Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Rockford area by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Rockford 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 Rockford 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 Rockford 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!
#18. Pancheros Mexican Grill - Rockford
- Rating: 2.6/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3015 North Perryville Road Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Fiesta Cancun
- Rating: 2.6/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1508 East Riverside Blvd. Loves Park, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Alvarez Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.1/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 205 East Riverside Blvd. Loves Park, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Taqueria San Jose
- Rating: 3.2/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3725 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. El Burrito Loco
- Rating: 3.2/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2430 Auburn St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Fiesta Cancun
- Rating: 3.4/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 631 Highgrove Place Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5855 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Salad, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Chilangos Authentic Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 3.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5621 Wansford Way Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Chavez Mexican Restaurante
- Rating: 3.6/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 5494 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Fiesta Tequila Bar & Grill
- Rating: 3.6/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 1060 West Riverside Blvd. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Hacienda San Jose
- Rating: 3.7/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3035 North Rockton Ave. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Jalisco & Tequila Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 805 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Burrito Bravo
- Rating: 3.8/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4206 Charles St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Mexico Clasico
- Rating: 3.9/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3929 Broadway Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Olivo Taco's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 2914 West State Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Lucha Cantina
- Rating: 4.2/5 (457 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1641 North Alpine Road Ste 212 Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos, New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Cantina Taco
- Rating: 4.2/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 117 South Main St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Plaza Los Panchos
- Rating: 4.2/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 8660 North 2nd St. Machesney Park, Illinois
- 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.
