Where to Eat Mexican in Atlanta
The ultimate list of Mexican dishes and restaurants in Atlanta.
Photo credit: CL Photo Archives
Atlanta has amazing diversity in Mexican restaurants. High end, food trucks, tacos, seafood and all kinds of Mexican food infused with other cultures. See our Best of picks for the past 20 years here.
The Best Mexican in Atlanta according to our Critics is:
La Oaxaquena Taqueria
Dining at Taqueria La Oaxaquena used to sometimes be difficult because of the limited seating. But the restaurant has moved to an expansive new location where there’s plenty of seating and parking. The salsa and condiment bar is full of the same pristine choices. The sopes have the requisite qualiti...
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The Best Mexican in Atlanta according to our Readers is:
Mi Barrio Mexican Restaurant
Walking into this boxy restaurant is like being transported to Mexico in five seconds flat. Steamy, beef-filled gorditas and aromatic pork tacos blow away anything available from chain restaurants. While there are plenty of Tex-Mex favorites, there are Mexican favorites such as lengua (beef tongue) ...
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Last Year’s Critic’s Choice for Best Mexican
Nuevo Laredo Cantina
CL: Great atmosphere!
From its obscure location on Chattahoochee, Nuevo Laredo offers home-cooked Mexican food that is as sabroso (delicious) as it is sana (healthy). The food on your plate looks fresh, not as if it’s sat under a heat lamp for even a second.
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Mexican Dishes from our 100 Dishes List
Carnita taco on a freshly made tortilla at Taqueria El Rey de Taco
Available at El Rey Del TacoThe ultimate two-bite fast food. Succulent chunks of slow-cooked pork carnitas with a hint of barbecue-esque bark are nestled with chopped cilantro and white onion into a handmade tortilla by the resident abuela. A dollop of the neon-green avocado salsa makes this humble peasant’s dish rich with flavor. $2.
Carnita taco on freshly made tortilla at Taqueria El Rey del Taco
Available at El Rey Del TacoSucculent hunks of slow-cooked pork carnitas with just a hint of barbecue bite are nestled with chopped cilantro and onion onto corn tortillas hechas a mano by the resident abuela. Alternate bites with a dollop of the neon-green avocado salsa or the salsa roja to amp up the flavors and wash it down with a michelada, Mexican beer poured over spicy, citrusy tomato juice. $2.?
STILL THE ONE: Taqueria El Rey del Taco’s carnita taco on freshly made tortilla was featured in the 2011 edition of 100 Dishes to Eat Before You Die
Chicharron Taco at Las Quekas de la Abuela
Available at Las Quekas De La AbuelaA new spot tucked away in the back corner of the Plaza Fiesta food court on Buford Highway, Las Quekas’ name is Spanish slang for “grandma’s quesadillas” (and that’s accurate; they serve bomb quesadillas, and there’s a real grandma in charge). But the tacos are where it’s at. Our favorite? The chicarrones — crispy fried pork rinds stewed in salsa on a freshly made masa corn tortilla with chopped onions and cilantro. Mix and match to make a meal. $2.50.
Chicken mole at Zocalo Taqueria
Available at ZocaloMole sauce, to its lovers, is as controversial as barbecue is to its fanatics. All Mexican cooks have their own version. Zocalo’s, the owners’ own Mexican family recipe, has no equal in town. It’s complex with nuts, chiles and countless other ingredients, including a bit of chocolate, and emits a mouth-watering fragrance. Zocalo serves it over a chicken breast. The sauce is frequently available in jars at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. $15.
Chicken Mole at Zocalo Taqueria
Available at ZocaloMole sauce, to its lovers, is as controversial as barbecue is to its fanatics. All Mexican cooks have their own version. Zocalo’s, the owners’ own Mexican family recipe, has no equal in town. It’s complex with nuts, chiles and countless other ingredients, including a bit of chocolate, and emits a mouth-watering fragrance. Zocalo serves it over a chicken breast.
Chile relleno taco (or burrito) at El Taco Veloz
Available at El Taco VelozThis chile relleno is a work of simplicity. The kitchen takes a mildly spicy poblano pepper, stuffs it with creamy cheese and fries it in a thin batter. Then it’s wrapped in a flour tortilla that provides a bit of a tug and seals in the warmth. It’s all super fresh, and that’s what makes the difference. $2.45.
Mega torta at Mega Taco Taqueria y Marisqueria
Available at Mega TacoA mega hangover calls for mega relief, and this hulking sandwich gets the job done. A crisp bolillo stuffed with everything from ham to egg to breaded and fried beef to gooey white cheese is somewhat intimidating at first glance. But go ahead and stuff your face without shame; it’s too delicious not to. $4.77.
Tlayudas at Taqueria La Oaxaquena
Available at La Oaxaquena TaqueriaA crackly baked tortilla the size of a pizza is loaded with every Mexican topping staple imaginable. Smooth wedges of avocado, long, chewy threads of Mexican string cheese, and crumbled salty chorizo sausage all mingle together in messy harmony. The bold flavors are only amplified by the tactile pleasure that comes from cracking off a piece, piling on a little of what did and didn’t fall off, and shoving the bite into your mouth nacho-style. $10.99-$13.99.
CL Recommends: Mexican Restaurants
La Oaxaquena Taqueria
Dining at Taqueria La Oaxaquena used to sometimes be difficult because of the limited seating. But the restaurant has moved to an expansive new location where there’s plenty of seating and parking. The salsa and condiment bar is full of the same pristine choices. The sopes have the requisite qualiti...
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more...
Mi Barrio Mexican Restaurant
Walking into this boxy restaurant is like being transported to Mexico in five seconds flat. Steamy, beef-filled gorditas and aromatic pork tacos blow away anything available from chain restaurants. While there are plenty of Tex-Mex favorites, there are Mexican favorites such as lengua (beef tongue) ...
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more...
Patria Cocina
From Patria Cocina’s website: We are excited to offer you a Mexican dining experience like no other. Fresh, authentic high-quality ingredients are our specialty. You will be transported to different regions of Mexico through our food, ambiance, and drinks. Are you ready, Atlanta, to experience authe...
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