agave bar, with Jeff Bell of the cocktail bar Please Don't Tell involved in the project. The taqueria side is quick and lively, with a counter, a busy plancha and a line that forms on warm evenings. It brings a slice of Southern California street food to one of Manhattan's most charming blocks.

Order the way Tijuana does: a few tacos at a time, starting with adobada, the marinated pork, then mulitas, vampiros with crisp griddled tortillas, quesadillas and burritos. Chips and guacamole come on the side, and there are bowls for anyone skipping tortillas. Tacos 1986 was featured by the YouTuber New York Turk in 2025, on his lunch break as a cab driver. The kitchen stays open late, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, so it works as an after-drinks stop as well as lunch. Pickup and delivery can be ordered online, and after eating you can cross the street to Mixteca for a mezcal.