Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Knoxville by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Knoxville 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 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 Knoxville using data from Yelp. Only restaurants with at least five reviews were considered. Data is current as of January 2024.
Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#30. CJ's Tacos
- Rating: 4.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 507 South Gay St. Embassy Suites Downtown Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Plaza Mexico
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7411 Maynardville Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Potrillos Taqueria & Neveria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 11145 Kingston Pike Ste D Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Amigo's Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7228 Region Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Sports Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Fiesta Garibaldi Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8520 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Chivo Taqueria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (403 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 314 South Gay St. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 10577 Hardin Valley Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Tacomex Taco Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8313 Kingston Pike at Conoco Station Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Taco Boy
- Rating: 4.5/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 747 North Campbell Station Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Porton Mexican Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9623 Countryside Center Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Dos Agaves
- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11639 Parkside Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Lempira Mexican Restaurant & Latin Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8078 Kingston Pike Ste 151 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Sabor Catracho Latin Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4705 Central Ave. Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican, Honduran
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Fuego
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 1723 Cumberland Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Cataleya Cantina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9314 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Mi Pueblo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1645 Downtown West Blvd. Ste 17 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Anafres Grill and Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 110 Cedar Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Dosbros Fresh Mexican Grill - Knoxville
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 4405 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Country Burrito Fresh Mex
- Rating: 4.5/5 (96 reviews)
- Address: 10636 Hardin Valley Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Caza Brava Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5640 Clinton Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. La Esperanza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2412 Washington Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Captain Muchachos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Good Hombres Tacos, Tortas & More
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7 reviews)
- Address: 10433 Hickory Path Way Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Taqueria La Herradura
- Rating: 4.5/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 7063 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Emma's Southern Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3701 Sutherland Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Tacos, Salad, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Tacos El Primo Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1116 Concord Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Taqueria La Herradura
- Rating: 4.5/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2625 North Broadway Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Las Fuentes
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 2525 Chapman Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Paco's Tacos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11071 Parkside Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Taqueria La Herradura
- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 8311 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 327 metros.
