The 9 Best Mexican Restaurants in Richmond, VA

The 9 Best Mexican Restaurants in Richmond, VA

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, we’re taking a look at 9 of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Richmond. So get out to one of these spots and celebrate a Mexican victory over France this weekend (what, you thought Cinco de Mayo was an independence celebration?)

Casa Del Barco

This restaurant comes to you from the same folks that brought Boathouse to Richmond, which should surprise no one, since the name translates directly to “Boat House.” Casa Del Barco is an upscale Mexican spot, with items such as Mahi or braised lamb tacos feeling right at home on the menu. It can be tough to find if you’re not familiar with Richmond’s downtown canal system, but once you get there, the front patio is hard to beat!

Don’t Look Back

You know what you’ll find at Don’t Look Back? Excellent tacos (some might say the best in RVA) and an extensive tequila bar. We recommend the chicken skin tacos, if they have them, and the carnitas if they don’t. Or maybe get the potato tacos. Or perhaps pulled chicken. They’re all good! Check out DLB Triple in Scott’s Addition or DLB South on Forest Hill.

En Su Boca

En Su Boca gets its inspiration from the streets of San Francisco but puts a unique Richmond spin on its cuisine. The handmade corn tortillas are killer, the margaritas are delightful, and you’ll walk away happy to have found a new regular dining spot!

Lalo’s Cocina Bar & Grill

Lalo’s on Broad Street has made waves with their quesadillas and free chips & salsa (and that white sauce). The food is inexpensive and tasty, and they’ve also got quite an extensive margarita list, for those who are so inclined.

Maya

Skirt steak. That’s all you need to know about Maya in Downtown Richmond. Ok, fine, we’ll say more: This place makes some seriously good Mexican food, and if you’re not too full after dinner, they’ve got a chocolate margarita to sip on for dessert. But, seriously, the skirt steak!

Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant

You’ll have to leave the city a bit to get to Pepe’s, but it’s worth it. Get the Chesterfield Burrito (pork carnitas, need we say more?), eat as much as you can, and bring the rest home for your very own Seis de Mayo celebration the next day. The portion sizes might be bigger at Pepe’s than at any other Mexican restaurant in the Richmond area.

Tio Pablo Taqueria

This authentic Mexican restaurant from the owner of Millie’s Diner has so much going for it. It’s menu and flavors are inspired by taquerias in Los Angeles and Mexico, including the unique cactus tacos, plus nine other available taco fillings. The restaurant is completely gluten-free. And it’s located right in Shockoe Bottom. That might be all Tio Pablo needs.

Tres Machos

This Midlothian Turnpike restaurant isn’t shy about kitschiness, but the flavors and friendly service make you feel right at home. Tres Machos prides itself on made-from-scratch, family recipes and treating diners with genuine kindness.

Wong Gonzalez

Wong Gonzalez opened along Grace Street’s “restaurant row” in 2016, and introduced a unique food concept to Richmond in the process: Mexican-Chinese cuisine. The idea was born in southern California, where the two cultures often collide, and brought back to Richmond with dishes such as tempura fish tacos, chorizo fried rice, and stir fry/fajita combinations.

Did you know that Wong Gonzalez is regularly a stop on our Arts District Food Tour? Try it, plus several other restaurants, in a single afternoon on a food tour!