Hundreds of our readers voted, but in the end, only one vote separated the first-ever Mesoamerica Madness champion, aguachile, from the runner-up, pupusas.
As a reminder, we didn’t let people vote for tacos. Scroll down to read the rules and why.
Scroll down for poll results
In my opinion, the best aguachile dishes start with liquid chiltepin pepper, lots of lime and high-quality, freshly butterflied raw shrimp. You should be able to feel the heat without it dulling your tongue to the shrimp’s umami. It’s a uniquely Sinaloa-style dish that has since been adapted across multiple countries, styles and even culinary strata. Aguachile can be found on the menus of street vendors, mom-and-pop shops and fine-dining restaurants.
In honor of its victory, here’s a list of the 13 best shrimp aguachile makers in LA County.
No. 13 Mariscos Las Islitas
1585 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach
No. 12 Mariscos Guillen
12319 Prairie Ave, Hawthorne
No. 11 Mariscos El Choix
8104 Firestone Blvd, Downey
4233 Rosemead Blvd, Pico Rivera
No. 10 Mariscos Don Monchis
10941 Norwalk Blvd, Santa Fe Springs
7331 Rosecrans Ave, Paramount
13107 Valley Blvd, La Puente
No. 9 Coni’Seafood Restaurant
3544 W Imperial Hwy, Inglewood
4532 S. Centinela Ave, Del Rey
No. 8 Mariscos El Chito
4970 Axtell St, El Sereno
No. 7 Damian
2132 E 7th Pl, downtown LA
No. 6 Holbox
3655 S Grand Ave C9, Historic South Central
No. 5 Mariscos El Garage
4552 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach
No. 4 Mariscos El Mazatleco Express
3411 Tweedy Blvd #C, South Gate
No. 3 Evil Cooks
3333 N Eastern Ave, El Sereno
No. 2 Mariscos El Faro
6139 N Figueroa St #6113, Highland Park
9070 Venice Blvd, Culver City
No. 1 Mariscos El Chiltpin
1836 E 41st St, Vernon
Sweepstake Rules
- Sign up for our free newsletter for a chance to win an exclusive private dining experience with Arts, Culture & Community Editor Erick Galindo, catered by one of LA’s top chefs — plus other prizes.
- No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win. Winners will be selected at random. Entry requires a valid email address. Open to CA residents 18+ (21+ to redeem prizes involving alcohol service). Prize does not include travel or accommodations; winner is responsible for getting to and from the dining location. Sweepstakes ends July 20, 2026 at 9 a.m. PST. Void where prohibited.
Tournament Rules
- No tacos. No burritos. No tamales. We love them. They are legends. They are disqualified. If you want to vote on tacos, our friends at L.A. Taco got you covered.
- LA must do it well. Every dish in this bracket has a legitimate, excellent representative somewhere in Los Angeles County.
- Dishes were selected on: flavor complexity, cultural significance, how well the best LA spots do it and with input from a small select committee of immigrants and first generation LA residents from the various diasporas. They are divided by region.
- You are the ref. Voting is final. Upsets are encouraged. Heartbreak is part of the process.
- You can vote once a day! And check this space for results.
- The winner of each head-to-head match up will advance until each region has a winner. The winner of each region will make it to the final four.
Why are we doing a food tournament?
The World Cup is here, and that means one thing to me: What are we eating?
I kid, but food is a big part of how and where we watch the game. It’s also a big part of how we first interact with other cultures. The truth is, I’m a big fan of the Mundial because, like food, it has the power to unite people from all over the globe.
And, with Los Angeles hosting eight official games, a lot of the world will be coming here.. Even if you can’t make it to a match, there are plenty of official fan watch parties across LA County — and even more chances to grab global grub.
So with so many people from all over the world descending upon this heavily Latino metropolis, the time is ripe to launch the first-ever LA Local “Mesoamerica Madness” food tournament.
To honor the great diasporas that make LA one of the best places to eat and live, we’ve launched our first-ever Mesoamerica Madness — you know? Like March Madness or Taco Madness — with 32 of the greatest meals you can find here. Which is the best? You decide.
And if you’re still wondering why Latin America? Here’s why.
Long before the Spanish arrived in the Americas, civilizations from the Aztec to the Inca had developed some of the most sophisticated food cultures in the world — drying, smoking and slow-cooking ingredients largely unknown in Europe.
The Columbian Exchange that followed sent ingredients such as chiles, tomatoes, potatoes and cacao around the globe, reshaping cuisines on every continent. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Indigenous, Spanish, African and later Japanese, Lebanese and South Asian influences combined into culinary traditions that are both deeply rooted and constantly evolving.
Los Angeles has become one of North America’s great capitals of these traditions.
With one of the largest Mexican populations outside of Mexico — and the largest of any U.S. county — along with sizable Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Peruvian, Colombian, Venezuelan and Caribbean communities, LA’s restaurant scene stretches from Boyle Heights taquerías to South LA cevicherías and Koreatown Jamaican and Trinidadian spots serving roti, oxtail and jerk.
Pick your favorites and check back next week for the next round!]
