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.“

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

“I love this place, absolutely stunning and the food was delicious. Our cashier was the best, her name was Rubi. RAISE HER SALARY, she’s the best. She was absolutely the best, she gave off positive vibes. I loved how she was so patient when I was deciding my order. She looks so passionate doing her job. First time being here, and I already want to come back!!!!🙂😊“

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

“Calo K's ceviche is delicious.“

“Exelent servís the food is exelent“

“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 ♥️“

“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“

“Food was great and service was quick“

“Everything I'm in the area I look for a baja fish to eat at. Its a must for us. Staff is super friendly and the food is just amazing. Not sure what they put in it but
we are hooked. The ensenada fish tacos and grilled fish taco plate are our favorite.“

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

“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.“

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

“Best shrimp tacos EVER. When I'm in town, once a month, I'M THERE. I'm VERY allergic to cilantro, and they work with me, dropping lettuce in instead of the cabbage slaw. The sauce is FREAKING AMAZING. and the atmosphere is SOOOOO fun! Also a great place to hang out and watch a futbol match.
Great root beer from their soda fountain, too. Syrupy and sweet.
Love this place!“

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

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

“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!“

“Todo esta riquisimo especialmente las quesadillas son mis favoritas“

“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!“

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

“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.“

“Muy buenos sus tacos yummy 😋“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“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:)“

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

“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.“

“Baja grill chiken burito.“

“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!!!!��“

“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!“

“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.“

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

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

“This place had tacos, quesadillas & a torta selection. Located inside the Northgate Mercado, within their main food court area. I only got the chicken quesadilla but everything looked great. Service was good, and unbelievably fast. I highly recommend. Atmosphere wise it was good, and during the Holiday week they had a DJ, just didn’t love how loud it was. So good tunes, just loud for peeps who just want to get a bite. Luckily, there’s an outdoor sitting area!“

“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!“

“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“

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

“Here’s a polished review you can post:

Had a great experience here! We ordered the Molcajete fajitas, chicken enchiladas, and the Patron margarita tower, and everything was delicious. The flavors were amazing, portions were generous, and the drinks were excellent.

The service was just as impressive—our server, Eddie, was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. To top it all off, the churros were incredible and the perfect way to end the night.

Highly recommend this spot for great food, drinks, and outstanding service. We’ll definitely be back!“

“Great service and amazing food!“

“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!“

“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“

“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,“

“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!“

“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“

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

“My wife and I moved out of southern California 9 years ago and the only thing we really miss, besides family is the Mexican food! This local, no frills spot really hits the mark. The food is on point and meets all our breakfast, lunch and dinner needs! If you’re in the area it’s worth a stop for take out or dinning in the patio area!“