Mexican food is a staple. You can never go wrong with an authentic taco or burrito.
It’s always exciting to find a Mexican restaurant that has those savory quesadillas or the salsa that you crave. During the pandemic, South Florida has been lucky enough to be mostly open for business. It’s still best to call ahead and make sure dining rooms available before getting dressed up to go out.
1.Tacos and Tattoos
1790 SW 104th St., Miami
Monday – Friday 12 to 11 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
786-803-8316
While you can’t get inked at this restaurant, it does have mouthwatering tacos. They have a great ambiance that is apparent when you walk through the door. There are decorations everywhere with colorful tables and fast service too — along with live music. The meat is marinated in cilantro, lime and garlic salt, and grilled to perfection. The food comes out looking like art, with sauce drizzled over the tacos and everything placed perfectly. The price ranges from $2 for tacos to $20 for surf-n-turf.
2. A-Mari-Mix
9700 SW 24th St., Miami
Monday – closed
Tuesday – Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
305-603-9134
A-Mari-Mix is a great example of authentic Mexican flavor. The aroma of garlic-grilled chicken when walking through the front door is immediately apparent. It’s a little hole-in-the-wall with only a couple of tables, and has a television playing movies in the background for entertainment. The food features flavors such as spicy, garlic, chipotle, lime and more that are a great touch on the meal. The food ranges from $2 tacos to $13 burritos, fajitas and enchilada plates.
3. Tiagos Tacos
15080 SW 137 St., Miami
Monday – Friday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Saturday – 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Sunday – closed
786-627-7401
This is mostly a fast-food restaurant, but there is a seating area and music. Tiago’s menu has tasty traditional flavors such as the corn (elote) with melted cheese, chili powder and cilantro. They are unique because they have special sauces, including lemon garlic cilantro and honey sriracha, that match well with the food. The price range goes from $4 for tacos to $12 for burritos.
4. El Maguey Taquero Mucho Mexican Cuisine
9817 SW 40th St., Miami
Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
305-207-1100
El Maguey Taquero Mucho Mexican Cuisine is a small restaurant but is often jammed packed with people lined up out the door, the best sign of good food. El Maguey has a wonderfully savory refried beans and rice — they add a hint of garlic in the beans. The salsas stand out because one is a little sweet and the other has a strong tomato and onion taste that goes well with the burrito. They are famous for smothering their burritos with cheese on top. It’s on the pricier side with items ranging from $5 for tacos to $13 for burritos, but your meal comes with a lot of food and you’d like be going home with leftovers.
5. Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Various locations
Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is both a fast-food joint and a restaurant with seating. They stand out for how quickly they prepare a pretty and tasty plate. Their meat is seasoned with lime and garlic that adds great flavor to the meal. Lime also serves shrimp, which many other Mexican restaurants do not offer. The menu has tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls and margaritas to top it off. The price ranges from $3 for tacos to $13 for fajita platters, which are the most expensive item on the menu.
