Best Mexican in St. Paul: Local Favorites (2026)

The chile relleno is the order regulars name first, with carnitas and enchiladas rounding out a menu built for a quick, filling lunch. Homi sits on a busy stretch of Victoria Street near Como Zoo, with parking alongside the building. It draws a mix of neighborhood regulars and visitors passing through for the zoo or a nearby tournament, no frills required.

Flautas top the list of favorites at this counter-service room, alongside menudo and a ceviche worth ordering cold. The menu runs long for a small operation, and tripe shows up as a regular request among locals. Delivery orders hold up as well as anything eaten on site, a rare consistency for a taqueria this size in St. Paul.

A budget-friendly taco house in St. Paul built around the essentials: tacos, salsas, and a fast counter turn. Boca Chica Taco House keeps its footprint small and its prices low, the kind of room where a quick lunch or a late-afternoon snack doesn't require a reservation or a long wait at the register.

Enchiladas and chile relleno anchor a menu built for slow dinners rather than quick stops. The room in St. Paul splits into a bar area and two smaller dining spaces, with carne asada rounding out the plate. Service moves at its own pace, so this fits an evening with time to spare rather than a rushed weeknight meal.

Burritos here come out oversized enough to split, and the cheese quesadilla holds its own against the chile relleno on the same table. Red Luna Seasons runs a small room in St. Paul with a Latin-leaning decor and a staff that keeps drink refills coming. A late lunch on a quiet afternoon is when the room shows its best pace.

Tacos al pastor draw first-timers back for seconds, and carnitas and carne asada tacos round out the counter menu at this St. Paul spot. The setup is counter service, order first and grab a seat after, connected to a nearby market building. Weeknight regulars treat it as the default taco Tuesday stop, parking a few doors down.

Steak tacos are the reason regulars bypass the market across the street and come here instead. Carnitas and carne asada tacos round out a menu built for speed, with fast service and friendly counter staff keeping the line moving. El Charrito runs as a straightforward taqueria in St. Paul, built for a quick meal rather than a sit-down dinner.

The chile relleno pulls double duty as a Tex-Mex staple and a weekday lunch buffet regular at this longtime St. Paul cantina. Enchiladas and tacos round out a menu built for consistency over trend, and the room handles group bookings well, from casual family lunches to full-scale celebrations. It has held its footing here for years without needing to chase a new look.

Carne asada and a chile relleno anchor a Tex-Mex menu built for travelers with limited time, not a destination meal. Zona Cocina sits in Concourse F at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, technically within St. Paul's boundary, and works best as a fast, better-than-fast-food option between flights rather than a planned stop.

Tamales anchor a menu built for feeding a crowd, with al pastor and mulitas rounding out a spread that regulars say covers every appetite at the table. Taqueria Los Paisanos also runs a food truck for private events, making it a St. Paul standby for family gatherings and anniversaries as much as a everyday counter meal. Portions run generous.

Asada tacos come out hot and consistently well seasoned at this small St. Paul operation, with the torta standing out as one of the better versions in the metro. Service stays friendly across visits, though quality on other dishes can vary by order. It works best as a quick weeknight stop for regulars who already know what to order.

Carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas tacos headline the menu at this Como Avenue location, where the patio draws a crowd on weekend evenings. Nico's Taco Bar on Como sits near the neighborhood's art fair route, and the room fills up fast on a Sunday night while staying comfortable indoors when the weather doesn't cooperate. Service moves quickly even at capacity.