Guisados — Boyle Heights origin + the stew-taco model

Guisados was founded in December 2010 by father-son duo Armando De La Torre Sr. and Armando De La Torre Jr. at 2100 E Cesar Chavez Ave in Boyle Heights, in a former tamale house that was provided rent-free for six months by Mario De La Torre ^[2]. The restaurant’s concept centers on a rotating menu of 12–15 homestyle Mexican stews (guisados) served on thick, handmade corn tortillas ^[1][3]. The tortillas are made to order from fresh, nixtamalized masa sourced from Carnitas Uruapan next door, a family-run operation ^[1][2]. This commitment to fresh masa and daily-made braises—such as chuleta en chile verde, bistek en salsa roja, mole poblano, and the De La Torre family’s own carne con chile colorado—distinguishes Guisados from chain taquerías that rely on pre-made components ^[2][3][4].

The Boyle Heights flagship remains the canonical location and the heart of the operation ^[4]. All stews and masa are still produced at this original site and delivered multiple times a day to every other outpost, ensuring consistency across the growing chain ^[1][2]. A single commissary kitchen in Boyle Heights supplies all existing locations ^[2]. The restaurant gained widespread attention after a September 2011 review by late critic Jonathan Gold, who praised the chiles torreados taco ^[2][4].

Guisados has since expanded to Echo Park, DTLA, West Hollywood, Burbank, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, and Venice ^[1][2][4]. Each location features work by local artists through a Featured Artist Program ^[1][5]. The menu includes vegetarian, limited vegan, and mostly gluten-free options, and a sampler trio is available ^[7]. The Boyle Heights flagship continues to function as the production hub and spiritual home of the brand, maintaining the original approach and motto: #inTacosWeTrust ^[4].