Los Angeles Tacos Cruise Bike Tour: 3 Taco Stops Downtown

You order your own tacos from the Taquero at the street stand.

A 2-hour bike food tour of downtown Los Angeles starting at Grand Central Market, visiting 3 taco vendors with different styles—guisado, al pastor, queso and dorados tacos—all included in the price. The guide orders at most stops, but at the street taco vendor you get to order yourself and top off with homemade salsas. Bikes, helmets and a licensed English guide are included; children over 8 with street bike riding experience are welcome.

The Experience

The tour starts at Grand Central Market, LA's historic food hall, where your guide helps you navigate the stalls before you head out on bikes. From there you'll hit 3 taco spots spread across downtown and the Arts District, each one doing tacos differently—braised guisado, spit-roasted al pastor, crispy queso tacos with carne asada and guacamole, and fried potato tacos dorados. You'll eat 6 to 12 tacos total, all included, and the guide will order for you at most stops to keep the pace moving.

At the street taco vendor, the dynamic shifts: you step up to the Taquero yourself, order what you want, and finish with homemade salsas. That's the part that feels like a real LA experience instead of a tour. Riding bikes between stops means you skip the traffic and find pathways and hidden spots only accessible on two wheels—the kind of local treasures a car tour would miss.

The whole loop takes 2 hours round trip back to Grand Central Market. You'll need to be comfortable riding a bike in a straight line for up to 20 minutes at a time, and the tour works best if you're not a strict vegetarian, since the cooking happens on shared equipment and cross-contact is hard to avoid.

What’s included

• Licensed English-speaking guide.
• bike and helmet.
• all 6 to 12 tacos at 3 different vendors.
• guide ordering at most stops.
• the street taco vendor experience where you order yourself.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Handlebar Bike Tours LLC

Is this one for you?Small groups work best here—you'll move through downtown neighborhoods and taco stands as a tight crew, which is how you access the street vendor experience and the hidden bike pathways. This tour suits someone who wants to eat real tacos the way locals do, not someone looking for a leisurely sightseeing pace.

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Top questions

How many tacos will I actually eat on this tour?

You'll eat 6 to 12 tacos depending on portion sizes and how hungry you are. All of them are included in the tour price, and the guide says you'll be full by the time you return to Grand Central Market.

What's the difference between the taco styles we're trying?

Guisado tacos are braised or stewed in chicken and vegetable flavors with a wet consistency; al pastor is spit-roasted pork shepherd-style; queso tacos are crispy blue corn tortillas with a cheese edge, topped with carne asada, crema and guacamole; and tacos dorados are lightly fried potato tacos heaped with cheese.

Do I have to let the guide order for me at every stop?

The guide orders for you at most stops to keep things moving, but at the street taco vendor you order directly from the Taquero yourself and choose your own toppings from the homemade salsas.

What if I'm vegetarian or vegan?

The tour is not recommended for strict vegetarians because the taco stands cook on shared equipment and cross-contact with meat is likely. Vegan dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated.

How fit do I need to be to do this tour?

You need to be comfortable riding a bike in a straight line for up to 20 minutes at a time. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Are kids allowed on this tour?

Children over 8 years old are welcome if they have street bike riding experience. The tour has a limited number of small and kids bikes available.