Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Gainesville by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Gainesville 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 Gainesville 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. Moe's Southwest Grill
- Rating: 2.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3832 West Newberry Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Moe's Southwest Grill
- Rating: 2.5/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3443 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Moe's Southwest Grill
- Rating: 2.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7770 West Newberry Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Taco Bell
- Rating: 3.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7410 West Newberry Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Las Margarita's Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.0/5 (295 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4405 Northwest 39th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#25. HURRICANE BTW
- Rating: 3.5/5 (84 reviews)
- Address: 8181 Northwest 39th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Tacos, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#24. El Indio Real Mexican Food
- Rating: 3.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5011 Northwest 34th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. El Dorado Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 4005 Southwest 40th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Boca Fiesta
- Rating: 3.5/5 (360 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 232 Southeast 1st St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Peppers Mexican Grill & Cantina
- Rating: 3.5/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7750 West Newberry Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Burrito Famous
- Rating: 3.5/5 (133 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3412 West University Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Tex-Mex, fast food, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Tijuana Flats
- Rating: 3.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1720 West University Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Blue Agave Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4401 Northwest 25th Place Ste A Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Bars, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Tijuana Flats
- Rating: 4.0/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3205 Clark Butler Blvd. Unit 70 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Tijuana Flats
- Rating: 4.0/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3205 Clark Butler Blvd. Unit 70 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#15. El Indio Real Mexican Food
- Rating: 4.0/5 (237 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 407 Northwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. El Indio Real Mexican Food
- Rating: 4.0/5 (237 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 407 Northwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Chuy's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (412 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3410 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9513 Northwest 39th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. La Pasadita
- Rating: 4.0/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4126 Northwest 6th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Linda Vista
- Rating: 4.0/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7070 Southwest Archer Road Ste 3102 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Sublime Tacos
- Rating: 4.0/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1818 Northeast Waldo Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#8. That 80s Bar Gainesville
- Rating: 4.0/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: 19 West University Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Tacos, Karaoke
- Read more on Yelp
#7. La Tienda Latina
- Rating: 4.0/5 (864 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2204 Southwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Specialty Food, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Nopal by Cintrón
- Rating: 4.5/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5112 Northwest 34th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3501 Southwest 2nd Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Midpoint Park and Eatery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 931 Southwest 2nd Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Food Trucks, Comfort Food, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Cantina Añejo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 1680 West University Ave. Ste 10 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Sports Bars, Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Taco's 352
- Rating: 4.5/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 8181 Northwest 38th Lane Ste 30 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Muñecas Taco Garden
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 317 Southwest 4th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Street Vendors, Tacos
- 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.
