The Best Mexican Restaurants in Every State

One Rapid City diner told Yelp readers that “Sabor is a great quaint place to enjoy authentic Mexican food.” Another local chimed in saying, “I would eat here everyday, but they are closed on Sundays.” Among the dishes meeting with reviewers’ approval are the carnitas torta, the chicken tostada, the fish tacos, and the cheese tamales.

Described on its website as “a small, fast-casual counter specializing in the hand-held delicacies it boasts in its name,” Maciel’s also serves nachos, fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, and other items. Shrimp and tilapia tacos are among the options. “Super fresh and delicious every single time!” wrote one Yelp reviewer. “Gets Maciel of approval,” punned another.

In a city (and state) famous for its hybrid Tex-Mex cuisine, Fonda San Miguel — a large restaurant with an attractive interior — takes pride in being, as they put it: “the first restaurant in Texas to focus exclusively on true regional Mexican cuisine from Mexico’s interior culinary epicenters.” While some dishes are familiar (guacamole, tortilla soup, tacos al pastor, etc.), others are less common — for instance, ancho chile filled with chicken, olives, capers, and almonds, or mixiote (slow-cooked lamb cooked in a paper wrapper). As one Yelp critic said, “A definite ‘don’t miss’ when in Austin.” The restaurant requires guests to wear masks, and, they say, “We may take temperatures.”

With its industrial decor and an extensive menu encompassing tacos, burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, moles, quesadillas, and much more, Chile-Tepin wins praise because, as one Yelper put it, “The food is spot on, the service is quick, [and] there’s beer and salsa music playing.” A former Californian, used to “great Mexican food on almost every corner” in his home state, found the place “great — period!”

This one-time food cart, which materialized as a bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Burlington’s Old North End in late 2018, offers a stripped-down menu of tacos (six kinds, including one with dry-rubbed 16-hour chopped brisket and another with plantains, beans, poblano chiles, and queso fresco), plus a handful of snacks and side dishes — and an imaginative cocktail list, too. They obviously do things right. “Now I don’t have to wait once a year to travel back to LA and get my taco fix,” wrote a former Angeleno on Yelp. Other comments: “The best tacos I’ve ever had,” “Everything is so delicious and flavorful but also authentic!,” and “the best food in greater Burlington.” The dining room is currently closed, but everything on the menu is available for delivery or pick-up.