Cherokee Street set the standard for Mexican food in this metro, but the city's Mexican kitchens now stretch well past that corridor, from downtown cantinas to south city dining rooms that have run for decades. This guide covers the taco counters, the sit-down cantinas, and the newer arrivals doing their own thing, judged on the plate, not the paint job.
Soulard $$
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The carne asada and al pastor tacos here are built for speed without cutting corners, the kind of order that works for a lunch break or a weeknight when cooking is not happening. Counter service keeps the line moving, and the carnitas taco holds its own against the other two. This is a quick-bite room first, and it delivers on that promise.
What to ordercarne asada taco, al pastor taco, carnitas taco
№ 02
Rosalita's Cantina
$$
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The chile relleno and enchiladas anchor a menu built for repeat neighborhood trade rather than special occasions. The downtown room has run long enough that regulars measure it against its own past, and the record shows a kitchen that still handles carne asada well even as some say the room has lost a step. The regulars would notice if that slipped further.
What to orderchile relleno, enchiladas, carne asada
№ 03
Chava's Mexican Restaurant
$$
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The quesadilla and bean tostada point to a menu built for American palates more than Mexico City ones, and the kitchen does that style honestly rather than apologizing for it. Chile relleno rounds out the order. Group-friendly seating and attentive service make it a dependable stop for a table that includes a vegetarian and a few picky eaters.
What to orderquesadilla, bean tostada, chile relleno
№ 04
Chimi's Fresh-Mex
$$
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Nachos with shredded chicken are the draw at this neighborhood standby, backed by chile relleno and enchiladas on a menu that has stayed consistent for years. Service has stayed reliable even as some regulars note the kitchen isn't hitting the same marks it once did. It works best as the nearby, no-fuss option rather than a destination.
What to ordernachos with shredded chicken, chile relleno, enchiladas
№ 05
La Catrina
$$
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Cantina-style chips arrive thin and the salsa carries real heat, setting up a menu where the chile relleno and margaritas do the heavy lifting. Friday evenings draw groups of four or more, and the room turns tables fast enough that even a late dinner rush doesn't mean a long wait. It's a solid group pick on the Friday-night circuit.
What to orderchips and salsa, margarita, chile relleno
№ 06
BLT's - Breakfast, Lunch and Tacos
$$
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The jalapeño biscuit and gravy is the dish worth ordering twice, a biscuit substantial enough that regulars ask for extra gravy on the side. Scrambled eggs and hash browns round out a straightforward counter-service breakfast and lunch menu. The order line can back up on a busy morning, but the plate itself is the reason to come back.
What to orderJalapeño Biscuit and gravy, scrambled eggs, hash browns
№ 07
Terror Tacos
$
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Carnitas, al pastor, and carne asada tacos anchor a menu that draws a devoted local crowd back every few days, not just once for the novelty. The themed room leans into a horror aesthetic that makes it a fun group outing, but the tacos are what keeps people returning. Drinks get consistent praise alongside the food.
What to ordercarnitas tacos, al pastor tacos, carne asada tacos
№ 08
La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
$$
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Pasole shows up on the menu as a genuine draw, alongside chiles rellenos and enchiladas that keep a Saturday lunch crowd coming back. The room has been refreshed and service has held steady over repeat visits, with regulars noting the food tastes as fresh now as it did years ago. It works well for family meals with a large menu to choose from.
What to orderPasole, Chiles Rellenos, Enchiladas
№ 09
Dos Reyes Mexican Restaurant
$$
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Queso and margaritas make this a go-to for a low-key Friday night, and the fajita burrito, loaded with chicken, chorizo, caramelized onions, and peppers, is the order worth returning for. The cantina atmosphere reads as genuine rather than staged. Service is steady even when the rest of the food offerings draw mixed reactions.
What to orderFajita Burrito, Queso, Margaritas
№ 10
Carreta's Mexican Restaurant
$$
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Carne asada and chiles rellenos come out hot and fast, which matters for a room built around large groups and quick turns. The service has stayed fast and courteous across repeat visits, and margaritas alongside a full draft list keep tables happy while they wait. It's affordable enough to make a return trip an easy call.
What to ordercarne asada, chiles rellenos, enchiladas
№ 11
Condado Tacos
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Street corn guac and queso dip are the openers worth ordering before the tacos even arrive, useful for a pre-game bite or a lunch squeezed between meetings. The room can be slow to seat during a rush despite open tables, so groups should plan around that. It works best as a casual stop near the ballpark or before an event.
What to orderstreet corn guac, queso dip, tacos
№ 12
Pueblo Solis
$$
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Chicken Swissa enchiladas, stuffed generously with chicken and cheese, are the dish repeat visitors order first, with tacos al pastor and chiles rellenos filling out the rest of the table. The south city dining room offers both patio and indoor seating, though indoor tables sit close together. Service has stayed consistent across multiple visits from the same diners.
What to orderChicken Swissa Enchiladas, Tacos Al Pastor, Chiles Rellenos
Frequently asked
What is the best Mexican restaurant near me in St. Louis?
It depends on which part of the metro is near you. This guide covers rooms in the city of St. Louis itself, so check the neighborhood listed for each entry, since a downtown pick and a south city pick serve very different commutes. Each restaurant's Insider Score reflects its own review record, not proximity to any one address.
Are any of these restaurants paying to be listed in this guide?
No. No restaurant pays for placement or for a better Insider Score. The score is calculated from the public review record for each restaurant, and the ranking here reflects that data, not advertising.
What is the Insider Score shown next to each restaurant?
It's a score built from the volume and content of public customer reviews for that specific restaurant, meant to reflect how consistently a kitchen delivers over time rather than a single visit. It's displayed alongside the cuisine and price tier on each listing.
Is St. Louis-style Mexican food different from Tex-Mex?
Some of the rooms on this list, like Chava's, lean toward a Tex-Mex style built for American taste buds, while others cook closer to interior Mexican traditions with dishes like pasole and chiles rellenos. The city's Mexican dining scene includes both styles, and this guide names which lane each restaurant falls into rather than blurring the two together.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Nico Marchetti
Staff Writer · Top of St. Louis
The Hill and Heritage Editor. Third-generation Hill family who grew up bagging hot salami on Saturday shifts. Covers the red-sauce canon, St. Louis-style pizza, and the kitchens of Cherokee Street, South Grand, and the Olive Boulevard corridor. His standard: the regulars would notice.
