Los Tacos Azules — As Seen In Japan

As previously discussed in our post about local Chipotle ripoff Frijoles, I love Mexican food. My wife, though she’s only had Chipotle, El Cholo, and Old El Paso taco kits, also loves Mexican food. But unlike her, I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years and have eaten tacos in Mexico as well as from a bunch of trucks in LA, so I think my credentials are in order when it comes to Mexican cuisine.

That’s why I put off trying the taco place in our neighborhood, even though it always had a line on weekends. It couldn’t be authentic, I reasoned. It couldn’t be that good. It would just be some lame Japanese version of a taco.

How wrong I was. Some of the best tacos I’ve ever had are in Setagaya.

Welcome to Los Tacos Azules

Los Tacos Azules is a small breakfast/lunch joint on a side street in Tokyo’s Sangenjaya neighborhood. In addition to breakfast tacos, they offer traditional Mexican fare like quesadillas and chilaquiles, along with specialty drinks and desserts. The decor is modern and the staff is extremely friendly, with a semi-open kitchen where you can watch tacos being prepared. They also have an English menu for you foreign devils, and you can even pay at your table (a rarity in Japan).

Enough chatter, get to the tacos!

I ordered three tacos, which came in slow courses and were served with red and green salsa.

Taco #1: bamboo shoots and green chorizo. It sounded fusion-y, but I was there to try something different, so I figured why notzo. I expected a bunch of big ol’ chunks of bamboo shoots and sausage bits on a stale tortilla, but this was not that. First of all, the tortillas are fresh and warm and delicious. Second, the shoots and chorizo were blended together in a green mush piled high, and OH MY was it tasty. Went great with the green salsa. But the best part was the little bit of refried beans smeared at the bottom - I could not BELIEVE how delicious those beans were. Next time, I’m getting a giant bowl of beans. This taco is a must-try.

Taco #2: carnitas special with chicharrones. This one was again piled high - perhaps too high, as it was tough to keep it all together and get a bite with everything in it. The crispy pork chips were delicious on their own, as was the juicy pork, so juicy liquid was dripping onto my plate. The best bite of this one rivals any taco I’ve ever eaten. Delicious.

Taco #3: tankaku-gyu barbacoa. This one was a bit more expensive, but the salty meat was delicious and it tasted of a more traditional taco with the salsa added. It was a little dry, and the least inventive of the bunch. I probably won’t be trying this one again.

Overall, they were amazing. Great corn tortillas, great presentation, juicy meat, and well-balanced flavors. Put this place on a food show already.

Drinks and quesadilla

My wife tried a quesadilla, which I had a bite of. It was okay, but the cheese wasn’t the kind I’m used to from LA truck quesadillas and couldn’t compete with my tacos.

For drinks, I got a quite sour and fresh-tasting lemonade and my wife got a green juice that tasted like every green juice ever. It’s good to remember that when you’re getting Mexican or another spicy cuisine, you’ll need to buy a drink, which ends up increasing the price.

Conclusion: is Los Tacos Azules worth it?

Are you kidding? It was incredible. Best tacos I’ve had in Japan. Best foreign food I’ve had in Japan, only rivaled by Homien Chinese Restaurant in Kobe. The first two tacos were among the best I’ve ever had in my life. They’re expensive, to be sure - 700 yen for a taco and a 10% gratuity meant we spent somewhere in the neighborhood of 45-50 bucks for lunch. Not something I’d do every day, but I’d rather save up and get this once a week than eat out at a lesser place twice as often.

We will be going back to Los Tacos Azules, and not just because it’s a three-minute walk from our apartment. I HAVE to try the rest of these tacos, as well as the beans and the desserts. If you live in Tokyo, you must go here. If you’re visiting and find yourself in Shibuya at lunchtime, get on a train and come to Los Tacos Azules. You will not regret it.