Miami’s Best Mexican Restaurants for Cinco de Mayo and Beyond

Translating to “crazy fish,” this newly opened venue transports guests from Wynwood to the West Coast of Mexico. The menu is inspired by the Baja region, with a heavy emphasis on seafood dishes from tostadas and regional shellfish to tropical Ceviches and Aguachiles from Guerrero and Michoacan plus Sinaloan-style mariscos from Mazatlan. A wide range of tequila and mezcal can be found on their back bar with a cocktail roster featuring Margaritas, Micheladas, and a delightful whiskey cocktail dubbed El Sueño, made with cinnamon, Absinthe, Angostura, and falernum.

If you’re looking for traditional Mexican eats with zero frills, this is it. Taqueria Viva Mexico is the place to go for fresh guac, tacos, and shareable nachos, a small outpost serving up big flavors. Think tacos in red plastic baskets lined up on a sheet of parchment paper spanning fillings you might not find elsewhere like tongue, pork skin, stomach, pig ear, and more. Of course, favorites like chicken, beef, and al pastor are always available, too.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order takeout and delivery online.

True locals know the best Mexican food in the Magic City can be found in Homestead. Family-owned and -operated for over 30 years, Casita Tejas is that spot that instantly feels like home thanks to colorful plastic tablecloths and bowls of chips and salsa hitting the table before you’ve even had the chance to peek at the menu. Every plate is hearty, saucy, and full of flavor. No matter what you opt for, it’s going to be delicious, but the real star of the show is the Norteno, a large flour tortilla rolled with steak, grilled onions, rice, and cilantro, smothered with salsa suisa and melted monterey jack cheese, and served with sour cream and a side of rice and beans.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.

Hailing from the sands of the Yucatán, this taqueria now maintains 13 US locations including one in Miami’s Design District. Nosh on Corn Esquites, Baja Crispy Fish Tacos, Gringa Quesadillas, and Al Pastor Tacos reminiscent of visits to Mexico City. Wash it all down with an ice cold Michelada or a Rubio teeming with fresh watermelon and tequila. Looking for something non-alcoholic? They’ve got you covered with tasty Agua Frescas and Lupita sodas.

If you’re shooting for a side of glitz and glam with your Mexican food, this spot inside Icon Brickell is definitely your jam complete with a front row seat of the Miami River. Go early, and you’ve got a waterfront view. Show up later and you’re dining inside with lavishly high ceilings, ornate decorations, and a roving Mariachi band that supplies ample amounts of energy and class. The food is spectacular, too, with Tacos bursting with octopus carnitas or sauteed ribeye plus inventive entrees like Braised Short Ribs in agave demi glaze. But, fair warning, be sure to pack your wallet—if you’ve ever wanted to experience a $27 taco, you’ve arrived.

Slip down a fluorescent side hallway inside downtown’s Ingraham building and you’ll suddenly find yourself in the heart of Oaxaca, where a smoky, steamy taco shop is serving up wildly delicious bites to those in the know. This literal hidden gem takes a little work to find, but the payoff is high: A laid-back setting full of folks more interested in chowing down on Koji Sweet Potato, Peanut, and Almond Tacos or Shrimp and Potato Flautas than people-watching. Looking for more of a full-service experience? Head to their newer location inside The Generator on Miami Beach, where the agave selection is just as exciting as the tacos. These are the kind of inventive and unusual flavor profiles people come back from Mexico raving about, stashed away in downtown Miami.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating, order takeout online, or get delivery via Uber Eats.

Sometimes nostalgia makes things seem better than they were, like when you go back to Chuck E. Cheese and realize what you ate at your fifth birthday party probably wasn’t even pizza. Not the case with Guadalajara, which was THE Mexican restaurant for anyone who grew up in the Palmetto school zone and still holds up today. It’s not just the family-friendly staff that makes it a destination for folks fresh out of their parents’ homes. It’s the deep red salsa that comes with a side of hot greasy chips. It’s the fresh guac that still tastes better than any hoity-toity tableside mumbo jumbo. And it’s the taco plates that still seem as enormous today as they did when you were in short pants. Cheap, unpretentious, and it registers as delicious in every part of your brain.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.

Purists might cringe at seeing a spot that describes itself as “inspired by the beach culture of Brazil” on a list of best Mexican restaurants, but we can’t omit a place that has what we’re not ashamed to admit are the absolute best margaritas in Miami. Here, they’re made with fresh-pressed juice as opposed to sticky-sweet syrups and mixes, as are all the cocktails on bartaco’s menu. The drinks are the undisputed champs, but the tacos ain’t half bad, either. And though a falafel taco, cauliflower taco, and ahi-crusted tuna taco might not be everyone’s idea of Mexican food, culinary interpretation is irrelevant when they taste this good.
How to book: Join the waitlist via the bartaco app or order takeout and delivery online.

Sure, you might have to wade through an inevitable sea of sash-wearing tourists to get to your table atop the Moxy hotel’s breezy rooftop. But if you can manage to block out their perpetual celebration, you’ll find the best new Mexican restaurant in Miami. Not that anyone should be surprised—none other than Coyo’s Scott Linquist developed the menu here, a more upscale version of the beloved cuisine he peddles at street level. And when you’re enjoying aguachiles, ceviches, and tuna tostadas on a warm summer night gazing out over South Beach, nothing else will matter.

You want luxurious touches like undented chairs and clean restrooms? Stay in Coral Gables, fancy man. You want the flat-out best grilled meat served on a tortilla anywhere in Dade County? Then hit this little storefront on Flagler, set just far enough from the touristy part of Little Havana to maintain its undeniably gritty charm. Taking down a plate of chicken or steak tacos while crammed inside one of this joint’s sticky booths remains one of the great Miami experiences. And while the digs are far from impressive, the grub will definitely impress your stomach—which is really all that matters, anyway.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order takeout and delivery online.

The airy patio and best-in-town mezcal selection make al fresco dining at Bakan a true year-round delight. But this is far more than a simple smoky cocktail situation. The menu is an irresistible mix of interesting and affordable, recently adding gems like Alaskan King crab ceviche, duck enchiladas in red sauce, and short rib tacos to an already outstanding lineup. The moles hold their own against anything not made by your abuelita, and the drinks are worth the trip by themselves. But the best part? You’ll never once look at the menu and think, “Wow, I never knew a taco could cost THAT much.”

When you’ve got a line wrapped around the front of your storefront every weekday at 3 pm, you’re obviously doing something right. Because as much as Miamians loathe lines, we’ll always brave the one at Coyo, whether it’s for overstuffed meaty burritos, addictive tacos, or standout elote de la calle. With over a dozen different fillings from cactus to pastor to crispy duck, it’s the kind of place you can hit over and over without ever getting bored. Just make sure to send a member of your crew in ahead of time to scope out seats—finding one at lunchtime can be a full-on war.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order takeout online.

This suburban staple is actually owned by the same family as fellow traditional favorite Jacalito, and is big on homey Mexican proteins like cochinita pibil, chorizo, lengua, and beef cheek. But even for non-adventurous eaters, the tacos, rice, and beans here are as good as you’ll find at any California hole-in-the-wall. Many of the locations scattered in the western suburbs offer outdoor seating, if you feel like some fresh air with your frijoles. Just don’t plan on doing much after your meal—nobody’s ever described this joint’s cuisine as “light.”
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order takeout and delivery online.

The big, fluffy blue corn tortillas that have become the trademark of this South Beach taqueria add some much-needed variety to your standard taco fare. So can filling said blue corn with grasshoppers—or chapulines, as insiders call them. Even if you’re not into bugs, Taquiza is more than equipped to play the hits with crowd-pleasers like smoked carne asada, verde-spiced chicken, fried mahi, and barbacoa topping the list plus plenty of fresh-made margaritas to wash down all those pillowy tortillas.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order takeout and delivery online.

Once upon a time there was this spot on Lincoln Road called El Rancho Grande where pretty much everyone with an office job in South Beach—all 40 of them—would gather after work for the best margaritas in Miami. Of course, it was eventually priced out and moved over to Sunset Harbour, then reopened at Tequiztlan. That means land of Tequila, if you’re not up on your Spanish, and they’ve got over 200 varieties best experienced in the signature margs, specifically the Polanco (basil-infused Herradura anejo, paleta, fresh strawberries, and agave nectar).