50 Best Mexican Restaurants in Costa Mesa

“We found Avila’s El Ranchito on-line and decided to give it a try. We had about 45 minute wait so we knew it must be good. A little mix up in the list to be seated. There was another “David party of 2” that arrived AFTER we did but they jumped at the chance to be seated before us. The staff was very friendly. The portions were large enough that we shared a meal and were plenty satisfied. The food was very delicious. The salsa was not what you would call mild so for those with sensitive palates be aware! The atmosphere was loud inside but relatively quiet outside. We would dine at this restaurant again.“

“Come here for lunch and pick up dinner! Excellent Mexican food in Costa Mesa right on Fairview and Baker. The caldo de res and caldo de pollo are soooo goood! Perfect balance of veggies and meat …my family loves it ♥️“

“Great food, friendly service and amazing staff to take care of you“

“I’ve only been here once, but my first experience was a good one. I ordered the tacos al pastor, and they were definitely delicious, flavorful, and filling. You can tell there’s a reason this place gets so much attention.

That said, I do think it’s a little overpriced and maybe a bit overrated. It’s usually pretty crowded, which is obviously a good sign and says something about how popular the food is, but be prepared to wait. The lines can be long, and it can take a while to get your food.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal and wouldn’t rule out coming back. I’ll probably give them another try soon and see if the second visit changes my mind!“

“Exelent servís the food is exelent“

“The salmon picata is the best and the flan is delicious !!!!“

“Omg blackened calamari and blackened shrimp tacos out of this world and service is outstanding
Added Salmon tacos with Papaya salsa and papaya butter saucepans lobster blackened tacos, super yummy
So today was husband's birthday and all he wanted was Taco Mesa. Crispy chicken tacos, blackened calamari and shrimp burritos, stuffed jalapenos and salmon tacos perfect dinner.“

“THey have great food. Friendly staff Quick service and a clean pleasant eating environment.“

“I like this place, although I don't go often. I had a chicken platter: chicken, black beans, white rice and corn tortillas. The beans and rice were good, the chicken was tasty but oversalted in my opinion. Also, the tortillas were little beat up from being heated in the microwave maybe?? The service is great here and they get the food out quickly. It's a really popular spot in Costa Mesa.“

“Calo K's ceviche is delicious.“

“Absolutely the best chiles rellenos in OC!!!“

“the food has always been great. Service was really good. Hope to get back there soon.“

“We’ve been going here since way back and still love it. Food is always so good, fresh and tasty and the people who work here are friendly. It’s one of our fave Wahoo’s. #2 plate always makes us happy any number of different ways. Thanks for doing a great job all these years!“

“The owners care for their customers and they make sure they have a great experience.“

“They have real chilaquiles not the chips covered in sauce!! Very delicious!“

“Great Chips & Salsa! Chilaquiles are THE BEST EVER! Portions are huge! Great margaritas! The staff is THEE BEST! Highly recommending casa for dining in or catering your next event! The fiesta packs will feed a small village! Great for parties or get togethers when you just don’t feel Like cooking!“

“Food was good but the guy who was serving our food was kind of rude and it wad really hot in the place no A/C!!!!��“

“Best customer service ever and the tacos was amazing just like big boy said the best tacos and we couldn’t get enough we had to get more tacos and she took very good care of us and I am a very big fan of big boy from strength cartel she made me feel very welcomed and took very good care of us we came all the way from Oklahoma City“

“this is so far the best mexican restaurant i have been to. authentic mexican food. price is cheap. fajita is nice, shrimp is highly recommended. octopus is super tasty. tacos are really good. and usually not very busy (not many customer). i think this place is underrated. hope more people can know this place and hope their business goes better and better.“

“Stopped in to try and I m so glad we did. Cool little place with great food.“

“1st time there for lunch with co workers. Great, friendly service. The food was out quick and was very delicious. Would definitely go back. Thank you.“

“From the creative cocktails to the sizzling entrees, Descanso delivers excellence on every level. You can tell why people rave about it.“

“Simplemente deliciosas las tortas los jugos y el agua de sandía deliciosa , me gusta toda su comida y su atención muchas gracias bendiciones“

“Muy buenos sus tacos yummy 😋“

“Ordered Torta al pastor, stuffed jalapenos, and had a good selection of Modelo.
Torta came with a bomb green sauce and served well with the side of stuffed jalapenos. While the jalapenos were lacking a bit in the aesthetic department, they still had a good taste
Fast service, and the place gave off a homely, authentic feeling“

“Love this place and it deserves way more love than it's getting. Was desperate to find my new fix when we moved to the area and this place quickly slammed it out of the park. For the price (48) for everything we got (1 2 liter Fresca, 1 birria burrito, 1 chile verde combo plate and 2 medium drinks) it was a steal. Don't let the medium denomination deceive you this place can but a big gulp to shame and the plates especially the burrito was stacked out the ass with the best birria I've had outside of Ensenada. Everyone was very nice and good came out faster than I thought! Give this place all the love it needs there's tons of food spots but I'm definitely not hitting the others up after this!“

“This Mexican restaurant has easily become one of my go-to spots. Their crispy chicken and crispy beef tacos are AMAZING. Perfectly cooked and **Loaded** with meat. They definitely don’t skimp, which is a huge plus, especially if you’re trying to hit your protein goals.
I’m also a big fan of their bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast burrito in the mornings. It’s filling, flavorful, and always hits the spot. The staff is absolutely incredible. Super friendly, welcoming, and consistent, which is why I’ve become a regular 😄
Overall, the quality is top-notch, the portions are generous, and the pricing is very fair. Highly recommend!“

“OMG this place is ridiculously good. All their ready made items like tacos or burritos were genuinely made with love, and I love em'...they take EBT, but hate to say $12.00 for a burrito, had $4.50 for taco. Little much if you ask me. But take one bite, and who cares about money this place rocks!“

“Todo esta riquisimo especialmente las quesadillas son mis favoritas“

“Rosa Tacos in Costa Mesa is one of my favorite spots for a reason. It’s a family owned business and you can feel that right away. They go out of their way to make you feel welcomed every single time you walk in.

I The food is consistently fresh and packed with flavor. I eat there two to three times a week and it never disappoints. Whether it’s a quick bite or sitting down to enjoy it, it’s always solid.

Big shout out to Angel for always bringing great energy and top tier service. That kind of hospitality keeps people coming back. Highly recommend if you’re in Costa Mesa and want great tacos with an even better atmosphere.“

“Very much is a place you must stop by especially with the amazing Mexican food food plus the excellent customer service of Jackie! She made sure everything was adequate throughout our dinning plus assuring we were satisfied. Every time we dine here we remember why we keep coming back.“

“We went for Sunday brunch and it did not disappoint. Our server Roberto was super kind and always made sure to check in on us. The food was good for a brunch buffet. They had freshly made tortillas for the taco bar and the made to order omelette at the omelette bar was delicious! The complimentary pancakes were also super yummy! The servers were always walking around to be sure the bottomless mimosas were being refilled. Super great experience and we'll definitely be back.“

“INCREDIBLE is an understatement! From the ambiance, to the service, to the impeccably currated menu. Just WOW. The attention to detail on every aspect at Casa De Onda was perfection. The tropical margarita was a show stopper, fresh lime and coconut is a combo I didn’t know I needed. The steak frites melted in you mouth & was topped with a homemade Chimichurri that was a burst of fresh flavor. The vibes from start to finish we insane! 1000/10.“

“I ordered catering for 25 people from this restaurant. Although I enjoy Cafe Rio it’s not a place I would think of for catering - but the person we were celebrating requested it. It was a hit. The food was delicious but also - they delivered and set up (with chafing dishes!) and the amount of food was spot on. I would absolutely order catering from them again. Bonus, everyone who works for Cafe Rio is very friendly:)“

“Food was decent. First time around had the tacos dorados, folded, that were very good! Second time around I had a carne asada quesadilla and that was ok. The meat was a bit rough and chewy. Customer service can be improved, especially near closing. It’s in a small shopping center where you can usually find parking. Near the beach, so not a bad spot to grab and go before going to the beach. I’ll be back for tacos dorados.“

“Great service and amazing food!“

“As a loyal Wahoo’s fan, this is the best one we frequent in OC. Great service, plenty of seating, and lots of options.

The Banzai Bowl with tofu is my favorite—the tofu is flavorful, and the beans, rice, and veggies are always delicious.

Our go-to spot when we’re at South Coast Plaza and want something casual and reasonably priced.“

“Fabulous tacos and they are on sale Tuesdays & Fridays! Parking is the only semi issue so go during off hours. Lunch is super busy!“

“OMG! Carnitas like you wouldn’t believe, often deep fried in its own juices right in front of you. PLUS… 3-4 different types of chicharron. Chicharron de Lonja! So freakin’ good. Get it by the pound to take home with the freshly made street tortillas right behind you in one direction, and freshly made guacamole (3 spice levels!) in the other direction. Salsas? 3-4 acres of options. Want it right now? Have it there with rice and beans (con manteca?), in nachos, tacos… maybe tortas? I can’t remember. Lots of seating all around. Just go get the pig!“

“Super flavorful take out meals! You can order online, or walk in and place your order using the big touchscreen pad. Everything looks so good, including the Aquas Frescas Horchata and Pina (Pineapple). Both are so refreshing!Alfonso the owner greeted us and was so friendly and informative. He let us know about the other two locations that they have. The Quesa Birria taco with Consume dip is a MUST! So juicy, so cheesy, and so delicious! I also had to try the Al Pastor street taco topped with pineapple and cilantro. Both are amazing! Definitely recommend!“

“They’re very professionals and the food is the best“

“Baja grill chiken burito.“

“love the Hawaiian salad. Cheers 🍻“

“Best Chili Relleno I have ever had and I have had many! My friend was very happy with her giant vegetarian burrito, it was easily enough for two meals. I highly recommend Los primos cantina #2, but just be advised the dining area is cozy and would be a challenge for larger groups“

“This is a good place to bring someone who is new to the area. I feel that if you live near this restaurant, as I do, that there are other places that are better for tacos, honestly. That being said, their presentation and food is very good,“

“te atienden con amavilidad el lugar limpio con videos musicals y el menudo muy rico .“

“Big portions for low prices (considering our economy). The torta cubana was delicious. Packed to bursting with meat, cheese, and all the trimmings. They do the same with their burritos.
My friend says their lengua is the best he’s ever had.
Since this inside North Gate, depending on the time of day/week, it might be much busier and/or harder to find seating. We had to sit somewhere in the market that wasn’t nearby“

“Had the most delicious lunch here , we shared chicken and beef Tamales they were huge and very reasonably priced under $12.00 for the meal will be heading back there when we visit California again.
Tried a few samples of other restaurants all very delicious and fresh .
The whole market is amazing
Love this place“

“The best Mexican fast food in town Excellent customer services.“