18 editor picks in Phoenix.
18 mexican places in Phoenix we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Phoenix | Mexican across every city.
Mexican food is the deepest and most regional cuisine in Phoenix, shaped by Sonora to the south and decades of family kitchens across the Valley. Bacanora on Grand Avenue is Rene Andrade's wood-fired Sonoran room and won the 2024 James Beard Best Chef Southwest award, while Cocina Madrigal in South Phoenix and Tacos Chiwas on Indian School Road work from-scratch and Chihuahua-style plates. Long-running rooms run alongside the new wave, from The Original Carolina's, stretching thin flour tortillas since 1968, to Otro Cafe and Gallo Blanco from Doug Robson, and the late-night bacon-wrapped Sonoran dogs of stands like Nogales Hot Dogs.
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.
Marisco Boys on North 7th Street is a 2025 seafood room from the Taco Boy's team, plating Sonoran and Sinaloan mariscos in a converted mid-century bakery.
OrderRaw oysters with salsa negra mignonette and the marinated deep-fried octopus.
TipBuilt in a converted mid-century bakery; the long bar is good for a solo aguachile and a michelada.
Cocina Madrigal in South Phoenix is Leo Madrigal's from-scratch Mexican room, plating handcrafted tacos and homemade enchiladas with house specialties.
OrderThe handmade enchiladas and a plate of the day's specialty tacos.
TipOn 16th Street near the Wood Street tracks; weekends fill, the patio is the cool-month seat.
Los Sombreros on Scottsdale Road is a long-running regional Mexican cantina set in a converted house, known for its mole and one of the best patios in town.
OrderThe mole poblano and a house margarita on the patio.
TipThe casita patio is the seat to book; weekends and snowbird season fill the small rooms fast.
Otro Cafe in Midtown Phoenix is Doug Robson's Oaxacan-leaning room, the breakfast-and-tacos counterpart to his Gallo Blanco, with local and organic sourcing.
OrderThe Oaxacan-style plates at dinner or the breakfast tacos at the weekend.
TipOn 7th Street in Midtown; the breakfast and weekend brunch menu is the room's strongest hour.
Gallo Blanco in the historic Garfield district is Doug Robson's street-taco and brunch room, a Mexico City-born chef's casual spot with strong veggie options.
OrderA spread of street tacos and the savory weekend brunch.
TipOn Pierce Street in Garfield, next to Welcome Diner; the bar pours craft beer and specialty drinks.
Tacos Chiwas on Indian School Road is a family-run Chihuahua-style room, plating gorditas and tacos from recipes carried up from northern Mexico.
OrderA made-to-order gordita stuffed at the counter, plus a run at the salsa bar.
TipCash and card both work; the Mesa sibling on Main Street keeps the same recipes.
Asadero Norte de Sonora on 16th Street is a neighbourhood Sonoran grill, turning out mesquite carne asada wrapped in house-made flour tortillas.
OrderCarne asada tacos on the giant house-made flour tortillas.
TipClosed Wednesdays; the grilled chicken is as good as the beef if the asada line is long.
The Original Carolina's Mexican Food on Mohave Street has stretched its thin house flour tortillas since 1968, a Valenzuela family standard in Phoenix.
OrderA bean-and-cheese burro on the tissue-thin house flour tortilla.
TipBuy a stack of the tortillas to take home; the line moves fast at lunch.
Joyride Taco House on Central Avenue is a bright patio taco room from the LGO group, pouring margaritas alongside street tacos under string lights.
OrderA trio of street tacos with a frozen margarita on the patio.
TipHappy hour runs the bar; the misted patio is the seat for shoulder-season evenings.
Tacos Huicho on Thunderbird Road is a Sinaloan-style taqueria known for vertical-spit al pastor, carne asada and tortas, with a busy north Phoenix taco line.
OrderAl pastor tacos carved off the trompo.
TipCash-friendly and quick; the al pastor is the order, with pineapple from the spit.
El Sabroso Hot Dogs on West Indian School runs until 4am on weekends, a bacon-wrapped Sonoran-dog stand that has fed the late-night west side since 1997.
OrderA Sonoran dog with the full bean-and-salsa load after midnight.
TipFriday and Saturday it goes to 4am; it is the late-night Sonoran-dog stop on the west side.
Nogales Hot Dogs on Indian School runs a nights-only Sonoran-dog cart, the bacon-wrapped midnight bite that defines the Phoenix late-night street scene.
OrderThe classic Sonoran dog after a night out, loaded at the cart.
TipIt opens evenings and runs late; the Bell Road branch keeps weekend hours toward 2am.
Micky's Hot Dogs on Broadway in Mesa is an East Valley Sonoran-dog stand for the late crowd, named among metro Phoenix's best bacon-wrapped dogs.
OrderA loaded Sonoran dog to end an East Valley night.
TipAn East Valley late-night dog stand; check current weekend hours before a midnight run.
Rosita's Place (Mexican) in Phoenix: It has served Sonoran-style Mexican since 1964; the green-chile plates and the chimichanga are the long-time orders.
TipIt has served Sonoran-style Mexican since 1964; the green-chile plates and the chimichanga are the long-time orders.
Restaurant Atoyac Estilo Oaxaca is a strip-mall oaxacan room near 19th and glendale that few visitors reach despite some of the city's best moles.
TipThe Oaxacan moles and tlayudas are the deeper order; it is a family room well off the tourist track.
Los Reyes de la Torta on North 7th Street stacks some of the biggest tortas in Phoenix, a family room of burros and tacos priced for a working lunch.
OrderThe Cubana torta, loaded with multiple meats and avocado.
TipOne torta usually feeds two; the family room is busiest at lunch.
Comedor Guadalajara on South Central is a big sit-down Mexican room of regional staples, fast service and lunch specials that fill a plate without much spend.
OrderA combination plate off the lunch-special menu with rice and beans.
TipLunch specials are the value; the room is large, so walk-ins move fast.
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