Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the South Bend area by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the South Bend 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 South Bend 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 South Bend 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!
#20. Pepe's Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 2.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 West 61st Ave. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Pepe's
- Rating: 2.8/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 260 East 84th St. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#18. El Salto Restaurant
- Rating: 3.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5031 East Lincoln Hwy Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. La Carreta-Merrillville
- Rating: 3.1/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 269 West 81st Ave. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican, Salad, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. El Capitan Seafood and Mexican Grill
- Rating: 3.3/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 327 Main St. Hobart, Indiana
- Categories: Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Taco Tia
- Rating: 3.3/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2024 81st Ave. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Tres Amigos
- Rating: 3.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 816 Country Sq Plz Hebron, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Taco Depot
- Rating: 3.6/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 851 West 57th Ave. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Simon Sez
- Rating: 3.7/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2250 West Lincoln Hwy Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: American, Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Ricochet Tacos
- Rating: 3.7/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 115 West Joliet St. Crown Point, Indiana
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#10. La Quesadilla Mexican Grill
- Rating: 3.8/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10761 Broadway Crown Point, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. El Jimador
- Rating: 3.9/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9071 East 109th Ave. Crown Point, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Taco Depot
- Rating: 4.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 1234 North Main St. Crown Point, Indiana
- Categories: Tacos, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Philly Steak and Lemonade
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 2024 West 81st Ave. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Sandwiches, Cheesesteaks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Court St Burritos
- Rating: 4.1/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 930 South Court St. Ste B Crown Point, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. EL Poblano Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (134 reviews)
- Address: 8255 Georgia St. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Seafood, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Fat Burrito
- Rating: 4.3/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1302 North Main St. Ste 2 Crown Point, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#3. El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (245 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7849 Taft St. Merrillville, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican, Bars, Music Venues
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Litehouse Whole Food Grill-Hobart
- Rating: 4.7/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1403 South Lake Park Ave. Hobart, Indiana
- Categories: Mexican, Vegetarian, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Las Jacarandas Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.7/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 2486 West Lincoln Hwy Merrillville, Indiana
- 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.
