Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Tuscaloosa by diners

Published 7:04 pm Friday, February 2, 2024

Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Tuscaloosa by diners

Just like cuisine from any country, Mexican food is not monolithic. It isn’t just combo plates and tacos. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that style of food; it’s delicious and is responsible for popularizing Mexican food in the United States.) But Mexican food means more than that.

It reflects Mexico’s diverse population—shaped by waves of immigration—and has proliferated throughout the U.S., showcasing the cuisine in all its complexity and regionality. Mexico has 32 distinct regional styles of cooking, and thanks to immigrant chefs and the rise of promising culinarians of Mexican descent looking to share their signature dishes, Indigenous foodways, and ingredients from various regions, diners are reframing their idea of “Mexican food.”

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of SafeGraph data, 1 in 10 restaurants in the U.S. serve Mexican food, and nearly 9 out of 10 U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant. The analysis also reveals that California and Texas are home to a majority of the Mexican American population and together host 2 out of 5 Mexican restaurants in the country.

These findings serve as a testament to the influence Mexican cuisine has had and continues to have in America. Which begs the question: Where does one go for the best old-school Mexican restaurants, loncheras slinging tacos out of a half-window, and innovative modern Mexican food pushing culinary boundaries?

To help you out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Tuscaloosa using data from Yelp. Only restaurants with at least five reviews were considered. Data is current as of January 2024.

Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.


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#17. Taco Casa

– Rating: 3.0/5 (24 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 1015 Skyland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex, fast food
Read more on Yelp

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#16. Moe’s Southwest Grill

– Rating: 3.0/5 (25 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2312 McFarland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Read more on Yelp

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#15. Taco Casa

– Rating: 3.0/5 (73 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 603 15th St. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Fast food, Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#14. La Hacienda El Mexicano

– Rating: 3.0/5 (16 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 1817 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#13. Lupes Taqueria

– Rating: 3.0/5 (15 reviews)
– Address: 1759 Skyland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#12. Jalapeño’s Mexican Grill Cottondale

– Rating: 3.5/5 (29 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 4432 Old Birmingham Hwy Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#11. Don Tono’s

– Rating: 3.5/5 (61 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2312 4th St. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#10. Margarita’s Grill

– Rating: 3.5/5 (20 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1241 McFarland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#9. SoCal Cantina – Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 3.5/5 (54 reviews)
– Address: 2308 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Tacos, Cocktail Bars, Tex-Mex
Read more on Yelp

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#8. La Gran Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

– Rating: 3.5/5 (27 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 9770 Highway 69 South Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#7. Los Tarascos

– Rating: 3.5/5 (117 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 110 Skyland East Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#6. Veracruz Mexican Grill

– Rating: 4.0/5 (71 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 501 15 Th St. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#5. Jalapeño’s Mexican Grill – Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.0/5 (50 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 1845 New Watermelon Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#4. Taco Mama – Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.0/5 (147 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2104A University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#3. Jalapenos Downtown Cocina + Tequila Bar

– Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
– Address: 405 23rd Ave. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
Read more on Yelp

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#2. Lupes Tacos

– Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
– Address: 1759 Skyland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

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#1. Antojitos Izcalli

– Rating: 5.0/5 (177 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 623 Hargrove Road East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 327 metros.