Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Tampa: Ybor, downtown, Hyde Park

Last checked 2026-10-11. Refreshed every three months.

Tampa’s Mexican restaurants cluster in Ybor City and downtown, around Franklin Street, Channelside and Sparkman Wharf, and in Hyde Park and on Davis Islands. A string of small taquerias runs up North Armenia Avenue and North Florida Avenue, and the chains sit on Dale Mabry Highway, Gandy Boulevard and Fowler Avenue.

How we made this list. We started from OpenStreetMap records inside Tampa’s city limits, the same records that feed our local directory, and checked each place against its own website on Oct. 11, 2026. We added restaurants the map missed from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s restaurant license records and checked each address against the U.S. Census Bureau’s city-limits map; stadium and arena concession stands, food trucks and places with Tampa mailing addresses outside the city are left out. A place with no website we could load is listed only if it holds a current state food license. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. A place can write to us to correct its entry.

Chains inside the city limits, by their state licenses (hours and phones are on each chain’s store finder): Chipotle at 533 S. Howard Ave., 309 N. Westshore Blvd., International Plaza, 1055 E. Cumberland Ave., 2011 N. Dale Mabry Highway, 2576 E. Fowler Ave., 2708 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 3696 W. Gandy Blvd. and 18019 Highwoods Preserve Parkway; Moe’s Southwest Grill at 2453 N. Dale Mabry Highway; Qdoba at 3801 W. Gandy Blvd., 5001 E. Fowler Ave. and 17509 Preserve Walk Lane; Taco Bell at 1605 W. Kennedy Blvd., 4647 W. Kennedy Blvd., 3802 S. Dale Mabry Highway, 1701 E. Fowler Ave., 2575 E. Hillsborough Ave., 2921 E. Busch Blvd., 2016 N. 50th St. and 17402 Dona Michelle Drive; and Tijuana Flats at 2782 E. Fowler Ave.

The places

Barrio Tacos, 1822 E. Seventh Ave. A taco, tequila and whiskey bar in Ybor City, open 11 a.m. to midnight every day. It runs margarita specials on Mondays and taco specials on Tuesdays.

bartaco, 1601 W. Snow Ave. A street food and cocktail restaurant in Hyde Park Village. It takes reservations by phone, and its kitchen is open from 11 a.m. every day.

Gallito Taqueria, 615 Channelside Drive. A taqueria at Sparkman Wharf from Chef Ferrell Alvarez’s Proper House Group, serving street tacos, quesabirria tacos and antojitos.

Jimmy’s Tacos, 1604 N. 17th St. An Ybor City taqueria that says it makes everything from scratch daily and is known for birria tacos. It also serves burritos and nachos, and stays open to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, 209 E. Davis Blvd. A family Mexican restaurant on Davis Islands that describes traditional dishes made fresh to order. It takes online orders and caters.

Mekenita Cantina, 6707 N. Florida Ave. A Seminole Heights cantina inspired by Oaxacan traditions and Pacific seafood. It takes reservations for parties of six or more.

Mema’s Alaskan Tacos, 1903 N. 19th St. An Ybor City taco restaurant serving wild-caught seafood tacos, with nightly specials such as a magic show on Mondays and two-for-one tacos on Tuesdays. It is closed Wednesday.

Miguel’s Mexican Seafood & Grill, 3035 W. Kennedy Blvd. A Mexican seafood and grill restaurant on West Kennedy Boulevard, open from 11 a.m. every day.

Nueva Cantina, 903 N. Franklin St. A downtown cantina on North Franklin Street with sister restaurants in St. Petersburg and east of Tampa. It stays open to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Quiote Tequilaria, 2109 Bayshore Blvd. A Bayshore Boulevard restaurant serving Mexican dinner and craft cocktails, open Wednesday to Sunday evenings.

Streetlight Taco, 4004 Henderson Blvd. A taco restaurant on Henderson Boulevard in South Tampa.

Taco Dirty, 2221 W. Platt St. A fast-casual taco shop in South Tampa with tacos, bowls and burritos and gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Its “Dirty Hours” run 2 to 6 p.m. daily.

Urban Cantina, 200 E. Madison St. A downtown cantina serving tacos, burritos and lighter versions of the classics. It caters and takes online orders.

The rest of the list. Aam-Aam Taq’s site gives its Fowler Avenue address and phone but no hours. The sites of Catrinas, City Dog Cantina, La Central, Lolis Mexican Cravings, Rocco’s Tacos, Rreal Tacos, Besito and Jotoro blocked our check, would not load or did not show current hours for the Tampa restaurant. We found no website for Adriana’s, Bahia Tacos, Casa Mexicana, Chiles, Crazy Burrito, Don Julio’s, Don Pancho, El Sabor de Mexico, La Hacienda, Los Chapos, Mari Mexican Tacos, Mita’s Cocina Moderna, Rene’s, Suys, Tacos Esthers, Taqueria Emanuel, Taqueria Mi Mexico or Xtreme Tacos. Every one of them holds a current state food license and was inspected in 2026. Call before you go.

Also on our pages

• Where to get wings in Tampa
• Where to get pizza in Tampa
• Sushi and Asian restaurants in Tampa
• Patios and outdoor dining in Tampa
• Where to eat in Tampa: all our lists
• Restaurant inspections in Tampa
• Tampa business directory

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get Mexican food in Tampa?

Mexican restaurants and taquerias cluster in Ybor City, downtown around Franklin Street and Sparkman Wharf, in Hyde Park and on Davis Islands, and along North Armenia Avenue, with more on Dale Mabry Highway, Gandy Boulevard and Fowler Avenue.

Which Tampa taco places are open late?

Barrio Tacos on East Seventh Avenue in Ybor City lists 11 a.m. to midnight daily, and Jimmy’s Tacos, also in Ybor City, lists 2 a.m. closings Friday and Saturday. Nueva Cantina downtown is open to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Where can I get birria tacos in Tampa?

Jimmy’s Tacos at 1604 N. 17th St. in Ybor City says it is known for birria tacos and quesabirria, and Gallito Taqueria at Sparkman Wharf lists quesabirria tacos.

Is there an upscale Mexican restaurant in Tampa?

Quiote Tequilaria at 2109 Bayshore Blvd. serves dinner 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, with its bar open to midnight. Mekenita Cantina in Seminole Heights takes reservations for parties of six or more.