The Best Mexican Restaurants in Melbourne for a Fiesta

Melbourne has long raced ahead of the pack when it comes to authentic, cooked-from-the-heart Mexican cuisine. And on top of traditional offerings, Melbourne also boasts refreshing modern margaritas and cheesy Tex-Mex.

From big, buzzing cantinas to tiny taquerias, these are our top picks for the best Mexican restaurants in Melbourne, guaranteed to add spice and a whole heap of flavour to your night.

Hacienda

Hacienda is taking authentic Mexican gastronomy to new heights. Offering an elevated dining experience, this Mexican restaurant in Melbourne is a must-visit with friends and family, especially if you have cause for celebration. You can't go past the grilled oysters, and tuna tostada, as well as the pescado, for larger plates. Showcasing authentic Mexican through bold flavours harmonised with creativity, this is one to add to your hitlist.

28/3 Southgate Avenue, Southbank

Tres a Cinco

Tres a Cinco is an authentic Mexican cantina tucked away in Hosier Lane. Here, you'll find small bites like flavourful Kingfish ceviche,  crab tostadas, tuna bomba, and of course, their corn esquite. You'll also have the opportunity to try their tacos and larger dishes, so we recommend coming with a group in order to have a little bit of everything. Alongside one of their many margaritas to choose from (we recommend the coconut margarita for a refreshing kick in summer), you're in for some of the best Mexican in Melbourne.

3-5 Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Chilpa

Serving authentic Mexican street food and tacos in Bayside, Chilpa is the fun new sister to long-standing favourite La Tortilleria.

Vibrant in both exterior and nature, step inside and let Melbourne's tortilla experts serve you delicious corn creations alongside a fantastic lineup of margaritas and agave-fuelled tipples.

Go for the chilaquiles (similar to nachos, featuring a saucy blend of totopos, salsa roja, cream and cheese), the super zesty and delightfully spicy ceviche, the fish taco, and their birria beef taco, paired with a traditional consomme for dipping.

2 Railway Parade, Highett

Mexican Street Food by Little Flock

This cosy Northcote restaurant is a favourite for those in the know. Little Flock is a winner in our books for their warm service, generous servings and always authentic flavours.

The quesa birria tacos are a next level–filled with cheese and slow braised beef, served alongside a consommé meant for dipping.

Try dishes you don’t commonly see in Melbourne (like cocoa-rich mole negro or zingy huaraches), and don’t miss the moreish tres leches cake for dessert.

81 High Street, Northcote 

Superchido

Seddon has scored itself another vibey spot to drink and dine with Superchido, a Mexican joint with plenty of flavour and flair.

At Superchido, the kitchen is creating dishes from across Mexico’s regions, like slow-cooked lamb barbacoa of Hidalgo to the saucy birria tacos of Jalisco. Make your way through the five house salsas on offer and wash it all down with a glass of rum-spiked horchata.

82 Charles Street, Seddon 

Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos 

Over the last few years, Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos has transformed a ramshackle former kebab stand into one of the hottest destinations in Melbourne.

Now, they finally have a bricks-and-mortar eatery on busy Johnston Street, meaning more space and longer opening hours - but the same delicious Mexican food.

Devotees come from near and far for the tortas, a beloved Mexican street food sandwich. Cheese is grilled into the bread before being layered with black beans, avocado and lettuce, and then juicy pork, crumbed and fried beef or mushrooms. We guarantee you won’t be hungry after one of these!

30 Johnston Street. Fitzroy

Hotel Nacional

If you're gluten-intolerant, you're well aware of your inability to enjoy delightful tacos and burritos due to them having gluten in them. However, Hotel Nacional is remedying this unfortunate issue! This Mexican restaurant in Melbourne is a new addition to Hardware Lane. It's serving up 100% gluten-free Mexican food with a modern twist, situated in a gorgeous open-air rooftop setting. From Mexican bar bites like tajin-coated corn ribs and house-made potato croquetas to larger dishes like Slow cooked Barbacoa lamb, you're in for a real treat.

23-25 Hardware Lane, Melbourne

Bar Mexico

Tacos and Oaxaca Old Fashioned's ahead. Bar Mexico has delivered the vibrant spirit of Mexico to Melbourne’s north, revitalising the old High Street Northside Food Hall into a lively haven brimming with rich street food, refreshing drinks, and plenty of entertainment. Featuring a selection of over 50 Tequilas for tasting and complemented by rhythmic Latin music and Mexican-inspired DJs, this buzzing new spot promises to be a standout in the thriving High Street precinct.

Hotel Jesus

Flashy, fast and sporting one of the coolest fit-outs on Smith Street, Hotel Jesus evokes nostalgic kitsch while serving thoroughly modern food.

Fold-out chairs, tiled walls and ceiling fans transport you to the back streets of Mexico City, while the kitchen creates spicy bites including Kingfish tostadas and plenty of taco options.

On Friday and Saturday they do a banging bottomless brunch that’ll have you throwing back frozen margs and micheladas.

174 Smith Street, Collingwood

Mesa Verde

This CBD hotspot in Melbourne's iconic Curtin House is perfect for tipples and tortillas. Snack on salsa macha-dipped school prawns and moreish saucy chilaquiles over jugs of sangria and punchy house cocktails.

Flavour and freshness reign supreme here, with the kitchen creating a rooftop garden for ripe-off-the-vine produce. Towards the weekend, Mesa Verde transforms into a party-starting venue with drinks pouring and music pumping.

Level 6/252 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Mamasita

Considered by many to be the OG trailblazer of Melbourne’s Mexican wave, the shine hasn’t dulled on Mamasita in the years since.

The CBD taqueria and bar continue to attract crowds for its authentic Mexican food with a modern refresh, from oysters with mango habanero salsa to pork belly tacos.

We highly recommend washing it down with the best Palomas in the Hoddle Grid.

11 Collins Street, Melbourne

Mission District

Named after the San Franciscan neighbourhood famed for its burritos, Mission District will have you falling in love with Tex-Mex.

The signature item is the hefty Mission burrito, a two-hander that takes a flour tortilla and wraps it around rice, beans, cheese, salsa and your choice of crispy pork carnitas, braised beef brisket, rockling, and mushroom.

For a cuisine that’s commonly thought of as fast and greasy you’ll find everything here fresh and colourful, with piquant salsas and creamy coconut horchata, all made in-house.

76 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea 

Radio Mexico

For a post-beach feed, perch in Radio Mexico’s al fresco area for ‘lageritas’ (margs served tall with beer) and casual street eats.

The St Kilda favourite doesn’t pretend to be super authentic, but it hardly matters when you’ve got delicious snacks like panko-crumbed, cheese-stuffed jalapenos and spanner crab tostaditas to eat as you soak up the last of the afternoon sun.

11-13 Carlisle Street, St Kilda

El Columpio

Full of flavour and affordable? That's exactly how we love our tacos, and exactly how El Columpio does them! This Fitzroy gem makes some of the best tacos Melbourne has ever seen, there's no denying that. They also do authentic pozole, which is a traditional Mexican soup made from hominy (dried corn kernels), meat and a spicy, flavourful broth. If you're looking for a guaranteed delightful feed, this is it...after all, it's one of the best Mexican restaurants in Melbourne

52 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

Taquito

Tortillas are the star of the show at Taquito, where they’re hand pressed from ground corn before being topped with everything from grilled ox tongue to fragrant eggplant achiote.

Making tortillas and corn chips onsite allows the kitchen to optimise them for flavour, softness and structure, so they shine beyond being simply a base. They’re also growing habaneros for salsa and making fab cocktails and sodas, so it’s no surprise they’re an instant neighbourhood fave.

350 Drummond Street, Carlton 

6 Acland Street, St Kilda

Hello José

This cheerful tuckshop evokes the easygoing beach vibes of Tulum. Hello José has beach umbrellas, fairy lights and coloured flags strung from the ceiling, while milk crates sub in for chairs and wooden pallets have been made into tables.

They press their soft corn tortillas for their tacos daily and offer a short but punchy selection of tequila and mezcal-based cocktails, plus churros with dulce de leche for dessert.

85 Peel Street, West Melbourne

Los Hermanos 

This buzzy bar-eatery may be located in Brunswick’s industrial heartland, but scoring a table at Los Hermanos is an uphill battle from Thursday to Saturday.

If you do, authentic street food awaits, from silky cactus salad and crispy fish tacos to peppery potato drizzled with queso fresco.

If you’re up for a tipple, the bar shakes up fabulous cocktails – we love their mezcal spritzes and ‘Mexpresso martinis’ spiked with tequila and chilli.

339 Victoria Street, Brunswick

Dingo Ate My Taco

Dingo Ate My Taco may be a mere food truck, but the tacos are among the city’s best. Their quesabirria tacos are next level, with corn tortillas pan-fried in meat braising liquid, then filled up and dipped in a rich consommé before eating.

From here, they’re topped with brisket and stretchy Oaxaca cheese, onion and cilantro. They do regular tacos and quesadillas with great vegetarian options, plus a killer horchata cold brew.

417 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 

Bodega Underground

Where else can you get great tacos until 1am? This underground bar and taqueria offer everything you need to soak up those late-night sips of mezcal.

Double down on meat with braised pork and spicy chorizo taco fillings, or go the opposite direction with vegan sweet potato tacos topped with pickled onion and toasted pepitas. With music playing and tequila pouring, it’s easy to see why Bodega Underground has been a favourite late-night haunt for years.

55 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

Now that you’ve conquered the best Mexican restaurants in Melbourne, check out our picks for the most delicious Japanese food, Greek mezze and Italian eats in town.