Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Knoxville 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 Knoxville 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 Knoxville 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!

1 / 30

#30. El Chico

- Rating: 3.9/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 116 Cedar Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Silvia's Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 2421 University Commons Way Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Celestina Mexican Crafted

- Rating: 4.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 1411 Bexhill Drive d Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. La Bamba Seafood

- Rating: 4.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2619 Chapman Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Seafood, Mexican, Pool & Billiards
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Chez Guevara

- Rating: 4.0/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8023 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Knoxville

6 / 30

#25. La Casa De Burro Flojo

- Rating: 4.0/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8079 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Zalate Taqueria

- Rating: 4.1/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 102 Stekoia Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. La Piñata Mexican Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 2038 North Broadway Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Fiesta Garibaldi Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Cedar Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Anafres Grill and Market

- Rating: 4.2/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 110 Cedar Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 30

#20. Chivo Taqueria

- Rating: 4.2/5 (444 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 314 South Gay St. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Victor's Taco Shop

- Rating: 4.2/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2121 Cumberland Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. El Tepame Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 506 Clinch Ave. Clinton, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Dosbros Fresh Mexican Grill - Knoxville

- Rating: 4.2/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 4405 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. Lempira Mexican Restaurant & Latin Cuisine

- Rating: 4.3/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8078 Kingston Pike Ste 151 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Highest-rated chicken wings in Knoxville by diners

16 / 30

#15. Porton Mexican Kitchen

- Rating: 4.4/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9623 Countryside Center Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Sabor Catracho Latin Cuisine

- Rating: 4.4/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4705 Central Ave. Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican, Honduran
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Mi Pueblo

- Rating: 4.4/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1645 Downtown West Blvd. Ste 17 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Taqueria La Herradura

- Rating: 4.4/5 (91 reviews)
- Address: 7063 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. Cataleya Cantina

- Rating: 4.4/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9314 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Knoxville

21 / 30

#10. El Jinete - Powell

- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 237 East Emory Road Ste 117 Powell, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. Los Braceros Mexican Cantina

- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 7535 Conner Road Powell, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. Caza Brava Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5640 Clinton Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. La Esperanza

- Rating: 4.5/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2412 Washington Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. Captain Muchachos

- Rating: 4.6/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

26 / 30

#5. Taqueria La Herradura

- Rating: 4.6/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2625 North Broadway Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Las Fuentes

- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 2525 Chapman Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Emma's Southern Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3701 Sutherland Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Tacos, Salad, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Tacos El Primo Food Truck

- Rating: 4.7/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1116 Concord Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. Taqueria La Herradura

- Rating: 4.8/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 8311 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, 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.