Brian Nagele
Mexican food is one of those cuisines that anyone can enjoy, no matter their taste. Sweet, savory, spicy, it has it all.
So, you can imagine how many fantastic opportunities there are to enjoy Mexican cuisine in a big city.
I enjoy Mexican cuisine, so I compiled this list of the best Mexican restaurants in Detroit.
You will find some fancy, casual, and comfortable ones you can visit late, but they are all worth visiting. Let’s take a look.
El Asador Steakhouse
1312 Springwells St, Detroit, MI 48209
Phone: 313-297-2360
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El Asador makes every dish fresh daily, with each ingredient having a two-day shelf life.
They get all their ingredients locally, and nothing goes into a freezer, which I am not sure many other restaurants do.
The steak, fajitas, filet mignon with chipotle butter sauce, and the creamy poblano soup is worth trying.
They do not serve alcoholic drinks, but you can bring your own wine or beer to the restaurant.
Plus, which Mexican restaurant would be complete without some excellent chips and salsa.
If you face the restaurant’s southern wall, you will see a fantastic mural painted in May 2015.
El Barzon
3710 Junction Ave, Detroit, MI 48210
Phone: 313-894-2070
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El Barzon combines traditional Mexican and Italian cuisine, so there is much to choose from.
I like how the menu differentiates between red and white meat to make choosing easier, and the Mexican and Italian cuisines are separate.
I always find it hard to stop eating the chips and salsa when I visit, but there are other great appetizers, such as fried cheese, calamari, and stuffed eggplant.
The flavors are always strong and delicious, no matter what cuisine you choose.
For Mexican cuisine, I like the pipian verde con pollo since the sauce is so tangy.
The veal medallions with porcini mushroom sauce and potatoes are not bad either.
Mexican Village Restaurant
2600 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216
Phone: 313-237-0333
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Like our last entry, Mexican Village Restaurant combines two cuisines, Mexican and American. Many patrons would say that they have the best salsa in Detroit.
They make pretty good beef and cheese enchiladas, but I also like the spinach enchiladas, which come with mushrooms, onions, and cheese.
The chili con queso with chorizo is excellent if you want a little extra spice. Any good Mexican place has excellent burritos, such as Mexican Village’s beef burrito and grande burrito.
Their Super Super Nachos are a staple item, so you can quickly get your nacho fix here. I also like their peach or mango margaritas for a sweet drink.
Taqueria Mi Pueblo
7278 Dix St, Detroit, MI 48209
Phone: 313-841-3315
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Taqueria Mi Pueblo is a great place for comfort Mexican food that does not just include tacos. Plus, you can get Mexican soda here, which is always a delight.
I have several favorites here, including the chicken chimichangas, spicy grilled chicken, portobello mushroom burrito, and shrimp kabobs.
You get Mexican rice and beans with each entree, and pico de gallo has hints of jalapeňo if you like a little spice.
I prefer the guacamole here more than the salsa, which is still good but not my preferred choice.
They give you a bowl of mild and hot salsa with your chips, which is excellent. For margaritas, the frozen strawberry margarita is a must-try.
Los Galanes Mexican Restaurant
3362 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216
Phone: 313-554-4444
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You may like Los Galanes if you prefer combinations of different Mexican dishes. For example, one lunch combo has two quesadillas and one taco, while another has an enchilada or two tacos.
Whatever Mexican cuisine you like, you should find a combo to fit you. That said, they do have typical Mexican dishes served by themselves, such as taquitos, quesadillas, wet burritos, and Mexican sandwiches.
There is no need to combine anything, but I love the variety of sides you can choose from, like habanero sauce, refried beans, tortillas, or even garlic bread.
I never walk out of Los Galanes unsatisfied with that much food to choose from.
Señor Lopez Restaurant
7146 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48210
Phone: 313-551-0685
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I always like walking into Señor Lopez Restaurant and seeing the various sombreros hanging on the wall.
However, the restaurant menu’s variety of Mexican dishes is arguably prettier. After all, they have plenty of authentic Mexican cuisine to choose from.
It is hard to pick which dishes are my favorites, but I like the beef chimichangas, chicken quesadillas, chorizo con huevos tacos, and steak tacos.
I also like their yellow rice and beans since they are flavorful and not runny. Luckily, every dish comes in sizable portions for a pretty reasonable price.
Of course, I cannot forget to recommend the sweet and fluffy flan for a dessert.
Taqueria El Nacimiento
7400 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
Phone: 313-554-1790
Taqueria El Nacimiento is the premier Mexican place in southwest Detroit so you can expect some excellent Mexican fare, such as their steak burrito, chicken tostada with rice and beans, mushroom quesadilla, chicken tacos, and cheese enchilada.
I also like each dish’s presentation, with plenty of spices, cheeses, and vegetables. I like getting the steak fajita with extra cheese when I want to treat myself.
Plus, you get a typical complimentary bowl of chips with three different salsas of varying spice levels before your main course.
I like watching the television in the corner of the restaurant since it usually plays Spanish shows.
Armando’s
4242 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
Phone: 313-554-0666
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Armando’s prides itself on making everything from scratch for the best eating experience. Plus, they recently added an outdoor patio so I can enjoy a wet burrito when the weather turns pleasant.
Other favorites include birria tacos with consomme, Mexican sandwich, beef enchilada, chicken chimichangas, chunky beef burritos, and, of course, chips and guac.
The fish tacos, hamburger nachos, and taco beef salad were also lovely surprises. For drinks, I like the peach or strawberry margarita, Tequila Sunrise, horchata, and Mexican punch.
They tend to have specials every so often, so check in and see what your next favorite dish will be.
Bakersfield
3100 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313-974-7040
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Bakersfield has an expansive Mexican menu, but you can also enjoy an American whiskey with your meal.
You might even consider coming here if you plan to visit Little Caesar’s Arena or Comerica Park nearby. It would be wise to make a reservation on a game day if you want to enjoy a meal here.
I like coming to Bakersfield for their hibiscus margarita or house margarita, which are both pretty strong.
Depending on the drink, yours might come in a boot-shaped pitcher, making a cool picture and fun to drink from.
Alongside that, I get the Diablo chicken, fish, and shrimp tacos or the pulled pork taco, and we also cannot forget the chips and queso for an appetizer.
Calexico Detroit
1040 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-262-6361
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Calexico probably has the best Mexican brunch menu in Detroit. I always enjoy the breakfast nachos or the breakfast quesadilla whenever I get an early craving for Mexican food, but the huevos rancheros spice things up a bit.
Otherwise, I like the steak fajitas, the baja fish burrito, the fried chicken taco, and the carne asada-loaded fries.
The carne asada wet burrito is huge and great for meat lovers. If I’m in a hurry, I like to get the lunch box, which includes two choice tacos with rice and beans.
No matter what I eat here, I like to drink the frozen strawberry margarita or the blood orange margarita.
Detroit Shipping Company
474 Peterboro St, Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313-462-4973
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Detroit Shipping Company offers all sorts of cuisines for shoppers, with lots of indoor and outdoor eating spaces and a chill vibe. Plus, they provide freshly-churned ice cream.
For Mexican cuisine, you can expect the usual tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and such, and they come at reasonable prices with great portion sizes.
You do not just have to choose the Mexican vendor, though. Instead, you can make a whole meal combining different vendors for an international eating experience.
It is also within walking distance of Little Caesar’s Arena and Comerica Park in case you need some food on a game day.
Evie’s Tamales
3454 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216
Phone: 313-843-5056
If you need a fast and cheap Mexican meal, you can get a variety of tacos and burritos for pretty low prices at Evie’s Tamales.
I’ve ordered a couple of tacos with rice and beans with the change in my bag. They even have fresh-baked cookies each day.
I sometimes drop by Evie’s Tamales in the morning to get their breakfast taco with scrambled eggs and cheese.
However, their tamales are where they stand out because you can get a dozen tamales with different cheese and meats.
I like the spicy pork tamale the best, and you can get a cup of beans with them.
Galindo’s A Taste of Mexico
13754 Fort St, Southgate, MI 48195
Phone: 734-324-1141
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Mexican food is comforting to eat, but there is something particularly warm and inviting about Galindo’s.
My favorites are the steak fajitas, street tacos, chicken enchiladas, Santa Fe burrito, and chicken quesadillas.
I love that they are not stingy with the cilantro, and the fluffy rice and refried beans with each dish are pretty delicious.
If I need a change of pace, I like to get the enchilada verde and Fideo soup. The torta sandwich with a side could fill me up quickly.
Plus, Galindo’s has a food truck, so you might see Galindo’s at your next neighborhood event.
Jose’s Tacos
218 E Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-965-9992
Again, we have a reasonably cheap Mexican place where you can get a few tacos and a side without breaking the bank.
I recommend getting the crispy tacos on white corn tortillas, the carne asada on soft corn, or the wet burrito for an entree.
For a dessert, classic churros are excellent.
Other favorites include the chorizo-fried crispy corn taco, fish and shrimp tacos, chorizo and steak combo, beef taco salad, beef tacos, or regular nachos.
If you need to fill up fast before a long day, consider getting one of their burritos with rice and beans because they are huge.
When I need a drink, I like to get the watermelon or strawberry lemonade.
Loco’s Tex-Mex Grille
454 E Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-965-3737
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Loco’s is probably most famous for their margaritas and fajitas, and they pride themselves on making every dish from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
You can pick from 18 margarita flavors, so you are in luck if you enjoy that drink. They are good, but I like the watermelon one best.
If you don’t like margaritas, they have a full bar for your favorite drinks. The beef or chicken chimichangas are both delicious.
They charge refills for their chips and salsa, but I think they make the chips in-house, so they are pretty good. Overall, it is a nice, relaxing place to go on a Tuesday night.
