Best Mexican restaurants 2018

Looking for the very best Mexican food in Salt Lake City? Get ready to sample a lot of different places then! We have so many great Mexican restaurants in Utah, it’s hard to call any particular on the best.

If you love the food and cuisine of Mexico, we have an endless variety of Mexican restaurants offering everything from cheap and cheerful heaving platters through to fine dining affairs that offer refined and complex regional specialties. Here’s a list of all the Mexican restaurant’s we have on the site, and a link to each of their menus:

Alamexo & Alamexo Cantina

Alamexo: The downtown original of this duo of restaurants and one of the best restaurants in SLC. Try regional classics like the Yucatan’s Cochinita Pibil, and be sure to start with some guacamole, made to order table side in a molcajete just for you.

Alamexo Cantina: The second outing for Matt Lake’s upscale and refined take on regional Mexican cuisine is in the 9th and 9th neighborhood. The menu here is built around sharing with friends and family. Take a plate of this and a bite of that and kick back. The restaurant opens all day long and features a perfect patio for margaritas and guac in the warmer months.

Big Tortas

This casual West Valley City restaurant focuses on heftily stuffed sandwiches at great prices. Creations on the menu include ingredients such as pork leg, breaded beef, breaded chicken, ham, sausage and more. Come hungry and come prepared, these are monstrously messy sandwiches.

Chile Tepin

Located in downtown Salt Lake City’s Crane building, Chile-Tepin is one of the most popular places for Mexican food in the city. While you can enjoy staples like burritos and tacos check out the specialties here: overflowing Molcajetes bowls, grilled meat platters and lush deep fried carnitas.

Chronic Tacos

A fast casual tex-mex joint in the heart of Sugar House for when you need to grab and go. The edgy menu certainly targets a younger audience but this national chain’s menu of fun tacos should appeal to Mexican food lovers of all ages.

Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant

This Rose Park hang out is a neighborhood gem, much beloved by residents. And what’s not to love? The prices are fair, the plates are hefty and the restaurant opens seven days a week; need a filling plate of carne asada fries on Sunday morning to take care of that hangover? Chubby’s has you covered.

El Morelense menu El Morelense

The quote up front tells you all you need to know, “If life gives you lemons, use them in your tacos al pastor”. ​​That’s right, this West side Mexican eatery lays claim to the best al pastor in the entire state of Utah. It’s a bold claim, but hey, why not head on down there and put them to the test?

Fajita Grill

Fajita Grill specialises in Tex-Mex cuisine and does so at downright bargain prices. Also worthy of note is that Fajita Grill was the winner of the Best Veggie Taco 2017 Award at Tacofest 2017. Make sure you grab a taco when you’re building your combo plate!

Freebirds World Burrito

This California borne chain has a few locations in Utah, and all offer the same winning formula: over stuffed burritos loaded with fresh ingredients. The build it yourself concept at Freebirds is fast and fun, offering burrito customization and combination options aplenty.

Hector’s Mexican Food

The endless line of cars in the drive-thru lane should be your first tip that Hector’s is the place to be. The focus is here cheap and cheerful. Whether you need a quick torta or chile relleno smothered in cheese, if you’re on the East side of town, you should check this place out.

Julia’s Mexican Food

From breakfast and machaca con huevos to dinner and mojarra – Julia’s on the North side of SLC has the traditional dishes you’re looking for all day long. Open seven days a week the restaurant does not accept credit and debit cards; make sure you take case if you’re eating at Julia’s.

La Frontera

One of the most famous names on Utah’s dining scene is La Frontera. A mainstay of Mexican cuisine for decades, the restaurant offers a menu thats as broad as it is deep – packed with every classic dish you’re craving. Bonus points for the multiple restaurant locations that span North to South and open seven days a week.

La Oaxaquena

This snug restaurant is the sister operation to next door Cafe Guanaco. La Oaxaqueña, as the name suggests, serves up Oaxacan specific dishes; think of selections like tlayudas and three unique moles – Coloradito, Rojo and Negro.

Lone Star Taqueria

Featured on national TV by Guy Fieri, Lone Star is massively popular for its fresh and affordable tacos. It’s easy to see why, there are ten selections of taco here. From camaron to carnitas to carne asada. Whatever you choose, Lone Star tacos always come with fresh and vibrant toppings and fun sauces that elevate each bite.

Los Molcajetes

This West Valley City restaurant offers a number of authentic dishes you won’t find easily elsewhere in town. Think offerings such as Costilla de Puerco and Camarones a la Cucaracha for example. And of course, you’ll find the restaurants namesake here too – a wonderful seafood Molcajete!

Mi Ranchito Grill

Down in South Salt Lake city, this eatery opens seven days a week. While the menu is great for everyone, vegans should take note of the extra special menu just for them. Not just one or two dishes, but a whole menu devoted to Mexican classics, but spun vegan. On Friday’s the restaurant even offers a buffet with 100% vegan friendly Mexican food.

Nico’s Restaurant

Rancherito’s

This fast food institution is not only open 24 hours, but its also served from 17 locations in Utah. No matter where you are, what time it is, Rancherito’s will be ready to serve you wallet friendly food. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, its all here – and at 3 a.m. when you really need it too!

Red Iguana

What more can we say, this iconic restaurant might be the most famous Utah restaurant, let alone Mexican restaurant. That’s because the Cardenas family ran classic has served traditional Mexican moles and more for decades – never wavering in quality. The restaurant has two locations on the West side of town and both are packed around the clock. Every. Single. Day.

Taco Taco

This downtown SLC taqueria is owned by the same folks by the neighboring Canella’s restaurant. That in itself has been open for more than three decades – which tells you all you need to know – these people know how to feed folks.

Tacos Don Rafa

You can find food trucks and taco carts all over SLC, but Tacos Don Rafa is perhaps the most lauded and most well known. Found at the old Sears store parking lot, Don Rafa offers a range of taco options from just a dollar a taco. Yep $1 tacos.

Tacos Mi Caramelo

This West Valley City quick and casual taco shop has you covered when you need late night eats. The menu of ultra affordable fare is offered until 1 a.m. most nights of the week and on Friday and Saturday’s, 24 hours a day! That’s right, you can grab an al pastor taco at 4 a.m. Saturday morning here.

Taqueria 27

Before he started Taqueria 27, chef and owner Told Gardiner was the executive chef at the Gateway’s outlet of Z’Tejas. He certainly honed his craft there as now his T27 business, ran with his wife, has three locations around town. The concept is simple: creative, upscale Mexican cuisine with daily specials to keep things interesting.

Taqueria El Rey de Oros

A modest West side taco shop that’s opular with locals. Great prices and pitch perfect authentic cuisine draw the crowds daily. The tacos and horchata are must buys according to those in the know.

The Eklektik

The menu here is Latin at heart, which means you’ll find plenty of more unique options here. Stop by our menu page to check out the menu and creativity at work.

Victor’s Restaurant

Wait, why have we sent you to a tire shop, are we mad? Well nope, not quite. At Victor’s, not only will you find a garage, but you’ll find a much loved local Mexican restaurant with wallet friendly pricing. The only place in town you can get your tires rotated and grab a tamale at the same time.