Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Hartford 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 Hartford 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 Hartford 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!

1 / 29

#29. Margaritas Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 3.0/5 (290 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 350 Roberts St. East Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 29

#28. Tequila Rio

- Rating: 3.1/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 100 Great Meadow Road Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 29

#27. On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina

- Rating: 3.2/5 (241 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1519 Silas Deane Hwy Rocky Hill, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 29

#26. Agave Grill

- Rating: 3.5/5 (444 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 Allyn St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 29

#25. Salt + Lime Mexican Cantina

- Rating: 3.6/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 179 Park Road West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 29

#24. El Santo

- Rating: 3.6/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 970 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 29

#23. Nicolas Pizza & Mexican Eatery

- Rating: 3.6/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1125 Willard Ave. Newington, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 29

#22. Mexicali Cantina Grill

- Rating: 3.6/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 935 Sullivan Ave. South Windsor, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 29

#21. Tavern In The Square - West Hartford

- Rating: 3.7/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1393 New Britain Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Seafood, Tacos, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 29

#20. Toro Mexican Street Food

- Rating: 3.8/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22 Raymond Road West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 29

#19. Coyote Flaco Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 3.9/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 635 New Britain Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 29

#18. Puerto Vallarta - Newington

- Rating: 3.9/5 (346 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2385 Berlin Tpke Newington, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 29

#17. bartaco - West Hartford

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1177 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 971 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 29

#16. Cisco's American Breakfast & Mexican Cuisine

- Rating: 4.0/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 254 Hartford Ave. Newington, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 29

#15. El Mercado

- Rating: 4.1/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 704 Park St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican, Imported Food
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 29

#14. Huasteca Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.1/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 555 Day Hill Road Windsor, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 29

#13. MexiPHO

- Rating: 4.1/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2872 Main St. Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Vietnamese, Mexican, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 29

#12. Ocho Cafe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (372 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 330 North Main St. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Bars, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 29

#11. Frida

- Rating: 4.1/5 (228 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1150 New Britain Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 29

#10. El Sarape Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 931 Broad St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 29

#9. Monte Alban

- Rating: 4.2/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 531 Farmington Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 29

#8. El Pollo Guapo

- Rating: 4.3/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 347 New London Tpke Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Chicken Shop, Tacos, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 29

#7. Salsas 4 Taqueria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2434 Berlin Tpke Ste 3 Oneil Plaza Newington, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican, Desserts, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 29

#6. Sayulita

- Rating: 4.3/5 (624 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 865 Main St. South Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 29

#5. American & Mexican Diner

- Rating: 4.5/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 243 Zion St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Diners, American, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

26 / 29

#4. El Pollo Guapo

- Rating: 4.5/5 (342 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1044 Main St. Newington, Connecticut
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Tacos, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 29

#3. Taqueria La Grande

- Rating: 4.5/5 (131 reviews)
- Address: 169 Park Road West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 29

#2. Taqueria La Grande

- Rating: 4.5/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 985 West Main St. New Britain, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 29

#1. La Joya - Fresh Mexican

- Rating: 4.6/5 (112 reviews)
- Address: 834 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Mexican
- 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.