Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Santa Cruz area 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 2024 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 the Santa Cruz area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Restaurants with at least 20 reviews tagged as "Mexican" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Santa Cruz were included. As a result, some restaurants featured may serve other food items besides Mexican food. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 50 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to see if your favorite Mexican spot made the list or to discover a new restaurant to try!

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#30. Taqueria Jalapeños

- Rating: 3.9/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 206 Laurel St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. El Chino Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 3.9/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2525 Soquel Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Tortilla Shack

- Rating: 3.9/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1505 Commercial Wy Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Tacos Moreno 3

- Rating: 4.0/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 201 Esplanade Capitola, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Manuel's Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (957 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 261 Center Ave. Aptos, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Restaurante Los Pinos

- Rating: 4.0/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2019 North Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Taqueria Jalapeños y Pupuseria

- Rating: 4.0/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 107 Leonard St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Salsa's Taco Bar

- Rating: 4.0/5 (321 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1710 Brommer St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Vegan, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Taqueria Los Gallos

- Rating: 4.1/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 235 Mt Hermon Road Ste C Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Margaritaville

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 231 Esplanade Unit 101 Capitola, California
- Categories: Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Taqueria Los Pericos

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1545 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 139 Water St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Taqueria Los Pericos

- Rating: 4.1/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 36 Rancho Del Mar Aptos, California
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Taqueria La Katrina

- Rating: 4.2/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1719 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Copal

- Rating: 4.2/5 (362 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1203 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Taqueria Los Primos

- Rating: 4.2/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 425 Barson St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. De La Hacienda Taqueria

- Rating: 4.2/5 (282 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 354 Washington St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Los Gallos Taqueria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 18 Victor Sq Ste A Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. El Chipotle Taqueria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4724 Soquel Drive Soquel, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Taquizas Gabriel

- Rating: 4.3/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 1855 41st Ave. Ste R01 Capitola, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. San Marcos Charquito Tacos y Tortas

- Rating: 4.3/5 (228 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 718 Capitola Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Lilo's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 1440 Cary Ave. San Mateo, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Los Viejones

- Rating: 4.4/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 236 Ocean St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Mijo's Taqueria

- Rating: 4.4/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 200 Monterey Ave. Ste 2 Capitola, California
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. The Real Taco

- Rating: 4.5/5 (109 reviews)
- Address: 1204 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Raymond's Catering

- Rating: 4.6/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1156 High St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Evarista's Comal Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2-1245 East Cliff Drive Unit A Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: New American, Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. El Buen Taco

- Rating: 4.8/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Miches and Ceviches

- Rating: 4.8/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 743 41st Ave. Santa Cruz , California
- Categories: Seafood, Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. El Camaleon Mobile Kitchen

- Rating: 4.9/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 751 South Bascom Ave. San Jose, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Carnitas Aguirre

- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: Union City, California
- Categories: Caterers, Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 326 metros.

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