50 Best Mexican Restaurants near Portola Valley

“We live in the neighborhood, and simply love this place. Service, food, family atmosphere is great. Really a great experience, and hope that they become a permanent part of the community. Might be a great place for Saturday afternoon meal after a nice bike ride through the valley. We really appreciate the people who work here. Best of luck to them !“

“I really love this place. Writing this review after my 5th time ordering/eating from there. The staff is so friendly and the food always comes out quick even when they have a full house. The food is great and I’m addicted to their salsa/chips. I always get the 1 item combination plate and it’s so filling!“

“In search of a late lunch and the gorditas here caught my attention. Order comes with 2, and I went with the chicharon. May look small, but it was filling. Loved the texture of the crispy masa shell. Flavors of the inside was good, too - would've liked more of the chicharon. I'd definitely return as there are other menu items I'd like to try.“

“Reservations recommended. It's a fabulous find with fantastic food. This was our second visit, and my partner said the margarita she ordered was a good as our first time. The service was terrific, and the food was hot and delicious. The salsa served with the chips was teetering on the high end of my tolerance, but I'm kind of a lightweight in that regard. The only cautionary note is the environment. The space has tall ceilings and nothing to dampen sound. As a result, it is pretty raucous and lively...not ideal for quiet conversation. I wouldn't want them to change as that's part of the experience.“

“For a taco truck, Paper Platez is a fine choice! Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas are all good. I haven't yet tried their tamales or pupusas.They have some picnic benches under a tent canopy. (Does that count as "dine in?") Or take it to go and walk to the nearby Heritage Park which has picnic benches.Right in front of O'Malleys there are a couple handicapped parking spaces. It's a tight spot to turn around given the tent. So if you don't have a handicapped placard, enter the driveway just north of the taco truck for parking.Parking: Pull in to the driveway just north of the taco truck. There is also about 3 parking spaces on the south side, right in front of O'Malleys. Note that most or all of those are handicap spaces, and the room to get in and out is cramped.Wheelchair accessibility: The menu is on a screen that's positioned low enough for wheelchair riders. The counter is higher up but they handle that well.“

“Very interesting place, I would say very Mexican, but don’t quote me on that, because never been in Mexico. We got chips and salsa for free as a starter. We asked also for water. We ordered this new dish with instant noodles, which can come in different spice levels, but it was a bit too salty and sour for our taste. It came with 2 side quesadillas. For the steak, it was quite good, we got a fresh corn bread. And you can ask for souses, there are 4 different ones and the green was really good, very lime like:) we also got Shrimp tortillas, they were delicious!Wheelchair accessibility: You can use wheelchair inside“

“My first time here, it gives you a nice and warm kind of vibe. The walls were bright and had nice photos and decorations I ordered: 1. Chilaquiles verdes with steak - The steak was tender and chilaquiles cooked perfectly with the egg. The verde sauce had a kick, where you can't stop eating it. 2. Gorditas de chiccharon - First time having this, but it was good. The tortilla was crispy with a light doughiness. Chicharon was perfectly seasoned. Once you get to the middle, the spiciness hits you. Overall the food was delicious and the lady who took my order was nice. I will definitely come back to try their other items. My only complaint would be, I wish it came with chips. Something to help balance out the spiciness.“

“Don't get me wrong, this was a good place to eat, even without a sweeping 5 stars. The location is pretty out of the way compared to a city, but was close to the job we were on. The client that took us there was familiar with the menu and was known to the waitress. The menu had all the usual entrees, so I picked some enchiladas to be safe. They were delicious. I think I'd you're in the area this would be a good choice for a meal. I would recommend it and I would return.“

“I absolutely love this place, the food is great, good quality and reasonably priced.I frequently order for lunch or dinner, and food is always SO GOOD.Visited the place for the first time and is a very clean place, with good energy, and these lovely ladies that were on top of my order and treated me like a queen.Highly recommend the Super Burritos (is my favorite dish here) and quite unique, have not found another place as good as them.“

“Enjoyed a nice brunch on Sat morning around 11 am, was not too crowded and got seated right away without reservations. We had 2 dogs with us and their outdoor seating was pretty nice. I got the Tacos Verdes which were very tasty and the agua fresca watermelon. Service was very attentive and food quality was fresh .I would recommend it“

“Near a curve on a four line road is an eclectic older Mexican restaurant with artistic merit, interesting landscaping outdoor dining and several different kinds of tables and chairs indoors, including a bar.The menu has several options many of which I had not seen in Mexican food places before. I have tried their tamales, chili relleno, black beans, pinto beans, rice, grilled chicken, quesadilla, pico, guacamole, and the provided chips and salsa. All of the flavors are excellent. The green sauce and masa of the tamale, and the firm aged relleno cheese filling were outstanding.Indoors is Mexican music, while outdoors there is traffic noise. The tortilla chips are the thin triangle bagged kind. The restroom has an old sink and fixtures. But the custom artwork, high ceilings with paper fiesta decor and painted furniture are classic south of the border. The seats are all flat wood, no cushions. No sauce bar or extra hot sauce present. Will need another visit to try the mole.Vegetarian options: Enchiladas are great.“

“Thumbs up on the al pastor, tripa, and cabeza tacos. Tasty! I want to try the chicharron (fried pork belly) gordita sometime. They had guava and jamaica juices (aguas frescas). The guava was a smidge sweet for my taste but tasted nice and fresh.“

“Their tacos hit a little different. It’s hard to explain but their flavor and salsa combination on their tacos resonate with me. Give them a shot, get at least 1 taco, customize it how you like, if you don’t like spice, ask for green salsa. Prices haven’t gone up over the years, great restaurant.“

“Stopped by this place to grab some dinner, and their "wet style" super burrito sounded like just the thing. Me and my girlfriend both got one with different meat options to split. The service was not particularly friendly, but that may not be the case if you happen to speak fluent Spanish. So, your mileage may vary there. That said, we were absolutely not prepared for how super the "super burrito" actually was haha. You can see in the pictures I took, the burritos were enormous. They were really good, though! Just prepare yourself for one of the largest burritos you've ever seen in your life if you order the super burrito.“

“I am from Texas and we have amazing Mexican food there, but las chiquitas exceeded my expectations! I had the chicken chile relleno, and it was delicious! I love their pozole too’ you can’t go wrong with this place! Great food, prices and service!“

“I don't think I've ever been to a better restaurant. Good food, good people, best atmosphere. I recommend the bean mini tacos. AND especially the garlic fries. Perfect place to celebrate after a run in Edgewood nature preserve.Vegetarian options: Bean mini tacos.Dietary restrictions: Vegan ain't no problem.Kid-friendliness: Arcade games and quarter machines! They're good adults too.“

“The caldo de pollo (Monday's only) and caldo de res (Tuesday and Friday only) here is amazing. Agua fresca flavors are delicious too. If you go there for lunch dine in, it's best to go early or later (not exactly at 12) or get takeout.“

“It was absolutely delicious. My only pick is the cost of the food, but what do I expect as a visitor of Stanford. Anyways, I ordered a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, 5/5.The restaurant feels a lot like a street food place; a bit more hidden from the eyes of the public.“

“I love their tacos and grilled chicken burritos. Every time I go there I get their super burritos and some tacos on the side. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for some delicious tacos and burritos!Parking: Can park at the parking lot and on the street right by the taco truck.“

“The guajillo sauce is reason enough to come here, but everything we've tried here is amazing. This is my favorite Mexican place.Great upscale food, excellent atmosphere. The decor inside is gorgeous. During nice weather, the outside seating area is very nice as well.I've been coming here for more than 10 years now and it is always excellent.“

“Fantastic food truck with a unique mix of Mexican and French dishes. The chicken tacos were amazing - fresh and flavorful. The beignets were also delicious - nice and airy.The chef has experience cooking at a French restaurant, and that shows in the quality of the French items.“

“Good flavors. Awesome costumer service. Relatively inexpensive prices for the portion sizes. Several indoor seats & a nice patio. The patio isn’t heated, so probably best on a sunny and/or warmer day. Overall solid taqueria restaurant in the area — would love if they had an expanded drink menu beyond soft drinks.“

“Grabbed a 6 pack of Barria..half spicy, half regular. Served with limes, beef consomme, and salsa verde. Gringa here, trying for the first time....totally impressed. Delicious, juicy, crispy outside fresh corn tortilla, fried with cheese, and perfectly seasoned inside. Chili oil for the side. Not too spicy, just a perfect kick. Flavor was amazing....wish I was here for more than the day so I could order again. Atmosphere ok, lots of workmen, outside tables are cute, but you are in a parking lot. Food makes up for the atmosphere, go, you won't be disappointed! Paper plates....this is a casual place. Small parking lot...maybe 20 spaces.Parking: 20 ishWheelchair accessibility: Yes“

“We wandered in to Milagros for lunch and were soon greeted and taken to the cute patio area. We ordered chips and salsa, and got three delicious salsas and a bucket of fantastic tortilla chips. My niece had a fish taco and I had the chicken taquitos. She loved her taco, and the taquitos were absolutely perfect. Jose 'el diablo', ? was our waiter. He was entertaining and likeable, very sweet and funny. The service was beyond reproach.“

“The owner gave us an excellent service, he is very nice and polite, food is delicious, my husband ordered a combo taco plate, we get a carne asada taco for our baby and I ordered enchiladas michoacanas it take a little long to get our food but it was worth it, definitely we recommend it.“

“The menu at Rincon Sabroso is a masterpiece in itself, showcasing a wide range of dishes that highlight the richness of their cuisine. The attention to detail and the use of fresh, high-quality ingredients were evident in every bite. I had the pleasure of sampling several dishes, and each one was a work of art.“

“Total trepidation with trying anything that dares call itself a sushi restaurant. As a former Tokyo resident, It's bad enough as it is to see Americanized sushi rolls everywhere. Given the rave reviews, the intriguing juxtaposition of flavors, and wanting to support local businesses struggling to survive along Middlefield Road in North Fair Oaks, I just had to check it out. I had ordered takeout out of concern for parking and ambiance but upon arrival found easy street parking and found it to be rather busy for 5:30 on a Friday. The bar was full and as were several of the booths. Online ordering on their website was easy. Sweet lady at the front, I'm assuming is an owner, was very kind and appreciative of my patronage. I got the Divorciado sushi roll, the portion for which was huge, but saw the ceviche Tostada Perrona which looked really appetizing, so I got that as well. Best not to think of it as Asian-Mexican fusion and just as Sinaloan seafood specialties. I thoroughly enjoyed the sushi roll, subtle combination of flavors worked well together. Ceviche was very fresh. It came with two tostada. I will definitely be back with friends.“

“Fun atmosphere with polite staff. My Cilantro Camarones was excellent with just the right texture and taste. Best part is, I love how they use sheets of translucent onyx for their light wall. Each piece is Mother Nature’s work of art. They are much better in person. Oh and of course the Guacamole is fantastic too.Parking: Street parking is available but limited.Wheelchair accessibility: Newer building, so, accessible.“

“First time here. Got a Rusa and a strawberry crepe. The Rusa is delicious. There is so much packed into one thing (pineapple, mango, orange, tamarindo straw, chammoy, tajin and squirt, and it is so delicious. Tart, sweet, sour, and most importantly, refreshing. The crepe was soft and warm. Freshly made, too. Next time i go, I'll definitely try the ice cream. They have so many flavors to choose from. The staff were very polite and attentive. I'm coming back for sure and you should go too.Bonus points: 2 pictures of Sonic the Hedgehog on the wall.“

“He visitado Taquería Gonzalez en diferentes ocasiones y aún me queda probar más comidas del menú. - Birria de chivo: a mi pareja le encantan los tacos y el consomé - Menudo: Está rico, traten de venir temprano para alcanzar lo mejor! - Tacos de asada: la carne es reseca para mi gusto, la sirven muy dorada pero me encantan las tortillas a mano. Recientemente agregaron variedad de salsas a la mesa, antes se le tenían que pedir a la mesera. - Chilaquiles verdes: riquísimos! Ojalá tuviera una foto. Las tortillas son doraditas y la salsa super rica. - Morisqueta: muy rica - Enchiladas michoacanas: deliciosas, no las sirven muy grasosas y el pollo tiene el "crisp" perfecto. - Bebidas: hemos probado agua de horchata y la michelada. Ambas super ricas! La razón de las 4 estrellas es porque estaría bien que aceptaran tarjeta y porque la mayoría de las sillas estan desbalanceadas, estaría bien que le invirtieran en mejores sillas.“

“SOOO GOOD!! We got the shrimp burrito, al pastor torta, and tried the seafood soup. LOVED everything — the burrito was filling and had amazingly fresh avocado, the seafood was super fresh, and the bread for the torta was sooo good. Definitely going to come back for more!!Service was quick and very friendly. Picnic seating and card accepted.“

“Very good, delicious and above all very varied, everything we have eaten is in excellent condition in portions and above all the flavor is very Sinaloan, the prices are very affordable and the service is fast and careful, the family atmosphere is excellent ?“

“A hidden gem in EPA! This place is pumping out awesome food! We came in a group of 7 people and sat down pretty quick. We sat outside in the patio seating and it was very nice a cool breeze came through there and the decor was nice. We looked through the menu and started to make our order. The food was good the vampiro tacos are on point I loved the shrimp ones very good! The sushi rolls they had were also smack! Enjoyed the salmon roll we had. Beer and seafood you can't go wrong with that! This place is a must try spot right next to Pal market on university before you head to the bridge. Thank you to the friendly staff and awesome chefs in back!“

“This is by far the best place to go for some really moist and perfectly cooked carnitas. This place is pretty straight forward; Carnitas and tortillas with just few side selections which are rice and beans. That's it. This is why they perfected cooking up the carnitas.I highly recommend ordering the Combo #3 which is 6 freshly hot tortillas, 1/2 lb mixed carnitas (meat and facial pieces), a small half cup of beans and rice. The meat literally falls apart and is drenched with it's juices. I love the fatty parts such as the cheeks, ears, and other parts; this is perfect with the salsa. This combo was priced at $15 which is a great choice for a first timer. I do want to come back again and try their burrito. Their burrito is huge! basically an arm length lol. I will be back again!“

“Love the place!The food and vibes of the restaurant are excellent.I've been looking for a good Mexican in the town, and I would say this is the place.Only $15 lunch is definitely reasonable, too. ?Unfortunately, the service of the guy wasn't good. We were not happy with that.“

“Amazing food that is a traditional but regionally unique cuisine of southern coastal Mexico along with the kind of dishes you would typically expect. There are many dishes I usually only have had the pleasure of enjoying when friends or coworkers share homemade. Good, but not over the top presentation. Hearty portions for everything I have tried so far. For example, the sushi rolls are a solid meal on their own.If you have never been to a rural Central American beach town, you might find the atmosphere oddly "rustic", but I am confident the owner knew exactly what they were doing in creating an authentic atmosphere of where his recipes are from.Feeling adventurous, love good Mexican seafood, or looking for another Hawaiian shirt dress code restaurant, don't miss out.Parking: Exclusive lot in back.Kid-friendliness: Yes?Wheelchair accessibility: Yes.“

“Do you want a HOT and tasty bean&cheese pupusa? This is your spot. Too hot to handle, the perfect size, and perfectly cooked beans make this my favorite pupuseria in the area.I tried the bean&cheese, a bean, cheese, and carne asada, and the marañon juice ?“

“Recommendations: All dishes! They’re good! Me? I was looking for Steak Fajitas.Server did great with leading me to fajitas options under Shrimp Fajitas. Perfect! I had myself Steak Fajitas. Great portion comes with tortillas rice, beans, and the work.The atmosphere is culturally AWESOME! Place is beautiful.Their service timing is above and beyond.“

“This is a great Mexican place to dine on California Street. With that street closed for Al fresco dining, there are plenty of parking spots available in the adjacent streets with a free parking garage as well. I went there with my family on a Thursday evening for dinner. The place was relatively full and it was easy to get a table. We got ourselves Chicken Chalupas, Enchiladas Al Chipotle with chicken and Camarones a la diabla. The delivery was quite fast with the chalupas arriving within 10 minutes. There were 3 chalupas there and each tasted unique in its own flavor. The enchiladas were usual as I would expect them to be with chipotle sauce. The highlight of the dinner was the Shrimp dish with quite a kick of spicyness. For people with less interest in spicy food, this dish might not be for you. However, I liked it a lot and tasted quite unlike anything I have tried in Mexican cuisine. Overall, this place is a must try and we had great experience dining here.“

“Amazing food. Tortillas are served warm, which was such a pleasant surprise. We ate vegetarian dishes. Food was very tasty and enough quantity. The best was agua fresca ( pineapple), which everybody (kids and 2 of us) liked. The price is pretty cheap for the quality they offer. There was music on and a vendor visited us all with colorful trinkets to sell - best atmosphere I would say :) Local gem I would say.Vegetarian options: We have dietary restriction. We could tell that the chef and waiter were clearly trying their best to please us. I can't ask for more than that. Obviously the food was very tasty.“

“The cakes are the best I have ever tasted, the bread is super delicious, golden, the service is spectacular, the lady is very friendly and they have a variety of very delicious foods. I highly recommend this place, visit it soon, it is a gem.“

“Okay... It's at the gas station. Nothing fancy just a whole in the wall. There are other Grullenses but this is the one you want to try! Before I moved to the area I used to come here from SF because the carne asada tacos with green sauce are so good. Still one of the best tacos in the peninsula.“

“The food here is amazing. I always get carne asada tacos and chorizo tacos, I really love the taste and prefer the flavor the mild salsa adds to the tacos. I also get aguas frescas and they are very refreshing. I strongly recommend the foods and aguas frescas.“

“This place was so bomb!! I love it. And the German place right next door for the win. Combined my two favorite things. Amazing Mexican food and German Beer!! The Birria was amazing and the Barbacoa tacos were bomb too. Consume was off the charts!! Thanks!!“

“We ordered for takeaway. Everything we ordered was delicious! Chicken tortilla soup would have been better eaten there so the tortilla chips were crunchy but the flavor was delicious. The fish tacos were Delicious. Both grilled and fried. The iguey burrito had shrimp but I substituted it with fish and such a delicious burst of flavor! The shredded beef was not our favorite. Had a certain smoky flavor which some purple may like. But this is definitely going to be our btw favorite Mexican restaurant!Parking: Couple of spots available by the side of the restaurant that's theirs.Wheelchair accessibility: One wheel chair accessible parking.“

“Best part was the tequila shot and beer -- no complaints on the bar. Food was good, nothing special. Onions: if you are allergic, beware -- they made my tacos without onion but the salsa still had onion (not just the pico but the roasted salsa too which because it had been cooked hard had the allergy part cooked out but I was still cautious a new item for me)“

“Another reviewer said that they had the best carne asada tacos they had ever had. I didn't have the same experience and found their carne asada to be too dry for my taste. HOWEVER, their carnitas tacos and pescado tacos are incredible!! Their carnitas are probably my favorite out of the literally hundreds of taquerias I've even at. Their carnitas are crunchy on the outside but moist in the middle and they're very consistent! I eat at Jika's about once a week and have the same happy belly experience every time.Their pupusas are also very good and part of my regular rotation.Tip: Their burritos come with grilled onions and bell peppers. Kinda cool if you're in the mood for a fajita burrito but I usually ask them to hold the bell peppers for a more standard burrito.“

“When I used to work in RWC I ate at their original location just outside of downtown. They've opened a second locale in Menlo and has been quietly opened for a year and I hadnt realized it. Especially because it is in the same strip mall as one of my fave Mexican places, El Fogon, which strangely had an Atherton Mom and her teenage daughter going to. this would never happen pre covid. Speaking of when they opened apparently most folks wanted the original location which is more Panaderia than Restaurant back then to have a bar. So they built this one with a nice bar and now post covid the demand for a bar isnt as strong. I hope that changes because I think their food is quite good. Also this locale brings in the bakery products from the other location so it is a small case. I had a conversation with a server a while back at a sushi restaurant of all places and found out they were from Guatemala. We got to talking about where all the Guatemlan food was and they said El Pollo Campero was basically the only one around. So when I told them about the original location of Guatemalteca we googled it and this one showed up. So during my errands I met a friend here for a meal. We had to go for the stuff we'd never heard of and that paid dividends. The Hilachas is a beef stew that texturally like ropa vieja with the protein being beef being in a thick gravy like stew of tomato and other aromatics. This was served with a salad, pureed black beans and rice. The churrasco was grilled beef similar to carne asada but spiced differently. it had similar components to the Hilachas but also came with a chili and some crema. We also got a Gutemalan Tamal of pork to share and they included the last of their Gutemalan style chile relleno which is smaller but amazingly tasty. The bonus here are the hand made tortillas! Food was a big win and since you're surrounded in a neighborhood of great Mexican food, Id stick to the Gutemalan fare to broaden your horizons. THe brother and sister which run this locale speak really good ENglish but they still helped me practice my Spanish which was nice. A great new add to the neighborhood and now it's going to be hard because I have to choose this or EL Fogon in the same block“

“The best carnitas tacos around. Moist, juicy slow roasted and tender. Good portions. Two will do. Other meat and chicken are good as well. Very consistent and the Chef has been there for years. He loves his work and always has a smile for everyone.“

“We stopped by here randomly and had steak and chicken tacos. It was very delicious even though I do recommend the beef taco more. The spicy sauce is pretty spicy, but I highly recommend it. I definitely recommend having the tacos with the sauce.“