Los Cinco Puntos

Authentic Traditional your grandma in the kitchen with the Apron on kinda food! Carnitas are seasoned to perfection every single time I go… Guacamole and what seems to taste like home made salsa green, red or Pico de gallo too! Hand made tortillas and tamales! No matter what you order you will be amazed at the flavored ! Love it here

So here is the skinny… I h8 to give away «secret» spots for one reason… the followers who will most likely turn this place into a busy hipster hangout. The food is genuine nay authentic nay perfect Mexican food made just like grandmas. Handmade tortillas made with love by short indigenous looking Mexicanitas with trensas. Walk into this joint and you won’t be impressed but once you have tasted anything and I stress anything on the menu you will fall in love with this place. Cinco puntos is run by a kind and friendly family that believes in good service and great product. The combination cannot be beat. If you want a taste of genuine Mexican food you MUST stop here for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Viva mexico y Buen Provecho!

WORTH the drive from the west valley. Loved their carnitas tacos topped with cactus salad… Mouthwatering carnitas. Their service is great, they move as quick as they can. Fresh HANDMADE corn tortillas. Hats off to the ladies making them Parking is limited but if you’re going to eat their tacos it will be worth the walk if you park a block or two away. Just saying. That’s what I did. Sitting area. Well that’s the only reason why I gave them 4 stars. Sitting area is very limited, but thank God we got a table with the exact amount of chairs needed. Do I recommend? DEFINITELY. Will I go back? DEFINETELY

Love, love this place! Besides the fact that it is a part of LA and TV history, it is a gem!
It is small inside, but you are well taken care of by the staff. I was able to get a great Groupon deal.
There are only 4 small tables outside to eat, but it seems most people buy to go. We were able to grab a table and enjoy.
The carnitas are so well seasoned and cooked it is amazing. I recommend them highly.
We also ordered the super burrito which we had cut into 3 pieces and literally is enough for 3 people.
Stop by, or get some to go!

Old school since 1967. This place has been around for decades because the food is good and flavorful. I ordered a two carnitas taco combo and a carnitas burrito combo all for myself. I sat down inside the market to enjoy my food made fresh right in front of me. The tacos come with thick tortillas, they were flavorful but the food was luke warm. Then I went for the burrito and I can taste all the fatness of the pork, which was yummy. I enjoyed the burrito more than the tacos, I would give it 5 stars if the food came out hot and not warm.

Song Parody #560
Review 1,382
Unilocal 365 2016 Review #35
As part of a taco crawl, we had tacos here, I decided to also have a Torta.
It is kind of like Burger King, you order it your way, I asked for beans, lettuce, etc, no chili.
You get in line and ask for the type of meat, ask if you want taco, burrito, sope, etc, then ask what dressing, sauces, etc.
They have a few tables inside and outside, the parking is tight, so find a good spot or walk, better yet carpool when you can.
The torto was crispy on the outside, soft inside, the beans and lettuce were a perfect compliment to the bread, as was the juicy, soft, yet crispy pork. I am no expert chef, but I was in a torta dream.
Taylor Swift should make a video called Torta Dreams, this torta would be it.
El Pino can be seen from this restaurant, as the character Miklo, in the movie «Blood In Blood Out» says, «This tree is East Los to me.»
2:24 into this video — You see this tree
Pork, is a big no-​no to many of us older Unilocalers on our diets, forbidden love, we desire you, our love is pure.
Song parody of Selena’s 1994 song «Amor Prohibido»
Con mucho puerco, yo quiero comer te hoy
Espero el pan redondo y grande como mi amor
Y cuando la sena esta lista, somos dos
No hay otra torta mas, que me va levanter tan
Pa mi, solo importa, tu sabor
Te quiero
Torta bonita, tu sabor nunca falla
Por eso, quiero venir a esta calle
Torta bonita, redonda, como el mundo
Esa dieta, no importa a ti ni a mi
Torta Corazon
Oh oh baby
Aunque soy gordo, quiero comerte a hoy
Pago mas dinero, pa comer a mi amor
Y cuando en mi voca, yo voy
Una torta qualidad
Te como mas y mas
Pa mi, solo importa, tu sabor
Te quiero
Torta bonita, tu sabor nunca falla
Por eso, quiero venir a esta calle
Torta bonita, redonda, como el mundo
Esa dieta, no importa a ti ni a mi
Torta Corazon
Oh oh baby
Torta bonita, tu sabor nunca falla
Por eso, quiero venir a esta calle
Torta bonita, redonda, como el mundo
Esa dieta, no importa a ti ni a mi
Torta Corazon
Oh oh baby
Torta bonita, tu sabor nunca falla
Por eso, quiero venir a esta calle
Torta bonita, redonda, como el mundo
Esa dieta, no importa a ti ni a mi
Torta Corazon
Oh oh baby

LA’s most revered carnitas and a Boyle Heights institution long before Guisados made its own imprint in the community, Los Cinco Puntos has been at its location for 50 years. The venerable Mexican carniceria and market simply does braised pork better than the competition.
Named in reference to the five points of intersection of East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, Lorena Boulevard, and Indiana Street. It is a very popular lunch destination but droves of loyal customers also come here to order meats by the pounds, as well as their freshly made masa and tamales.
The carne asada, judging by its popularity, is reportedly very good as well. They also offer freshly cooked piles of a dozen different slices of pig, from snout to trotters. There is no question, though, why most are here.
The smell of savory carnitas greets you as soon as you walk into the doors. Once inside, you will find tubfuls of juicy pork shoulder meat in a simmering vat get tossed on a huge plancha for a quick grill to make it crispy and create an intense smoky flavor.
Meanwhile, you will also hear slabs of masa being pounded in the back and then see some of them flattened and tossed on a top grill to make their equally famous homemade tortillas.
A heaping spoonful of warm, juicy carnitas are topped onto a freshly made tortilla shell. They will then ask if you want everything on your taco — including pico de gallo, guacamole, pickled nopales and a choice of salsa. My suggestion is to let them pile it all on. The result is something absolutely amazing!
I have never had carnitas as flavorful, tender and juicy. The additional toppings complements the meat perfectly and the nopales gives it a nice crunch and acidity. The corn tortilla shell is warm, hearty yet chewy and becomes airy light once you bite into it. Quite possibly the tastiest homemade tortillas I have ever tried.
Their signature carnitas are as good as advertised. One hearty taco is a meal in itself. Two will make you full. In a class of its own, the freshness, taste and quality of the food sets Los Cinco Puntos apart from most. One of the best tacos in Los Angeles in my opinion. Highly recommended!
NOTE: CLOSED WEDNESDAYS; DON’T FORGET THEIR Unilocal CHECK-​IN OFFER: 2 TACOS & 20oz COKE, $ 6.49!

Be careful!
Once you’ve enjoyed your very first bite of Los Cinco Puntos’ tacos, you’ll have a difficult time returning to what you’ve ever before known. Whatever tacos you’ve ever had and thought were the best will forever now take a back seat. Los Cinco Puntos will become your touchstone by which all other tacos are measured. Yes, they’re that good!
Not only is the guacamole freshly made; not only are the tortillas, both fluffy and crisp, made in-​house; and not only are the meats fresh and truly flavorful – especially the Carne de Res and the Cochinta Pibil! – but succulent nopales are also available, topping off whatever tacos you’ve so desired. Wholeheartedly – and call me naïve and inexperienced if you like – Los Cinco Puntos’ tacos are absolutely my favorite.
I’ve reached the point of no return.

Craving Tacos, this place is a must!
You can watch as they make the homemade tortillas and you can even buy the tortillas in packages to take home.
Some of the best tacos i have had.
Definitely be back!!!

This was apart of the Unilocal taco crawl…
If you’re looking for a carnitas taco… this is honestly the best one ever. It’s like skin and meat… they are legit. The steak taco. I wasn’t as excited about.
They also serve toppings like cactus. didn’t try that. but everybody raved about it.
There was even an old lady making the tortillas… making that feel be authentic.
They look like they sell other things by the pound such as menudo… I am not sure how clean this place is but the carnitas is very very very good.
Oh do the Unilocal check in for two tacos and a coke.

tl;dr: Homemade tortillas are airy and fabulous. Don’t forget the pickled nopales and avocado guac. Hard to imagine any other place that serves up a heartier taco…
****
Los CInco Puntos means «the five points» in Spanish which comes to mean that the store is sitting at the confluence of where 5 streets come together (and no it doesn’t mean 5 poons you dumb box…=P)
My fellow taco crawlers and I descended on this place like a busload of tourists and were consequently treated with amazing service and courtesy. When you walk in, it looks like your typical East Elay Mexican meat market, a super cocina market where they specialize in some of the tastiest parts of the pig. Knowing this we knew we just had to try a carnitas taco, a staple of Mexican cuisine. Having had carnitas in the past I was looking forward to the crispy charred yet moist tender meat but our taco meat was a rarer pink in color than I expected. The same can be said of the lengua meat taco. Each of them were virtually indistinguishable to me and no two meats could be any more different, it should be obvious. I’ve never had carnitas or lengua that rare, I think I’ve only had it braised or stewed so perhaps it was prepared differently this time. I’d say that it was tender and flavorful, it just didn’t pass the eye test…
It turns out that the best part of the taco was the freshly made corn tortilla that you can see them making by hand in the back. It was surprisingly airy like flatbread and yet still pliable, so much more preferable to the common commercial ones. They were generous with the meat and condiments like the salsa verde. This might have been enough but in addition, you can also add extra stuff like pickled nopales and avocado guac which just makes this taco so over the top filling. One of the heartiest taco I’ve ever had but you have to eat them on the spot right after they’re made to appreciate the tortilla…
I could only finish ¾’s of each taco and that’s even after sharing. I’d be willing to come back for more, my better half is game too…

East Los classic meat shop. Good prices, large portions, great flavor. Tacos, burritos, and tamales are all delicious here. Have been coming here for years and haven’t been disappointed once. Keep up the great work!

This place is a MUST in LA.
My favorite part is their handmade tortillas.
Everything is always fresh. The salsas, nopales & guacamole are so good !!!
They added some outside seating which is good because the food is the best when you eat it right when you get it
The only bad thing is the crowded parking

If I could give this place 10 stars I would.
First timer, loved it.
It’s small, limited seating, but don’t care.
I’ll eat standing or in my car.
Tried chicharron and carnitas tacos, they are the best. They are making both the carnitas and chicharrones in the caso, pure goodness!!!‘
They also had tacos de papa which were delicious.
Will be back real soon.

The best carnitas ever !!
Great price and the flavor is amazing !!!
Love this place

1^st impression: What you see is what you get. A great taco stand!
Menu: Select any part of the pork you want. Buy by the pound or in a taco. They do also sell Carne asada and other traditional taco/​burrito meats. The hand made corn tortillas make the taco. The corn tortillas take you on a trip down memory lane of when i would go buy corn tortillas for my abuelita in Jalsico, Mexico. They also have goods salsa and nopalitos (cactus) to add to your taco, if you wish.
Parking: Yes
Restroom:? Don’t know if they do.
What I ate: I always get two carnita tacos with guacamole and salsa verde. My recommendation is to ask for lemon and salt to add to the taco for a better taste. Cinco Puntos carnitas tacos are very authentic to would you would taste in the town my parents grew up in Jalsico, Mexico.
Would I return & recommend: Yes and Yes. A MUST TRY WHEN IN LA.

Rachel Rey’s Best Tacos in America? Among the Top 10 tacos in America? These are the signs that greet you as walk up to order your food. I mentioned I was going on a cruise to Ensanada to my friend and she started craving tacos. We started discussing taco stands and she said I had to try this place out, so off we went! We parked across the street at the Mexican super market (street parking was full) and there was a line out the door which is a good sign. The line moves quickly and we were up at the counter in no time.
I ordered 2 tacos and a diet coke, which is a $ 6 combo deal if you check in on Unilocal.You get to choose the meat and behind the counter are several Mamacitas making fresh corn tortillas by hand on a giant stove. The guy helping us was really nice and gave me samples of meat to try, as he felt I was out of place I guess. I asked for bbq pork and he gave me samples of pork and also beef pork, which was really good so I went and ordered tacos of each. You then move over to the left and tell them what you’d like on your tacos, which range from different levels of salsa and grilled onions and peppers. My friend got the same 2 tacos deal too, so I think I made the right choice. Also, there aren’t many tables so you get to make friends with strangers and share. There’s about 3 tables inside and 4 outside.
They also have burritos and other Mexican stand type dishes, and sell groceries in the aisles. You can even buy fresh tortillas by the half dozen or dozen. My friend, who’s of Mexican descent herself, says when she gets together with her family tortillas are a necessary thing and a meal isn’t complete without it. Kinda like rice for Asians I guess. It was really cool watching them make it. Overall a really good experience and delicious food that got me excited for my trip.

When I entered Los Cinco Puntos at 9:30am on Saturday, the line was already out the door. There were grandmas refilling their home-​brought pots with fresh masa to make tamales at home, customers waiting for their weekend fix of menudo, and foreigners like me looking for the best tacos in Boyle Heights.
The concentrated aroma of carnitas wafted from the kitchen of Los Cinco Puntos to their parking lot, just the smell of it made me want to step into this meat shop. It convinced me to order the carnitas, apparently their specialty, and the carne asada, just as a safe option.
This place is well known for their handmade tortillas. Behind the counter, a group of elderly employees mold masa dough into thick round discs before slapping them onto a tabletop grill. Word of the street is that one of the grandmas here has been preparing tortillas everyday for the past 4 decades! None of those corn tortillas were machine-​pressed!
The front-​and-​center feature of Los Cinco Puntos’ tortillas were their inflated texture especially around the edges, where it was crispy and puffy. This special feature would probably probnot be possible in machine pressed tortillas. The corn tortillas were especially crusty and somewhat chewy although not too tough. It had strong toasty flavor that is usually absent in the street tacos I’ve had before. I liked how thick and sturdy the tortillas were, because even with meat toppings and nopal salsa fully loaded, the tortilla did not feel brittle.
The carnitas at Los Cinco Puntos was as good as advertised, it was greased up, savory, and had crispy ends. It wasn’t perfect though, the portion I received was somewhat on the dry side and a little jerkier than expected. On the other hand, the carne asada was spectacular. It had a vibrant citrus, barbecue, and spicy marinade that was intoxicating. The meat was sliced into strips rather than chopped into tiny cubes like at other taquerias.
It wasn’t until I sat down in the cramped dining area that I found almost everything to be prepared in house. Various types of chile appear to be roasted on-​site and sold in the store, the meats are simmered in large pots in an open kitchen, the salsas tasted like they were prepared fresh from scratch. I especially liked the pickled flavor that the cactus salsa added to my tacos. After a pleasant visit to Los Tacos Puntos, it would be a hard sell to go back to the $ 1 taco trucks for my next taco craving.

Groupon brought me here and I keep coming back.
This is an amazing place for all things carnivore – but don’t forget the excellent nopales (those are stewed cactus for you gringas and gringos). The pricing is good. Your best bet is to order from the deli side and build your own tacos and burritos at home, because for $ 20 you can get enough food for several dinners in a row. Parking can be hazardous to your mental and physical health, but it’s a little slice of awesome in a working class neighborhood of East Los.

3 ½ stars. I had friends coming over on a Saturday afternoon so I needed to pick up some items for the BBQ. I planned on making tacos and needed to purchase carne asada. Parking here was convenient since they have their own private parking lot.
While waiting in line, another customer advised me of the Groupon special online which was $ 22.00 for $ 40.00 worth of food purchased. I jumped all over that deal like white on rice! Unfortunately, they didn’t have carne asada for purchase but instead I ended up buying a dozen combined beef & pork tamales, a pound of in house made carnitas, hand made corn tortillas, ½ Lb of lengua, quart of salsa & guacamole and in house made chips. Everything was freshly made and yummy. The tamales were on the dry side but my faves were the carniitas, lengua and guacamole. The place is busy and the line at times went out the door. Customers brought their own pot to purchase menudo and I saw lots of people buying fresh tacos and dining alfresco.
BTW I ended up getting the carne asada at Superior market and my get together
was a success!