14 Must-Try Mexican Restaurants In Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, with one of the city's most prominent points of inspiration coming from our neighbors to the south — the beautiful country of Mexico. Los Angeles' proximity to the Latin American country allows some of the best and brightest chefs to share their native cuisine and locally grown ingredients all across the second largest city in America. While incredible Mexican-inspired restaurants and food trucks are plentiful in the City of Angels, there are a special selection of spots that are treasured both by local Angelinos and temporary visitors.

Some people's idea of Mexican food is typically limited to the Taco Bell menu: tacos, burritos, a cheese quesadilla perhaps. These restaurants beg to differ, though, with an array of decadent dishes that inspire you to think beyond traditional Mexican-American faire. Whether you are looking for high-end cuisine or just a delicious grab-and-go burrito, these 14 Mexican restaurants are a must-try whenever you're in Los Angeles. 

El Cholo has pretty much perfected the business of Mexican dining in the century that it has been operating. Originally opening its doors in 1923, El Cholo has since expanded across Los Angeles — increasing both its number of locations and number of items on the menu. 

Everything on the El Cholo menu has a corresponding number which represents the year that it was added to the restaurant's ever-growing list of favorites. The 1984 fajitas are a spectacle, served with a sizzling heap of steak, chicken, shrimp, or mixed vegetables. You won't find anywhere in town Filet Mignon Tacos more tender than El Cholo's 2009 edition. Or check out a more recent addition to the menu, added in 2023 to celebrate El Cholo's 100th birthday, the Mole Chicken Enchiladas — served with slow braised chicken and roasted chile and chocolate mole. 

Over time, El Cholo has opened six locations in and around the Los Angeles area. This includes the original at 1121 S. Western Ave near the Harvard Heights neighborhood. Other locations are in Downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Anaheim Hills, Corona Del Mar, and La Habra. Each Southern Californian location is large enough to accommodate most walk-in requests without a reservation. The ever-expanding business even opened a location in Salt Lake City, Utah in the beginning of 2024. 

Mírate is an upscale Mexican restaurant and bar in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. It specializes in finding inventive new ways of crafting traditional Mexican favorites from fresh and local ingredients.

The innovation at Mírate begins with the drink menu, which contains creative cocktails like the El Taquero #2 with mezcal, pineapple, al pastor honey, and cilantro avocado oil. Mírate also serves margaritas and slushies like the Mi Sancho – made with Oaxacan rum, house coconut cream, and jackfruit ponche. Besides hard alcohol, Mírate also serves a selection of beer, wine, and even sake sourced straight from Mexico. 

All of the dishes at Mírate are great for sharing, not just the items on the "para compartir" portion of the Comida menu. The Smashed Avocado is topped with an incredibly flavorful Mexican furikake — traditionally a Japanese dry condiment. That's just the beginning of the inspirations and flavors that meld beautifully together at Mírate. Later on the menu you'll find the Blue Fin Tostada, stuck together with a layer of smoked chile paste called chintextle. The Pollo ala Brasa tops half a chicken with pistachio pipián, paired with crisp snap peas and pickled cauliflower. 

You can't miss the bright orange building that hosts Guelaguetza sitting on the corner of Olympic Blvd right in the heart of Koreatown. Maybe even more distinct than the Oaxacan joint's facade is the restaurant's handmade mole –the pride and joy of Guelaguetza and the city of Oaxaca.

Guelaguetza doesn't mess around when it comes to mole, sourcing the ingredients for its signature sauces straight from the Mexican city of Oaxaca where the recipe originated. Typically made from a combination of chili and poblano peppers, tomatoes or tomatillos, dried fruits, and spices, mole is a thick topping or marinade popularly paired with many dishes served in the middle of Mexico. While a black, smoky "mole negro" is the traditional offering, Guelaguetza serves six different types of mole which accompany pretty much everything on its menu. The Mole Estofado, for example, uses raisins, olives, and pickled jalapeños for a sweet and spicy bite. 

Guelaguetza's mole is one of Los Angeles's most famous residents, and you'll struggle to find any better in the city. Most dishes at Guelaguetza are meant to be shared among family and friends. Come with a group and try any number of the restaurant's tlayudas, a crispy corn tortilla shaped like a flat pizza and topped with generous amounts of cheese, beans, and of course plenty of mole. 

Holbox, a small restaurant in South Los Angeles near USC, crafts iconic Mexican seafood dishes unlike any you have seen before. The dining experience here is a bit of a paradox. Located in a busy food hall, Holbox is counter-service only most days — serving a selection of fish tacos and open-faced tostadas in a more casual setting with only a few bar seats. Two days out of the week, though, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Holbox opens up for its premiere tasing menu.

For $130 per person, Holbox offers a delicious eight course meal, consisting of all of the restaurant's most popular dishes, including oysters, Dungeness crab, grilled prawns, and sea urchin, blue fin tuna, and mussels from the oceanside town of Santa Barbara. Selections on the tasting menu change seasonally to adhere with the freshest and tastiest seafood available. 

After receiving a James Beard award in 2023, Holbox has been on a winning streak. Later that same year, it was named Restaurant of the Year by the Los Angeles Times. In 2024, it as also awarded a much-sought after Michelin star. 

Sonoritas Prime Tacos in Downtown Los Angeles is one of the few restaurants in the city that have gone viral on social media and actually live up to the hype. The modern Mexican joint's guacamole-packed burritos are undeniably picturesque — and they taste as good as they look. 

The mar y tierra burrito is a must-try: packed with angus beef, spicy shrimp, rice, beans, pico de gallo, cheese, and of course, a ton of bright green guacamole. You'll find this fresh guacamole in any one of Sonorita's many burritos, like the carne asada, filet mignon, or the classic California burrito. True to its name, Sonoritas Prime Tacos also offers delicious corn or flour tortilla tacos — also served with a generous dollop of guac. The BBQ Short Rib Prime Taco, a personal favorite, comes with angus beef short rib, BBQ sauce, guacamole, and lettuce on a hearty tortilla. 

Sonoritas is certainly a popular spot for Los Angeles locals and tourists alike, but its large dining room and private outdoor space make it easy to grab a table whenever you're craving a great burrito. With happy hour margaritas, though, Sonoraitas is best enjoyed with lots of drinks and a large group of friends. 

Mercado, while admittedly not the most authentic Mexican spot on this list, is pretty much as LA as it gets. Stop by any one of its three locations around Los Angeles during happy hour to find working industry professionals enjoying a few tacos and more than a few of Mercado's signature margaritas. 

For starters, Mercado's Mushroom Choriqueso is a delicious steaming hot bowl of rich velvety cheese, salty chorizo, and umami mushrooms. It's best served as part of the Dip Duo, which also comes with a heaping serving of cold, fresh guacamole topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds. Of course, as with any great Mexican restaurant, the dips come with an unlimited supply of tortilla chips. 

As with most respectable restaurants in Los Angeles, Mercado has plenty of options for its diners with dietary restrictions. The Coliflor al Pastor contains some of the best roasted cauliflower you've had. Hunks of florets are cooked perfectly, still crispy with a smokey and sweet flavor from the added chile and pineapple marinade. Pescatarians, or anyone who might be in the mood for seafood, should try either the Jícama Shrimp or Lobster tacos. Both are served on a delicate blue-corn tortilla — making for a bite that is both beautiful and delicious. 

It's hard to find someone in Los Angeles who hasn't been to one of the Tu Madre locations at least once. With six locations and growing in Brentwood, Larchmont, Los Feliz, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Westood, Tu Madre is a trendy Mexican restaurant where you can still find stellar street tacos for under three bucks as of 2025. 

Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, check out the drink menu which includes the colossal Casa Margarita Pitcher. You've seen pitchers before, but probably not like this. Shaped like an extra large chalice with a metal tap protruding out of the bottom, Tu Madre's margarita pitcher will set your bank account back a bit more than the $2.50 tacos, but truthfully, the pitcher for four people could easily satiate five or even six light drinkers. For $70, its definitely a better deal than a single cocktail starting at $17.

Finally onto the tacos — Tu Madre's bread and butter. The Street Tacos, which you have heard about by now, come in chipotle tomatillo chicken, al pastor, Korean BBQ braised beef, and brisket. They're small, but each one is a striking success with such simple and delicious ingredients. For something more substantial, Tu Madre offers an even wider selection of larger tacos, including all plant-based tacos. These are more expensive than the Street Tacos, but also much heartier. Personal favorites include the Sweet N Sour Chicken taco, marinaded in a tangy, citrusy sauce that really pops. 

Located amid some of the city's most beloved breweries in the Arts District is LA Cha Cha Chá, a beautiful Mexican rooftop restaurant that serves a decadent brunch and dinner. Born after Mexico City's Terraza Cha Cha Chá, the Los Angeles counterpart doesn't just have aesthetics, but authenticity as well. 

The standout supper here is easily the Steak Pa'Taquear, a large board of New York strip steak sliced and served with charred tomato, squash, and onions with sides of red wine salsa and beef butter. It's a great meal to share among two or three people alongside one of LA Cha Cha Chá's mushroom or chicken thigh tacos. For dessert try a refreshing orange and grapefruit meringue or the restaurant's new LA churro. The city-centric dessert takes four mini churros and crafts them to resemble the Dodger's famous LA logo. You can split these with a friend, too, or keep them all for yourself.

Tacos Locos is another hidden gem of a restaurant situated in a small, unassuming building on Venice Boulevard. With only a few seats inside and outside, Tacos Locos is more of a grab-and-go counter service spot than somewhere to stop and sit for lunch. The consistently delicious classic Mexican favorites that Tacos Locos serves up, though, make it a spot you'll want to revisit time and time again. 

Burritos at Tacos Locos are hefty enough to split in half — stuffed with rice, beans, cheese, and pico de gallo. Add your choice of meat, including the delicate and delicious bright red asada that has an almost sweet flavor profile. The carnitas is incredibly tender, slow-braised to perfection and juicy in every bite. The savory shredded chicken soaks up any salsa and sauces to pack even more flavor to the already tasty protein. You'll get three different spicy and smoky salsas with each order, as well as a generous amount of pickled peppers and jalapeños on the side.

If you're in the mood for something truly special, try Tacos Locos especial platter of two chile rellenos –  smoky and slightly spicy green peppers stuffed with cheese, rice, beans, and meat if desired. Though its nothing fancy, you can get Mexican Food here that is just as good as other must-try spots for a quarter of the price. 

You wouldn't be able to tell from just looking at the exterior, but Lupe's #2 in East Los Angeles has some of the best burritos in town. The small square building hasn't changed much in the 50 years that Lupe's has been in operation. Large cutout windows give customers a view into a busy kitchen where cooks are crafting up one of their 12 beloved burritos — as advertised on the large white sign that hangs above the roof. 

At Lupe's, you can't go wrong no matter which one or two burritos you order at the counter.These chicano-style delicacies are filled to the brim with delicious stewed meats, beans, cheese, and chile — all wrapped in a toasty grilled tortilla. The combo red or green burritos are probably the most popular, coming in different spice levels depending which color you go with. The classic bean and cheese burrito is a bit smaller and makes for the perfect snack in between meals. 

Besides burritos, Lupe's also serves tacos, sopes, and nachos as well as American faire like cheeseburgers and pastrami sandwiches cooked to order all on the same grill. The menu at Lupe's has certainly expanded over time, but the great taste and affordable prices have stayed more or less the same. 

Going to Casablanca is like stepping into another world. The traditional Mexican restaurant takes its inspiration — and its namesake — from the classic 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. 

First opening in Venice in 1980, Casablanca has become known for more than just its old-school Hollywood aesthetics. While the restaurant couldn't legally mimic the film's cigarette waitress, the owners took the idea one step further to introduce The Tequila Express — a table service margarita cart that is wheeled around the restaurant to make fresh, personalized margaritas for patrons. 

Over the years, Casablanca has become known for its food as well. Namely, the fresh flour tortillas that are made daily in-house. Try them out on any one of Casablanca's make your own tacos, stuffed with steak, chicken, or fish. On the seafood side, you can't miss Casablanca's famous calamari. With eight different ways to eat them, people have been known to come just for one of these dishes alone. One of our personal favorites is the Calamari Cognac, cooked with bay scallops, green capers, and garlic sauce. 

Tacos 1986 is a small, local chain of counter-service taco shops that is perfect for a quick bite to eat in the middle of a busy day. Stop by any one of its seven locations around the greater Los Angeles area for appetizing and affordable Mexican street food. Tacos 1986 is also a fast casual restaurant that serves beer. 

Tacos 1986 has a fairly simple menu. Following the instructions written on the wall, choose your protein out of pork al pastor, carne asada, grilled chicken, or mushrooms. From there, you have the options of making that into tacos, quesadillas, mulitas, and vampiros. Starting at just 3.50 for a taco and reaching only $5 for a vampiro, the Tacos 1986 menu is both easy to navigate and easy on your wallet. A few Tacos 1986 locations also serve larger bowls and burritos, and most will contain a small dine-in area either inside or outside, 

With locations from Sherman Oaks to Downtown Los Angeles, you can find a Tacos 1986 all over the city. The restaurant's first location outside of the Los Angeles area was set to open in spring 2025 on Cornelia St in New York City. 

Damian in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles focuses on what it knows best: fresh and flavorful seafood inspired by the west coast of Southern California and Mexico. With a limited menu of only about 20 food items, Damian might not be the best spot for picky eaters. But it is one of the best for celebrations and maybe spotting a celebrity. 

As of this publication, Damian does all-day happy hour on Mondays, which is the best time to test out this restaurant for first timers. Cocktails like the Spicy Mezcal Margarita are discounted exponentially, and served alongside an even smaller version of Damian's dinner menu. While the Duck Carnitas dinner will set you back a whopping $101 dollars, you can come by anytime on Monday to grab a happy hour Duck Carnitas Taco for only $12. Still expensive for a taco, sure, but the decadent, juicy, and slightly gamey braised duck is well worth it. 

Most of the rest of Damian's menu relies on its seafood. Start with the Ceviche with green tomatoes, or the Prawns a La Parrilla served charred and sprinkled with sea salt. 

Sabadores Oaxaqueños in Koreatown is the perfect spot to get affordable and authentic Oaxacan food. Beautifully decorated both inside and out with hand painted murals and colorful flags, Sabadores Oaxaqueños brings rich, bold flavor to traditional Mexican faire. 

This is a great spot for a casual Mexican-style breakfast to shake up your weekend or a dinner that will leave you full the rest of the day. Like any Oaxacan restaurant, Sabadores has an impressive selection of mole made in-house from fresh chiles. The Mole Rojo con Pollo is a popular pick, featuring thick chunks of chicken in a deep red spicy sauce. Eat this by itself, or use it to top one of Sabadores Oaxaqueños's tlayudas — made with tortillas imported weekly straight from Oaxaca.  

The tamales at Sabadores Oaxaqueños are also a must-try item, steamed with chicken and mole inside a corn masa dough. For a sweet surprise try the Tamales Al Gusto, which takes the usually savory snack and fills it with sweet fruit and chili.