Al pastor and its cousins turn up across Minneapolis in forms that have nothing to do with each other: a spit-roasted taco counter, a strip mall pupusa kitchen, a Mexico City ambitious dining room. This guide sorts the city's Mexican kitchens by what they actually put on the plate, from Lake Street standbys to newer rooms chasing something sharper.
5400 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55419 · +16128861606
Photo via 
Colita's kitchen works from Mexico City and coastal Mexican references rather than a combination-plate menu, and it holds its place among Minneapolis rooms willing to take Mexican cooking somewhere more ambitious. The room reads as a step up from taqueria pricing, aimed at a dinner crowd rather than a lunch rush, with plates built for sharing across the table.
What to ordertacos, octopus, burgers
№ 02
Pineda Tacos
$
60 Nathan Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441 · +17635451977
Photo via
Pineda Tacos runs the counter-service taco format that Lake Street does well: quick orders, low prices, and a menu built around the taco itself rather than a full dinner spread. It suits a fast lunch or a late-night stop more than a sit-down meal, and the price point keeps it in near-daily rotation for regulars in the area.
№ 03
Órale Mexican Eats
$$
5447 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419 · +16123543350
Photo via
Órale Mexican Eats built its regulars on the chile relleno and carne asada plates that keep former residents coming back on visits home. The enchiladas and combination plates read as consistent rather than flashy, and the room works as a family-friendly stop where the cooking style favors traditional preparation over restaurant flourish.
What to orderchile relleno, enchiladas, carne asada
№ 04
Taquería y Birriería las Cuatro Milpas | Mexican
$$
1526 East Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407 · +16128348814
Photo via
This Lake Street taquería runs on birria and quesadillas as much as tacos, with a casual counter setup that draws families back for years at a stretch. The carne asada taco has drawn mixed notes on execution, but the birria and quesadilla plates hold up as the stronger order for a quick lunch with the group.
What to ordercarne asada taco, birria, quesadilla
№ 05
Barrio
$$
925 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402 · +16123339953
Photo via
Barrio's downtown room leans on ceviche and a serious margarita list, with a patio that gets heavy use on weekday evenings when the after-work crowd rolls through. The chile relleno rounds out a menu built for drinks and a light meal rather than a full dinner, and the room has held its downtown lease for well over a decade.
What to orderceviche, margarita, chile relleno
№ 06
Nico's Taco and Tequila Bar
$$
2516 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405 · +16123457688
Photo via
Set inside a converted house, Nico's Taco and Tequila Bar pairs a compact taco menu with churros for dessert and a tequila and margarita list that carries the room. The patio and interior read as a date-night setting more than a taqueria, and portions run smaller than the price point might suggest.
What to ordertacos, churros, margaritas
1222 NE 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN, 55413 · +16122008087
Photo via
Oro by Nixta runs its Northeast Minneapolis tortillería line, built around nixtamalized corn worked into tortillas and masa dishes rather than a standard combination-plate menu. The kitchen's focus on the corn itself sets it apart from taqueria-format rooms, making it a stop for anyone tracking where the city's Mexican cooking is pushing furthest.
What to ordertres leches, tasting menu
№ 08
Jefe Urban Cocina
$$
219 SE Main St, Minneapolis, MN 55414 · +16122552000
Photo via
Jefe Urban Cocina pairs a large patio with a menu that includes vegan chorizo tacos alongside carnitas and chile relleno, giving vegetarian diners a real option next to the traditional plates. Happy hour draws a group crowd, and the room works well as a pre-show or pre-festival stop given its central location.
What to ordervegan chorizo tacos, carnitas, chile relleno
№ 09
Listo! Fresh Mexican Grill
$
1730 New Brighton Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16122163909
Photo via
Listo! Fresh Mexican Grill keeps a tight burrito, taco, and quesadilla menu built for speed, with counter service and limited seating that push it toward grab and go rather than a sit-down meal. Multiple metro locations mean consistency matters more than atmosphere here, and the kitchen delivers on that basic promise.
What to orderburritos, tacos, quesadillas
№ 10
Dominguez Family Restaurant | Mexican
$$
3313 E 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55417 · +16127248493
Photo via
Dominguez Family Restaurant keeps regulars ordering the same enchilada plate, listed on the menu as the number eight, along with a chicken chimichanga that draws its own following. The beans and rice side has won over diners who usually skip that part of the plate, though the salsa and margarita have drawn more mixed notes.
What to orderchicken chimichanga, enchiladas, beans and rice
№ 11
Abi's Restaurant
$
2828 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 · +16127210013
Photo via
Abi's Restaurant serves pupusas alongside a tamale with eggs plate that works as breakfast at any hour, a strip mall kitchen with a menu that leans Salvadoran as much as Mexican. The pupusas come warm with a cheese and greens filling, though hot sauce and salsa require asking rather than arriving automatically at the table.
What to orderpupusa, tamale with eggs, quesadilla
Frequently asked
What is the best al pastor near me in Minneapolis?
It depends on which corridor is closest. Lake Street holds the highest concentration of taquerias and counters, including Pineda Tacos and Taquería y Birriería las Cuatro Milpas, while Midtown Global Market offers several stalls under one roof. Check each entry's neighborhood before heading out.
How is this list ranked?
Every restaurant carries an Insider Score built from the public review record for that specific location, not a paid placement. No restaurant pays to appear on this list or to rank higher on it.
Is birria the same as al pastor?
No. Al pastor is marinated pork traditionally cooked on a vertical spit, while birria is a stewed or braised meat dish, often goat or beef, served with consommé. Several rooms on this list, including Taquería y Birriería las Cuatro Milpas, serve birria alongside taco options rather than al pastor specifically.
Are these all taquerias, or sit-down restaurants too?
Both. This list mixes counter-service taco stands like Pineda Tacos and Listo! with full-service rooms like Colita and Barrio, and a marketplace format at Midtown Global Market. The vibe and price fields for each entry indicate which format to expect.
ƒ
The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Kou Thao
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Kou Thao is the St. Paul & Corridors Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul and raised in Frogtown, he grew up working the family egg-roll stand at Hmongtown Marketplace. He covers the marketplaces, University Avenue, the East Side and West Side, and every corridor counter worth the trip across the river.
