30 editor picks across United States.
30 mexican restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Red Iguana on West North Temple, the Cardenas family's Mexican room since 1985 and Utah's most awarded restaurant, runs the state's defining moles.
OrderA combination platter with mole negro and mole verde plus a pomegranate margarita.
TipWait can run over an hour; cross to Red Iguana 2 at 866 W South Temple or order takeout via the operator's site.
Red Iguana on West North Temple, the Cardenas family's Mexican room since 1985 and Utah's most awarded restaurant, runs the state's defining moles.
OrderA combination platter with mole negro and verde plus a pomegranate margarita.
TipHour-plus wait at peak; cross to Red Iguana 2 across South Temple or order takeout via the operator's site.
Clavel in Hampden is Carlos Raba's Sinaloa-rooted mezcaleria, where tacos sit on nixtamalized corn tortillas and the bar runs deep on mezcal.
OrderTacos on the house-nixtamalized tortillas with a mezcal flight to match.
TipNo reservations for small parties; the line moves fastest if you arrive right at open or late in the evening.
L and J Cafe in El Paso, open since 1927, is the city's oldest Mexican restaurant, serving red enchiladas and house-made salsa from its East Missouri.
OrderRed enchiladas with chile de arbol salsa, or the green chile relleno
TipArrive before noon on weekends; the lunch crowd fills every table by 12:30.
Don Artemio in Fort Worth brings refined northern Mexican cuisine to W 7th St, a 2023 James Beard finalist celebrating heritage dishes of northern Mexico.
OrderBirria de res, chiles en nogada, traditional mole negro with duck.
TipSunday brunch 10:00-15:00 is the most relaxed seating. The mole negro takes three days to prepare and is not always available.
Don Artemio in Fort Worth brings refined northern Mexican cuisine to W 7th St, a 2023 James Beard finalist celebrating heritage dishes of northern Mexico.
OrderBirria de res, chiles en nogada, traditional mole negro with duck.
TipSunday brunch 10:00-15:00 is the most relaxed seating. The mole negro takes three days to prepare and is not always available.
Bacanora in Phoenix is Rene Andrade's wood-fired Sonoran room on Grand Avenue, the kitchen that won the 2024 James Beard Best Chef Southwest award.
OrderAnything off the open flame, finished with chiltepin Andrade hauls from his family's Sonoran ranch.
TipThe room seats about 32 and books out fast; reserve well ahead or aim for an early weeknight seating.
Fernando Olea won the 2022 James Beard Best Chef Southwest at Sazon, where the deeply researched moles and a New Mexican mole anchor the Santa Fe dinner.
El Guero Canelo on South 12th Avenue in Tucson is the James Beard 2018 Sonoran hot dog flagship from Daniel Contreras, the founding Tucson dogo.
OrderSonoran hot dog, Caramelo quesadilla
El Guero Canelo on South 12th Avenue in Tucson is the James Beard 2018 Sonoran hot dog flagship from Daniel Contreras, the founding Tucson dogo.
OrderSonoran hot dog, Caramelo quesadilla
La Loma in Denver is a Castro-family Mexican kitchen since 1973, moved from its longtime Osage Street Victorian to Broadway in 2018, the Denver template.
OrderSmothered green chile burrito with sopapillas.
TipThe bar pours classic margaritas; ask for the Pueblo green chile (hotter than the mild version).
Xochi in Houston is Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan room on the ground floor of the Marriott Marquis downtown, with seven moles, masa-based tlayudas and a James Beard.
OrderThe mole negro tasting; seven moles in one flight is the menu's defining gesture.
TipSit at the masa bar to watch the corn pressed fresh. The lunch tasting is the value at $48.
Gustavo Romero's Oro by Nixta on Northeast 2nd Street runs a masa-focused kitchen in Minneapolis since 2023. Kitchen leans mexican, masa-focused.
OrderThe tasting of heirloom-corn tacos and the platos with seasonal masa.
TipReservations recommended but walk-ins fit at the bar. Ten-seat mezcal bar; Wednesday-Saturday 16:00-21:00.
Red Iguana 2 on West South Temple, the larger sibling of the Cardenas family flagship, runs the same award-winning moles in a bigger room with a full bar.
OrderWhichever mole the original flagship is celebrating that week plus a margarita at the bar.
TipUse Red Iguana 2 to skip the original's hour-plus wait at peak; same kitchen, same family, full bar.
Red Iguana 2 on West South Temple, the larger sibling of the Cardenas family flagship, runs the same award-winning moles in a bigger room with a full bar.
OrderWhichever mole the original flagship is featuring plus a margarita at the bar.
TipUse Red Iguana 2 to skip the original's wait at peak; same family, same kitchen.
Este in Austin is Fermin Nunez's seafood-driven Manor Road bungalow, charcoal-cooked coastal Mexican food and ceviches in the old Eastside Cafe space.
OrderThe tuna tostada with avocado and serrano salsa; it has been on the menu since opening.
TipLunch runs Friday to Sunday 12 to 4pm; the daytime ceviche service is significantly easier to walk in than dinner.
El Naranjo in Austin is Iliana de la Vega's James Beard-winning regional Mexican kitchen on South Lamar, serving Oaxacan moles and coastal ceviches.
OrderThe mole negro de Oaxaca; de la Vega trained at the source in Oaxaca City and rebuilt it in Austin.
TipThe Sunday-supper format runs a slightly different menu; ask about it when booking.
El Naranjo in Austin is Iliana de la Vega's James Beard-winning Oaxacan dining room on South Lamar, a family kitchen of regional moles, ceviches.
OrderThe mole negro de Oaxaca; de la Vega trained at the source in Oaxaca City.
TipDaughter Ana Torrealba runs the kitchen as chef de cuisine; the Sunday-supper menu is the most experimental.
Hugo's in Houston is Hugo Ortega's regional Mexican room on Westheimer since 2002, a James Beard winner with cochinita pibil, chiles en nogada in season.
OrderCochinita pibil. The Sunday brunch buffet. Tableside hot chocolate.
TipSunday brunch books two weeks out. Lunch on weekdays is the easier slot.
Guisados in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles serves mini braised-meat tacos from a tortilleria a block away. Six locations across the city, this is the original.
OrderSampler plate of six mini tacos with chicharron in salsa verde.
TipThe original Boyle Heights branch is the strongest; salsas are made every morning. Closes by 21:00.
Burritos La Palma in East LA, Los Angeles wraps birria de res in handmade flour tortillas from Jerez, Zacatecas. James Beard finalist since 2018.
OrderBirria de res burrito wrapped in Zacatecas flour tortilla.
TipOpen 09:00-17:00; the burritos sell out by 14:00 on weekends. Eat in the car.
Tacos Oscar's shipping-container courtyard in Oakland's Temescal serves a chalkboard menu of inventive tacos. Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide California.
OrderBraised pork shoulder taco, Charred broccoli vegan taco
Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland's Jack London Square specializes in Jalisco-style tostadas with shells flown in from Mexico, plus tacos dorados and salsas.
OrderJalisco tostadas, Tacos dorados
El Charro Cafe on Court Avenue in Tucson is the United States' oldest family-run Mexican restaurant (1922), and the claimed birthplace of the chimichanga.
OrderChimichanga, Carne seca
El Charro Cafe on Court Avenue in Tucson is the United States' oldest family-run Mexican restaurant (1922), and the claimed birthplace of the chimichanga.
OrderChimichanga, Carne seca
BK Tacos on South 12th Avenue in South Tucson is Benny Galaz's Sonoran hot dog chain founded as a cart in the 1990s, with bacon-wrapped dogos and caramelo.
OrderSonoran hot dog, Caramelo
Hugo Ramirez's Limones on Eagle Street in Asheville opened in 2004 as a Mexican and Californian-inflected room, with mole poblano and esquites to share.
OrderThe mole poblano served over chicken, plus an order of esquites for the table.
TipBook on OpenTable; bar seats first-come from 17:00. Closed Mondays.
Hugo Ramirez's Limones on Eagle Street in Asheville opened in 2004 as a Mexican and Californian-inflected room, open Tuesday to Sunday from 17:00.
OrderThe mole poblano served over chicken, plus an order of esquites for the table.
TipBook on OpenTable; bar seats first-come from 17:00. Closed Mondays.
Fonda San Miguel in Austin is Tom Gilliland's 1975 interior-Mexican dining room on North Loop, a pioneer of regional Oaxacan and Yucatecan cooking.
OrderThe cochinita pibil from the Sunday hacienda brunch buffet, plus a bowl of pozole.
TipThe Sunday brunch buffet is the showcase; book the dining room for it at least a week out and arrive at 11.
Taqueria Jalisco Ania grills tacos, tortas and fajitas served in pineapples on Rossville Avenue in Chattanooga's Southside, a family Mexican kitchen.
OrderTacos al pastor and the fajita served in a pineapple.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The Chatt Taste food tour routes through here for good reason; go off-peak for a table.
Guided tour · 2 - 3.5 hours
Discover Tucson’s historic downtown on a guided food tour with a streetcar ride. Learn about the city’s architecture, history, and culture while enjoying a full meal o...
Guided tour · 4 hours
Explore downtown Tucson on a walking food tour. Enjoy tastings from locally-owned restaurants, discover hidden gems, and learn about the city's history and culture.
Guided tour · 6 hours
Explore Tucson on a guided city tour with lunch at El Charro Café. Visit the San Xavier Mission, the University of Arizona area, and the historic downtown.
