Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Portland, Maine area by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Portland, Maine 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 Portland 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 Portland 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!
#23. Amigos Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.2/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9 Dana St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican, Dive Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. El Rayo Taqueria
- Rating: 3.3/5 (245 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 245 US Route 1 Scarborough, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. El Rayo Taqueria
- Rating: 3.3/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 26 Free St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Fajita Grill
- Rating: 3.4/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 857 Main St. Westbrook, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Margaritas Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 242 St. John St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Tacos Y Tequila Cape Elizabeth
- Rating: 3.7/5 (94 reviews)
- Address: 517 Ocean House Road CAPE ELIZ, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. El Rodeo
- Rating: 3.8/5 (286 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 147 Western Ave. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Taco Escobarr
- Rating: 3.9/5 (741 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 548 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Restaurante El Corazon
- Rating: 3.9/5 (223 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 190 State St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Bars, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. El Corazón Foodtruck
- Rating: 4.1/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Portland, Maine
- Categories: Food Trucks, Hot Dogs, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lenora
- Rating: 4.2/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 2 Portland Sq Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Guerrero Maya Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (282 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 449 Westbrook St. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Taco Trio
- Rating: 4.2/5 (359 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 60 Ocean St. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Rio Bravo Tacos and Tequila
- Rating: 4.3/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Main St. Ste 14 Westbrook, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Tacos La Poblanita
- Rating: 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 364 Maine Mall Road South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Ocotillo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 211 Danforth St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Bird & Co
- Rating: 4.5/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 539 Deering Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Sal De La Tierra
- Rating: 4.6/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 581 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Butcher Burger
- Rating: 4.6/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7 Union St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Casita Corazon
- Rating: 4.7/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 158 Benjamin West Pickett St. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Jefe Juan's
- Rating: 4.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 29 Wharf St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Tacos Del Seoul
- Rating: 4.9/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Portland, Maine
- Categories: Food Trucks, Korean, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Cantina Calafia
- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 46 Pine St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American, Wine Bars
- 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.
