30 St. Louis Mexican Restaurants that Keep Us Coming Back For More

Sol Azteca

4232 South Broadway, 314-449-1505
A cheerful strip mall outlet in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood, Sol Azteca is serving the food of owner Jesus Rojas’ hometown, Mexico City. That means two-foot-long quesadillas with a thick corn base, as well as pambazos and huaraches. Less adventurous eaters will also find plenty to like here, with a solid repertoire of fajitas, burritos and tacos. Beer and wine only.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

El Burro Loco

313 North Euclid Avenue; 314-224-5701
El Burro Loco is not going for authenticity. Obviously. Upon entering the sprawling restaurant in the Central West End, you need only observe the décor to catch the tongue-in-cheek attitude that owner Salvador Alonso and team are trying to convey: the Mexican wrestling masks and Dio de los Muertos artwork that decorate the shockingly colorful space, the giant painting of Speedy Gonzalez that adorns one of the walls, the mural of a braying burro that screams out over the main dining room. El Burro Loco checks all of the boxes for a typical Americanized Mexican restaurant, along with a truly extensive menu of house-made margaritas. Bring on the fiesta!

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Sabor Si

1133 Bellevue Avenue (Inside the In & Out Market), Richmond Heights; 314-647-2696
Sabor Si is only serving on Saturdays from noon to 3pm, but it's worth setting aside some weekend time to visit this little taco stand tucked inside a market. Corrye Lopez's signature street tacos, served two to an order, are made with soft flour tortillas, griddled right in front of you. She overstuffs them with either beef or chicken. The former is made from tender, marinated flank steak that has the dual zing of lime juice and black pepper; the latter is succulent pulled chicken spiked with warm chiles and garlic. Lopez dresses them to specification, but suggests just a sprinkle of white onion and fresh cilantro. She layers two, sometimes three, tortillas together because one can't contain the juice from the meat, though I wonder who'd complain about getting their sleeves messy for something this wonderful. - Cheryl Baehr

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Dos Reyes Mexican Restaurant

5912 Hampton Ave., 314-833-5550
The beef torta from Dos Reyes Mexican Restaurant in Lindenwood Park is the best pot roast you've ever had. This succulent, braised beef seems like equal parts meat and rich gravy. Though the menu calls it barbacoa, the preparation is actually birria, a rich, stew-like concoction filled with hunks of beef so tender they fall apart with just the suggestion of a fork. And you will want one for this beast of a sandwich. It may be designed to be handheld, but the beef's savory jus soaks into every last crevice of the pillow-soft bread, turning it into a glorious gravy sponge and rendering it impossible to keep together. And why bother – all the effort you'd spend trying to eat it like a sandwich is better spent devouring every last morsel. - Cheryl Baehr

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Tienda El Ranchito

2565 N. 32nd St., Fairmont City, IL; 618-875-1521
The barbacoa tacos are at Tienda El Ranchito are an obsession for savvy diners. Barbacoa originally referred to meat cooked in a pit, but that definition is somewhat broader these days. At Tienda El Ranchito, the barbacoa is goat meat that has been steamed until very, very tender. We've never had goat this tender before. The meat has a rich, earthy flavor, with a hint of cumin. As is customary, it comes topped with chopped onion and cilantro. On the side are dishes of smoky red and very hot green salsa to add to taste, though the barbacoa needs little more than a squeeze of fresh lime juice to sing. - Ian Froeb

Photo courtesy of Ian Froeb

Cantina Laredo

7710 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-725-2447
Those who go to Cantina Laredo expecting a Cherokee Street taqueria will be disappointed; the restaurant hits a sweet spot between the greasy, cheese-drenched Americanized joints and authentic Latin American cuisine. The restaurant's signature appetizer, the "Top Shelf Guacamole," could not get any fresher if it were enjoyed at a café on the Pacific coast. An employee whose sole job is to prepare the guacamole will arrive with a cart of ripe avocados and assorted traditional accoutrements so you can doctor the dish ourselves. She prepares a creamy dip full of garlic, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, a touch of jalapeño and a generous squeeze of lime juice. - Cheryl Baehr

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Chava's Mexican Restaurant

925 Geyer Avenue, Soulard; 314-241-5503
Though Chava's has been recognized in the RFT for its excellent specialty margs, it also has damn good food to serve alongside it. Don't fill up on the chips and salsa — they'll keep refilling the baskets until you say "Tio." After that, Chava's doesn't make things too complicated: There's the classic array of tacos, the build-your-own burrito and tamales that are made fresh daily. But the key to quality Mexican food is in the execution. The "El Mireko," a flash-fried burrito dish, has a crisp outside with a perfectly chewy center, and the vegetable quesadilla would satisfy even the most ardent carnivore. Throw in a few of those specialty margaritas, and it's easy to fall in love with this Soulard eatery.

Photo courtesy of Bryan Peters

The Taco & Ice Cream Joint

2738 Cherokee Street, 314-224-5799
Though the dessert line is what strikes you upon entry to this big and bright Cherokee Street eatery, the savory menu is every bit as worthy. On any given day, the restaurant has approximately fifteen different taco fillings, all served à la carte and completely undressed. This presentation allows diners to choose their own accoutrements from a salsa bar that offers everything from pickled onions, cilantro and pico de gallo to fiery mango salsas and a piquant cauliflower and onion relish similar to giardiniera. On both the taqueria side and the dessert one, you can pick a base and pile on the toppings to your heart's content. - Cheryl Baehr

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

La Vallesana

2801 Cherokee St.; 314-776-4223
Next time you find yourself sitting on La Vallensana's outside patio watching the residents of Cherokee Street stroll by, order up tacos al pastor: that's smoked pork, grilled pineapple, onion and cilantro on corn tortillas topped with fiery red or green salsa -- trust us on this. But if you can't live by tacos al pastor alone? Try a burrito with spicy chorizo or an overfilled torta sandwich that deliver the goods and then some. Finish up with a dish of homemade ice cream or paletas, sweet Mexican popsicles made with fresh fruit that will cool off your taste buds.

Photo courtesy of Madelaine Azar

Mi Lindo Michoacán

4534 Gravois Avenue; 314-224-5495
Perhaps nothing is as comforting as Mi Lindo Michoacán's "Pollo Ranchero." Chef Jose Garduno calls the sauce on the dish addictive, and this is an understatement. Here, he draws upon his experience in Chinese cuisine, marinating the thinly pounded chicken breasts in an ambrosial concoction of Asian-style sauces (hoisin, soy, oyster and a few other secret additions he won't disclose). He then coats the chicken in Mexican spices and grills it so that the marinade and spice dusting meld together for a deep, rich glaze. - Cheryl Baehr

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Chimichanga's Mexican Restaurant

5425 S. Grand Blvd., Carondelet; 314-352-0202
Drive way south on Grand and you'll find a Mexican restaurant where a great vibe foreshadows a great meal. Nestled in the sleepy Carondelet neighborhood, Chimichanga's sticks out like the best kind of sore thumb. You can take a seat on the always-packed patio, festooned with bright umbrellas and white Christmas lights, or settle into a booth in the primary-color dining room. The no-frills food is delicious, particularly when it involves smoky house-made salsa or fork-tender grilled pork. Tasty margaritas come in three sizes, with small meaning "not quite enough," medium meaning "perfect" and large meaning "this thing oughta come with a diving board."

Photo by Kelly Glueck

Diana's Bakery

2843 Cherokee Street, 314-771-6959
When you walk into Diana's Bakery, your stomach's eyes pop with desire. Huge cakey disks labeled "Galletas," flaky triangles branded as "Empanadas de Calabaza" and swollen pastries covered in colorful confections left mysteriously unidentified line the (numerous) shelves. While English translations are offered for some of these delicious goodies (galletas/cookies and calabaza/pumpkin), the majority is left unexplained. Still, the key question at Diana's isn't "What is that?" but "How do I choose?" Located in the heart of St. Louis' Hispanic community, Diana's opens daily at 6 a.m. and makes all of its own baked goods, many of which are Mexican favorites. The tiny women who work at Diana's are as sweet as the churros they sell and will do their best to explain less familiar items to gringos. But the best thing about Diana's, apart from the pastries, is that it's self-serve; just grab a tray and load it up with whatever intrigues. No matter what you choose, you can't go wrong: ¡todos son deliciosos!

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Laredo on Lafayette Square

2001 Park Avenue, Lafayette Square; 314-231-9200
This low-key Lafayette Square mainstay has some of the best sidewalk seating in town. Sipping a margarita while overlooking the park, you can enjoy the neighborhood's collection of dogs and strollers as they parade past. Savvy diners will also turn their attention to the menu, which includes some Americanized favorites (taco salad in a hard shell, quesadilla) but also enchiladas coated in a rich, smoky red sauce and chicken in a nutty, dark-chocolate mole (pollo en mole). There’s a selection of “fusion” dishes — chipotle-rubbed swordfish, a rib-eye steak in a poblano-cream sauce — as well.

Photo courtesy of Crystal Rolfe

La Tejana Taqueria

3149 North Lindbergh Blvd., Maryland Heights; 314-291-8500
If you can visit here only once, it should be on the weekend, when the kitchen makes carnitas. That La Tejana treats as a special what many Mexican restaurants serve daily should signal the seriousness of its intent. The carnitas is fantastic, the exterior walnut brown and crisp, the interior fork tender. The flavor is exactly what you would expect from pork simmered for hours in its own lard: a touch sweet, a touch funky, mostly piggy. Order the carnitas as a plate, and you receive a stack of corn tortillas in which to wrap the meat, and, if you want an extra kick of flavor, some of that red or green salsa. - Ian Froeb

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Silverberg

Mariscos el Gato

4561 Gravois Avenue; 314-282-0772
The name says it all: this place specializes in mariscos, or seafood. It's all delicious and, in some cases, quite unique. Even if you know Spanish, you may not be familiar with fish called the "huachinango," which turns out to be a type of red snapper. Don't let that stop you. It's delicious. So, too, is the octopus — identified on this menu only as the Spanish word "pulpo." Tender meat topped with a tangy blend of tomato, chiles and onions, it's one of very best versions of this tentacled beast we've tried. - Sarah Fenske

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Mayana Mexican Kitchen

7810 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-833-8200
Mayana makes its flour tortillas on site from scratch daily. The result is a warm, flaky disc that is delicate, soft and slightly crisped at the edges. The difference between it and Chipotle's mass-produced version is as striking as a plate of fresh pasta versus the dry stuff that comes in a box. That tortilla is the base of one of Mayana's signature dishes, the "Wet Burrito." This mammoth concoction is filled with a choice of meat and smothered in either rich queso blanco, warm verde or tangy enchilada sauce — or, as the menu suggests, all of the above. "Macho Nachos" are an outstanding version of the ubiquitous Tex-Mex dish. Mayana's chips are thick, deep-fried tortillas cut into large triangles. - Cheryl Baehr

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Puebo Solis

5127 Hampton Ave., St. Louis Hills; 314-351-9000
Let's begin at the beginning: We adore all three of Pueblo Solis' salsas (mild tomatillo, smoky chile de arbol and a red-and-green chile mix). Then there are the frijoles charros, those delectable slow-simmered pintos that once led us to exclaim, "Thank you, beans, for tasting so much like bacon!" We love the restaurant's plump tamales, full of fork-tender pork and dream of its homemade mole.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Glueck

Mi Ranchito

887 Kingsland Avenue, University City; 314-863-1880
Tucked away in a strip mall just north of the bustling Delmar Loop, Mi Ranchito features a lengthy menu boasting many of the standard Mexican dishes, from burritos, tacos and enchiladas to even heartier plates of carnitas and chile colorado. But you'll probably want to first order one of Mi Ranchito's legendary mammoth margaritas. During the day, stop by for the lunch specials (available every day but Sunday from 11 a.m. till 2:30 p.m.), particularly the chori pollo, a grilled chicken breast topped with chorizo and melted cheese, wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla.

Photo courtesy of Ian Froeb

Mission Taco Joint

Multiple locations including 908 Lafayette Ave., 314-858-8226
Don't let the name confuse you. Mission is far more than just a "taco joint." Focusing on all facets of Mexican street fare, the tacos are served taqueria-style on corn tortillas with the traditional garnishes of chopped onion and cilantro as well as lime to squeeze to taste on the side. One of the more intriguing tacos might be the one made with nopal: strips of roasted cactus flesh with poblano chile, caramelized onions, goat cheese and a roasted-jalapeño salsa. And then of course you also have tortas, burritos and freshly fried tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole or queso spiked with chorizo, cerveza and serrano chiles. The standout meat at Mission is the brisket, available in a taco or the "Cowboy" burrito. The meat is luscious, beefy and, thanks to an arbol-chile salsa, smoky and spicy. To top it all off, Mission serves one dessert: freshly fried churros with chocolate sauce for dipping -- it's the only dessert you'll ever want.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Silverberg

Salinas 2

4601 Gravois Avenue, 314-696-8877
Salinas 2 is neither completely Americanized or fiercely authentic; it's both. The comprehensive menu features many gringo-friendly dishes you'd find at other Mex-American restaurants, such as fajitas, burritos, nachos and chips and salsa. However, the menu also consists of several authentic dishes like menudo, ceviche and whole grilled fish. Everything from the beans, salsa and cheese dip that are served gratis to the taco shells fried to order is made in-house.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Baehr