21 mexican modern rooms worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Mixtli ★ 4.9 · San Antonio
southtown · 812 S Alamo St Suite 103, San Antonio, TX 78205
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.
Tip: The menu changes every several weeks and focuses on one region of Mexico at a time. Book on Tock well ahead; seats are limited.
Californios ★ 4.8 · San Francisco
355 11th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Californios in San Francisco is Val Cantu's two-Michelin-star modern Mexican tasting in SoMa, with masa from heritage corns nixtamalised in-house.
Tip: The wine pairing is a strong commit; the agave pairing is the move if you want sotol and mezcal.
Sazon ★ 4.8 · Santa Fe
downtown · 221 Shelby Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
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.
Suerte ★ 4.7 · Austin
east-austin · 1800 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
Suerte in Austin is Fermin Nunez's masa-driven East 6th room, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen serving heirloom-corn tortillas and suadero tacos.
Tip: Beverage director Celia Pellegrini won the Michelin Texas Sommelier Award 2025; let her route the pairings.
ELEMI ★ 4.7 · El Paso
East El Paso · 13500 Eastlake Blvd, Horizon City, TX 79928
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.
Tip: Walk-ins welcome but dinner can fill on weekends; arrive at 17:00 for best selection.
BOCA Tacos y Tequila ★ 4.7 · Tucson
fourth-avenue · 533 N 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705
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.
BOCA Tacos y Tequila ★ 4.7 · Tucson
fourth-avenue · 533 N 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705
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.
Comedor ★ 4.6 · Austin
downtown · 501 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701
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.
Tip: The guillotine garage doors open in good weather; ask for the indoor-outdoor counter when you book.
Comedor ★ 4.6 · Austin
501 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701
Comedor in Austin is Philip Speer's modern Mexican fine-dining room on Colorado Street downtown, a Michelin-recommended kitchen with an Olson Kundig.
Tip: Book at the bar for a more spontaneous walk-in option; the same kitchen runs both rooms.
Comal ★ 4.6 · Berkeley
downtown · 2020 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Michelin Bib Gourmand. Oaxacan-leaning Mexican: three-day mole negro, heirloom tortillas, mezcal cocktails. Fire-pit patio, packed on weeknights.
El Barrio ★ 4.6 · Birmingham
downtown · 2211 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
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.
Topolobampo ★ 4.6 · Chicago
river-north · 445 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
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.
Tip: Reservations open 60 days out and the Friday slot goes in an hour. Set a calendar alarm.
Ambar Restaurante ★ 4.6 · El Paso
Downtown · 106 W Mills Ave, El Paso, TX 79901
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.
Tip: Thursday 19:00-21:00 live jazz; Saturday and Sunday brunch with live music 11:00-14:00. Book via Resy.
Ambar Restaurante ★ 4.6 · El Paso
Downtown · 106 W Mills Ave, El Paso, TX 79901
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.
Tip: The agave spirits curation is among the largest in the United States. Book the Thursday jazz evening for the full experience.
El Barrio ★ 4.5 · Birmingham
downtown · 2211 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
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.
Casa Pantera ★ 4.5 · El Paso
Five Points · 3015 Pershing Dr, El Paso, TX 79903
Casa Pantera on Pershing Drive serves wood-fired contemporary Mexican in Five Points with premium beef and Oaxacan technique in an open grill kitchen.
Tip: Reserve online; the outdoor kitchen seating fills first on weekend evenings.
Casa Pantera ★ 4.5 · El Paso
Five Points · 3015 Pershing Dr, El Paso, TX 79903
Casa Pantera on Pershing Drive brings elevated contemporary Mexican to Five Points with premium beef over a wood grill and an Oaxacan mole selection.
Tip: Book the outdoor grill-side seats. The chef-sourced mezcal list rotates monthly.
Paloma ★ 4.5 · Santa Fe
railyard · 401 South Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Paloma cooks fresh, handmade Mexican plates and pours an extensive agave spirits list a block north of Tomasita's in the Guadalupe district.
Penca ★ 4.5 · Tucson
downtown · 50 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85701
Penca on East Broadway in downtown Tucson serves Patricia Schwabe's Mexico City menu, with mole poblano, cochinita pibil and a mezcal-led bar.
Tamayo ★ 4.3 · Denver
downtown · 1400 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
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.
Tip: The rooftop patio runs March through October with mountain views; book it three weeks ahead. The bar is open for walk-ins.
Penca ★ 4.3 · Tucson
downtown · 50 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85701
Penca on East Broadway in downtown Tucson serves Patricia Schwabe's Mexico City menu, with mole poblano, cochinita pibil and a mezcal-led bar.