Lola Gaspar

A taco dinner in the Artists Village

Lola Gaspar has occupied the historic Santora Building since 2008. Chef Luis Perez’s cooking moved toward Mexico after travel there, and the present menu makes tacos part of an evening of small plates, larger dishes and mezcal or tequila cocktails. Its downtown address offers a different occasion from a quick takeaway counter.

The current daily taco list uses Sonoran-style flour tortillas with pickled onion and a salsa built from mesquite-grilled tomato and dried chile. Carrot al pastor, lamb barbacoa, brisket suadero, Sea of Cortez shrimp and prime Angus ribeye provide five distinct choices. The carrot preparation gives vegetables a named place rather than reducing the order to a meat taco with the filling removed.

A salsa flight compares árbol, roasted tomatillo, macha and habanero. Larger dishes include smoked short rib, skirt steak with fries and charcoal-roasted cauliflower with yellow mole. The latter sauce uses chile güero, tomatillo and pepitas. Churros arrive as rings with horchata ice cream and chocolate sauce, giving the meal a clear dessert option.

Sunday changes the meal

The Sunday menu keeps several tacos and adds a ribeye-and-quail-egg taco, huevos ahogados with lamb barbacoa, a blue-corn waffle and a chilaquiles torta with chicken milanesa and mayocoba beans. It runs 10 a.m.–3 p.m., separate from the evening schedule.

The address is 211 West 2nd Street; 714-972-1172. Tuesday–Thursday hours are 3–11 p.m., Friday 3 p.m.–midnight and Saturday noon–midnight; Monday is closed. Happy hour is Tuesday–Friday 3–5 p.m. The menu specifies cashless payment. The site links Resy while older copy describes walk-in service; its reservation link is the current booking route. A dedicated delivery telephone was not verified.

Access Lola Gaspar’s current booking link.