CDMXGuide
The Best Tacos In Mexico City
photo credit: Alicia Vera
There may be more excellent tacos per square block in Mexico City than anywhere else in the known universe. And the variety is virtually unlimited—you’ll find an enormous selection beyond the city’s signature al pastor tacos, like tons of seafood, tripe, goat meat, and a growing assortment of vegan options.
There’s a bit of everything in this guide: sit-down restaurants, standing-room-only joints, the famous touristy spots that are actually worth it, and a few places you won’t find in a guidebook. At each, order as you go—there’s no need to overcommit from the start—and always add at least some salsa (and lime).
For more CDMX recs, check out our guides to the city’s best restaurants and where to have a great meal in Roma.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Natalie Cohen
The tacos at El Turix aren’t just some of the best tacos in CDMX—they’re some of the best in the world. Everything’s served Yucatán-style, meaning all the tacos will be filled with sweet, citrus marinades and salsas. Your first order of business should be the cochinita pibil tacos, which come with slow-roasted pulled pork cooked with achiote paste and citrus juices. But it’s the panucho, an open-face tortilla with thicker corn dough topped with cochinita pibil, that’ll be the reason you come back again before you head to the airport. There’s very limited seating here, so expect to eat your tacos like everybody else— sitting on the curb with your face buried in plastic wrap.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
Polanco has every option imaginable when it comes to restaurants. And Anzures, the neighborhood just to the south, has Selene. It’s located right underneath a strip club and near a couple bigger and fancier taquerías, but this is where you’ll find the best al pastor in town. The key difference between Selene and their competitors is the ratio of meat to cheese—theirs features lots of pastor, with cheese as a garnish—and the crispiness of their meat. This spot is the definition of “if you know, you know,” when you ask locals.
photo credit: Guillaume Guevara
Even if you’ve been to Orinoco two or three times before, you should still prioritize at least one late-night visit when you’re in town. Definitely get a round of the tacos de chicharrón—instead of crispy, potato chip-like slices of fried pork rinds, Orinoco’s are soft on the inside and seared on the outside, resulting in a fun mix of textures. And, yes, you should also try their tacos al pastor, which are also some of the best in CDMX. In other words: Orinoco is exactly what you’re looking for after a few rounds of mezcal, especially since they’re open until 3:30am during the week and even later on the weekend.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
If you come to El Vilsito for lunch, it’s going to be busy. But stop by for a midnight snack, and it’ll be like an outdoor nightclub with a taco shack. Originally—and still to this day—a car repair shop, they eventually added a taquería to the storefront, and stay open until 3am on weekdays and 5am on Saturdays and Sundays. All the tacos are excellent, but their specialty is the gringa de pastor, which tastes great with their homemade avocado salsa. And the people-watching is fun: you’ll see locals drive up and park right in front, have a waiter take their order, and deliver it right to their car.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
Before taquerías were even a thing in the posh Lomas de Chapultepec colonia, La Onda was already a mainstay. It’s a down-to-earth institution where you’re just as likely to run into the upper-class residents of this neighborhood as you are the local office workers, and maybe even a famous person or two. A round of the tacos de costilla con tocino y queso is definitely the way to go here. Walking in feels as though you’re traveling back in time—the most recent autograph on their wall is from a Mexican soccer player, dated 1996.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
True to its namesake, this is a standing-room-only taquería, and a perfect spot for a mid-afternoon snack. The tacos de chile poblano con queso is a must-order (and only costs around $2.50 for an order of two) and their specialty—machitos de carnero, or finely chopped and perfectly cooked goat tripe—is equally as good. Try them both with their salsa morita and some sliced onions with lime from the condiments station. Even though you rarely see desserts at taquerías, Los Parados makes an incredible arroz con leche that’s not too sweet and incredibly satisfying.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
The best $3 you can spend in Condesa is Pescadito’s quesotote taco: a corn tortilla filled with an entire chile relleno and fried shrimp. This is a casual, cafeteria-style spot with a tight selection of fried shrimp tacos, fried fish tacos, and plenty of beer. And while the menu is short, the variety of unlimited free toppings you can add to your order is anything but, with multiple salsas, coleslaw, and pickled red onion.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
You’ll find the best example of tacos de guisado, a variety of pre-prepared stews ranging from chicken and beef to vegetarian options, at Tacos Hola el Güero. Everything on the menu is outstanding, but especially noteworthy are the chicharrón en salsa and tinga de pollo and picadillo. This spot in Condesa has gotten busy, so try to come during the off hours (early lunch or dinner) to get one of the few seats. And don’t be shy when you show up—shout out your order instead of waiting for them to take it. Also, always add a hard-boiled egg to your tacos.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
You know a taquería will be good when they originally opened as a tortilla shop. That’s exactly the case with Siembra. They take the highest level of care to make the perfect vehicle—yes, we’re talking about the tortilla—and it all creates a next-level taco. This place is relatively new, and while they already have a second location that’s a full sit-down restaurant, the original taquería is still our favorite. Grab a seat at the small bar that overlooks the tiny kitchen and get anything with fish from their daily-changing menu, plus an essential guava Boing juice.
photo credit: Guillaume Guevara
You’ll find the best vegan tacos in all of CDMX at Por Siempre Vegana. The taco de milanesa, served with avocado, is incredible, and worth the almost constant wait for a table here during peak hours. This spot is affordable, and sticks to mostly one thing: 90% of the menu is tacos. Make sure to take advantage of the unlimited free toppings, too.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
El Greco is a must-visit when you’re in Condesa. This place has been in business for over 40 years, and even though it’s small, there’s lots of outdoor seating. It’s the kind of spot where you might just strike up a conversation with a stranger, whether that’s someone on vacation from LA or a local worker from the hardware shop next door. And they’re probably both ordering the same thing: the doneraky meat plate with cheese that comes with thinly sliced, crispy and juicy seasoned pork served with hot tortillas on the side. If you want to skip the meat, the pita taco with mushrooms and cheese is a great option.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
We’ve mentioned a lot of al pastor tacos in this guide, but they are the most emblematic taco in Mexico City—plus, we’ll never stop talking about al pastor no matter what. El Huequito was founded in 1959, and they’re the self-proclaimed first place to serve tacos al pastor in CDMX. Each comes with a mountain of pastor meat that you can split into the accompanying seven or so tortillas. El Huequito has become a legit franchise, but the homemade quality is still very much there. The best outpost is the one in Napoles—the decor feels a bit like an airport lounge, but it still has a fun, buzzy atmosphere.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
El Hidalguense should be your tacos de barbacoa stop on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday—and that’s because those are the only days they’re open. These are hands-down the best slow-cooked lamb tacos in Mexico City. Their only location is intended to look and feel like a country ranch in the state of Hidalgo, and is most busy in the mornings (barbacoa is one of Mexico’s most beloved hangover cures) so come closer to lunch to avoid the crowds.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
If you’re staying at an Airbnb in the colonia Escandon, chances are you’re near El Rincón Tarasco. It’s the perfect place in the neighborhood to enjoy an exceptional lunch of simply perfect tacos de maciza (slow-roasted pork butt and shoulder) and their famous Pedro Chavez taco made of buche (pork stomach) and pork belly. An order of tacos de costilla is also a must—the rib meat is served on the bone, but comes off as smooth as butter.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
Los Achiotes is in colonia Naucalpan, which is pretty far from central CDMX. However, they make extremely good tacos de cochinita pibil, which are a specialty of the Yucatán region of Mexico. The owner, who is often there, is incredibly friendly, and because this place is away from the Condesa/Roma hub, you won’t find many tourists here. Go with their staple: tacos de cochinita pibil, which are slightly spicy and juicy without reaching the point where the sauce breaks the tortilla. Their tamarind agua is the perfect complement.
photo credit: Alicia Vera
Don Juan is known for their tacos de suadero filled with thinly sliced beef meat, but they also do an incredible quesabirria loaded with savory goat birria meat and sauce. They’ve been open since 1982, and the decor is pretty simple. Lately, it’s become a place where you’ll find a lot of tourists, but the price of a taco is still between $2 and $3. Many of their tacos change daily, so if you still have some room, try one of their specials or a simple taco de maciza with slow-cooked pork butt.
