Why Come Here? LA style tacos, best shrimp taco in NYC, homemade corn tortillas
Shrimp Taco
Like the pizza slice joint and corner bodega, us New Yorker’s can’t get enough high-quality quick-service taco joints since Chipotle gave us the introduction. Many have run with the concept in new and often better directions, including personal faves Nor Cal Mex Dos Toros and Texas style smoked meat spots Tres Carnes and Mexicue. Now LA-style Otto’s Tacos has entered the ring with homemade corn tortillas and preparations that make it for my money the best of the lot.
If you’ve been to any of the places I mentioned above, you can pretty much imagine what Otto’s looks like. A smallish space with dark walls and a big menu above the counter where you place your order. At the end of the line, you pay and get your food. There are a few tables to enjoy your tacos, over half of which are outdoors.
What’s missing is that place where you tell the guy or gal how many dollops of sour cream or chards of cheese you want on your taco. You don’t pick your topping here. Otto’s is best in town and you should trust them to make you a proper taco. Your only join is the filling: steak, pork, chicken, shrimp or mushrooms. All of them are very good, although I didn’t enjoy the ones with red salsa quite as much. No matter what you get, the homemade soft corn tortillas they’re coming in are way better than anything the competition is doing. I’m also a big fan of the fact you can order them individually, meaning you can mix-and-match or just grab a single for a snack. I recently sampled a trio and my thoughts are below:
Chicken Taco
Shrimp Taco 
Grilled shrimp tacos don’t usually do it for me, but these are probably the best I’ve had. The shrimp aren’t overcooked (a rarity) and the serrano crema gave it a nice bite without being too creamy.
Chicken There’s clearly a ceiling to how good chicken in a taco can be but these guys hit it with tender meat and a nice level of spice and char. The excellent tangy green salsa earns it a third star.
Carne Asada 
The beef tacos needed a little freshness as I found it a little heavy on the meaty, savoriness. I think I’d prefer it with the green salsa. Still quite good, but not a must order.
Ottos Tacos
141 Second Avenue (8 & 9 Sts)
New York, NY
