# List of Mexican restaurants

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

| 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 | |
| Amor y Tacos | Cerritos, California | Cerritos, California | 2013 | 1 | |
| Anna's Taqueria | Brookline, Massachusetts | Boston, Massachusetts | 1995 | 8 | |
| Baja Fresh | Scottsdale, Arizona | Newbury Park, California | 1990 | 60 | |
| 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 Charro Café | Tucson, Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | 1922 | 3 | |
| 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. |
| 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 | 142 | |
| Taco del Mar | Lynnwood, Washington | Seattle, Washington | 1992 | | |
| Taco María | Costa Mesa, California | Costa Mesa, California | 2013 | 1 | (Michelin Guide) |
| Taco Palenque | Laredo, Texas | Laredo, Texas | 1987 | 41 | |
| Tacos Chukis | Seattle | Seattle | 2016 | 4 | |
| Tacos El Cuñado | West Michigan | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 2008 | 11 | |
| La Tapatia, Inc. | El Paso, Texas | El Paso, Texas | 1950s | 1 | Originally founded as a tortilla factory, now known for tamales. |
| 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 | |
| Torchy's Tacos | Austin, Texas | Austin, Texas | 2006 | 126 |
| 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

* Chi-Chi's
* Don Pablo's
* Mi Mero Mole, Portland, Oregon
* Original Taco House, Portland, Oregon
* Pup 'N' Taco
* Real Mex Restaurants
* Rio Bravo Cantina
* Two Pesos