Tacos Tu Madre, serving gourmet tacos, opens this weekend on a stretch of Westwood Boulevard which had been home to Middle Eastern and Asian restaurants. With its grand opening coinciding with the Dia de Los Muertos on November 1st, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for a place which has a giant image paying homage to the day on its facade.

Taking over the spot recently vacated by Bella Pita, Tacos Tu Madre has redone the exterior and interior, giving the little shack a lot more color and cool vibe. Orders are taken from the takeout window facing Westwood Blvd. There’s a very small dining room attached, should you wish to eat your food on location.

The menu offers a wide selection of tacos – from the traditional carnitas and al pastor to Asian fusion, ahi tuna tartare and Korean bulgogi.

Tacos Tu Madre is definitely a restaurant that reflects the current eating trends. For vegans, there’s a vegan banh mi, using tofu. For those avoiding carbs, the fillings can be placed on top of kale in a bowl. If you’d rather eat a bowl, there’s also a brown rice option. Also for gluten-free diners, they can choose from either bowl option or the tacos which use corn tortillas.

My favorite was the ahi tuna tartare, followed by a close second by the duck in mole sauce. The duck tacos were topped with pepitas, which was a nice touch.

Some of the sauces are a little on the spicy side (like on the carnitas taco which had a little bit of heat), so you may want to ask for the sauce on the side or just the filling if you don’t want to take your chances (which is what I did for my daughter with the chicken katsu). The tacos with the fried fillings manage not to be too oily or too thickly breaded so that the flavor of the protein is not masked.

I would happily eat here once a week. Who am I kidding? I would happily eat here twice a week (as I’ve done this past week). We were lucky enough to come here during their test period, where all tacos were only $1. If you want to take advantage of this amazing price and it’s still October 29th, come here before 9PM (which is when they close). Tacos Tu Madre will be closed for Halloween, but will have their grand opening on November 1st. If you follow them on Instagram, you can nab a free taco with your purchase on opening day.

By the way, Tacos Tu Madre added Red Velvet Churros to their menu. Try them – you won’t be sorry!

Location – 1945 1/2 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles 90025
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Pesco-Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Vegan/Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes