Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Newark 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 Newark 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 Newark 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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#30. La Malinche Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1588 Irving St. Rahway, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Taqueria Dos Perlas

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 446 Washington Ave. Belleville, New Jersey
- Categories: Tacos, New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Molcajetes

- Rating: 4.4/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 520 West Side Ave. Jersey City, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Mariachi Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (392 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 262 Ridge Road Lyndhurst, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. El Paso Tex Mex Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 206 Centennial Ave. Cranford, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Dario's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.4/5 (248 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 20 Academy St. Newark, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Irma's Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 279 Central Ave. Jersey City, New Jersey
- Categories: Salvadoran, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Rincon Azteca

- Rating: 4.4/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 669 Bloomfield Ave. West Caldwell, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Figuritas Mexican Kitchen

- Rating: 4.4/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 887 Broadway Bayonne, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Tortilla Bite & Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 682 Broadway Bayonne, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American, Dominican
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Playa Taqueria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 206 Bellevue Ave. Montclair, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Cheesesteak & Tacos

- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 93 Franklin St. Belleville, New Jersey
- Categories: Tacos, Cheesesteaks
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Mi Pequeno Mexico Restaurante Y Taqueria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 128 Elmora Ave. Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Peruvian
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Tacos Locos

- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 567 Valley Road West Orange, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Victoria's Mexican - American Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (195 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 Main St. Little Ferry, New Jersey
- Categories: American, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Mi Sabor Latino

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 396 Paterson Ave. East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. El Macho Tacqueria & Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 402 Harrison Ave. Harrison, New Jersey
- Categories: Tacos, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. San Isidro

- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 473 West 1st Ave. Roselle, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Desserts, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Carlito's Barbecue Taqueria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 119 Valley Brook Ave. Lyndhurst, New Jersey
- Categories: Tacos, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Mi Mariachi Taqueria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (367 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 213 Sip Ave. Jersey City, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Habanero

- Rating: 4.6/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 729 Van Houten Ave. Clifton, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Taqueria Brenda Lee

- Rating: 4.7/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 359 Monroe St. Passaic, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Mezoco Taco Truck

- Rating: 4.7/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: Montclair, New Jersey
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. El Ranchero Taqueria

- Rating: 4.7/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 382 2nd St. Jersey City, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Empanadas
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. La Villa Mexican and Salvadoran Food

- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 261 Irvington Ave. South Orange, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Salvadoran, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. El Rey Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 1908 Springfield Ave. Maplewood, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Sol Azteca

- Rating: 4.8/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 2 Kearny Ave. Kearny, New Jersey
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Yetla's Restaurant & Deli

- Rating: 4.8/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 342 Pompton Ave. Cedar Grove, New Jersey
- Categories: Delis, Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Taqueria Los Amigos VM

- Rating: 4.8/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 822-B Main Ave. Passaic, New Jersey
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Aldys Restaurant

- Rating: 4.9/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 804 8th St. Union City, New Jersey
- 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.