50 Best Mexican Restaurants near Carmel By The Sea

“This is one of the most unique and exciting restaurants in Carmel. Amazing cocktails and the food is both creative and authentic. Wine list is great too! Never disappoints.“

“The staff made our experience such a wonderful place! From the moment we checked in till we got the check. Our server was courteous, considerate (we had a huge table beside us) and attentive. The aesthetics of the restaurant is very captivating and beautiful. We will be coming back for more!“

“Got 2 Baja fish tacos, which were ok. Was hoping for beer-batter style to be crispy with a slight crunch but in reality, it was more soft and kind of soggy. Could have used more aioli and flavor in general, definitely benefited from additional lime squeeze. Maybe pickled red onions slices could be a good touch. Service was great, friendly, had an ingredient list with major allergen concerns when I asked questions about my allergies- really appreciate that! Tables inside and outside. Open restroom nearby.“

“Great Customer Service. And the food was Great“

“We've been coming for so many years never had a bad experience always love the food the people the ambience it's absolutely fun and excellent food drinks, etc. This time for lunch we had an exceptional server she's new to us. Her name was beautiful. It was a flower like maybe jasmine we hadn't seen her before but boy was she on top and thorough always seeing if we needed any more of anything we loved her she was phenomenal.❤️ just wanted you to know“

“Found this place by accident but I’m so happy I did! Went after an aquarium trip!Food was amazing and workers were so friendly. The agua de tamarindo was a little too sweet but everything else was wonderful! We had combo #2 & 3 and enmoladas! We also tried the empanaditas! Took my non vegan family members and they loved it! They aren’t convinced it wasn’t vegan! 😅 Updated from previous review on 2026-09-19“

“I loved dining by candlelight. I had the camarones al mojo de ajo and it was delicious. Oh and the palomas were amazing!“

“The best on Lighthouse hands down. No fatty meat quality, clean & the girls that work there are so sweet respectful and accommodating to all. Compliments to the owner and cooks Chefs kiss“

“It’s pricey but it’s the best Mexican food I’ve ever tasted. Soooo good.“

“I have been coming here for years. The best Mexican Food for the best price!!!“

“Best fish Tacos and our server Mariah was the sweetest!! This place is a gem!“

“We’re in town from the Central Coast. TOTALLY loved our experience. From the tortilla chips & salsa, to the beverages, our entrees and the friendly staff. We definitely recommend Peppers and will be back next time we’re in PG.“

“best tacos for miles! thank you for being delicious!“

“Un lugar familiar buena y deliciosa comidas esmerado servicio.“

“The best kept secret in Monterey! First of all the FRESH hand-made corn tortillas! OMG! Best in town without question. Huevos rancheros and Chilaquiles were amazing! Authentic. You want spicy? They have the spicy. You prefer mild? Their tomatillo is super mild and DELICIOUS! Fast service with a smile. Plenty of parking. AND THE PRICES ARE SO LOW“

“Easy parking. Inside & outside dining. Comfortable seating. Nice array on menu from ala carte Mexican Cuisine to Exotic Mexican Specialties with shrimp, steak, pork or chicken. Custom vegetable dishes and sides. Complementary fresh tortilla chips with salsa. Friendly staff and service. My love for Jose's Mexican Food combined with love for western heritage is a welcome home.“

“Papa Chanos never disappoints! First thing I noticed walking in was how clean the restaurant was — seriously spotless. We ordered burritos, asada fries, quesadillas, and beans and rice, and everything was absolutely delicious. The portions were way bigger than expected — those quesadillas were LOADED. We got so much more food than we anticipated, which is always a win!
My son ordered the bean burrito and gave it a solid 10/10 — his words, not mine — and honestly I couldn’t argue with him. It was that good. The asada fries and beans and rice were just as satisfying.
The free chips and salsa bar is such a great touch. Fresh, flavorful, and a perfect way to start the meal while you wait. Speaking of waiting — we barely had to! Our food came out super fast, which is impressive considering how fresh and well-made everything tasted.
If you’re looking for a go-to Mexican spot with great food, generous portions, and a clean, welcoming environment, Papa Chanos is it. We’ll definitely be back!“

“Amazing food and drinks. Friendly and fast service!!!“

“Amazing place food is well prepared and tasty!“

“Michael’s is simply the best food on the planet! It’s Tex Mex with a Cajun rub to it. Simply the most awesome food you will ever have period…..fight me. Lol. I am loyal to them forever! You will be changed!!“

“Had a solid meal with the guys. We ordered the chicken taquitos for the table. I got the Cali wrap with carne asada. They ordered the chicken and shrimp fajitas and the combo meal with chicken enchilada and shredded beef taco. Everything was superb. Ask for the salsa verde if you like some kick. The complimentary chips and salsa are great as well.“

“We had a good experience at El Palmar.

The restaurant was clean, and it was not too crowded when we visited in the afternoon, which made for a relaxed atmosphere.

Our server was polite and friendly. While service was a little slower than expected, she appeared to be managing the dining room on her own, and we appreciated her efforts.

We enjoyed the aguas frescas, and the Taco Tuesday specials offered good value. The tacos were good overall, although the carne asada tacos were not as hot as we expected when they were served.

Overall, it was an enjoyable meal, and we would consider visiting again.“

“Wanted a bacon breakfast burrito and found this place during our time in Monterey and we loved it that we had to come back the next day. The portion size is great for what you pay. They also serve a complimentary chips and salsa. Give this place a try if you’re looking for a good bacon breakfast burrito.“

“Omg the sopes, ah-mazing. This is the best Mexican food I’ve had in awhile, if ever. They were busy and I can see why. 100% worth the wait, fast friendly service and off the charts good. I had the chicken which was flavorful, green sauce, just yum. Just go.“

“good food and Service and the waiters are nice and Ploit“

“I have been coming here for years. The best Mexican Food for the best price!!!“

“Delicious Traditional but memorable dishes stop by for lunch if you're in the area.“

“I had 3 asada tacos, they're not mini street tacos! They're loaded up with meat, with onion and cilantro which is optional. Very delicious salsa, the red is more spicy and very flavorful, green also flavorful but mild! Don't judge a book by its cover! Yes, its in a liquor store, but go! Plus you can buy anything else you might want too.“

“Came here after papa Chevos was closed due to electrical outage. The older gentlemen possibly the owner was so good with my son’s food allergies. He’s severely allergic to fish and they grill the steak on the same grill as the fish. So he had the cooks cook some steak in a separate pan for his street tacos!!! Very thoughtful and attentive. The food is delicious.“

“I have been coming here for years. The best Mexican Food for the best price!!!“

“This is a great taco shop. I love Mexican food, I've been up and down California trying different Mexican restaurants and rating them. My wife felt like the crunchy tacos that they serve here were the best she has ever had. I felt like the California burrito and the chicken were very tasty. If you don't serve chips and salsa with the meal I usually make my ranking four stars; but this one gets an extra star for the outdoor patio with the excellent view. Man's best friend is accommodated here. Bring your dog and sit with him outside. Great place to come if you're on a budget and you want to see the ocean but you don't want to high priced meal in Monterey or right on the beach! After a quick bite you could go down and watch the sunset! Enjoy!“

“Everything was absolutely delicious!!! We had a bunch of quesabirria tacos with consommé, quesadillas, carne asada torta, rice , beans, and both red and green salsas for my son's birthday. We are definitely ordering again. Congratulations on your new business. You're awesome!! Go, go, go to Aquino's if you want truly amazing Mexican food!“

“Went here during the Exotics on Broadway auto show. If you know anything about that show, you know how crazy it is and the sea of humanity that shows up. These guys provided great service despite the craziness and the burrito I ordered was delicious.“

“This place has some really really really yummy food the bomb.com“

“Daaaaannnnggg…those handmade tortillas! Pollo or beef tacos, you can’t go wrong.“

“Food was amazing, and the manager and staff were friendly and accommodating. Definitely recommend!!“

“Muy buen servicio y la cómida deliciosa 👌“

“Authentic mexican and south-american food restaurant. The service was friendly and quick. The atmosphere could be a little bit more comfortable. The food was on point (although the fish in the ceviche was cooked and shredded) and the michelada is a great choice!

Parking: More than five spots directly in front of the restaurant but there is space to park on the street, also.“

“Visiting from out of state. Stopped by and oh my word. The food is so good! Definitely recommend this place.“

“5/31/26: Order thru Door Dash @ Taqueria Zarape {Seaside} for the first time from this restaurant. After looking thru my choices of dishes, I decided to order the menudo, available Saturday and Sunday only{$15.25} along with Large Spanish Rice {$6.38} and two cans of Pepsi {$4.00}.Lately I’ve tried Sarita’s Mexican Grill{Monterey}, and Las Cazuelas {Seaside} thru Door Dash,although both were okay wasn’t completely satisfied with the taste of their dishes. Both places I tried the Campechana Cocktail and the Spanish rice giving them two tries. Hopefully the Menudo and Spanish Rice will be delicious from this restaurant 🤔. Subtotal {$25.63}, Delivery Fee {$0.00}, Service Fee {$1.99}, Estimated Tax {$2.37}, Total {$29.99}, Dasher Tip {$3.50} = $33.49 Grand total. Placed order @ 10:18 a.m, ETA: 10:39-10:54 a.m. {Marina} ,Arrived: 11:05a.m. Dasher🚚: Kuldeep. Food arrives and hopefully it will be Hot and taste delicious 😋.See attached photo of Menudo
The Menudo came in a large plastic container that Full all the way, it was Hot. The menudo came with cilantro and onions,which I added to the dish.The tripe and everything was sooo good! Definitely I will repeat ordering this dish on weekends .The rice was in a small container and was regular taste and I added the sauce from the menudo which gave it some flavor. Overall I was satisfied with this meal and would order again

5/31/26: Second time ordering thru Door Dash at Taqueria Zarape {Seaside} today. Earlier I ordered the Menudo, Spanish Rice, and two Pepsi. I enjoyed the Menudo, so I wanted to try their Campechana. Previous orders of Campechana I tried at Sarita’s Mexican Grill {Monterey} and Las Cazuelas {Seaside} and both of them I tried twice and wasn’t satisfied with their Campechana. Hopefully Taqueria Zarape will be tasty and enjoyable just like the Menudo was. I also ordered a small Spanish Rice and two cans of Pepsi. Placed order @ 6:07p.m, ETA: 6:30-6:36p.m.,{Marina}, Dasher🚚: Jennifer, Arrived:6:45pm. Received my order, and hopefully it will be good as the first order from here earlier today{Menudo}. Subtotal {$29.67}, Delivery Fee: {$0.00}, Service Fee {$1.99}, Estimated Tax {$2.74}, Dasher Tip {$4.00} Total { $38.40} The Campechana was full of Shrimp, big cuts of Octopus 🐙, avocado 🥑, spiced perfectly. Definitely enjoy and best tasting over the others I’ve tried at Sarita’s Mexican Grill and Cazuelas.

6/3/26:Third time ordering thru Door Dash for Taqueria Zarape. 5/31 ordering Menudo, and Campechana , along with Spanish Rice. Enjoyed the Menudo, Campechana 👍😄, Definitely a repeat order. 6/1 ordered Jumbo Lengua Burrito and Lengua Enchilada. Not worth it very bland no repeating this order. TODAY I’m reordering the Campechana Cocktail 🍹 which comes with many shrimp 🍤 , Octopus 🐙, sliced avocado 🥑 and taste the 💣 bomb! Ordering this dish you won’t be disappointed {Tried Sarita’s Mexican Grill, Monterey & Las Cazuelas, Seaside and their Campechana can’t compare😖} BEST IN THE BAY! I also ordered Small Spanish Rice and two cans of PEPSI. The Shrimp and Octopus pieces are big and very delicious 😋 Spiced so well, but might add sliced lemon or lime 🍋‍🟩“

“The very good service are very friendly and the food is ás ú per ly everything very clean [Original] El servicio muy bueno son muy amables y la comida está súper ly todo muy limpio“

“good food and Service and the waiters are nice and Ploit“

“Had such a fun time at Tipsy Putt! The atmosphere was great, the games were so much fun, and it’s such a perfect spot to hang out with friends. The staff was friendly, the drinks were good and there was a really fun energy throughout the whole place. Definitely a great spot for a night out!“

“great service and the food was deliscious plus they had great Musica“

“My wife and I came to visit Monterey for the weekend and stayed at the red lion on our second night. The urban kitchen is located on site at the hotel. The owner/host Renee was gracious and friendly. He went out of his way with service. Also the food was delicious enjoyed the artichoke enchilada and seafood soup!! Definitely recommend staying at the red lion and eating at the Urb. kitchen“

“The adobada burrito is the first thing I tried here, and I can’t make myself try anything else, it is so delicious!! I must have it every time I’m in town!“

“Fast service…friendly staff and delicious food makes Penny’s our daily breakfast stop on our yearly Pismo vacation. I usually have the Pismo Pier Omelet but this year they had a spicy sausage patty that I teamed with a biscuit and gravy DELICIOUS! Others in our group had the strawberry waffles which are light and fluffy and overflowing with beautiful strawberries and topped with whipped cream. WOW! Penny’s is not a large establishment so there may be a line but it is well worth the wait.“

“Good food, must come and try. Worth the wait. In seaside. We enjoyed coming here to eat.“

“Our first visit to Lalla Grill Del Monte and it was fabulous! The food was delicious. Our waiter Tino was friendly, professional, and on top of everything. Later we went to the bar. It was fully stocked and the bartender, Rae, was the bomb! Worth a visit if you are in the area! Highly recommend.“

“I heard about their jumbo burrito so had to go get it the following day. I have never had to carry a burrito to go using both hands. Not only was the burrito huge it also tasted very good! Fed 4 adults with alittle left over. I will be going back soon“