Andale Taqueria Y Mercado

★★★★☆ 4.2 (766) • $$

"My brother-in-law said this was the joint for solid Mexican. He was right! There is a Mexican Supermercado attached to the restaurant, which we hit after dinner, they have excellent desserts, including flan and various pastries. As for the restaurant, it is bright, beautifully decorated, and spotless! I had no idea it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives--what a nice surprise!They serve breakfast all day, which is awesome. It is window service for the order. This is not a proper sit-down restaurant, but they have plenty of tables, and no alcohol, FYI. I had the chicken 3 chicken flautas with rice and beans, 'B+' grade. The chatter among our group was that everything was delicious."

Colita

★★★★☆ 4.4 (581) • $$$

"Very special restaurant, perfect for date night, dinner with friends, taking your parents out for their birthday... The menu is diverse and there's really something for everybody. The food was really outstanding. There was an eggplant dish that was the best eggplant I've ever had, the lamb barbacoa was unique! I also loved the fried green tomato salad, the aguachile, and the scallops. Everything was excellent (except the brownie for dessert, that was only ok to be honest). The churros are what they're famous for on the dessert front and wow, for good reason. Also I love how flexible the staff are when it comes to portions. They'll gladly add an extra taco, tostada, whatever to make sure everyone gets to try what they want to. The group sharing is so easy! Love the vibe, adore the food."

El Taco Riendo

★★★★☆ 4.1 (511) • $

"This is one (of several) favorites on Central. We always know when we come here, it's about to go dowwwwn. Come hungry!We came around 7 on a weekday and the place was pretty quiet, but plenty of seating inside. Check out their menu and then order at the front: they'll bring food out to you when it's ready.So many goodies on the menu, including authentic items you can't get everywhere like alambre, sopes, and caldo de res. Prices are affordable: you can get uncomfortably full for under $12!I can't NOT get sopes when I see them, so I got the carnitas sopes (comes with 3) and loved the flavors. My partner got the steak quesadilla and was pleasantly surprised by the steak flavor - more of a pot roast then carne asada. He also got a taco and tostada, all great flavor. I didn't see any horchata or queso on the menu, and was craving both!Parking is free street outside, and usually is pretty easy to find. On a street full of awesome spots, El Taco Riendo is always a great choice."

Catrinas Cerveza & Mexican Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (386) • $

"I love this place! This is my favorite lunch spot in the area! I have come here for lunch 3 times in the last week. My go to order is a chicken bowl with Mexican rice, grilled onions and peppers, pinto and black beans, corn and black bean salsa, onion, tomatoes, pico de Gallo, cheese, lettuce, queso, pickled jalapeño, and cilantro. The food is fresh and authentic! The chicken is moist and flavorful! The rice is so good! The bowl will set you back about 10 bucks. They have daily specials too! The service is quick and the line moves fast! The dining room fills up quickly during lunch! The ordering process is cafeteria or chipotle style. This restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall!"

Nico's Taco and Tequila Bar

★★★★☆ 3.5 (482) • $$

"We went for the holiday bar and had a wonderful time!First, parking - the area right in front of Nico's turns into a bus land during certain hours. They have a tiny parking area on the side of the building. I had no problem finding a spot just around the block (just watch for snow emergencies!). The bar was sooooo cute. I loved all the decorations and the music. We sat on the second floor and I loved how spaced out the seating was. I had a festive cocktail drink- it was priced right and tasted great! I ordered the Flautas Verdes with Carnitas and it was so flavorful and fresh. I loveddddd the verde sauce, which has a nice kick of spice."

Bravis

★★★★★ 4.7 (259) • $$

"It was Saturday, it was lunch time...Time for New Restaurant Saturday with the wife.We decided to head south and try this Mexican place in Shakopee near the horsies, and the only thing on my mind was Torta! Torta! Torta! Like John Belushi in Animal House.We sat down, I ordered a Traitor IPA from next door at Badger Hill and said "One torta please!" ..... Subtle pause. "We don't have tortas, we didn't get our bread yet."Dejected, I ordered the chicken fajita tacos and the pork tacos. I also ordered the extra hot sauce.Our server was very nice and we got our food fairly quickly, from this spacious cantina and I liked the chicken fajita tacos a little better than the pork ones, but be warned, the extra hot sauce is so hot, it isn't flavorful, I dipped it into the medium to mix and it melds perfectly. The chicken was just perfectly cooked and juicy. The pork tacos were a tad dry? All of the dishes came out perfectly plated and pretty.The beers help wash down the experience and it is overall, a good and reasonable Mexican place. I would have given it five stars, but alas...No torta."

Lago Tacos - Uptown

★★★★☆ 3.6 (425) • $$

"Stopped in during happy hour with a friend. Pre-pandemic we would eat here often & have always loved it. The staff are always nice & attentive. I ordered the chicken tinga tacos with rice & chipotle mayo & she got the tuna tacos with rice & sweet corn cake. The tacos were good as always. The sides were a bit off like they were premade & sitting all day. After we ate we decided to order Washington Apple shots which were big shots & good. Surprised at how slow a lot of the businesses were at happy hour but it was a Monday but happy we were able to get parking in the lot (smaller lot behind the restaurant) & a table right away. Overall we love Lagos & will hopefully get the chance to go again."

Pajarito

★★★★☆ 4.1 (322) • $$

"Absolute gem in MN. Being from San Diego, I have high standards for Mexican fare. The margaritas were well made, great salsa and everyone in the party enjoyed their dish. Service was great."

Pineda Tacos

★★★★☆ 4.2 (302) • $

"No frills Mexican food. They have a variety of combo meals, all of which seem to come with chips and a beverage. Lots of options for meat and salsa. I went with a very simple 3 taco meal, with Chipotle chicken. It was yummy, but the sauce was very messy. Also tried a medium red salsa, green avocado salsa, and mild with the chips. The green avocado was my favorite with just a slight kick. Was also very fast at lunch time."

Ena

★★★★☆ 4 (318) • $$

"This is a tough one. The food was really good-really good, however the prices blew my mind for the size of the portions.I got the ZANAHORIAS - Roasted brown butter garlic carrots, guajillo butter sauce, asparagus, mushrooms, micro arugula, tangerine oil, sherry glaze.This was my main dish and although it was delicious, it was like 4 carrots, 8 mushrooms, and 3 asparagus. I was still hungry when I finished and it was $18! So good and just ok"

Washington Square Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (349) • $$

"I tried the steak skillet with carrots and red potato's. The steak was ok, but I was expecting a steak; it was sliced up. Veggies were charred by the too hot skillet. Servers were nice but not responsive to the issues.We'll come back but won't order anything beyond a sandwich."

Taco Libre

★★★★☆ 4.2 (271) • $$

"I have fallen in love with the birria tacos here! They are so delicious! I ordered the alambre via door dash and was left disappointed, but I believe that is because the delivery service isn't always totally reliable. I have been to this location a few times and all the times I have left with a full belly. They are continually busy which is a testament to the quality they have with their food. Definitely stop here!"

Sonora Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (328) • $$

"I love the taco Tuesday here! The tacos are all good, I get the steak one on Tuesdays.This is a very agreeable place, good food, hip scene, outdoor seating, bar and an interesting décor. Check it out."

La Tapatia

★★★★☆ 4.4 (209) • $$

"Man. This place has blown up and reservations are needed. I kid you not, they have a ton of indoor and outdoor seating and walk up for about a dozen at the bar but even that is a 1/2 hour to 45 minute wait. Besides this being quite the success story (food truck, small business on Larpenteur, to this location and possibly one happening in Mpls), the food is really kickass! First let's start with drinks. Since La Tapatia took over a former New Bohemia space, they kept ALL the tap lines. I think I remember the bartender saying that there were 30 lines and 25 of those are probably local lines which is pretty cool. They also offer all sorts of other drinks from wine to marg's and more. The food and soup's are amazing. The cebollita's (small fried onions), are crack! Everything is fantastic about this place. And then last year, wifey and I tied the knot and we used La Tapatia to cater it. I had heard horror stories about other couples using food trucks with slow service and La Tapatia crushed it. They premade everything and even had vegetarian options. It wasn't just beans & rice for the non-meat eaters, we were able to offer up Abe's moms' special recipe of pineapple tamales. Wow! We had been in Mexico City earlier that year and had some cranberry tamales and they were so good. The pineapple though blew my mind they were so good. It's not gonna be anything you see on the menu. Seriously, this is really a great success story and if you haven't been yet, do yourself a favor and make a reservation."

Lago Tacos

★★★★☆ 3.7 (287) • $$

"This is definitely my favorite spot in the cities for tacos and I know tacos (spent 12 years in Az) so trust me on this one. I love how we can order tacos a la carte and every single taco I've tried has been really really good. Small place and it's always busy. Great service every dang time. Cheers!"

Boca Chica Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (300) • $$

"My family and I have been coming to Boca Chica Restaurant as long as I can remember (literally YEARS!). I love to support local and the food is absolutely delicious. The buffet is scrumptious which is offered at lunch during the week and also on Sundays. This visit my lovely sister treated me to the lunch buffet for my birthday which was so great because we rarely get a day off during the week together. As always, it was fantastic and we left beyond stuffed. I love the fried flour tacos, beans, and rice. Cannot forgot the bean, cheese, and chorizo dip for an appetizer. Let me tell you, do NOT skip on this. It's the best. However, back to the lunch buffet, I missed the cheese enchiladas this visit (sad face). Just a wonderful variety especially for the reasonable price. I love how the buffet setup has been moved to the back room, doesn't seem as crowded as past visits for the buffet. Our waitress was fine, not overly friendly, but still fine. I did get to enjoy a large chocolate sundae. My nephew, sister, and I left with really full bellies and smiling faces. I'll always be back to this spot.... Cannot go wrong."

Nacho's Mexican Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (209) • $$

"My girlfriends and I went to Nachos in Hopkins before a Library event called PenPals. A bunch of other ladies had the same idea. The line was long, but they were quick and efficient! It took no time at all!I chose a Mexican Coca Cola and carnitas enchiladas with a side of guacamole. Everything was superb! Flavorful, delicious, and so enjoyable. One of my friends got the Sopas and now I have to go back and try those myself! Another friend ordered some fries which were crunchy and fluffy. So impressed!The dining area is clean with lots of room! Our group of 6 fit in no problem. Everyone working there is so friendly and helpful. I'm definitely going back!"

Jefe Urban Cocina

★★★★☆ 3.8 (260) • $$

"We stopped here after the Yelpies as a group and they were so accommodating to us. They set up a table for us and got us all water and menus. They communicated several times when last call for food and then later on last call for drinks. They even brought us complimentary chips and salsa( probably because they saw we were Yelpers). This would be a great date spot as it had that romantic atmosphere. I tried the Yucca fries and they were delicious. My non alcoholic drink was light and refreshing. Seriously great service. 100/10 recommend this to anyone looking for a cute date spot. So sorry to the staff for our group being loud. Actually it was probably just me that was loud. Nonetheless thanks for putting up with us."

Homi Mexican

★★★★☆ 4 (232) • $

"I returned here for the first time in a while based on some good buzz, and the buzz was not kiddin'! My friend actually drove all the way from Maple Grove at lunchtime on a weekday because he was so excited about how good he heard their new birria tacos are. We both got them and we were both really, really satisfied! Not only that, everything else we had was good enough to warrant a new review with top ratings; I feel very confident in recommending this to anyone hungry for Mexican food in the Twin Cities.The birria tacos are shredded beef in a double-tortilla-plus-cheese situation, served with a broth which you can dip the tacos in or eat like a soup. We dipped and dipped and dipped and it was awesome. My friend, who, again, went way out of his way to have his craving for good birrias satisfied, was even more impressed with their horchata. He loves authentic horchata and thinks this was one of the best he's ever had. The elotes, Mexican-style corn on the cob, was exceptionally yummy even if it looked modest. Even my sides of beans and rice were above average; they were just really well made. They have a number of delivery options now, so I expect to be ordering from them much more regularly, and I expect my pal to drop by from the MG more often as well!"

Nacho Mama's

★★★★☆ 3.5 (302) • $$

"My friend and I shared the smothered chicken burrito because it was gigantic!! The two of us couldn't finish one burrito! It was so delicious. The cheese sauce was so unique, but it was wonderful. It pulled the whole meal together. The burrito came with rice and beans which were tasty as well. We also had the chips and salsa appetizer, which was also very good.We were seated promptly even during a busy lunchtime. We ate outside and it was lovely. I would recommend going back anytime!"

Aurelia's Authentic Mexican Food

★★★★☆ 4.1 (198) • $$

"It was a bit tough to get help on the menu items as it pertains to the special menu items listed at the restaurant. I went with my staple favorites so I got the 3 taco special choosing the fish, chorizo, and steak no beans and double rice. All were very tasty and especially the rice. I will have to try to get guacamole or avocados and horchata if they have that next time. Prices are reasonable and the service was quick."

Chevys Fresh Mex

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (287) • $$

"Chevys is located across the mall of America and close to hotels in the area. They happened to be one of the only places opened around the mall on New Years Eve evening. We were in a time crunch to eat before an escape room scheduled at 10:00pm back in the mall. Mexican food, love their chips and salsa, it was happy hour so half off on appetizers and I love their flautas and their sweet sauce. Our server was super friendly and nice and got us in and out in our time frame. They had TVs by the bar and they were showing football instead of basketball. But easy parking and very family friendly."

Taqueria Los Ocampo

★★★★☆ 3.9 (218) • $

"Late night menu hit the spot. The music is also a vibe. The service is quick. Great drunk food. I got nothing else to add."

Taqueria y Birrieria las Cuatro Milpas

★★★★☆ 4.3 (175) • $$

"This is a nice place that the locals like to go (someone local recommended it) where the service is friendly, food is tasty, and you can eat on a budget. You go for the food, not the decor. And my street taco was delicious with perfectly flavored shredded chicken (which is the best!) and the beans were just straight up beans (with nice flavor). It was just a good lunch that hit the spot and I'm glad someone suggested it."

Las Tortillas Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (186) • $$

"This was the first time my mother and I came here. Apparently people around town love it and we had to try it. We ended up getting two apps to start, the bandera and the tamale of the day. They were both awesome and clearly made fresh. I especially liked the guacamole . Yum! For entrees, mom got the trio of enchiladas. She liked them but the chorizo one was too hot for her she said. However, as we all know, chorizo is spicy :). I ended up taking it to go. For me, I got the barbacoa burrito bowl without pico. I enjoyed it and the meat was flavorful. I would have preferred it with salsas and guacamole but luckily we had ordered the bandera so I added them myself. I would recommend stopping by and the service was wonderful as well."

Dominguez Family Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (203) • $$

"I wanted a Margarita and I came to the right place. Delicious house Margaritas served in a large goblet. Food is also very good. Sometimes it's hard to find vegetarian options at Mexican restaurants, but I found plenty and they were all fantastic. The lunch specials are a great deal and you can pick 1,2,3 different items from the menu so you can try different things. Food was fresh, hot, and flavorful. Service was great and I will definitely be back."

El Parian Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (174) • $

"Very nice restaurant, right behind Target, almost passed it. Was greeted by the staff and sat in the booths. Nice and comfortable seating with privacy, also there are tables for larger families to dine in.I was greeted with chips and salsa along with a nice queso sauce that had a nice spicy hint. I ordered the carnitas platter, which came with rice and beans and salad with guacamole. It was so tasty, came with 4 tortillas to make your own tacos. Very flavorful and crispy carnitas. I noticed there were some optional sauces on the side but wish the dish came with a traditional house made salsa verde instead. To drink I had a Jarrito Tamarind flavor, very classic and paired so well. I was very full by the end and that was a total of 20$ for both. Service was great, the bathroom was very clean, the team was alert at all times. Will definitely come back again to try their mole enchiladas."

Taco Taxi

★★★★☆ 4 (178) • $

"A good part of Lake Street in south Minneapolis has really become a Little Mexico enclave with a lot of culture and great food in recent years. Taco Taxi is one of the many local, hole-in-the-wall spots for authentic street tacos, burritos and other tasty treats. No Tex-Mex stuff here. I'm not sure I can say it is better or worse than any of the other little places in the area but there are a couple of things that made it stand out in my mind during my lunch visit. First, it's bright yellow exterior and catchy name draw you in like moth to flame. Once in, I noted that it was not as crowded as some other places. That may be because it is a little more to the east and I think that the other places get more pedestrian traffic from the midtown market area workers. That makes this great for a quick in and out lunch without lines.Second, their prices are about $1 less than other shops for a decent burrito. I think that the portions here are a bit smaller too but I kind of like that since you can eat a delicious lunch for well under $10 here and not waddle out feeling like you just took down an entire side of beef. That often happens at some of the other places and I spend the afternoon in a post-lunch semi-coma which is kind of non-productive. Finally, their lengua was outstanding. Beefy, tender, really tasty and very much like pot roast wrapped in a tortilla with cilantro and onion. Salsa rojo on the side was plenty flavorful and had a nice heat to it. They threw in a freebie grilled jalapeño with my order when I asked for a Chile Toreado which was nice since other places have charged me up to another $1 for this added gut grenade. Definitely no complaints about the food although I can't really say that I prefer it over any other local shop but it sure is nice to have a lot of great options in this area. Minneapolis is really lucky to have a growing ethnic food scene and Taco Taxi is a very affordable part of that. Definitely recommend giving them a try!"

El Super Taco

★★★★☆ 4.4 (145) • $$

"We needed a quick bite before a show at the ames and stopped here. The local is in a strip mall with ample parking. As you peer into the store front it looks very small from the outside well that's because it is. We walked in and were greeted right away and the aromas inside were uplifting and brought new life to me as my stomach stopped growling. The menu was very mighty for a small place and I ordered the barbacoa tacos and a Mexican street corn. We waited and before we could sit down the food was out. You would think the guys in the back worked at the Honda assembly line they were so fast and efficient. The taco was very good and filled with flavors. The onions and what not tasted freshly cut and not some that were from a can or refrigerated for days.The street corn well.... the corn itself was very buttery and juicy and we felt we has to wear safety goggles to prevent it from getting in eyes after every bite. The fixings were lacking and it did not have much of thr mayo cream sauce on it as I get from the local elote lady in saint paul. The cheese was good but was also lacking the lime zesty taste. It had lots of chili powder on it.Overall it was good. I gave it 5 stars and will go back when I have more time to try their food. For now 5 stars."

Taberna Street Tacos

★★★★☆ 3.7 (205) • $$

"Casual spot for tasty Mexican bites. Went with a group and ordered the meal for 4 which was a great deal. 12 tacos (your choice), 4 elotes, and large bowls of rice and beans for $55. If you just order 12 tacos alone, that's almost $60 so this was a great value. The carnitas, shrimp and al pastor tacos were the favorites. And the elotes had lots of cotija cheese and mayo to give lots of flavor. Not healthy, but tasty! Added a chicken quesadilla since the guys were worried it wasn't enough food but that was only ok. And there was plenty of food without it anyway. We couldn't even finish the rice and beans. Everything came out super fast too."

Taqueria La Hacienda

★★★★☆ 4.1 (164) • $$

"First time coming in and I ordered 4 tacos: 2 al pastor, 2 lengua. The al pastor is absolutely delicious, and Is probably one of the best that I have had in the Twin Cities. It comes with pineapple, but I ordered them without. Lengua was okay, not as flavorful as other places I've ordered from. They have a large menu of different tacos, platters, and tortas. There is also menudo and pozole, but I think it is only available on the weekend. Drink wise, They have canned coke and jarritos.You order at the counter and they call out your number. You can order to take home but there is a lot of seating inside. Service was fast and prompt. Overall, I would definitely come back or try one of the other locations."

Petite Leon

★★★★☆ 4.4 (142) • $$

"Surprise visit to one of the restaurants on my Yelp wishlist for our anniversary - YAY! I had no idea we were coming here and it was such a pleasant surprise. Petite Leon is a bar/restaurant in Minneapolis with a cozy, elevated feel. The dark, low lighting makes it perfect for dates or other intimate gatherings, and the food is outstanding. We ordered the Steak Frites Au Poivre and Le Cheeseburger which were SO good. I love a burger that melts in your mouth and I can't stop thinking about the crust on the steak. Incredibly flavorful and well balanced. My margarita was also top tier and I actually loved that the side of the glass was coated in salt. Our server was amazing. Friendly, professional and attentive. We got the wrong check at the end but they called immediately and are getting it resolved. It can easily become a splurge, but if you're looking for the lounge-like feel of a speakeasy, good drinks, and really impressive food, Petite Leon should be near the top of your list."

Mexico City Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (137)

"We happened upon this place and had no idea it existed! I'm not sure we had a good enough experience to return, but glad we tried it.The ambiance inside is mixed: order at the front, half exposed preparation area, and some high-top seating where the team brings out your food when ready. We got chips and guac, taco platter, quesadilla, and enchiladas. The young cashiers said they are known for their enchiladas so we were excited to try them out. Service was friendly, and seemed to have more than plenty staff onsite.Overall, prices felt steep and we weren't overly impressed with the flavors. Food didn't come out piping hot, and everything tasted pretty basic - not the vibrant, powerful flavors we look for in our tacos. The enchiladas were good, but felt a bit soggy and the green sauce didn't have much flavor. The quesadilla was pretty small and again, no flavors to write home about. I can see this being an easy spot for folks that live nearby, but don't see us coming back since there are so many other taco spots in the Cities we love."

Machete Cocina Mexicana

★★★★☆ 3.7 (187)

"Okay Woodbury! This will be our new go to spot when in the area. Live music was awesome, the decor is a total vibe. Our waitress was awesome. I wanted a NA michelada and she suggested I have it with sparkling water I was hesitant but it was equally as delicious. The birria tacos were good and the flautas were delicious."

Que Taco

★★★★★ 4.5 (122)

"Ahhhh, the 4.5 dilemma: round up or down... I decided to go up for the fantastic corn shells on the delicious street tacos. Thick - yet soft and pliable - no tears, no sogginess. A+++We ordered 3 street tacos: Asada, Carnitas & Chicken Tinga (asada, while still good was the least favorite), all were simple protein, white onion & cilantro, as they should be. The meats were juicy & the salsa brought a tear to the eye of my heat loving husband- not sure if it was the unexpected kick or if it was joy... we were very pleased.Also ordered a super fish taco (good) & chips with chorizo queso... the chips were standard tortilla chips & the queso was thin - the consistency of milk thin... tho quite tasty. Order & pick up at the counter for dine-in or take out. No table service, tho there are several tables, self-bus, prices are reasonable and the menu /concrpt is clear. Definitely recommend!"