“The reason I love Guerrilla Tacos so much is because it has that authentic, Mexican, East L.A. taco vibe. But it also just screams innovation. The flavors and imagination that Wes has put into the tacos is what really makes it stand out. It has that thing that feels like a taco but it’s so much more than a taco.”
—Skrillex
“Don’t presume Wesley Avila’s terrific Guerrilla Tacos is a book just about tacos. You’d be mistaken, because this is story, a wonderfully told narrative about a man, his struggles, and his dream. Thankfully for him—and for us—it’s a story with a happy ending and a slew of delicious recipes.”
—Nancy Silverton, co-owner of Mozza Restaurant Group
“Wes Avila is a great chef, period. He's also a folk hero and a personal hero, and here is a book filled with his brilliant recipes and stories. All I can say is, if you're like me, you're going look at every photo in this book and say, ‘I want that one, I want that one, I want that one, I want that one...’"
—Philip Rosenthal, creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and I'll Have What Phil's Having
"There are cookbooks you can't wait to actually cook out of, cookbooks you display on your coffee table to remind yourself how cool you are, and cookbooks you read every sentence of because they've somehow nailed storytelling and recipe writing. Well, that last one is a rare unicorn. The new Guerrilla Tacos cookbook is one of those."
—Alex Beggs, BonAppetit.com
"Narrated in Avila’s relaxed, conversational style, that story pulls you in, as do the 50 recipes. [...] Avila also includes more than two dozen of his fantastic salsas, plus illustrations, comics and helpful advice (on tortillas, on tostadas)."
—Tien Nguyen, The Los Angeles Times
“[...] the brilliant mashup that is Guerrilla Tacos feels personal, not gimmicky. With offerings like pork belly and caviar tacos alongside adobo, pastor, carnitas and the gang, there’s a reason that Jonathan Gold deemed it L.A.’s Best Taco Truck. In Guerrilla Tacos: Recipes from the Streets of LA (Ten Speed), with writer Richard Parks III, Avila tells his underdog story with endearing charm.”
—Christine Muhlke, Bon Appetit
"Avila is leading a new wave of LA chefs — children of immigrants, classically trained in French cuisine — who blur the lines between high and low and, in his case, leaving upscale restaurants to serve street food."
—Mandalit Del Barco, National Public Radio