20 Mexican restaurants in Minnesota worth the trip

Give Me The Mike’s Best of Minnesota guides are presented by HomeLight

I received nearly 1,000 votes for the best Mexican food in Minnesota. I presented the top 5 picks on TV — and those are listed below.

While votes came in, I heard from people saying that certain Mexican restaurants don’t serve authentic food and that you need to go to specific parts of the Twin Cities to find true Mexican food. I don’t buy it. No matter if you’re in Minneapolis or Madelia, nearly every establishment has a story to tell.

There are a lot of Mexican restaurants out there, and I encourage you to try out new spots. Underneath the top 5, check out an expanded list of restaurants which made the top 20, including some of my personal favorites. And let me know what you think! You can reach out to me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Top 5 Mexican restaurants in Minnesota

Boca Chica Restaurante Mexicano y Cantina

11 Cesar Chavez Street, Saint Paul

• Opened in 1964 with just four tables
• Now has 64 tables and a patio which seats around 75 people
• They serve a lunch buffet Monday-Friday and a Sunday brunch from 10:00-2:00
• What to order: Flautas Banderas, Carne a la Tampiqueña, Tacos Monterrey

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El Burrito Mercado

175 Cesar Chavez Street, Saint Paul

• Not only a restaurant, but also has a market and cafeteria
• Opened in 1979
• Also operate a restaurant and bar in Minneapolis and sell items at Allianz Field in Saint Paul
• What to order: Chicken Mole, Ceviche de Camaron, Sopes with 3 Guisados

Pajarito

2 locations, including the one pictured:
605 West 7th Street W, Saint Paul

• Opened in December 2016 in a building dating back to 1886
• Stop in for lunch to avoid long wait times
• Order one of their craft cockails
• What to order: Chilaquiles, Elote style Brussels Sprouts, Torta

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La Plaza F!esta

15 W Main Street, Madelia

• Originally opened in 2011; a fire completely destroyed the restaurant in 2016
• They rebuilt and expanded to nearly 150 seats
• New restaurant includes a grocery store next door
• All tables and chairs were painted and carved in Mexico
• What to order: Flaming Cheese, Malcajete F!esta, Seafood Ceviche

Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant

230 Lewis Street S, Shakopee

• Opened in 1986
• 4 expansions and a remodel later, it features 260 seats
•  Family-owned
• Closed Sundays
• What to order: Margarita flight, Ultimate Chimichanga, Surf & Turf with Tamale, 3 Enchiladas & Chile Relleno

Want more recommended Mexican restaurants? Check out these spots, suggested by your votes!

• Las Tortillas Mexican Restaurant, Rosemount
• Andale Taqueria & Mercado, Richfield
• Las Margaritas, Hastings
• Fiesta Cancun, Oak Park Heights, Lino Lakes, Maple Grove, Hudson
• El Gordito Market, Crookston
• El Loro, Lexington, Eagan, Crystal, Coon Rapids, Bloomington
• Maya Cuisine, Minneapolis, Roseville, Maplewood
• Nacho Mama’s, Stillwater
• El Molino Mexican Restaurant, Waseca
• Casa Rio, Anoka
• El Taco Riendo, Minneapolis
• Companeros, Dorset
• Taco Loco, Shakopee
• Acapulco, Andover, Blaine, Ham Lake, Maplewood, New Brighton, Ramsey, Stillwater, Woodbury
• Colita, Minneapolis

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• The 17 best restaurants for breakfast in Minnesota
• The 5 best bakeries in Minnesota
• The 5 best holiday light displays in Minnesota
• The 5 best coffee shops in Minnesota
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