On the edge of a Pavilions parking lot in Hollywood, a charcoal-scented taco stand called Asadero has quietly turned into one of the city's buzziest late-night scenes. What began as a proof-of-concept puesto now draws mesquite smoke, steak fat and a line that curls down the sidewalk, all under the watch of Emiliano "Ruben" Martinez, a chef seasoned in high-volume casino kitchens.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Martinez cooked in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, the Bellagio and the Palazzo before heading to L.A., relocating Asadero to its current Hollywood corner in February 2025. The stand leans hard into steak tacos, from thin, four-ounce gaonera rib-eye to thicker arrachera cuts, and runs Thursday through Sunday evenings. The paper also notes the setup at 723 Vine St. and those late hours, which have become a magnet for diners willing to cross neighborhoods for a parking-lot feast.
Menu, From Gaonera To Blue-Corn Tortillas
As Eater LA points out, the gaonera is Martinez's calling card: thinly sliced rib-eye seared over mesquite and served with a spread of house salsas. The grill also turns out wagyu, USDA Prime and Angus cuts, plus plancha-seared pollo and al pastor, along with a $1 crispy beef-trimmings option designed to cut waste without skimping on flavor.
Martinez recently switched to blue-corn tortillas from Boyle Heights tortillería Kernel of Truth Organics, a move aimed at boosting texture and durability so the stacked, steak-heavy tacos make it from the grill to the curb intact.
How It Blew Up
Local buzz and a few well-placed shout-outs helped yank Asadero out of obscurity. Mentions on The LA Food Podcast and a May write-up in The Infatuation turned a modest nightly crowd into something that looks more like a sidewalk event. The Infatuation dubbed it "LA's most exciting new taco stand," a line that sent even more hungry Angelenos hunting for the parking lot.
The attention brought some nitpicking along with the praise. Early homemade tortillas caught heat for breaking apart, but the growing crowds also turned into repeat customers, a core of regulars who helped keep the stand steady through its early stretch run.
Scaling Up And What's Next
Martinez leaned on his Vegas background to keep the chaos under control, training staff and tightening operations into a system that now usually moves the line in about 15 to 20 minutes, according to the Los Angeles Times. He told the paper he is aiming to roll out a food truck by the end of 2026 and eventually land a brick-and-mortar restaurant. For now, the priority is reliable late-night service and keeping the charcoal glowing.
Asadero's rise slots neatly into a broader carne-asada moment in L.A., where grill-first taquerías are getting serious play from critics and customers alike. Observers at Eater LA and other outlets see the stand as part of a wave of spots where Angelenos are embracing both specific regional taco traditions and higher-end ingredients on the street-food circuit.
