The Most Delicious Mexican in Raleigh

Las Gringas

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (36)

"We caught up with Las Gringas at Deep River Brewing in Clayton. Super friendly and funny guy taking orders. Not a tremendous amount of keto-friendly options here, but that's to be expected with tacos and tortillas. I made the best option and chose a plate that was basically battered and fried shrimp in a spicy sauce.Since I was already off keto for the night, this wasn't too bad. The shrimp were delicious and just a little bit spicy. My friend had a chicken burrito and declared it delicious.Good stuff! I'd choose from these folks again![Review 11823 overall, 1605 of 2019.]"

El Charro Grande

★★★★☆ 4.3 (152) • $

"We don't go out for Mexican very often. We ended up staying in Dunn longer than planned, so decided to give this place a try. We're so glad we did!Both times we were seated right away. We ordered margaritas. They were huge and had a good flavor. Our server brought chips and salsa. The chips may be the only negative of the meal. They weren't bad, but they weren't great. The salsa was good. The menu is huge. It was hard to decide. We ended up ordering a Steak with Shrimp, a Steak Burrito, and Fried Shrimp Chimichangas. The Fried Shrimp Chimichangas came with an enchilada cheese sauce on top and rice and beans. The chimi with the sauce was memorable. I would go back just for that. Delicious! We finished with deep fried ice cream for dessert.The service was very good. Each server we had was attentive. The food came out quickly and hot. My only regret is that we didn't order the Burrito California. Both servers recommended it. It sounds good! Maybe another time.Relaxing atmosphere! Great food! Good service! Yummy margaritas!"

Mariscos Nayarit

★★★★☆ 3.5 (76)

"It's so hard to find a real chile relleno around here, and I got excited when I read their menu online that described what sounded like a real one indeed and mentioned that it was roasted in the oven. So off we went on a recent Friday night.We were greeted and sat at a booth. Husband ordered a Diet Coke but didn't complain when they brought him a real Coke as it was the Mexican version in a bottle and he was curious to try it. Liked it. I had a glass of chardonnay that must not be a common order as it took awhile to get and was served warm. Thankfully I had water and was able to dig some ice out for my wine.Husband ordered a burrito. I of course got the chile rellenos with beans and rice. Chips and salsa were good. Husband loved his burrito. At first I loved the rellenos, but they clearly had been fried and not roasted (which they usually are anyway), but as a result they were on the greasy side. By the second one, I was taking the batter off. Beans and rice were quite good.Next time I'll probably stick with what they are known for...seafood. Note: they have a robot that brings your food, but it is accompanied by a person who does put it on your table. Very cool! The bar area was really hopping with music and singing and folks sounding like they were having a terrific time. It's nice that they have that as a fun option, while the dining room is more quiet if that's what you prefer."

Taqueria y Restaurant el Primo

★★★★☆ 4 (16)

"As a near-30 year Texan, I had had my fill of Mexican food when I moved to NC. I literally had zero craving for Mexican food for about 4 years. That all changed recently when I suddenly was struck by a near-murderous craving for tacos and was not going to stop talking about it until my husband either left the room or I had tacos (Taco Bell does not do here, and neither does Chuys). I really did not know what sort of Mexican food I'd find here, and Yelp led me to Taqueria y Restaurant el Primo. Short answer - the food is delicious. Get it. Their website had a contact button, and I needed to know if they had aguachile, as their website menu didn't have it listed but their Yelp menu does. With absolutely no expectation that they would ever respond, I sent them a message through their contact form. Not only did an actual person respond, they responded within ten minutes. The service is legit.Where they could improve is their online presence. It seems you can order online through their Yelp listing, but their menu as of last Friday was inconsistent with their website menu (which had no way to order online). Their Facebook page did have a link to order online, and even that was a bit confusing with the options such as rice and beans. But it worked - we ordered Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo, a pork carnitas burrito, and a beef barbacoa burrito. Everything was SO GOOD - burritos stuffed with well-seasoned meat, shrimp was hot and garlicky, and rice and beans were perfect. Everything was hot and ready when they said it would be. The music inside was very loud - I had to shout at the server to be heard - so that would make for an unpleasant dine-in experience for us. But we all loved our food and my son immediately said he wanted to go back. I want this place to succeed and so do you, even if you don't know it yet."

Don Beto's Tacos

★★★★☆ 3.8 (54) • $

"I really love their tacos here they are way more flavorful than El Toro down the street from here. You order the tacos individually, they are so flavorful. I also like the carne asada plate it comes with a little bit of everything. I will say most workers only speak Spanish here. Go in knowing you might have a language barrier if you are a primary English speaker. This place is worth a try, at an authentic Mexican restaurant. It is very vibrant inside and colorful."

Porfirios Mexican Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (30)

"Porfirios is a relatively new mexican restaurant in Wilson, and my friends spoke so highly of it, I drove 52 miles to check it out. The hype is real! From the 100% health rating, to the fun decor, FANTASTIC shrimp ceviche, cold beer, salsa and burritos, my friends and I left full and happy. I'll definitely be back to have more of that ceviche. The addition of fresh mango and avocado is absolutely perfect :) Looking forward to trying more of the menu."

San Marcos Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (323) • $$

"I go there for the mojara frita (fried whole tilapia). Not many Mexican restos serve it because Americans are repulsed by the idea that cooked fish come with the head still on. Service is normally quick but a little slow when we went there (a weekend). Place looks clean."

Torero's Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (221) • $$

"Ask for Jonathon and don't forget the Queso. Nestled in a plaza in Cary this spot will make you a lover of all things Mexican. I branched out to a new dish and I'd do it again!"

El Patron Tacos & Tequila

★★★★☆ 4.1 (43)

"Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and thought it was the perfect place. We were seated immediately and our waitress was very attentive. Chips and salsa were there literally like white on rice. Our drink order was taken and we all got various margaritas, plus some water... and one horchata! Honestly, I'm breastfeeding so I don't drink much. I was waiting for this margarita to knock me on my ass, but it didn't. I could barely taste the alcohol lol. Otherwise, the fruit combination was very good! I think I got the crazy margarita or something, but it had pineapple, strawberry, and likeeee mango, I think, in it. If you're down for a nice, fruity drink with little to no alcohol, this place is for you. I do recommend the horchata though! One of the girls we were with is Hispanic and said it was pretty accurate, so I trust her judgment. I thought it tasted like delicious cereal milk and would totally order if we went there again. Anywho, for appetizers, we got some type of Mexican egg rolls. They came with sauce that, everyone agreed, tasted like Chick-fil-A sauce lol. They were tasty though! I'd also eat those again. Cheese dip was great! Salsa was a little weak, but they're trying to appease a bunch of basic white people, so I understand they gotta mellow things out. Good flavor though. I don't have a clue what everyone else ordered, but I got the carnitas street tacos, add cheese. My side was beans. I did enjoy my tacos! The meat was tender, but also a little chewy at times. The beans were alright, but I didn't eat most of them. I filled up on chips and cheese dip! Either way, our server was seriously very sweet and accommodating. Food was decent. Probably not super authentic Mexican, but good enough that I would come back."

Tortilleria Y Taqueria

★★★★☆ 4 (5)

"The best tacos!! Thankfully my husband speaks fluent Spanish. That is how authentic this place is!! Love it."

Mi Calvillo

★★★★★ 4.6 (126)

"Best tacos I've had in Durham. Love the way they present the nachos. It's exactly how'd I'd eat it if I were at home. It's all business. The Carnitas, Chorizo and Al Pastor are all recommended. The salsa is on the mild side so please use generously. It's got great flavor. I was impressed with this visit. I came in hungry and I left happy. You've definitely got a gem here in Durham. I will be back many times over. Yum gang..."

Casa Mexicana 2

★★★★☆ 3.6 (63)

"Back in North Carolina this week so met up with the fam for lunch at Casa Mexicana. This place has been around for years now and is a great spot to grab a cheap but tasty lunch. Prices can't be beat. And the quality of the food is always solid. Quick service. Very friendly, family-run staff. I got the Steak Burrito on the lunch menu which came with rice and refried beans. Portions were perfect for lunch and it tasted great. Someone in my group got 3 hard shell tacos and enjoyed them as well. Can't recommend this place enough. Like most Mexican restaurants, complimentary chips and salsa are provided. Sadly I forgot to take pictures like usually because everything looked good and I tore through my food!!"

Baja Burrito

★★★★☆ 3.7 (114)

"This spot was easy to find and had plenty of free a d close parking right near Nc state aThe ingredients are prepared fresh on site with a wide range of options to choose fromThe portions are HUGE!Great spot and will be back soon"

Taqueria La Costeña

★★★★★ 4.5 (34)

"I learned about this place from a friend while out at an Event. We planned a time to go since it wasn't far from our house and had lunch there. The place was very unexpected, considering it's a gas station. I ordered an Al Pastor, Carne Asada and a Carnitas taco with a Cucumber Agua Fresca. The steak was a little too cooked for me, but the Carnitas taco was delicious along with the Al Pastor. The red sauce that came with it was good as well. I enjoyed the addition of the radishes and thought it was quite tasty."

Mi Barrio

★★★★☆ 3.5 (18)

"I've lived near Mi Barrio for 8 years and wondered about it. Glad I finally tried it tonight. We picked up to go orders and it was ready very quickly. Most of the employees speak Spanish primarily but they had our order exactly right and ready to go. They were very nice. It is a small clean restaurant. Very simple and but had lots of locals eating there and many Latino customers enjoying good looking dishes. Our food was well packaged and warm. My fajita burrito was excellent , filled with well seasoned chicken rice peppers and onions then great cheese sauce in top. Guac and sour cream on the side were good. We got chips queso and salsa too. One of the salsa was very spicy and flavorful. The other was milder which was good. The queso was good. I'm sure I'll be ordering again soon."

Mi Casita Hope Mills

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (75)

"Are you looking for some weekday date night with someone special in your heart? Craving for some mind blowing hot tasty fajitas and some enchiladas from HeavenLook no more... come bring your love one and /or familia to .the best tasting local Mexican restaurant in Fayetteville. It's actually located at Camden rd in Hope Mills NC . Whenever my family and I crave for some fajitas this is where we go. Customer service. AAmbiance A+Food. AI left this place very satisfied and the price is reasonable Thanks "Mi Casitas "for making it happen. Oh One more thing... they have outstanding cocktails and plenty of modelos SALUD!"

Compadres Tequila Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.8 (58) • $$

"I've been here a couple of times before and hadn't been back in over a year. Because the food while good wasn't as good as the one in Siler. But this time it was better.It's in a row of shops behind Pittsboro's Lowes hardware. The interior is nicely dark and decorated. And the service was fast and friendly.The complimentary chips and tasty salsas came out right I got my menu. And after I ordered it my dish the salad came and before long the Fajita San José I wanted. I used the white dip that came with the chips as a dressing. The rice and refied were not the standard dried out crap you get at some Mexican restaurants but moist and tasty. I especially liked that they used Cojita cheese sprinkled on top instead of melted Swiss or some other white cheese. The fajita came out so sizzling hot that I had to let it cool a bit and the steam to die down so I could take a picture. The Fajita San Jose was delicious with the tender chicken strips, and grilled corn, zucchini, mushrooms and peppers and onions. An order for one is plenty for two meals.If I was just rating it for this time it would be 5 stars, but I'm including the previous unrated visits too. It appears they have upped their food game. I'll have to come here more often. Didn't have any mixed drink so I don't know about that but it's worth a try."

El Pollo Rico Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (45)

"El pollo Rico Is an authentic El Salvadorian and Honduras style restaurantThey have a very large menu with price points for lunch starting around 250 for a Salvadori and cornmeal stuffed with cheese pork or chicken or they have platters in the $15 rangeThey also feature breakfast with price points between nine and $13 for fried plantain grilled steak being avocado with cheese and creamI went for a takeout lunch on a Saturday afternoon and will try it again once they're open for sit down"

Mamacita

★★★★☆ 4.1 (102) • $$

"Mamacita food, service, and overall experience were enjoyed. For food, we enjoyed the chorizo queso dip. I ordered the Parraillada (shareable if needed) came with steak, chicken, and shrimp. My entree had a side of rice and refried beans on the side. The menu indicated a stone bowl but it came on a plate. This entree was perfect for me as I was seeking a large serving, so I could have food to take home. The food was really good and the meats were cooked well. My steak wasn't exactly medium well as requested but still decent. The cocktail flight was a good choice and shareable."

El Burrito Mexican Restaurant II

★★★★☆ 4.1 (88) • $$

"In a word? Meh. It was good but it was lacking real flavor. We got the chicken enchiladas, chicken nachos, ground beef tacos and ground beef burrito. The cost was good for the things we ordered and it was ready quickly. By far the best part of the order was how much meat they give you in each order. The chicken was plentiful to say the least. Just wish there was more flavor to the sauces and meat."

Mex Etc

★★★★☆ 4.4 (5)

"The "Mex Etc" food truck visited our apartment complex in Chapel Hill recently. This food truck had no online presence until now. ;)I found a menu online for these guys, but it was posted by another apartment community. Most food trucks have at least one social media account to show off their menu and let customers know their schedule, where they'll be next, promotions, etc. I found it strange there was nothing like that for Mex Etc.As you can see from my pictures, Mex Etc was actually a trailer hauled by a pickup truck; technically not a food truck and not uncommon. The trailer was painted black and had cool Dia de Muertos art (Day of the Dead art) on the outside. They had a "full" staff on-hand with two servers assisting customers outside and at least two cooks inside. The ladies outside the truck were friendly and attentive. When I asked the one who served us where Mex Etc was based, she told me they mostly serve in Chapel Hill and not to worry, they would be back.The business is called "Mex Etc" because they serve "Mexican food and more" as the graphic on the back of their trailer states. We were handed a disinfected, laminated, color menu featuring starters like chips and dip ($3.00-5.50 each), Mexican entrees such as burritos ($9.50 each) and quesadillas ($10.00 each), "Etc Entrees" like the Mex Etc Salad ($9.50) and Loaded Fries ($9.50), and burgers ($11.50 each). Drink options included Mexican Coke, Jarritos soda, and agua frescas such as tamarind, mango, and pineapple juices.My wife and I ended up going with:* Beer Battered Fish Tacos (3 for $11.50) - corn tortillas filled with beer-battered white fish with purple and green cabbage, corn, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and creamy avocado sauce; served with black beans* Pastor Burger ($11.50) - burger patty topped with pastor pork, pepper jack cheese, grilled pineapple, lettuce, pico de gallo, and fried jalapenos; served with seasoned friesThe food was good. It was delicious and hit the spot. We both really liked what we ordered. For me, it came down to Mex Etc's Chori Queso Burger, which is the same as the Pastor Burger described above except the pastor pork is replaced with chorizo sausage. I like chorizo better than pastor so if the Chori Queso Burger is at least as good as the Pastor Burger then I'm guessing it's pretty good. I went with the Pastor Burger because I was told it was one of the server's favorite burger.The Pastor Burger was served open-faced on grilled and, I think, buttered buns. Yum. There was a decent amount of pastor pork on top of the beef patty with melted cheese. The only thing that disappointed me was the lack of grilled pineapple. I tasted sweet pineapple in only one bite. The rest of the ingredients were fresh and the quality was A-OK. The "seasoned fries" didn't look or taste seasoned except maybe with a little bit of salt. The fries were the smooth, thick-cut, golden kind. Packets of ketchup and mayo were included in our bag.The Beer Battered Fish Tacos were tasty and satisfying. They were presented beautifully (so was the burger), colorful and chock-full of various ingredients. In addition to what was described on the menu above, the tacos came with a couple lime wedges. Good, meaty chunks of fish and a mouthwatering, well-balanced combination of fresh toppings. The black beans served on the side were a nice bonus. They were yummy with good flavor.Both entrees were filling. They definitely don't skimp on the portions. You will be full.Payments are handled via Square. When it came time to pay, I realized I forgot my wallet, but luckily, they accepted Google Pay so I used my phone. Using their touchpad, I typed in my email address to have the itemized receipt emailed to me.There were only a few groups ahead of us. Our order was made fresh and didn't take long - about 10 minutes, 15 tops.If you see Mex Etc make a stop near you, they're worth checking out. I'd order from them again."

Queso Monster

★★★★☆ 3.5 (49)

"Queso Monster and Elote Monster usually draw fairly long lines at events, and so when I happened upon them without an extensive queue at a food truck rodeo, I decided to give them a try. The menu offers a good deal of flexibility, boasting choices in proteins (traditional meats, shrimp, or veggies), spiciness levels, and styles. Unexpectedly, they also offered red/juicy and quesobirria quesadillas. The "elote" side of the business offers the titular street corn, with or without a dusting of tortilla or red hot chips. Lemonades range from single flavors such as peach or strawberry to multi-berry bonanzas, and a few are available as horchatas instead. I ended up with a birria quesadilla, tortilla chip-dusted esquites (elote bowl), and a mojito lemonade. The folks running the trucks were friendly, and, even by food truck standards, very fast. The quesadilla, which included broth, chips, salsa, and, of course, queso, offered quite a bit of food for $14. Less justifiable was the $5.50 charged for a regular-sized lemonade. The food was, by and large, satisfying. The quesadilla offered tender meat and a tasty -- if cilantro-heavy -- broth. The tortillas were a bit greasy, however, and will have you missing La Sinaloense's version. The torti esquites were thoroughly addictive. It may be just corn, sour cream and spices, but damn if the execution wasn't spot-on. The confusingly-named mojito lemonade had about as much in common with a mojito as a sea horse does with a stallion, but aside from being very sweet, it was still a refreshing drink on a June day. I appreciated the amount of fresh fruit (berries, pineapple, and kiwi) included. Had I been standing in long lines eagerly anticipating what awaited me, I likely would have walked away from Queso Monster and Elote Monster slightly disappointed. But thanks to fortuitous timing, I was able to enjoy it for what it was: good though not flawless Mexican food and drink."

Crazy Mexico Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.5 (40)

"We were visiting family in Burlington and it was decided that we were going to a "Crazy Mexican" restaurant. As a foodie, naturally my ears perked up and without even researching it I was all in! So we head over to experience what I had imagined to be a uniquely festive meal. And, it didn't disappoint!They had ample parking outside, and upon entering you see a vast array of seating and a full bar in front of you. The chairs in this place are unique and festive, check out the art on them when you go. Being a Friday it was rather empty at around 8pm. Our large party was promptly seated, drinks ordered, and queso was flowing. Most of our table shared a margarita pitcher, and they got the fresh kind without the margarita mix. FRESH squeezed margaritas are the best so be sure to ask for it!For our meal we shared a few entrees including the chicken fajitas and pollo chipotle. The pollo chipotle was the favorite with just the right amount of spice. The only area of improvement I could suggest is the service, which was slow and it took forever for them to put the game we were trying to watch on the TVs. Given the place was fairly empty, we figured it shouldn't have been such a challenge. Certainly that is far from a deal breaker so go here and get loco y'all"

The Cosmic Cantina

★★★★☆ 3.8 (392)

"Incredibly good vegan-friendly Mexican food! Many of their menu options can be made vegan by omitting the cheese, sour cream, etc. They do have vegan meat substitutes but I opted for a burrito with both black and pinto beans instead and loved it. Also really good guacamole."

El Cantarito Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (46)

"El Cantarito Bar & Grill is a new Mexican spot that has opened up in Downtown Fuquay. My mom and I dined in for lunch and had a good experience. I started off with a beer then a margarita. We split the queso then I ordered the lunch chicken chimichanga. The food, drinks and service were all good."

El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (79) • $

"I've eaten here a handful of times and am always pleasantly pleased when I get the total at how affordable it is. My favorite dish is the veggie sinchronizada which really just seems like a quesadilla to me but it's so delicious. Their queso is delicious and I love hedonistically pouring it over my dish. It comes with a separate dish of rice, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, avocado and sour cream on the side for toppings. All this for $10 (queso is extra). I've tried the veggie burrito and it was fine but I would have preferred a regular tortilla instead of wheat. Just because I prefer to eat primarily plant based doesn't mean I want a "healthier" version and wheat tortillas are always so tough. I'd get my again if I could switch the tortilla out next time. I would also love some vegetarian enchiladas on the menu too. The chips and salsa are perfectly respectable as well. Would recommend for sure."

Mr. Puebla Tacos

★★★★★ 4.5 (28)

"Food Truck Time: Mr Puebla Tacos at Bombshell Beer CompanyOur experience with Mr. Puebla Tacos was A-OK. The food was good, not great. The tacos were not the best [they lacked flavor] but the veggie rice bowl made up for it. I think this food truck has potential so I'd try it again if it was at a spot I was visiting."

Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (44)

"This was a surprise ! It was a chain which I don't like but I was shocked at how good it was. The girl arrived with warm chips and salsa in a cute flask and each of us got their own little bowl so that we could double dip without any guilt. My pollo loco was so good! A nice big cutlet grilled and then pico de gallo and grilled onions over it. It came with rice,beans and was a very good serving size too. Service was good also oh and the flan was good also. Seems to be a popular neighborhood spot since everyone seemed to know each other."

Fiesta Mexicana Downtown Benson

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"A fantastic Mexican food option in the heart of Benson NC. We were passing through on the way home from the beach and decided to give Fiesta a try. We were extremely happy we did. The ambiance when you walk in the door was fantastic. The service was spot on and the food was cooked to perfection. The chips and salsa were some of the best I've ever had."

La Taberna Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.5 (4)

"By far, the best authentic Mexican food I've had in a very long time. Our server was so friendly & was always one step ahead of us for refills on drinks, chips, salsa, etc. The artwork on all of the tables and booths was stunning. We will absolutely be back."

El Nuevo Tequila Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (52)

"I'd recommend the Milanesa to first time guests it's a friend chicken breast stuffed with queso and ham... a twist on chicken cordon bleu... otherwise the tacos have been good. Considering your alternatives in Kinston, this place is a solid choice."

San Marcos Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (197) • $$

"Loved the decor here. This is a casual place great for meeting friends because there's a little something for everyone on their menu. I ordered Ala Carte a shrimp taco and steak enchilada. Hubs ordered a mix of chicken and steak fajitas. This was served up fresh to my table. Of course, I had to try their signature marg which complemented both my meak and experience. My son ordered the Al Pastor Quesadilla which isn't a menu item we see at every Mexican restaurant. He said it was the best! Will be back."

Taqueria Esmeralda Taco Truck

★★★★★ 4.7 (60)

"I need to update my dated review. This place is awesome! It has authentic Mexican food! All the tacos are delicious! Only once they put too much fat in my tacos. That only happened once and never again. I like the lengua and asada tacos most!They only open Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 2 pm. The good news is they are opening a restaurant in Cary next week (either August 26th or 27th) and it will open everyday, for both lunch and dinner! Hooray! It will be on 748 east Chatham St, suite K. I will definitely check it out!"

Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (167) • $$

"Tired this place with my wife for Sunday lunch. Holy crap! My wife had the Huaraches with chicken and I had the fish tacos. The huaraches were INCREDIBLE. Will be back just because of that dish. Service was very good - waitress was attentive and manager came over to ask how we were and seemed genuinely interested.The ambiance is basic strip mall ish restaurant. It's very comfortable with tables appropriately spaced apart. I think this is a good casual date place or good for the family even with small kids. Absolutely will be back."

Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.8 (4)