Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Merced by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Merced 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 Merced 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. Taqueria El Huarache
- Rating: 3.5/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3115 R St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Tacos De La Torre
- Rating: 3.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 1800 East Childs Ave. Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#28. La Casita
- Rating: 3.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 770 West 14th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Villa's Mexican Food
- Rating: 4.0/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 900 Loughborough Drive Ste C Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Carnitas Michoacan
- Rating: 4.0/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1540 Yosemite Pkwy Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#25. La Cruda
- Rating: 4.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 1055 West 15th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Tequila Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 260 West 18th st Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Marie's Mexican Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 259 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Mario's Taco Shop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 801 Martin Luther King Jr Way Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. El Asadero Taco Shop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (329 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3532 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Ostioneria Guadalajara Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1220 West 16th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#19. La Morenita
- Rating: 4.0/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1352 West 13th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Agaves Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 731 East Yosemite Ave. Suit D Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Sammy's Taqueria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 1055 West Childs Ave. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Jose's Taco Shop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3250 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Guacamole Burrito
- Rating: 4.0/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 3144 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Tacos El Pollo merced ca
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 371 South CA-59 Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Taqueria Coalcoman
- Rating: 4.0/5 (7 reviews)
- Address: 2681 Santa Fe Drive Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Tacos Hidalgo Taco Truck
- Rating: 4.0/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 550 East Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#11. El Palmar Taqueria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1127 Martin Luther King Jr Way Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. El Tlahualil Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1277 V St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Lupian's Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 802 West 16th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cortes Tacos - 2
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 15TH West 15th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Tacos Las Ranitas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 825 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Tacos Al Mando
- Rating: 4.5/5 (15 reviews)
- Address: 900 Martin Luther King Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Marco's Tacos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 99 East Donna Drive Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Carniceria Y Taqueria Superior
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1725 West Hwy 140 Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Taco Caporales
- Rating: 4.5/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 1735 West State Hwy 140 Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#2. El Sabor De Oaxaca
- Rating: 4.5/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 900 Loughborough Drive Ste East Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mariscos El Nacho
- Rating: 5.0/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1560 Yosemite Pkwy Merced, California
- Categories: 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.
