Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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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1 / 30

#30. El Fogon

- Rating: 4.0/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1250 8th St. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Tasty Tacos

- Rating: 4.0/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8549 Hickman Road Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Bandit Burrito

- Rating: 4.1/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5340 Merle Hay Road Johnston, Iowa
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. LaCabana Bar and Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 1435 Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Tacos, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Maria's Mexican Food

- Rating: 4.1/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 5405 Douglas Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Primos Tex Mex Bar And Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1140 East Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. El Maya Mexican Resteraunt

- Rating: 4.1/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 2531 Sunset Drive Ste 105 Norwalk, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Mojitos

- Rating: 4.1/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 802 Southeast Oralabor Road Ste 102 Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Flame Cantina

- Rating: 4.1/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 1315 Southwest Oralabor Road Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Amigo Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 8510 Birchwood Court Johnston, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 30

#20. El Rey Burritos

- Rating: 4.2/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1310 Grand Ave. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Paleteria La Michoacana

- Rating: 4.2/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1552 East Grand Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Tacos Mariana's

- Rating: 4.2/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1305 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Tacos La Familia

- Rating: 4.2/5 (78 reviews)
- Address: 1610 6th Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. Hidalgo Mexican Bar and Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2675 100th St. Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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16 / 30

#15. Lindo Jalisco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 1810 Southwest White Birch Cir Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Salad, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Gilberto's Mexican Taco Shop

- Rating: 4.3/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 400 34th Ave. Southwest Ste 104 Altoona, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Fernando's Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2650 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. El Bait Shop

- Rating: 4.3/5 (579 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 200 Southwest 2nd St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, Mexican, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. El Barco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8801 Hickman Road Ste B Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 30

#10. Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.4/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1100 North Hickory Blvd. Ste 203 Pleasant Hill, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. Tequila Restaurante & Cantina

- Rating: 4.4/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2824 Easton Blvd. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.4/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2025 Grand Ave. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. La Pena

- Rating: 4.4/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2010 Indianola Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Rancho Alegre Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3308 Indianola Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

26 / 30

#5. El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 3751 Ep True Pkwy West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Faustinos Taqueria

- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 4944 Franklin Ave. Ste I Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Tacos Degollado

- Rating: 4.7/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1817 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Patisserie/Cake Shop, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Flame The Taqueria

- Rating: 4.8/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 5765 Merle Hay Road Johnston, Iowa
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. El Michoacano

- Rating: 4.8/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 2922 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Tacos
- 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.