Highest-rated Mexican Restaurants in the Washington, D.C. Area by Diners

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Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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. Mi Vida

- Rating: 4.1/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1901 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#29. Far East Taco Grille

- Rating: 4.1/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 635 Florida Ave. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos, Asian Fusion, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

#28. El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria

- Rating: 4.1/5 (740 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1227 11th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

#27. El Rinconcito Cafe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (618 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1129 11th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Salvadoran, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#26. El Presidente

- Rating: 4.1/5 (293 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1255 Union St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Far East Taco Grille - Truck

- Rating: 4.1/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#24. Amparo Fondita

- Rating: 4.1/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 2002 P St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#23. J & J Mex-Taqueria

- Rating: 4.1/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6231 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, fast food, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp

#22. Rito Loco Truck

- Rating: 4.2/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 606 Florida Ave. Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#21. Surfside Taco Stand

- Rating: 4.2/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 33 District Square Southwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. El Bebe Tacos + Tequila

- Rating: 4.2/5 (358 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 99 M St. Southeast Ste 120 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

#19. Bandit Taco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4629 41st St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

#18. Tequila & Mezcal

- Rating: 4.3/5 (135 reviews)
- Address: 3475 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

#17. Restaurant Judy

- Rating: 4.3/5 (294 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2212 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Salvadoran, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#16. Gerrard Street Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (78 reviews)
- Address: 1515 Rhode Island Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Sushi Bars, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Muchas Gracias

- Rating: 4.3/5 (98 reviews)
- Address: 5029 Connecticut Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

#14. Taqueria Habanero

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1087 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3710 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#13. Taqueria Al Lado

- Rating: 4.3/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 809 12th St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

#12. Anafre

- Rating: 4.3/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3704 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#11. Taqueria Xochi

- Rating: 4.4/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 924 U St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Chaia

- Rating: 4.4/5 (198 reviews)
- Address: 615 I St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

#9. Taco City DC

- Rating: 4.4/5 (267 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1102 8th St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#8. dLeña

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1084 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 476 K St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp

#7. Vera Cocina & بار

- Rating: 4.4/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2002 Fenwick St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, Lebanese, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

#6. Paraiso Taqueria

- Rating: 4.4/5 (352 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1101 Pennsylvania Ave. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. The Corn Factory

- Rating: 4.4/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Venezuelan, Mexican, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

#4. Tiki Taco

- Rating: 4.4/5 (430 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2010 P St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos, Hawaiian, Shaved Ice
- Read more on Yelp

#3. Chaia

- Rating: 4.4/5 (808 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3207 Grace St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Vegetarian, Tacos, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

#2. Talkin' Tacos Washington DC

- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 1800 M St. Northwest Unit GR06 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos, Desserts, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp