Tacos Tamix: An unexpected hub for diversity

Between the hours of five p.m. and two a.m. nestled between the Santa Monica Freeway and a Mobile gas station you will find people from all walks of life gathering around a bright yellow and red taco truck. It’s light up sign and loud music are friendly and welcoming in such dreary surroundings. The spot, bordering Pico Union’s retail and residential neighborhoods, is also a short walking distance from most of the University of Southern California’s student housing. Even the homeless, sheltered by the neighboring highway overpass, find solace in the truck’s food. At just $1.25 a taco, the possibilities are endless.

“I come here because they have the best tacos ever. I’ve tried many places – trucks and restaurants – in this area and I know these are the best. And it’s cheap.” – William Tipper, USC Student.

The area is a breeding ground of people from all different socioeconomic classes, and few things seem to bring these groups together better than delicious food. The six blocks between Tacos Tamix and the USC campus are filled almost to the brim with university housing. Those not inhabited by students are typically low-income families. Both of which are looking for cheap but tasty food to satisfy their hunger but stay within their budget.

The area is a breeding ground of people from all different socioeconomic classes, and few things seem to bring these groups together better than delicious food. The six blocks between Tacos Tamix and the USC campus are filled almost to the brim with university housing. Those not inhabited by students are typically low-income families. Both of which are looking for cheap but tasty food to satisfy their hunger but stay within their budget.

“Even though it is the same food as every other taco truck, the flavors are very different. You can just tell the food is well prepared.” - Mirian Cabrera, Neighborhood Employee.

Most of the affordable restaurants in the area are fast food chains, such as McDonalds or Taco Bell. Tacos Tamix has that mom-and-pop original, home-cooked feel that those corporations lose, but at a very reasonable price. Healthy food especially can not only be hard to come by in this area, but expensive at that. The food at Tacos Tamix is simple and the ingredients are fresh. They only have ten dishes, all are variations of the same few ingredients – tortillas, meat, cheese, and various sauces or toppings.

“The key is to have simple food. We don’t want to get crazy with the other stuff, no salad or french fries. That way it is easy on the workers and we can focus on perfecting only a few flavors.” – Beni Gomez, Tacos Tamix Owner.

The truck is most famous for their Tacos Al Pastor, which is pork roasted on a spit with various spices and flavorings. Every restaurant or chef seasons the pork differently, so every place has a unique flavor.

“I make my flavor special. People come here because the flavor is unique. You can go down the street to the other trucks with the same food but they will not have this flavor.” - Beni Gomez, Tacos Tamix Owner.

Part of the reason why the truck is so popular is because it is in a parking lot. Los Angeles is a city where parking is extremely hard to come by, and when you can find it, it is extremely expensive. Tacos Tamix’s convenient location in such a large parking lot allows customers to drive right up to the truck and either enjoy their meal at one of the picnic tables, or take it to-go and continue on their way. This is a luxury most other taco trucks do not have, and one restaurants must pay lots of money for.

“I came here today because I didn’t have time to cook. It’s easy to just stop by on my way home from work and pick up food for my whole family.” – Gloria Leon, Pico Union Resident.

In the short two hours I spent at Tacos Tamix, I saw several groups of USC students, two families, and nearby employees gathered under the Mobile Gas sign to enjoy their dinner. Friends chatted with each other about finals season and weekend plans, children were laughing at the stringy cheese falling out of their quesadillas, and parents were smiling at their satisfied families and unbroken banks. I watched a young boy play gin rummy with a homeless man over a plate of tacos. Both were grinning as if that moment was the best part of their day. Though these people are all so different, they are brought together out of necessity for one simple thing – good, cheap food at the end of a long day.

Tacos Tamix is located on Hoover street and 20th Street in the Mobile Gas Station parking lot.

Take a look inside the taco truck to see how all the dishes are prepared here.