This is a list of notable Mexican restaurants. Mexican cuisine is primarily a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish, elements added after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. The basic staples remain native foods such as corn, beans and chili peppers, but the Europeans introduced many other foods, the most important of which were meat from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese) and various herbs and many spices.

Mexican restaurants

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
A Boca Grande Taqueria location in Cambridge, Massachusetts
The original Chuy's in Austin, Texas
An El Pollo Loco location in Hacienda Heights, California
A Taco John's location in Athens, Ohio
A Qdoba, with the chain's former "Qdoba Mexican Grill" signage, in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Pancho Villa restaurant in Seinäjoki, Finland
Name Head office location Original location Year started Number of locations Notes
Acapulco Mexican Restaurant and Cantina Cypress, California Pasadena, California 1960 4
El Adobe de Capistrano San Juan Capistrano, California San Juan Capistrano, California 1948 1
Anna's Taqueria Brookline, Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts 1995 8
Baja Fresh Scottsdale, Arizona Newbury Park, California 1990 162
Baker's Drive-Thru San Bernardino, California San Bernardino, California 1952 39
Boca Grande Taqueria Cambridge, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts 		Boston, Massachusetts area. 1986 2
BurritoVille Jersey City, New Jersey New York City 1992 1
Cafe Rio Salt Lake City, Utah St. George, Utah 1997 120
California Tortilla Potomac, Maryland Bethesda, Maryland 1995 40
Californios San Francisco, California San Francisco, California 2015 1 First Mexican restaurant to receive two Michelin stars in 2017
Cantina Mariachi Zaragoza, Spain Zaragoza, Spain 119
Carlos'n Charlie's Mexico Mexico 1963 10
Casa Bonita Lakewood, Colorado Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1968 1
Chevys Fresh Mex Cypress, California Alameda, California 1986 23
Chi-Chi's Europe Diegem, Belgium Belgium 5 Belgium-based restaurant chain that was originally the European branch of the now defunct American company Chi-Chi's
El Chico Texas Dallas, Texas 1940 29
Chipotle Mexican Grill Newport Beach, California Denver, Colorado 1993 2,250
Chiquito United Kingdom Clifton, York, United Kingdom 1989 83
Chuy's Austin, Texas Austin, Texas 1982 102
El Coyote Cafe Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California 1931 1
El Pollo Loco (Mexico) San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, Mexico Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico 1974 52 Based in Mexico, not related to U.S. company
El Pollo Loco (United States) Costa Mesa, California Los Angeles, California 1980 480 Based in the United States, not related to Mexican company
El Taco Tote El Paso, Texas Ciudad Juárez, Mexico 1988 23
Don Pedro Mexican Restaurant San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas 1968 1
Dos Reales Champaign, Illinois 7
El Bajío Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 1972 18
El Fenix Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas 1918 21
Grupo Sanborns Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 1903 159
Kiki's Mexican Restaurant El Paso, Texas El Paso, Texas 1976 1 Founded in 1976 and has remained in same location.[1]
King Taco Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California 1974 22
La Bamba Mexican Restaurant Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois 1987 8
La Salsa Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California 1979 23
Lucha Libre Taco Shop San Diego, California San Diego, California 2008 3
Maggie Rita's Houston, Texas Houston, Texas 2010 1
Margaritas Portsmouth, New Hampshire Orono, Maine 1987 24
Maui Tacos New York City Napili-Honokowai, Hawaii 1993 21
Moe's Southwest Grill Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia 2000 680+
Molina's Cantina Houston, Texas Houston, Texas 1941 2
Ninfa's Houston, Texas Houston, Texas 1973 1
Nuestra Cocina Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon 2004 1
On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina Dallas, Texas 1982 150+
Pancheros Mexican Grill Coralville, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 1992 71
Pancho's Mexican Buffet Dallas, Texas El Paso, Texas 1958 13
Pink Taco Los Angeles, California Paradise, Nevada 1999 5
Pujol Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 1
Restaurante Arroyo Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 1940 1
Rosa's Cafe Fort Worth, Texas San Angelo, Texas 1983 45
Rubio's Coastal Grill Carlsbad, California San Diego, California 1983 200+
Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina 2000 80+
Serrano Reykjavík, Iceland Reykjavík, Iceland 2002 10
Surf Taco Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 2001 15
Qdoba San Diego, California Denver, Colorado 1995 729
Taco Bill Melbourne Gold Coast, Queensland 1967 33
Taco Cabana San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas 1978 163
Taco del Mar Lynnwood, Washington Seattle, Washington 1992
Taco María Costa Mesa, California Costa Mesa, California 2013 1 1 Michelin star (Michelin Guide)
Taco Palenque Laredo, Texas Laredo, Texas 1987 26
Tacos Chukis Seattle Seattle 2016 4
La Tapatia, Inc. El Paso, Texas El Paso, Texas 1950s 1 Originally founded as a tortilla factory, now known for tamales.[2]
Taqueria Arandas Houston, Texas Houston, Texas 1981 27
Tijuana Flats Maitland, Florida Winter Park, Florida 1995 130
Tio's Tacos Riverside, California Riverside, California 1990 1
El Torito California California 1954 69
Tumbleweed Tex Mex Grill & Margarita Bar Louisville, Kentucky New Albany, Indiana 1975 19

Fast food Mexican restaurants

Name Head office location Original location Year started Number of locations Notes
Barberitos Athens, Georgia Athens, Georgia 2000 51
Barburrito United Kingdom Manchester, United Kingdom 2005 23
Del Taco Lake Forest, California Yermo, California 1964 564
District Taco Washington metropolitan area Rosslyn, Virginia 2009 14
Green Burrito Franklin, Tennessee Hawaiian Gardens, California 1980 500+
Guzman y Gomez Surry Hills, New South Wales Newtown, New South Wales 2006 116
Jimboy's Tacos Sacramento, California Grass Valley, California 1954 44
Juan Pollo San Bernardino, California Ontario, California 1984 25
Mad Mex Fresh Mexican Grill Australia Sydney 2007 67
Mighty Taco East Amherst, New York Buffalo, New York 1973 14
Naugles Fountain Valley, California Fountain Valley, California 2015 2 Original chain is defunct.
Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill Australia Sydney 2007 50
Taco Bell Irvine, California Downey, California 1962 7,000
Taco Bueno Irving, Texas Abilene, Texas 1967 160+
Taco Bus Florida Tampa, Florida 13
Tacos Gavilan Vernon, California Los Angeles, California 1992 14
Taco John's Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne, Wyoming 1969 425
Taco Mayo Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma 1978 13
Taco Tico Wichita, Kansas Wichita, Kansas 1962 15
Taco Time Scottsdale, Arizona Eugene, Oregon 1960 300+
Taco Time Northwest Renton, Washington White Center, Washington 1962 79
Zambrero Sydney Canberra, Australia 2005 200+
Zantigo Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota 1999 4 Original chain defunct.

Former Mexican restaurants

See also

References

  1. ^ Parcht, Amanda (3 January 2020). "Kiki's – How a little neighborhood restaurant grew to be a community tradition". Borderzine. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  2. ^ Longo, Joseph (2018-02-05). "Who Founded La Tapatia Inc?". El Paso County Historical Society. Retrieved 2022-08-23.

External links

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