Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in San Francisco by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in San Francisco by diners
Just like cuisine from any country, Mexican food is not monolithic. It isn't just combo plates and tacos. (Not that there's anything wrong with that style of food; it's delicious and is responsible for popularizing Mexican food in the United States.) But Mexican food means more than that.
It reflects Mexico's diverse population—shaped by waves of immigration—and has proliferated throughout the U.S., showcasing the cuisine in all its complexity and regionality. Mexico has 32 distinct regional styles of cooking, and thanks to immigrant chefs and the rise of promising culinarians of Mexican descent looking to share their signature dishes, Indigenous foodways, and ingredients from various regions, diners are reframing their idea of "Mexican food."
According to a Pew Research Center analysis of SafeGraph data, 1 in 10 restaurants in the U.S. serve Mexican food, and nearly 9 out of 10 U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant. The analysis also reveals that California and Texas are home to a majority of the Mexican American population and together host 2 out of 5 Mexican restaurants in the country.
These findings serve as a testament to the influence Mexican cuisine has had and continues to have in America. Which begs the question: Where does one go for the best old-school Mexican restaurants, loncheras slinging tacos out of a half-window, and innovative modern Mexican food pushing culinary boundaries?
To help you out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Mexican restaurants in San Francisco using data from Yelp. Only restaurants with at least five reviews were considered. Data is current as of January 2024.
Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#30. Frank Grizzly's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 5698 3rd St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#29. El Rey Taquiza Artesanal
- Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Address: 2491 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Tacos, Beer Bar, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Loltún Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 2471 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Martha's Restaurent
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 2034 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Honduran, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Tacos Santo Toribio
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: San Francisco, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Las Mestizas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2280 Chestnut St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Donaji
- Rating: 4.5/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3161 24th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Caterers, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. North Beach Cantina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1548 Stockton St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Tacos, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Tio Chilo's Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2872 24th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Mi Comedor
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 2948 Folsom St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Tacos, Street Vendors
- Read more on Yelp
#20. San Pancho's Tacos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 491 Bayshore Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Casa Mayah Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 294 Turk St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#18. El Gallo Giro Taco Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 23rd St. & Treat Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Tacolicious Catering
- Rating: 5.0/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: San Francisco, California
- Categories: Caterers, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Caliente Bistro Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4828 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Mixiote
- Rating: 5.0/5 (13 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 350 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Cantina Los Mayas
- Rating: 5.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 431 Balboa St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lojo's Tacos Shop
- Rating: 5.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 725 Greenwich St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Pop-Up Restaurants, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Leonore's Deli & Taqueria
- Rating: 5.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 Van Ness Ave. Ste k San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Café de Olla
- Rating: 5.0/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3388 19th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. El Mil Amores Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2780 21st San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Freshito
- Rating: 5.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 4809 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Creperies, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Chave Tacos
- Rating: 5.0/5 (6 reviews)
- Address: 4384 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Zona Rosa Mexican Grill
- Rating: 5.0/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 2337 Market St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Miguelito's
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 2000 Hyde St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Pop-Up Restaurants, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Al Carajo
- Rating: 5.0/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3224 1/2 22nd St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Cocina Mamá Cholita
- Rating: 5.0/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3471 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Tahona Mercado
- Rating: 5.0/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1168 Leavenworth St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Tacos King Maya
- Rating: 5.0/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 22nd St. & Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Tacos, Street Vendors
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Cardona's Authentic Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 5.0/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: San Francisco, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 327 metros.
