I don't do enough drugs to work at Taco Loco, but they're cool enough to feed my sober ass anyway. Located at 640 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, this fine eating establishment is open to satisfy the munchies till 10 on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends. The atmosphere is casual, with a hint of the psychedelic—the staff wear tie-dyed t-shirts and assorted piercings, and I recommend stopping by on Magic Mushroom Thursdays, when blackened mushroom items are the special of the day—tacos, quesadillas, taco salads, tofu burgers garnished with wonderful mushroom goodness, and my personal favorites, the mushroom and tofu fajitas. All of the above-mentioned items can also be made with your choice of beef, chicken, fish, and carnitas. Accept guacamole when it is offered (hell, beg for more), and think twice before ordering hot sauce (medium is spicy, mild is for wussies). For dessert, there are vegan brownies and cookies, as well as ice cream.
Best of all for me, it's all wonderfully inexpensive. A mushroom-tofu burger with free corn chips on the side will fill you up for less than $3, a heaping stack of nachos around $6, and the aforementioned fajitas between $7 and $8. The OC Weekly says "At Taco Loco you can feast for cheap without the insult of fast food taste. Whether it's the delicious à la carte Mexican food or the cheap prices, the place is constantly swarming with the beautiful surfing crowd." They're right. But you don't have to take my or their word for it; see for yourself the next time you're in town. Yum.