21 editor picks across United States.
21 mexican modern restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Mixtli is San Antonio's first Michelin-starred restaurant, where chefs Diego Galicia and Rico Torres build a rotating tasting menu around one Mexican region.
OrderWhatever region the rotating tasting menu is exploring this season.
TipThe menu changes every several weeks and focuses on one region of Mexico at a time. Book on Tock well ahead; seats are limited.
Californios in San Francisco is Val Cantu's two-Michelin-star modern Mexican tasting in SoMa, with masa from heritage corns nixtamalised in-house.
TipThe wine pairing is a strong commit; the agave pairing is the move if you want sotol and mezcal.
Fernando Olea, 2022 James Beard Best Chef Southwest, has cooked in Santa Fe since 1991; Sazon opened on Shelby Street in 2015 with a Degustacion menu.
OrderChef's Degustacion nine-course menu, Seabass in mole verde, Duck with mole poblano
Suerte in Austin is Fermin Nunez's masa-driven East 6th room, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen serving heirloom-corn tortillas and suadero tacos.
OrderThe suadero tacos on heirloom blue-corn tortillas; the masa is ground in-house each morning.
TipBeverage director Celia Pellegrini won the Michelin Texas Sommelier Award 2025; let her route the pairings.
ELEMI is the James Beard Award semifinalist restaurant of chef Emiliano Marentes in east El Paso, centred on daily-ground heirloom corn masa and craft.
OrderChef's selection of masa-based dishes with heirloom corn tortillas, or the braised short rib taco
TipWalk-ins welcome but dinner can fill on weekends; arrive at 17:00 for best selection.
BOCA Tacos y Tequila on North 4th Avenue is chef Maria Mazon's modern Mexican room, a Top Chef finalist, with 26 tacos and 40-plus tequilas in Tucson.
Order26 taco varieties, Salsa flight
BOCA Tacos y Tequila on North 4th Avenue is chef Maria Mazon's modern Mexican room, a Top Chef finalist, with 26 tacos and 40-plus tequilas in Tucson.
OrderCarne asada taco, Salsa flight
Comedor in Austin is Philip Speer's modern Mexican room on the corner of Colorado and 5th, with an Olson Kundig design and a focus on sourcing through Texas.
OrderThe bone-marrow tacos with smoked butter and hoja santa-pecan gremolata.
TipThe guillotine garage doors open in good weather; ask for the indoor-outdoor counter when you book.
Comedor in Austin is Philip Speer's modern Mexican fine-dining room on Colorado Street downtown, a Michelin-recommended kitchen with an Olson Kundig.
OrderThe bone-marrow tacos with hoja santa-pecan gremolata and smoked butter.
TipBook at the bar for a more spontaneous walk-in option; the same kitchen runs both rooms.
Michelin Bib Gourmand. Oaxacan-leaning Mexican: three-day mole negro, heirloom tortillas, mezcal cocktails. Fire-pit patio, packed on weeknights.
El Barrio on 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham runs a modern Mexican menu downtown, called best Mexican restaurant in Alabama by the convention bureau in 2024.
OrderSpicy chicken tostada, Mole de pollo, Chunky guacamole
Topolobampo in Chicago is Rick Bayless's Michelin-starred Mexican fine-dining room beside Frontera on Clark, with regional menus that rotate every six weeks.
OrderWhichever mole is on the current tasting menu; Bayless has been cooking them in Chicago since 1989.
TipReservations open 60 days out and the Friday slot goes in an hour. Set a calendar alarm.
Ambar Restaurante at the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso grills over open wood flames, holding over 1,100 agave spirits behind a two-story amber bar.
OrderWood-grilled whole asado with handmade tortillas, or the fresh ceviche
TipThursday 19:00-21:00 live jazz; Saturday and Sunday brunch with live music 11:00-14:00. Book via Resy.
Ambar Restaurante in the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park is El Paso's most ambitious dining room with an open wood-grill kitchen and 1,100-plus agave spirits.
OrderWood-grilled whole fish with heirloom corn tortillas and an agave flight
TipThe agave spirits curation is among the largest in the United States. Book the Thursday jazz evening for the full experience.
El Barrio on 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham runs a modern Mexican menu downtown, called best Mexican restaurant in Alabama by the convention bureau in 2024.
OrderSpicy chicken tostada, Mole de pollo, Chunky guacamole
Casa Pantera on Pershing Drive serves wood-fired contemporary Mexican in Five Points with premium beef and Oaxacan technique in an open grill kitchen.
OrderMesquite-grilled octopus or the tomahawk steak with agave-morita chile glaze
TipReserve online; the outdoor kitchen seating fills first on weekend evenings.
Casa Pantera on Pershing Drive brings elevated contemporary Mexican to Five Points with premium beef over a wood grill and an Oaxacan mole selection.
OrderMesquite-grilled tomahawk with agave-morita glaze and roasted bone marrow
TipBook the outdoor grill-side seats. The chef-sourced mezcal list rotates monthly.
Paloma cooks fresh, handmade Mexican plates and pours an extensive agave spirits list a block north of Tomasita's in the Guadalupe district.
OrderTacos al pastor, Aguachile verde, Mole negro
Penca on East Broadway in downtown Tucson serves Patricia Schwabe's Mexico City menu, with mole poblano, cochinita pibil and a mezcal-led bar.
OrderMole poblano, Cochinita pibil
Tamayo in Denver is Richard Sandoval's modern Mexican dining room on Larimer Square since 2001, a rooftop patio anchor for upscale tacos, ceviche and tequila.
OrderThe tableside guacamole and the cochinita pibil with Yucatan-style achiote; flight of mezcal to pair.
TipThe rooftop patio runs March through October with mountain views; book it three weeks ahead. The bar is open for walk-ins.
Penca on East Broadway in downtown Tucson serves Patricia Schwabe's Mexico City menu, with mole poblano, cochinita pibil and a mezcal-led bar.
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