The 20 Best Mexican Restaurants in Orange County (2024)
Want to know where to find all the best Mexican restaurants in Orange County? We’ve got you covered with the best hidden gems.
There’s probably something like one Mexican restaurant on every block throughout the area, so how do you know which ones to go to?
We’ve compiled a list of the best Mexican restaurants in Orange County where you know you can’t go wrong.
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Best Mexican Restaurants in Orange County
Below are our favorite Mexican restaurants in Orange County for a variety of budgets!
1. Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen
Address: 141 S Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866 (Old Towne Orange)
Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen is one of only a few Michelin star Mexican restaurants in Southern California.
The location is perfect for a date night in Old Towne Orange.
I recommend their Chicken Mole, Enchiladas, and Sangria.
2. Javier’s
Address: 536 Spectrum Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618 (Irvine Spectrum Center) and 7832 E Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92657
Javier’s is another perfectly located Mexican restaurant in Orange County.
Being at Irvine Spectrum, you can go for lunch or dinner in-between shopping or a movie.
They pride themselves on fresh ingredients and serve only #1 White Wild Mexican Prawns, fresh chemical-free U-10 Scallops, fresh Dungeness Crab 100% leg meat & Maine Lobster.
3. Blue Agave Southwest Grill
Address: 18601 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
Blue Agave has been a staple in Yorba Linda since 1994.
They serve dishes inspired by cuisine from Mexico, South America and the American Southwest.
Their specialties include Mahi Mahi Mazatlan Mango Wrap, Kiva Grilled Steak and Shrimp, Montego Bay Coconut Shrimp, and Puerto Nuevo Tostada.
4. Ola Mexican Kitchen
Address: 21040 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit F200, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Ola Mexican Kitchen is located in the Pacific City shopping and dining center right on Huntington Beach.
Enjoy the ocean views while sipping on margaritas and eating all kinds of different tacos.
Plus enjoy the chips and salsa.
5. Old Towne Jalapeños Mexican Grille
Location: 154 N Glassell Street, Orange, CA 92866
Jalapeños is a counter service restaurant in Old Towne Orange that serves all your favorite Mexican dishes.
Choose from tacos, quesadillas, burritos, taquitos, enchiladas, tortas, and more.
I highly recommend their daily lunch specials from 11 am – 4 pm that are just $10 a plate!
We recently enjoyed a lunch here where we sampled a few different menu items including the Chicken Taquito Plate, Chile Verde Bowl, and Chicken Taco Salad.
What sets this place apart from many others is the quality of the meats in all the dishes.
We didn’t get any fatty or slimy pieces, which is so common in the more affordable restaurants.
6. Avila’s El Ranchito
Locations in Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Corona Del Mar, Seal Beach, Lake Forest, Costa Mesa, Foothill Ranch, Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, and San Clemente
Avila’s El Ranchito is a popular Mexican restaurant chain all throughout Orange County that is still family owned after 55+ years in business.
Avila’s features recipes from Guanajuato, Mexico that had been in the family for generations.
7. Los Sanchez Mexican Restaurant
Address: 11906 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843
Los Sanchez is a popular locals spot for quick service Mexican food.
It’s even been named one of the best places to eat by the OC Register.
They have all the traditional dishes you’d expect at cheap, affordable prices for the whole family.
There’s great margaritas too.
8. Las Brisas
Address: 361 Cliff Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Las Brisas was voted the Best Waterfront Dining in Orange County.
They offer Southern California cuisine infused with Mexican flavors.
While dining here you can enjoy panoramic views of the coastline in Laguna Beach.
9. Fred’s Mexican Cafe
Address: 300 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit 201, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Fred’s is a popular spot in Huntington Beach just across the street from the pier.
It has great ocean views, great fajitas, and great margaritas.
This is another one of those restaurants we’ve been to numerous times but never seemed to take any photos.
10. Chaak Kitchen
Address: 215 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
The same chef behind Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen is the chef that brought Chaak Kitchen to life.
Chaak Kitchen serves cuisine from the Yucatan Peninsula, which has influences from Spanish, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Mexican dishes.
Mayan culture is a big part of this restaurant, with ingredients like pibil, recados, seafood, smoke, and exotic spices.
But it all comes with a modern flare.
12. Palapas Tacos
Address: 133 W Chapman Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832
Palapas Tacos can be found all over Instagram.
They are known for their famous Ramen Birria and their CaliQuesadilla.
We’ve tried both, as well as their flautas and tacos.
You really can’t go wrong with anything here.
It’s counter service, so the prices are cheaper than other area dine-in restaurants.
12. La Huasteca
Address: 6940 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA, 90621 (The Source OC)
La Huasteca is new Mexican restaurant at The Source shopping center in Buena Park.
I highly recommend their Chicken Mole and JP highly recommends their tacos.
It’s a big restaurant, so it’s great for larger family gatherings or groups.
14. El Adobe de Capistrano
Address: 31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
El Adobe de Capistrano has been serving patrons since 1948.
The restaurant is now a State Historical Landmark, and is located just blocks away from the Mission San Juan Capistrano.
El Adobe serves authentic Mexican cuisine with the perfect dining ambiance.
14. Matador Cantina
Address: 111 N Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92832 (Downtown Fullerton)
Matador Cantina is an award winning Mexican restaurant in historic Downtown Fullerton.
This was one of the first places I ever went when I first moved to California back in 2016 and I swear their burritos were the size of a newborn baby!
They offer a variety of specials each day of the week, including weekend brunches.
15. El Torito
Locations in Orange, Anaheim, Cypress, Westminster, Tustin, Yorba Linda, Irvine, and Laguna Hills
El Torito is another huge Mexican restaurant chain in Southern California.
It’s popular for family celebrations, work parties, and any reason to get friends together.
Since there’s so many locations all over, they have a great loyalty rewards program too.
16. El Farolito
Address: 201 S Bradford Ave, Placentia, CA 92870
El Farolito has been serving authentic Mexican food in Placentia since 1974.
They have a huge menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink options.
It’s casual, with reasonably priced dishes, mostly in the $10-$15 range.
17. Corazon Taste of Mexico
Address: 120 S Brea Blvd, Unit 106, Brea, CA 92821
This one is in Downtown Brea, which has tons of shops and restaurants.
We were most excited about their sangria and wine margarita flights!
We couldn’t decide on one so we got both.
In the “winearita” flight you get to sample the corazon, mango, and tamarindo winearitas.
They’re all made with agave wine.
For the sangria flight, you get a red, white, and pink sangria. I seriously loved them all.
For dinner, I just had flautas since literally everything on the menu was just covered in cilantro, which I don’t eat.
JP had enchiladas and a taco plate.
18. El Zarape
Location: 4197 Ball Road, Cypress, CA 90630
This is a very popular local, family owned Mexican restaurant in Cypress.
They have unique menu items like Chicken Mole Enchiladas and Chicken Chimi Flautas.
They are also known for the foot long burritos.
For special events you can get a 2, 3, 4, or 6 feet burrito.
These feed 8-20 people!
19. Mexico Lindo Y Que Rico
Location: 10962 Magnolia Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804
This is a cute little restaurant that is great for late night bites.
You can see them cooking the food right outside on the grill and their Birria Quesadilla is huge!
It took us 2 nights for the 2 of us to eat this thing.
They serve their tacos and quesadillas on handmade tortillas and they also have freshly made dessert options too.
20. Taqueria El Poblano
Location: 1210 S State College Blvd, Unit L, Anaheim, CA 92805
Some must try menu items are the Al Pastor Quesadilla and the Beef Taco de Birria and the Carne Asada Taco.
These 3 are the perfect amount for 2 people to share.
More Amazing Dining Experiences in Orange County
Orange County has just about every type of cuisine for just about every occasion you could imagine.
Here are some of our other favorite restaurants in Orange County.
✅ Best Romantic Restaurants in Orange County
Date nights in Orange County have endless possibilities whether it’s your first date or your 25th anniversary!
These are our favorite restaurants in Orange County for a romantic couples night out.
✅ Best Birthday Restaurants in Orange County
Being local, we’ve spent plenty of birthdays in Orange County.
These are the best restaurants for birthday celebrations.
✅ Best Restaurants in Orange County With a View
Ocean views and mountain views can be found all over Orange County.
These are the best ones with the best restaurants.
✅ Best Italian Restaurants in Orange County
From super upscale fine dining to casually family restaurants, there are a ton of great Italian restaurants all over Orange County to try on your next visit.
✅ Best Steakhouses in Orange County
Orange County seems to have more world-class steakhouses than anywhere we’ve ever been.
There’s a little bit of everything from classic prime rib steakhouses to trendy beachfront steakhouses.
✅ Best Burgers In Anaheim
The best burgers in Anaheim are made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and are cooked to perfection.
Some of the best burger places are mom and pop shops and some local and regional chains.
✅ Best Chinese Restaurants In Anaheim
The best Chinese restaurants in Anaheim offer a wide variety of traditional and modern Chinese dishes.
There are so many great family owned businesses here that it was hard to narrow it down.
✅ Best Orange Circle Restaurants
Orange Circle, or Old Towne Orange is another historic district in Orange County with a variety of shops and restaurants.
These are the best restaurants you can find there.
✅ Best Downtown Fullerton Restaurants
Downtown Fullerton is a historic district with tons of shopping and dining options.
They offer a little bit of everything from sushi to hot dogs to dessert shops and even the finest underground speakeasies.
✅ Best Restaurants in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach has more than just the touristy restaurants around the pier.
These are all of our favorites.
Fun Things To Do in Orange County
Looking for something fun to do before or after your authentic Italian meal?
There are our favorite things to do around Orange County.
☑️ Knott’s Berry Farm One Day Itinerary
Knott’s Berry Farm is America’s First Theme Park and it highlights the best of California’s history.
If you’re visiting in the Fall, be sure to check out Knott’s Scary Farm too!
☑️ Unforgettable Weekend Getaways in Orange County
Why not stay for a couple of days or a long weekend?
These itineraries will help you discover all the best of Orange County by visiting the places that intrigue you the most.
☑️ Best Night Views in Orange County
Orange County has some amazing sunset views.
From the mountains to the ocean, you really can’t go wrong with any of these.
☑️ Best Hidden Gems in Orange County
Do you love searching for the best hidden gems?
These are the best hidden gems in Orange County that are really the best kept secrets here.
What is Orange County Most Known For?
Orange County is home to the Disneyland Resort, the original Disney theme park built by Walt Disney over 65 years ago.
But that’s not the only theme park in Orange County!
Knott’s Berry Farm is also here and is known for being America’s 1st theme park.
Orange County is also known for being one of the wealthier counties in California.
South Coast Plaza is a popular mall here that generates more revenue than just about any shopping center in America.
Additionally, nearby Irvine is known as the financial and business hub of the county.
If you’re not from here, you probably first learned about this area from shows like The OC or The Real Housewives of Orange County.
However, there are also many laid back beach destinations like Huntington Beach – Surf City USA!
These beach destinations such as Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach are also great areas for dolphin and whale watching excursions.
Orange County also has some historical spots such as Mission San Juan Capistrano, built in 1776, as part of the famous California Mission Trail.
Conclusion: Best Mexican Restaurants in Orange County
As you can see, there are an abundance of options to choose from.
This list of best Mexican restaurants in Orange County should help you narrow it down a little.
