Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Roanoke area by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Roanoke 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 Roanoke 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 Roanoke 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!
#26. El Rodeo
- Rating: 2.7/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3518 Orange Ave. Northeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#25. El Toreo
- Rating: 2.7/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3790 Peters Creek Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#24. El Rodeo
- Rating: 3.0/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 260 Wildwood Road Salem, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Rodeo Grande
- Rating: 3.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4826 Valley View Blvd. Northwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#22. El Rodeo
- Rating: 3.1/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4017 Williamson Road Northwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. El Rio Mexican Grill
- Rating: 3.1/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4208 Franklin Road Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. El Toreo
- Rating: 3.2/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6617 Thirlane Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Village Grill
- Rating: 3.3/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1802 Memorial Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Dive Bars, Tacos, American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. El Rodeo
- Rating: 3.3/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3280 Electric Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Pancho
- Rating: 3.6/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 1922 East Washington Ave. Vinton, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Desserts, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Tuco's Taqueria
- Rating: 3.6/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 416 Salem Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Tacos, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Alejandro's Mexican Grill - Hollins
- Rating: 3.6/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7212 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Agave Azul Mexican Grill & Bar
- Rating: 3.8/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7850 Plantation Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Alejandro's Mexican Grill - Downtown
- Rating: 3.9/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 127 Campbell Ave. Southeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Alejandro's Mexican Grill - Salem
- Rating: 4.0/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1304 West Main St. Salem, Virginia
- Categories: Sports Bars, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Tacos Rojas - Cave Spring
- Rating: 4.1/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 5028 Keagy Road Cave Spring, Virginia
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Rincon Catracho Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 3324 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Honduran, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Tacos Rojas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (156 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 737 13th St. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Lupita's Tacos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3150 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Mi Tapatia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4818 Williamson Road Northwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Pancho Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 412 Roanoke Road Daleville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. El Cielito Lindo
- Rating: 4.7/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 683 Brandon Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Salad, Breakfast & Brunch, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Pueblo Chico Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.7/5 (91 reviews)
- Address: 2626 Broadway Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. La Casa Del Burrito Taco Shop
- Rating: 4.8/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 515 2nd St. Vinton, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Taco Riendo
- Rating: 4.8/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 5411 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Tacos Coronado
- Rating: 4.9/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 217 6th St. Salem, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- 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.
