34 Best Mexican Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“great service! delicious, authentic Oaxacan food. We will go back!“

“The best Taqueria in town! Definitely overall service and the food 20/10 ! The team is beyond the amazing. The ambiance is chill and good for family too! This is one of my fav. Un taco crispy al pastor con aguacate y no habichuelas ! Enjoy! Thanks Guys“

“Delicious food Love eating here …“

“These are hands down the best carnitas tacos in Santa Cruz. No question. I don’t want to hear any debate. The carnitas were crackly/crispy on the outside and soft/tender on the inside. The quality here is leagues above everything else in Santa Cruz. This place is better than pretty much anything you will find in the South Bay as well which is saying a lot.“

“their meats are out of this world good. some of the best I've been going to tons of taquerias for years. tacos are legit. burritos are huge and balanced perfectly. my new spot! ORALÉ !!!!“

“Honestly one of the best places I've been to the food was great the food was well made and seasoned a little expensive but it was well worth it I Will definitely be coming back to eat here I highly recommend this place one of the best here in Santa Cruz!😋“

“Overall, a decent place. We stopped in after lunchtime so it was quiet. We both ordered the fish and chips (yeah, I know it's a Mexican restaurant). The shrimp and fish were very good. The fries could have been crispier. I'd visit again if I was in the area.“

“This place is hands down the best Tacos in All of Santa Cruz. I have been to pretty much every mexcian restraunt and food truck in Santa Cruz multiple times and this place delivers the tacos with the highest quality meats, cooked in the cleanest oil, with the freshest veggies prepared to the highest standard. This is my #1 spot.“

“so delicious! everything we got was amazing especially the Quesabirria Tacos with consome!“

“The Service is great !!! Beef taco is wonderful :) Also they do an American breakfast if you desire.Everything iv had is really good !!!“

“The best taqueria in Santa Cruz!!! My family and I highly recommend this place❤“

“This was our first time there and the food was great and the atmosphere was great.. also had great service. We will be back again..“

“Where do I begin!? Favorite burrito spot since I was a child. The house sauce is literally the best in the world. I’ve yet to ever find somewhere else that has it. Everytime I come home to visit I go here multiple times. 12/10

Would recommend the pastor burrito it’s my favorite 🤩“

“This is a really good halal restaurant here in Santa Cruz. There isn't much of a halal restaurant here in Santa Cruz, and this has been a go-to for me recently. The owner is extremely nice and generous with the portions. Unlimited Chips, and there are a lot of exotic snacks.“

“Los tacos de lengua mis favoritos con aguacate. Y mi coca cola mexicana,“

“The best very Good food Costomer sercice and atmosphiere the resturant is exelente this is betted than any resturant in santa cruz ca i recomend its like if my grandmother is making the food delisouse come you will miss out if you dont have a amazing day !!!“

“Delicious jackfruit tacos. Great for vegetarian, vegan. And one of the only places to get gluten free. We asked and the chips are gluten free although I'm not sure about cross contamination but no reaction. Chips and guacamole make a meal though in a pinch“

“Great part of Santa Cruz History Great Ride Food and Entertainment“

“First time trying this place and was pleasantly surprised. Veggies were fresh and made to order, the chile relleno was cooked beautifully. The server was very friendly and helpful and very flexible with plate combos. I could have even had a breakfast burrito in the afternoon on a weekday! Super happy. Only negative was the tables/booths hadn’t been wiped down despite the restaurant being completely empty. Planning to return here ?

Vegetarian options: Chile relleno, sides, veggie burritos, breakfast burritos, quesadillas, plates, etc. also was willing to substitute and got a big plate of fresh grilled veggies on the side (asparagus, Brussel sprouts, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions)

Dietary restrictions: Refried beans not made with pork/lard for a change so and no chicken stock/stock in the Spanish rice so was able to get for once. Server was accommodating when checking that everything was vegetarian for me. ❤️“

“When In Santa Cruz you got to hit up Tacos El Chuy. The food is delicious, people are great and friendly. Nothing like a hot meal and a cold beer. Tacos 🌮 are great and the Nachos are awesome.“

“It sad to say the taqueria in my Town Tracy cannot even come close to the superior food .“

“Staff was super friendly and they truly cared about the customers. I had the fish taco and it was amazing“

“Been going there since the early 2020's and it's always has been good...
Good quality food, enough to fill your belly, and even with the plates, sometimes enough to even bring home, love it being close to walking distance, nice restaurant...“

“This place fire and smacks. Very good food and customer service. Modest pricing and a great meal/ experience overall. My friend recommended here and it did not disappoint. Big portions and welcoming atmosphere. Thank you Taqueria and staff for the cool experience/ hospitality.“

“Great place to meet up with friends, for breakfast or anytime! Great beach and lighthouse view, and casual, comfortable atmosphere! I highly recommend!!“

“Food is reasonably priced and tasted great. Lots of gluten free options. It is counter service and find your own seat. Most of the seating is outdoors. The seating is functional and gets the job done but I would not call it inviting. They were busy when we ate there, and the service was not super quick. That said it is not fast food. All things considered, I would definitely eat there again.“

“The tin foil that my burrito was wrapped in truly exceeded expectations. Many establishments provide sub-par tin foil which leads to my burrito leaking out of its enclosure when I want to save it for later. Kudos to the chef for attending to excellence!“

“First time checking this place out and I have to say I was really impressed with the pupusas! The chicharron con queso pupusas were delicious! I also really enjoyed the empanadas de platano. Definitely will be coming back soon :)“

“Great variety and vegetarian options seven days a week!“

“Food was good. We thought about going across the street to the grocery store and returning and they told us that if we did then we need to leave with our car. People were ok. But food was great.“

“Immaculately taken care of truck. The owner was so nice and helpful. Food was exactly what we wanted. A huge burrito with cabbage and almost an entire avocado, excellent rice and super tender meat. The Cali taco was awesome with onions, huge amount of avocado and great asada.

Litterally changed all of our moods from tired to excited and happy. Keep it up mate and thanks for a great meal!

Had this while at Buena Vista brewery and Santa Cruz Cider“

“Good was amazing and the staff was friendly and helpful! I was there with a party so we were given the buffet. The view was beautiful and the room for the party was easily accessible and created a great atmosphere. Parking was tight on the warf, but we knew in advance so we could give ourselves about 15 extra minutes to find parking and then walk to the restaurant. The walk was lovely as well as there were many things to look at including the beach.“

“I’ve never seen a team work so flawlessly on a line with an incredibly positive attitude. This specific location is always overflowing on nights and weekends. I feel a bit bad for the staff, the location is so small. Orders end up taking 20-30 mins due to the way this location was designed- no fault of the team at all. They burn through tickets one after another smoothly while hordes of college kids place multiple orders. They are never short with customers asking questions or for extra help.
Mad props to these guys, they’re so cheerful and kind. Give these guys a raise!“