If Lorena is that old lady who popped her head out of a window and handed me tacos she’s pretty dope.

TL;DR: Lorena’s is effectively a kitchen window with limited seating dishing up as-advetised common dishes ranging from an assortment of tacos to select daily plates. If you’re hungry and want a solid Mexican option look no further.

Georgetown continues to impress me. The same way the Arts District in Los Angeles started and then grew up Georgetown seems like it has the same DNA. Old industry and new people maybe? In LA I think it really worked despite anti-gentrifier claims. That part of DTLA was warehouses, crack hideouts, and trucks sleeping overnight. To turn a former shithole into some of the hottest retail, commercial, and residential zones in the city is amazing. Georgetown feels like it’s the infant version of that but with an actual residential population. How it pans out I guess lies with the city.

Regardless, an upcoming work day with two hours free at lunch I decided to work from home in the morning so I could jet down the 5 Freeway and in a fat-fest hit two spots for lunch. In this episode: Lorena’s Kitchen.

The Internet is trash and complains about a lot of things. I read across Google and Yelp that things preventing this place from 5* reviews were lame qualms about “authenticity”, ordering process, and the lack of an actual dining room. Get over it. Try ordering from a tent in East LA or a pickup truck in Puerto Vallarta. There’s no vibrating pager when your order is ready and there’s no standing around at the register debating choices or aimlessly questioning the ingredients of something. This is a kitchen with a retail window and doesn’t claim to be more than that.

If you want straight up as-advertised tacos, burritos, or whatever else is written on neon cardboard in the window, this is your place.

My actual food commentary is quite limited. I came to Lorena’s knowing I wanted to try their tacos, one of asada, canitas, and adobada, knowing it would just be that they met or exceeded some form of traditional qualities that made this place good or not. It’s good. I came knowing there’s no public restroom, tacos are cooked like the pictures, and there’s no majestic claims to being the best.

If you live or work around here check it out.