50 Best Mexican Restaurants near Marina

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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!!!“

“Fairly rapid food out of this quaint little taco establishment. I paid $20 and it was delicious and incredibly filling. There are tons of options on the menu but I was not overwhelmed. A very nice lady working at the window, she served all 7 of my group of hungry men with zero issues“

“Great food at a great price. The owners are wonderful people and make you feel like family.“

“I was not prepared for the interior. By far the coolest Taco Bell I have ever been to, and probably ever visit. The decor and design of the restaurant is straight out of a 50's era diner.

I was greeted by a staff member when I entered and the food was pretty good. I highly recommend visiting this sure. I hope will certainly stop by again if I am nearby.“

“It was better than the Salinas restaurant. They were also very friendly.“

“We ordered chips and salsa pineapple salsa, taquitos and a combo plate with an enchilada, crispy potato taco and taquito. Everything was delicious and fresh tasting. I would come back again and try more. Sorry no pics. We devoured everything.“

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

“Amazing place food is well prepared and tasty!“

“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.“

“We were visiting from the San Francisco Bay Area and decided to give La Bahia a try—and we’re so glad we did! We ordered the mahi mahi fish taco, the shrimp taco, and the surf & turf burrito. Everything was cooked to perfection. The shrimp were incredibly juicy and flavorful, the fish was fresh, and the burrito was packed with delicious ingredients and generous portions. You can tell they put care into their food. The staff was friendly, and the overall experience was fantastic. We’ll definitely be stopping by again the next time we’re in Monterey!“

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

“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.“

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

“Came back today and everyone and everything is awesome. This time I controlled myself and didn't inhale without taking a picture. Warning that door dash isn't the best so they may offer you bogus discounts or overcharge, etc. hopefully they can get a better vendor like toast or square.

Anyways buy from them whenever you can. 100% worth the time and the drive.

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I now completely understand the hype. I'll post pictures after digesting but I inhaled my beef and lamb schwarma. Excellent service as well.“

“I love this place. I’ve been coming here for years since I was a little girl. literally my favorite go to taco place & im very picky with the meat I eat and if it has fat & the meat at this place doesn’t which is perfect. The tortas are also bomb and i’ve tried others at other places and they just aren’t as good as the ones here . I’ve also tried different tacos at other places and the ones here beat them everytime .“

“Menudo is great!! Staff is so nice!!!“

“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.“

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

“Amazing place food is well prepared and tasty!“

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

“Food was delicious, serves could of been better!!“

“The service was great the food was delicious the portions were perfect, the menu had many didn’t entry’s to choose from the wine list was something new I’d definitely recommend this place and plan on going back soon“

“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!“

“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!!“

“muy rico en verdad les doy super like fue exactamente lo que quería 😍 un desayuno como en casa“

“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.“

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

“My family and I like to support our local businesses and we were coming from a service for a loved one who passed.
We got wonderful service . Food was very tasty, flavorful and delicious. The young lady at the counter took our order, was polite and very welcoming.
We will be back. What a lil gem:)“

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

“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.“

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

“We tried tacos on a road trip all the way from SF to LA and Lopez taqueria was by far the best we tried. Super recommend the fish tacos, the salsa was perfection. The staff were lovely including the granny making the food. We stayed in Monterey two days and came here both days“

“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!“

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

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

“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.“

“Buena comida y buen ambiente“

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

“Muy buen servicio y la cómida deliciosa 👌“

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

“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!“

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

“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 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!“

“Large portions of good food and friendly attentive service are hallmarks of this establishment. Enchiladas with melted cheese (get the plate with rice and beans), fish tacos, super burritos and chimichangas are all I have tried so far, but there's lots more on the menu. Proteins include asada, pollo, carnitas, and chili verde. Margaritas and cerveza available as well as non alcoholic offerings.“