Carnitas El Momo

Best carnitas in LA. These guys know how to do pork right. Simple, cheap, & delicious. It’s a trailer/​taco truck in a neighborhood. The service is great too. The tacos are big so you’ll probably only need 2. Order a mixto and a carnitas, dont forget the Jarritos. No tables here but grab a chair and enjoy :)

Some of the best tacos you can find in a town full of great taco spots. If you like carnitas, don’t miss it.

Not a big Taco fan.
Not a big food truck fan.
After seeing a couple episodes of I’ll have What Phil’s having on Netflix, I decided to take my daughter to a Taco-​Thursday-​Truck-​Treat since I was off and she was on spring break. Us both being the only two foodies in a family of five, this was a culinary adventure.
I thought to myself, this better taste awesome-​r than a regular taco in LA with dry meat and the usual garnishing of cilantro and what have you or I’ll ask them to refund my gas money (Hey I drove 8 miles for my tacos!).
I planned to order the rib since I wanted to have what Phil had… but the Momo guy didn’t have it… however, he was quick to point out how incredible the other items in the menu were. Okay, since he didn’t look like a used car salesman at all (See Photo), I decided to be gastronomically persuaded (Don’t bother to write that down, I’m having it copyrighted or something). He said that we should try the pork shoulder, pork belly and pork skin. I felt he was offering us scrap meat from the butcher’s floor but then again, it is adventure day. I said, pork shoulder — check, pork belly — check, but no pork skin. He said «Ahh, wait ’til you try it, I’ll tell you what, I’ll throw in a couple pork skin tacos for you guys!» … now how can I, a guy who is pondering on gas money refund, refuse free tacos? Let’s do it!
All for $ 8.00.
Let me tell you something, the tenderness of the meat, the tangy yet spicy saucy-​ness of everything and the pure-​pleasure of these tacos as they melt in my mouth… even the super-​soft slices of pork skin, was enough for me to ask «What time do you guys open tomorrow?»
PS:
I wanted to use words like texture, balance, compliment, render, umami and Menage a Trois… like all the pretentious Unilocaler-​jerks… but I’m not a chef ;)

One of the best tacos I’ve had in a long time. The guys there were super friendly. The tacos were very reasonably priced but we’re pretty big and filling.

Phil is correct. The mixed taco exceeds all expectation, was stuffed after two for four. Should have taken two to go, a mistake never to be repeated. May just hook a couple pounds of carnitas to go next visit, an option on the menu…

These are the best carnitas in LA! The migahas they have are pure perfection! During the week you can find them in Boyle Heights. On the weekends you can find them in South Central and Compton. Absolutely a must try. Call them if you’re having a hard time finding them. The family is super cool and down to earth. Definitely finding them again.

Really is a beautiful thing to see a business stay true to its roots. There is an extension cord running from the inside of their home to the truck parked right outside– and there is some poetry in that. This business is more than an exotic taco truck on tv but a solid representation of our latino community and I can’t wait for another opportunity to come back. We had two mixed tacos and two mulitas and were beyond satisfied. Spice is perfect, tortilla texture is great, and both the skin and meat has insane body and juice.

This place lives up to all the hype!!! After seeing Carnitas El Momo featured again and again in various articles as having the best carnitas in los angeles and then on an recent episode of «I’ll have what Phil’s Having» (a great food show, btw), I had to see what all the fuss is about. And oh man, did they deliver.
The day we went, they offered 3 choices; traditional carnitas, pork belly, and pork skin. We got one of each and then one called the «aporkolypse» which was a combination of all three. Sooooo good. It’s definitely worth the drive out to Boyle Heights.
And I have to mention how friendly the service was. All the guys were really nice and proud of their product and even gave us samples of the various cuts as we waited for our order. How bomb is that?!
NOTES:
— tacos are only $ 2. Great value (cash only)
— the Fairmount location is only open on Thursdays & Fridays. They take the truck to other locations on other days.
— the red salsa that comes regular with the tacos is pretty spicy (still flavorful though), so if you’re not a big fan of spiciness, you might want to ask for the salsa on the side or a milder one if they have it.
— they import their jalapeño peppers (you get one giant pepper with your order) so it’s not your typical hot jalapeño. Good heat, but not overly spicy, with great flavor.

I’ve eaten 10,000 carnitas tacos but none of them ever tasted like El Momo’s amazing meats. Every morsel is rich with fatty flavors. The portions are large and the guys in the truck are friendly and totally helpful. New favorite place for homemade pork confit of the highest caliber.

Carnitas El Momo is hands down the best carnitas in Los Angeles. Cueritos, buche and carnitas are on point. I easily compare them to on of the best in Quiroga Michoacan.

These guys are the real deal. My mom is from Boyle Heights and I have to say it’s great to see people staying true to their roots. It may be just tacos, but you’ve never had Carnitas if you haven’t had them prepared by Señor Momo and his family.
Be adventurous– you won’t be disappointed.

This place currently serves my favorite tacos. Their buche is well seasoned, moist and so tender. I also like the pork shoulder with a little bit of pork belly. They put a tower of meat on the tortilla all the time. 2 tacos is sufficient but I suggest you order 2 or 4 more to go. Their salsa isn’t hot initially but it slowly creeps up so for those who are scared with a little spice, I suggest you order it on the side. Please don’t hesitate to ask for a sample of the meat. They are very friendly.

If you love tacos, this place is a must and should be at the top of your list.
El Momo is considered by LA taco blogger, Bill Esparza, as the «best carnitas in the United States.»
Only in LA you can have a world-​class meal for $ 2 — $ 5 from our top food trucks.
It’s a truck parked in front of where they live. They also have other locations during the week.
At the time of my visit, Momo’s grandson was making tacos. He told me that his grandfather has been making carnitas for the past 53 years. They’ve been around here making carnitas for 35 years.
The grandson suggested I get the mixed pork meat «porkopalyse» taco as a first timer and a carnitas taco. Both were full of porky goodness.
There’s not much to choose for drinks — there’s regular Coke, Sprite, and bottled water.
Inexpensive and worth the drive to Boyle Heights if you are a carnitas taco fan.

Loads of meat, loads of flavor, and great people! Thanks for the complimentary mulitas. We will be back!

I heard of this place by a food critic on the radio.
He was ranting and raving about this place!
Some key words that instantly drew me in were the following:
«On a food show»…
(Instantly thinking, «Wow, this place MUST be good!»)
«Food Truck»…
(I thought, «Hidden gem!»)
«$ 2!!!»…
(The image of the way Aziz Ansari says, «WHAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!»
came to mind!)
«Boyle Heights»…
(I thought, «Awesome! I work in the area!»)
«Best carnitas in LA»…
(This final statement I couldn’t help but think of the image of Ronda Rousey’s recent 14 second win as a parallel knock out to the hundreds of other Mexican restaurants all in close proximity to this place.)
When I actually got to check out this place the owner Billy was so helpful and friendly.
He ended up revealing the show he’d be airing in was «I’ll Have What Phil’s Having.» I also found this place is cash only and at this location only Thursdays & Fridays from 11:30am-8pm. He did clarify that he navigates through different parts of town on the other days of the week.
This place is a must try!
Like Kesha sings, «This place is about to (((BLOW!)))»…up that is.

Carnitas are absolutely amazing! Carnitas means «little meats» in Spanish, but it is BIG in flavor. The heavily marbled pork meat is braised for hours until tender. It’s the Mexican version of Hawaii’s kalua pig. It’s totally addictive and can be eaten as is, stuffed in a taco with cilantro, onions, and salsa verde, or in a burrito. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
Migajas are the leftovers of the carnitas process which includes meat, fat, skin, and the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. The flavors and textures are amazing — from the salty browned bits of pork meat and seasoning, the tender meat, and crispy fat and skin. As you open the foil, you can just hear an «AHHHH» as the steam rises from the meat. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
On the weekends, you can order Goat Birria which is made by braising the goat for hours on low heat. The time the goat spends in the braising liquid and seasonings condenses to a rich flavorful meat that is so tender it just falls off the bone. It’s great on its own, stuffed inside a taco with fresh onion and cilantro, or even in a burrito with refried beans, rice, onions, and cilantro. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
You can also order the consommé or braising liquid from the birria. It has a strong «goat» or «barnyard» aroma to it, but the flavor is just absolutely pure rich goat meat flavor. It is much richer than beef consommé and great if you have a hangover. Rating: ⁵⁄₅
It would be shameful not to use the whole goat. Montalayo is Mexico’s version of haggis which is the goat stomach stuffed with the goat heart, kidneys, liver, and intestines. As a lover of innards, Montalayo is simply divine to me. The tender tripe and soft, velvety organ meats are just perfect inside a taco with some onion, cilantro, and a splash of salsa. I’m just salivating as I write about it. Rating: ⁵⁄₅

I had the cuerita, buche and carnitas taco. It was one of the best tacos I’ve ever had. The combination of those three meats was perfection. I had some carnitas on the side as well and they were very tender and amazing on their own. I bought four tacos not knowing how big they were (I would have been fine with 2!) The gentleman was also very friendly and gave me a sample of all three meats before I ordered because I was unsure of what to get. He recommended the 3 meats taco and boy was he right.
I will definitely be returning to this gem. My only problem with the place is that their business hours are very limited. They only open like 3 days a week I believe.

Had the pleasure today to visit Carnitas El Momo for a tasting event. Co-​owner Billy was very friendly and inviting. I’m no stranger to carnitas, ordered it from lots of places, but this place is on point!
In addition to carnitas, they also offered Migajas, which is the carnitas at the bottom of the pan that has soaked up all that delicious juice. So tender and moist, it was amazing!
Another spectacular dish are the chipotle pork ribs. From what I hear, it’s not served all the time, so if they’re offered, get it!
A true hidden gem in Boyle Heights.

Yaaaaas! Super authentic, cozy, and just like how abuelita made it. Okay, so I’m not a true Mexican, but I’ve been spoiled silly by my best friend and her grandma’s cooking… so spoiled I rarely eat at Mexican joints. However, this little cozy mom n’ pop, family-​owned hole in the wall has made me come out of recluse and enjoy tender, flavorful carnitas and my favorite – goat birria. The goat birria really takes the cake as it’s been stewed forever til extra tender, and the flavor really makes you wanna curl up in mama’s lap like you were 5 again. Amazing place… seriously, come here for the REAL stuff!