Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Santa Cruz by diners
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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. Las Palmas Taco Bar
- Rating: 3.5/5 (651 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 55 Front St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Vivas
- Rating: 3.5/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Taqueria Santa Cruz
- Rating: 3.5/5 (312 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2215 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Casa Rosita's
- Rating: 3.5/5 (218 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2608 Portola Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#26. El Palomar
- Rating: 3.5/5 (1018 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1336 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#25. La Cabaña Taqueria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (446 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2332 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Jalapenos Taqueria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Taqueria Santa Cruz
- Rating: 4.0/5 (364 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1002 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#22. El Chino Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2525 Soquel Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Taqueria Agave - Santa Cruz
- Rating: 4.0/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1836 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Taqueria Jalapeños
- Rating: 4.0/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 206 Laurel St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Tacos Moreno
- Rating: 4.0/5 (423 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1053 Water St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Taqueria Jalapeños y Pupuseria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 107 Leonard St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Salsa's Taco Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (303 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1710 Brommer St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Vegan, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Restaurante Los Pinos
- Rating: 4.0/5 (259 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2019 North Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Tacos El Chuy
- Rating: 4.0/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 402 Ingalls St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#14. El Huarache
- Rating: 4.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 920 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Taqueria Los Pericos
- Rating: 4.0/5 (1436 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 139 Water St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Copal
- Rating: 4.0/5 (300 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1203 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Taqueria Los Primos
- Rating: 4.0/5 (133 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 425 Barson St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. De La Hacienda Taqueria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 354 Washington St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Taqueria La Katrina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1719 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Steamer Lane Supply
- Rating: 4.5/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 698 West Cliff Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Poke, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Vamonos!
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 118 Cooper St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Los Viejones
- Rating: 4.5/5 (68 reviews)
- Address: 236 Ocean St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#5. El Buen Taco
- Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Raymond's Catering
- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1156 High St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Evarista's Comal Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2-1245 East Cliff Drive Unit A Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: New American, Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#2. The Real Taco
- Rating: 5.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 1204 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Cococ
- Rating: 5.0/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- 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.
