50 Best Mexican Restaurants near Portola Valley

“Delicious food and friendly staff. Best steak burrito and chili verde we have ever had. Loved the added touch of bean dip and custom flavorful tortillas for dipping. A big win. Definitely going back and bringing friends. Can't believe I just discovered this place after years of riding my bike by it.“

“This is one of my favorite cantinas for lunch when working on trees in Portola Valley. Don't miss their veggie tacos and margaritas! ⚡?⚡Friendly service and a wonderfully kind señor cantinero with bright blue eyes and a welcoming smile and generous pour. This place fills up, but there is always a lot of seating and plenty of outdoor tables as well. I believe this place is the central community spot for all of us arborists and contractors after a long day of work. Quick and delicious. Great service to your table and plenty of refills on chips and salsa. Don't miss their flan either . ??? You guys make my day. Thank you!!?

Vegetarian options: Their menu is all open for changing to veggie options.

Parking: Tons of spots.

Kid-friendliness: It's a really welcoming place with plenty of room for everyone.“

“The food was really very tasty. The staff were very humble and courteous. Food was served in an excellent way.“

“I love Cuco’s!! All women staff. They do everything right.“

“Amazing food and excellent service - highly recommend“

“This little spot was very welcoming right as we walked in the door!
Hospitality was spot on, and the food was great!
Menu has a nice variety of options.
I recommend anyone to come by and grab a bite at Las Chiquitas!!“

“I’ve been there a few times and is always very good I highly recommend“

“I can say that it is one of my favorite places, the chicken and beef broth are my favorites, the tacos are so good, the service is fast, and they are very friendly, to taste a good plate of Mexican food with a unique flavor and different you have to come to this
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can say that it is one of my favorite places, the chicken and beef broth are my favorites, the tacos are very good, the service is fast and they are very friendly, to taste a good plate of Mexican food with a unique and different flavor you have than coming to this place.“

“I have passed this place many times on pre planned dinners, but this time we stopped. We are from out of the area and I have to say, this food was amazing and authentic. I had el pastor and asada tacos and was amazed. So happy we went back the next morning for breakfast burritos and I was not disappointed. A must visit if you are in the area“

“Discovered the LITTLE GREEN HOUSE on a drive out exploring the neighborhoods and highways between East Palo Alto and Half Moon Bay… Walking onto this patio and into the house you could feel see and smell that a lot of care gratitude respect and life have and are being cooked up here! I instantly felt at home and at the same time I felt I was on a vacation…the aromas of our food being prepared the genuinely friendly staff and home style delicious meals! Thank you! We can’t wait to come back to your neighborhood!

Parking: You can’t miss the brightly painted house/ Taqueria on the corner with in the neighborhood. Plenty of street parking, felt safe area to walk about and stretch before eating. As well as they have a nice size parking lot for the Taqueria itself and open spaces with just a few quick steps to the entrance and patio

Kid-friendliness: Great place to sit outside enclosed space family style atmosphere“

“The portions are large and cooked with love. Everything on the menu is fantastic. The staff is friendly and actually cares about their customers. A really fantastic secret little jewel to go enjoy“

“Great tacos! The buche, carnitas, and cabeza were all really good (and large/meaty). Each one had a different delightful texture but cabeza was my favorite.... so tender! Fresh salsa bar and free chips are a huge plus. Also the free deep fried jalapenos was a nice touch. Next time I've gotta tried that awesome looking giant fried fish plate.“

“Food is fresh and fairly tasty. Portion sizes are definitely on the smaller side. They should improve on portion size by about 20%+

4%
Fee for not paying in cash. Unannounced til you pay.

Overall taste, texture, quality is there. Give it a try.

Very basic interior but clean and polite staff.

Chips and salsa are free. Very good salsa choices actually!“

“Just happened upon Paper Platez, so very glad we did!! Food was phenomenal service was great. It was fun talking to the owners.“

“este es lo mejor de lo que probado la recomiendo por editor de facebook el bagabundo i ueces el cobi 19 i Rigoberto Muñoz ochoa ide las páginas del amor de mi vid“

“Mexican Japanese fusion... Who Knew!

Absolutely fantastic. Easy to pass by... Some sketchy characters out front, but absolutely worth the trek to East Palo Alto!

Kid-friendliness: Normal non Mexican options for the philistines... I mean lovely children.“

“Good food taste and great service.“

“I like this place for the food, it is very delicious, prepared with hygiene and good quality products, the atmosphere is familiar, the service is very pleasant and respectful, they don't make you wait haggardly. In general I like it a lot. It just doesn't have its own parking, you have to look for space on the streets. But it is worth going to eat at this place.“

“This is the best Bay Area taco I've ever had. Recently my hobby is a taco tour in Bay area.

I like that they give you a slice of cucumber for every taco. Ah, the tacos here are super hot temperature that even in the summer, steam rises from the asada, so I recommend eating them as soon as you receive them.

Tripa, Cochinita Pibil and Asada good.“

“I loved my experience there - great food and cocktails.“

“Everything here is good but I have to say the Huevos Ranchero and the birria tacos are the best on planet earth. The handmade tortillas are absolutely delicious. The young lady who works at the front is so kind and has a warm welcoming personality. I live in Sunnyvale but I try and eat here any time I'm in the area.“

“Got a burrito was really good. Our server , Sylvia recommended a margarita…it was great. So…great food, great drinks and great service.“

“Highly recommended. A great place to have comfort food. I had the best quesadilla I've ever had! A very clean place. Family operated. Can speak English and accept phone payments. The to-go containers are recyclable. Clean tables with shade to eat next to the truck. conveniently located on University Avenue next to Shell gas station. If you happen to pass the station while going toward Dumbarton Bridge 84, I highly recommend stopping by. Even if you are not hungry take it home or to work. I guarantee you will like it and come back. Very nice and friendly staff. I'm planning to try their other foods and report.“

“I typically order food here through doordash. The food is always on point.
A few items I recommend:

1. Chimichangas - Very crunchy and flavorful. Not greasy

2. Taco-dilla with birria - cheesy meaty goodness with the consome. It's perfection.

3. Super burrito - perfect balance in every bite

4. Taco salad - I love the crunchy taco shell with the fresh salad and steak.

5. Chips and guac - Made in house and the chips are thick and crunchy. The guac is fresh with a little bit of crunch from the onions.

One of these days, I need to check it out to get the full experience.“

“A good Mexican restaurant which has a large portions. They also have chips & salsa with unlimited refills. The food is kind of hit and miss. I tried fajitas, molcajete, shrimp cocktail, enchiladas & Celia's sampler. The shrimp cocktail was delicious and enchiladas & fajitas seemed decent. I did not like the appetizers.“

“The bistek asado. omg! soooo tender. we ordered it medium. it was perfect. We also ordered the pollo rostisado con mole. it was tender and tasty. Thank you for accommodating us with no reservations. make reservations. place gets packed quick.“

“Probably the best taco truck around. Food is really good and they don't skimp..Superl friendly people. As well. . Im handicapped and they will bring it to my car so i don't have to risk falling.
They deserve our business. Don't forget the lengua! Best ever!

Wheelchair accessibility: This is a taco truck. I'm not exp“

“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.“

“When a place has been around as long as this, there must be something good there! That's the case here. Been coming here for years and won't stop coming since we always have a great experience, great service and delicious food. Came here for an early dinner so right when the opened and allowed us to get great service, enjoy the outside patio and the quietness of the street.

Great dinner, will be back again“

“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.“

“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.“

“A hidden gem!

From the outside, it looks like your basic Mexican restaurant. The menu will quickly change your mind, and I can say our party loved everything we had. They have a bunch of fish items and we're looking forward to try more.

Oh, and the flan... mmmmm“

“OMG. Random roadside tastiness in the parking lot next to China Wok! Great hibiscus tea, best latte I've had in ages, and awesome creme brulee. Tacos were pretty good, though not at "amazing" level, but prices were also pretty great --$2 for the tea, for example“

“Everything was great. Waiters were friendly. Overall 5/5!“

“I live at the top of the road and I passed this for a year. I thought it was there because we have had a ton of construction on the road. Thought I’d give it a try… oh sweet baby Jesus I’m glad I did. The tortillas are made from SCRATCH!!!!! The meat is not grease the flavor is a chefs kiss amazing. Tacos are $3 a piece, that’s all I’ve tried but the my dying to try more. They have burritos and tortas. Def give this truck a taste you won’t be disappointed.

Parking: It’s a dirt lot“

“Great food and fast friendly service. A great place for burgers.“

“Not fancy just great Mexican food done right I go from San Jose just to eat here. The best and I mean best tripa and lengua tacos in the bay. Get extra green sauce and a little red to go. And carrots and lemon. Squeeze the lemon. Hit the salsa and enjoy“

“Very delicious carnitas, but the bad thing is that when you order carnitas by the pound they don't give you complete ones ?‍? there are already several people I know who comment the same thing, I think we're going to have to file a complaint with consumer service, so they can fix it that“

“Best tortas EVER!!!“

“First visit, good service.“

“Get yourself a Super Burrito (Carne or whatever your choice) and a Mexican Coca Cola…you can’t go wrong. One of the freshest and tastiest ingredients ever especially the onions. 9.8 / 10“

“The restaurant is not big. Theirs no tables, only a countertop to eat standing up. But that's perfect when you're on the go or don't mind eating in your car. The menu is pretty basic, but the food is on point and full of flavor. If you like a little kick with your food, I suggest you add the red sauce, but the mild green sauce is just as good. Don't go too late because they do run out. Stop by and try my usual order. 2 sopes and 3 tacos with both the red and green sauce.“

“Carnitas, buche cueritos, and chicharon I've had it all several times It's my place to go to for real michoacan carnitas! Professionally made!!!! if you ever go to redwood city and you want to eat carnitas michoacanas this is the place they have been up and running as a business for a long time for a very good reason! ?“

“We love La Hacienda. Mario and Amelia put their heart and soul into putting authentic Mexican food onto your table. They'll greet you with a smile and take great care of you. Pro-tip: Love extra spicy salsa? Ask Mario for the good stuff.“

“The food is delicious. The sauces really stand out here at Palo Alto Sol. See my review at EssentialPaloAltoRestaurants.com“

“Fresh delicious pupusas and tasty, good sized burritos at a reasonable price.“

“This sugar is good and the service is also the problem is that the cook does not pay attention to the notes. I ordered a burrito without onion and without cilantro, the cook went overboard with the ok mistakes happen. But when the cook turns crazy I ask them for the order and the guy just reduces the onion and mixes the meat if you know that the reason I ordered it without onion is because I'm allergic. I lasted 3 days with sore welts that I could only bite a few times.“

“food was good, bu the person seating people was very rude ! like you were bothering him when we asked if the patio was available, other service was good.“

“The food is so BOMB. I had the quesabirrias with consomé today for lunch as well as got a burrito to go. They toasted for me and it added such a wonderful texture to the outside. My interactions with them was amazing as well. They were willing to explain menu items as well as were considerate about my preferences, whether I wanted it to be spicy or not. I would go again for lunch!“