The best tacos in town

An Angeleno searches for real tacos

By Mano Lopez
Special to Metromix

After living in Honolulu for a decade, I had written off most local Mexican restaurants as either too pricey (almost three times what I pay back home in Los Angeles), bland, watered down or less-than-authentic. Being a native Angelino, I yearned for some good ole Mexican soul food — tacos from real taquerias.

My palate is time-tested to say the least. I've sampled tacos from East Los Angeles, San Francisco's Mission District, Tijuana, Mexicali and even Mexico City. And although Honolulu won't ever be a mecca for authentic Mexican eats, a few places have opened in recent years that serve good, Mexican-style tacos. We visited three of the more notable establishments — La Taqueria de Ramiro, Diego's Taco Shop and Just Tacos Mexican Grill for a taste.