50 Best Mexican Restaurants in Costa Mesa

“Thanks for making my niece Charlie’s 5th birthday 🥳 celebration memorable tonight!! 🪅🎉🎊“

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

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

“Calo K's ceviche is delicious.“

“Baja Fish Tacos is easily one of the best spots in Costa Mesa for anyone who appreciates fresh ingredients, authentic flavors, and consistently excellent food. Every visit feels like discovering a little piece of Baja right here in town. The moment you step inside, you’re welcomed by a casual, friendly atmosphere and the comforting aroma of grilled fish, warm tortillas, and perfectly seasoned salsas. It’s the kind of place where the food speaks for itself—and it never disappoints.
The fish tacos are the star of the show, and they’re done exactly the way they should be: flaky, flavorful fish lightly battered or grilled to perfection, nestled in a warm tortilla with crisp cabbage, creamy sauce, and just the right amount of spice. Every bite tastes fresh and balanced, with the kind of attention to detail that you can only get from people who take pride in what they serve. The shrimp tacos are equally outstanding—juicy, well-seasoned, and bursting with flavor.
Their menu offers a variety of options beyond tacos too—burritos, bowls, enchiladas, and even vegetarian choices that are just as satisfying. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the freshness is unmatched. You can tell everything is made from scratch daily, from the perfectly cooked rice and beans to the zesty salsas that add that extra kick of flavor.
What really sets Baja Fish Tacos apart, though, is the people. The staff is always welcoming, fast, and attentive, even when the place is busy. They’re quick to make you feel at home and ensure your order is right every time. The restaurant is always clean and well-kept, with a relaxed beach-town vibe that makes you want to stay and enjoy your meal slowly.
Whether you’re grabbing lunch after the beach, meeting friends for a casual dinner, or just craving something fresh and satisfying, Baja Fish Tacos delivers every single time. It’s local, reliable, and delicious—everything a great neighborhood restaurant should be.“

“Exelent servís the food is exelent“

“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“

“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 ♥️“

“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.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hands down one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to! The food is incredible — every dish bursts with flavor and feels like a perfect balance of authenticity and creativity. The staff are unbelievably friendly and make you feel right at home from the moment you walk in. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a great spot for anything from a casual meal to a special night out. Every visit leaves me looking forward to the next one — this place is a true gem!“

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

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

“Food was great and service was quick“

“Todo esta riquisimo especialmente las quesadillas son mis favoritas“

“Have been a long time customer. Always deelish choices. One of my faves is the Mesa burrito, requested wet, and with added salsa and cilantro, and washed down with Sandia (watermelon) aqua fresca… enormous serving and a comp refill on the drink!!!“

“Muy buenos sus tacos yummy 😋“

“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.“

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

“Love the enchiladas! Service is fast too!“

“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!“

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

“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 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!“

“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.“

“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“

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

“Wow, what an amazing dinner! This place is truly a hidden gem. I ordered a chicken tamale, pastor tacos, asada tacos, and birria tacos — everything was incredibly flavorful. The prices are super reasonable too. It looks like a family-run spot, and you can really feel the care they put into their food and service 🙏🏼 Definitely coming back“

“I had a carne asada taco and chips and guacamole. Lizbeth took my order, and she remembered I liked pico de gallo with my chips. She gave great service. Along with Claudia. Claudia made sure everything was ok with my order and cleared my plates for me. Outstanding service. Thanks Wahoo's for hiring nice people at your restaurant!“

“Da die for Yummy 🤤 . Their New Chicken Pozole“

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

“The Thanksgiving buffet was amazing. It reminded me of the Vegas buffets. Every kind of Thanksgiving food, every kind of Mexican food, huge dessert table, unlimited champagne and mimosas, many types of drinks, omelet bar. Everything cooked to perfection. It was just melt in your mouth delicious.“

“This is a market with hot food and a couple of small tables in front of the store.

For all the taquerias in oc ie and east LA I've been to, their street tacos are hands down my favorite. Yes street tacos from a market better than most store front taquerias.

Their al pastor tacos are my favorite.

Generally nice folks...if you speak spanish. Sad to say that my wife who doesnt speak Spanish was treated poorly. Enough so that she will not eat from this spot.

Hay que tratar bien a todos, hablen oh no hablen en espanol.

Hopefully she'll gove them another go one day...maybe kist got someone on an off day.“

“They have the best chorizo burritos I have ever had in my life Hands-down, the best Chorizo burritos Out of any restaurant in the country, This place doesn’t fill the burrito with eggs and sprinkle a little bit of chorizo in it They actually load it up with chorizo!!!“

“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!!!!��“

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

“Great service and amazing food!“

“Kyle was the best Café Rio employee we’ve experienced in a long time. He overheard my wife giving me instructions for dressing up her taco. Then remembered those instructions a couple of minutes later when another employee asked me and I hesitated. Really friendly guy as well. That’s the most important trait to us.

The restaurant itself is the nicest Café Rio around, because it’s cheery (brightly lit) and clean.“

“Food was taken to go. Nice people. No indoor sitting this there are a couple of tables outside. Tamales, carnitas, pastor, menudo, Pan dulce and more us on the menu. We were so hungry.We opened the food and started to eat it.I forgot to take pictures l o l... Tacos, our very big portions, full size tacos, not the mini tortillas, lots of meat! Very good“

“Tried their new breakfast items, and lived them. Chilaquiles with tomatillos and a churro waffle with chicken tenders. I’ve always lived their carnitas and now they have a carnitas breakfast burrito with smashed tater Tia. Sooo good!“

“Tucked away in the back of the market this would be an easy place to skip over, but it really was a delight. Some of their combo options felt a little expensive for what they were so we got two tacos dorado and I quite enjoyed both of them. The service was quick and super friendly. There are a lot of options in the market but this is definitely one worth stopping for.“

“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!“

“Absolutely great service with our waiter being very attentive. The food was great and the ambiance was just perfect for our date night. We even had the GM personally boxed our leftover food without us even asking. Definitely returning soon.“

“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!“

“Baja grill chiken burito.“

“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 .“