The Best Mexican Restaurants Featured On Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

Mexican food is much more than just tacos and burritos. With a rich culinary history stretching back thousands of years, there are dozens of Mexican foods you need to try before you die. Just ask Guy Fieri, who seems on a quest to make every day a fiesta on his hit show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." From Maine to Alaska and everywhere in between, Fieri has made it a point to spotlight the coolest Mexican restaurants and the best Mexican foods in North America — including hitting up Mexican joints in both Canada and Mexico itself.

But which of the dozens of Mexican restaurants that Fieri has visited over the years truly stand out? Of all the empanadas, tortas, chile rellenos, and chilaquiles that Fieri has scarfed down over the decades, which of them linger long in the memory like the brush of an angel's wings upon a world-weary tongue? In other words, which of these joints are the best Mexican restaurants ever featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives?" Rev up your engine and grab a map, because we're about to find out.

Antonio Matus first opened Antonio's the Taste of Mexico in Taos, New Mexico, a quarter of a century ago. Though the restaurant has undergone numerous changes since then — including closing, reopening, moving locations, and opening a second branch — one thing has remained a constant: the high quality of Matus' cooking.

Guy Fieri discovered just how delicious the food is at Antonio's the Taste of Mexico when he visited the restaurant in 2022 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Fieri was treated to the restaurant's iconic signature dish, chile en nogada, which is made by stuffing peppers with a mix of beef, pork, fruits, and vegetables, topped off with a walnut cream sauce. He and his son, Hunter Fieri, were blown away by the experience. "The savory, spiced meat, contrasted with this sweet, salty, nutty sauce," Guy said. "That is one of the more elevated, culinarily professional dishes I've had in a Mexican restaurant."

Food critics and customers alike both agree, with one Yelp reviewer writing that they had driven nearly four hours just to try the dish, and weren't disappointed. "Hands down, the most beautiful dish I have ever experienced," they said.

instagram.com/antoniosthetaste

(575) 758-2599

1379 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM 87571

When you think of fresh fish tacos, you probably think of the ocean. A little surfing, then some fish tacos from a truck parked in the sand, it's perfection. But when it comes to fish tacos, it turns out that perfection is located on the shores of a very different body of water: Great Salt Lake in Utah. In Salt Lake City, you'll find Lone Star Taqueria, which is famed far and wide for its award-winning fish tacos.

Trust Guy Fieri to be a rebel, though. When Fieri visited Lone Star Taqueria back in 2008 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," he opted instead to try the restaurant's carne adovada tacos, which are made of pork seasoned with a variety of chiles. Add in some cilantro, onion, and lime, and you're ready to eat.

"Wow, that's great," Fieri gushed after taking a hearty bite. The flavor is amazing! Why even have the tortilla? Just serve it in my hand! Or my shoe! ... that's really good." Customers agree that both the adovada and the fish tacos are top notch, while also recommending the horchata as a sleeper hit.

lstaq.com

(801) 944-2300

2265 E Fort Union Blvd Salt Lake City, UT 84121

You want a hot tamale? There's just one place to go: The Tamale Place in Indianapolis, Indiana. Originally opened in 2003 as a tortilleria, The Tamale Place earned its name from loyal customers who were blown away by the eatery's iconic half-pound tamales. The tamales aren't just big, they are also among the absolute best tamales you can get in the United States.

That's an assessment Guy Fieri would certainly agree with. He visited The Tamale Place in 2011 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," sampling the restaurant's hand-made red beef tamales. Fieri learned from co-owner Vladimir Ronces just how they make the masa, a traditional corn-based dough used in Mexican cuisine. That top-notch fresh masa serves as the foundation for the tamale, and though it's a lot of work to make, the effort clearly pays off.

"The masa's got really nice flavor to it," Fieri said after eating a big bite. "And the meat inside. Nothing like shredded Mexican meat! Great job." Customers praise the flavor of the tamales, but those in the know get to The Tamale Place early. Making tamales by hand is a long, work-intensive process, so once they are sold out for the day, that's it. So plan ahead if you want to visit.

thetamaleplace.com

(317) 248-9771

5226 Rockville Rd Indianapolis, IN 46224

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is nestled along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean just south of the Maine border, making it prime lobster country. But if you want a break from all those delicious lobster rolls, there's a very different south of the border experience hidden in town that you won't want to miss: Vida Cantina.

Vida Cantina is the brainchild of acclaimed chef David Vargas, who has been nominated for the James Beard awards on four separate occasions. His innovative cuisine combines classic Mexican dishes with unexpected modern twists for a meal that's one of a kind. Just ask Guy Fieri, who visited Vida Cantina in 2016 with his son Hunter for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." The pair started by trying the pork belly tacos on handmade tortillas with jicama slaw, which Hunter loved. "That is awesome. The freshness of the tortilla totally makes it," he said. "I love the slaw. That pork belly's just cooked perfectly, too. Yeah, I could eat that all day."

Then they sampled the pig head platter, building their own tacos using meat from a whole roasted pig head. "That's about as real deal as it gets right there," Guy said, acknowledging it might be too unique for some diners. "But the truth of it is, the flavor when you've got the skin, the bone, the fat ... that's one of the most beautiful presentations of roasted pork I've ever seen."

vidacantinanh.com

(603) 501-0648

2456 Lafayette Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Located just south of Minneapolis is the suburb of Richfield, Minnesota. Hidden there you'll find one of the most authentic Mexican dining experiences around at Andale Taqueria & Mercado. On the Mercado side of things, you can shop for traditional Mexican ingredients in bulk for your own home kitchen. But if you want to see what a professional chef can do with those grade A ingredients, the Taqueria side has you covered — and then some.

For Guy Fieri, the weapon of choice was Andale Taqueria & Mercado's tacos al pastor. One bite had Fieri re-examining everything he thought he knew about both cooking and geography. "There's no way we're in Minnesota. No way," he said. "The meat, perfectly marinated, it's got a nice crisp to it. Right amount of onion, the tortillas are charred. The salsa is outstanding. Nice job, buddy. Wow!"

To say customers agree with Fieri's assessment is an understatement. "Their tacos are sooo good they almost made me cry the first time I tried them, and their guac ... just omg," wrote one Yelp reviewer. "Everything tastes fresh and packed with flavor you can tell they really care about what they're making ... I would come back a million times."

andaletaqueriaymercado.com

(612) 259-8868

7700 Nicollet Ave, Richfield, MN 55423

In 2023, Guy Fieri headed down to Los Angeles, California, for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" in search of the best Mexican food around. And it didn't take long for him to find it thanks to the award-winning Tacos y Birria La Unica food truck. Considered one of the best birria joints around – birria being a slow-cooked Mexican meat dish traditionally made with goat — Tacos y Birria La Unica is a favorite of both critics and regular customers alike, making it the perfect place for Fieri himself to chow down.

Fieri got a firsthand look at how Tacos y Birria La Unica makes the birria, though the version he sampled was beef birria rather than goat. That meat was added to a queso taco, with the tostada also slow-cooked on the stovetop for a half hour, resulting in a dry crunch rather than the oily experience you might get with a fried taco shell. With cilantro, onion, hot sauce, and lime on top (not to mention rice and beans for the sides) this heaping taco was a full meal.

"The drying out of the tostada is the game-changer, a thousand percent," Fieri said. "I'm having a tostada revelation!" Customers agree that the birria taco is to die for, and with multiple locations, you're never too far away from your own tostada revelation.

instagram.com/tacosybirrialaunica

Multiple locations

Nestled along the shores of Lake Champlain just 45 miles from the Canadian border, Burlington is the largest city in Vermont. It's also home to the best tacos in the state courtesy of Taco Gordo, which was voted the best Mexican restaurant in Vermont in 2025. And 2023. And 2022.

Fieri visited Taco Gordo in 2019 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," trying out the restaurant's signature tacos al pastor. After marinating pork butt in an adobo chile sauce for a full day, the meat is cooked on a vertical rotisserie skewer, then shaved onto the tacos. Add in some salsa roja, pineapple, onion, and cilantro, and Fieri was over the moon.

"This is outstanding," he proclaimed. "This is also probably one of the closest I've been to having authentic al pastor outside of Mexico ... the al pastor is tender, it's got a ton of flavor. There's a good amount of char on this, the marinade comes through ... That is a dynamite taco. Welcome to Flavortown."

Customers agree, also highlighting the elote as a must-try dish. The restaurant often sells out of the al pastor, so make sure you get there early to avoid Taco Gordo FOMO.

tacogordovt.com

(802) 540-0770

208 N Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401

Kansas City is home to flavors so big they couldn't fit in just one state. On the Missouri side of the border, you'll find one of the more intriguing culinary destinations in the city: Kansas City Taco Company, where a Rhode Island native is creating Mexican food with a uniquely Kansas City twist.

Guy Fieri was perplexed and intrigued when he visited Kansas City Taco Company in 2019 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," and saw how chef Arthur Leduc prepares the mesquite pork for the restaurant's signature Cowboy Junkie Burrito. Smoked, marinated, and covered in peppers, garlic, and other seasonings, the 12-hour prep had Fieri raising his eyebrows. "This is one of the funkier taco meats that I have come across," he said. But the resulting burrito, which was served in an iron skillet, spoke for itself. "Brother, you are the flavor man," Fieri said. "That's a really good burrito!"

The Cowboy Junkie Burrito is just the start, though, as regulars cite both the fish tacos and nachos as being the best in the region. Customers also praise the restaurant for having a wide variety of options for people with dietary restrictions, including a robust selection of gluten-free items.

kctacocompany.com

(816) 214-5390

528 Walnut St, Kansas City, MO 64106

One of the delights of Mexican cuisine is the variety. No matter how many tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or taquitos you eat, there's always another traditional Mexican dish ready to discover. That's what Guy Fieri discovered firsthand when he sampled chamorro at Sabroso! Mexican Kitchen in Garden Grove, California, in 2014 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

Chamorro is a classic Mexican dish that involves slow-cooking a bone-in shank until the meat is ready to fall off the bone. Pork or even lamb can be used, but at Sabroso!, beef is the star. Fieri was wowed by the tenderness of the meat, building his own bites with mini-tortillas to scoop up the chamorro with beans, rice, and more. "Today is my lucky day," Fieri said. "I followed the rainbow, you're my pot of gold!"

According to customers, the rest of the menu lives up to that praise too, with the chile verde singled out, along with the blackened fish and the tamales.

sabrosomexicankitchen.com

(714) 537-7080

13091 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843

When Momocho opened in 2006, it took Cleveland, Ohio, by storm, with chef Eric Williams creating a funky, modern cuisine that made people rethink what a Mexican restaurant could be. In the two decades since, the restaurant has only gotten better. Williams has been nominated for two James Beard awards and named the Best Chef in Cleveland, and customers continue to praise the food as the best Mexican chow in the region.

Guy Fieri knows. He's been there pretty much every step of the way, first visiting for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" in 2010 before checking in 10 years later for a virtual visit during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, across all his shows, Fieri has featured Momocho four times, cementing it as a Triple D favorite. The star of the show for Fieri: Momocho's guacamole with smoked trout and bacon. "Whoa. As soon as you put it in your mouth, boom! There's the smoke," Fieri said after trying a bite. "There's, like, 19 things going on in my mouth at the same time. Out of a guacamole? That's great, man!"

Customers agree, with many loyal diners saying that like Fieri, they too have been visiting Momocho regularly for over a decade, sometimes driving for hours just to get a taste of Williams' latest creation. Due to the popularity, it's suggested you make a reservation, otherwise you run the risk of missing out.

momocho.com

(216) 694-2122

1835 Fulton Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113

The mighty tortilla has been one of the traditional building blocks of Mexican cooking for thousands of years. But it's not the only one. Regional cuisines vary widely, and in south-central Mexico, the torta has been the foundation of delicious sandwiches for nearly two centuries. And if you want to try a torta in the United States, your best bet is to hit up Ro-Ho Pork and Bread  in San Antonio, Texas.

That's what Guy Fieri did in 2024 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Torta ahogada consists of beans and carnitas stuffed into a fresh-baked soft bread roll that is then soaked in a spicy tomato sauce. Squeeze some lime juice and dip the torta into the sauce and you have a delicious, sloppy eating experience that your mouth — and possibly your shirt — will remember for a long time. Fieri was so transported by his first bite that he had to walk away and pound on the wall before composing himself for more.

Critics and regular diners agree that Ro-Ho Pork and Bread is one of the top eateries in San Antonio. For those worried about getting too messy, regulars recommend trying the chilango tacos instead, but it's the torta that people say is just like your abuela might make. And that's the highest praise of all.

ro-hoporkandbread.com

Multiple locations

In order to determine which of the many great Mexican restaurants that have appeared on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" over the years are the cream of the crop, we looked first and foremost at the food itself. Critical praise, positive word of mouth across social media, and high online ratings were cross-referenced and aggregated to ensure only restaurants that have maintained high standards since Guy Fieri's visits made the cut. We also considered the restaurant for service and ambiance; beyond food, any great eatery must provide an excellent overall dining experience. Finally, we factored in Fieri's feelings about the restaurants, giving extra weight to his favorites. The result is this list of certified bangers.