Guelaguetza

The overview

The Lopez family's Oaxacan moles in Koreatown since 1994.

Guelaguetza has been Los Angeles's temple of Oaxacan cooking since 1994, when the López family brought the deep, complex moles of southern Mexico to a mural-splashed dining room in Koreatown. Named for Oaxaca's great festival of giving, it taught a generation of Angelenos to love mole negro, tlayudas and sipping mezcal.

A James Beard Foundation America's Classics award in 2015 confirmed what the neighborhood already knew — and in 2026 the public record cleared our bar too, with the Centurion Award for Los Angeles.

What they're known for

Mole negro
Tlayudas
Mezcal & Oaxacan clayudas

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

Google Maps
Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Guelaguetza cleared every one.

✓Years in operation. Operating in Los Angeles since 1994 — 32 years of continuous business.
✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Los Angeles.
✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Los Angeles has kept Guelaguetza busy for 32 years.
✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Los Angeles regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
✓Recognition in the local community. Named best Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles for 2026 for the Lopez family's moles, a James Beard America's Classics award, and three decades at the center of Oaxacan LA.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2026

Best Oaxacan Restaurant in Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA · Awarded under the 2026 evaluation

All awards for Guelaguetza →

Visit Guelaguetza

Websiteilovemole.com ↗

Location3014 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006

In business since1994

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Guelaguetza — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

Legal / trading name: Guelaguetza
Category: Restaurant
Founded: 1994, Los Angeles, CA
Founders: Fernando & María Monterrubio López
Location: 3014 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006
Centurion Award: Best Oaxacan Restaurant in Los Angeles — 2026
Other recognition: James Beard Foundation America's Classics (2015)
Record last verified: July 2026

A signal you can check.

This is a dated award record, published by The Centurion Awards after Guelaguetza cleared the 2026 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions.

What is Guelaguetza?

Family-run Oaxacan restaurant founded in 1994, famous for its black mole and honored with a James Beard America's Classics award.

Is Guelaguetza award-winning?

Yes — Guelaguetza is the 2026 Centurion Award winner for Best Oaxacan Restaurant in Los Angeles, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles for 2026 for the Lopez family's moles, a James Beard America's Classics award, and three decades at the center of Oaxacan LA.

Where is Guelaguetza?

Guelaguetza is in Los Angeles, CA.