The best Mexican restaurants in Sydney right now

Rosa Cienfuegos' Tamaleria & Mexican Deli sits on Marrickville Road in the heart of Dulwich Hill village, next to a classic patisserie, a Turkish community centre and a Moroccan homewares shop. In this multicultural little pocket people queue happily, even in the heat, to get their hands on a taste of Mexico City. Specifically, they are here for tamales.

There are some great places to eat and drink in Freshie: fine-dining institution Pilu has it’s imperious home here, overlooking the beach; the newly renovated ‘Hilton’ or Harbord Hotel is a stone’s throw up the street and has stepped up it’s offering; Stowaway Bar cranks out the good times, keeping the locals happy; and now it has St Alma, the new offering from chef Tim Christensen and Jack Leary.

Latain American bar and restaurant Tequila Mockingbird shakes up a whole lot of agave-based fun. These guys have worked hard to steer away from anything resembling Tex-Mex on the menu. There’s a raw bar doing ceviche, salmon carpaccio and kangaroo tartare; you can order alpaca empanadas or causa potato with salt cod to start; and on the flame grill they’re cooking Fremantle octopus, spatchcock, lamb shoulder with red chimmichurri or a striploin with jalapeño butter and charred guindillas. And if you like your spirits undiluted, there are 32 tequilas on the menu and a dozen mezcals, plus rums from Guatemala and around Central America.

Nativo Mexican is Pyrmont's hole-in-the-wall taco joint. The casual, alfresco spot is run by Oaxaca-born Manuel Diaz and his wife Diana Farrera. What the eatery lacks in size – Nativo can seat just 14 guests – it sure makes up for in soul. The street-inspired menu of tacos and snacks features native Australian ingredients, like the al pastor pork shoulder tacos with saltbush morita salsa and guacamole with lemon myrtle oil.

What do you get when you combine the Maybe Sammy team with ace Mexican chef Alejandro Huert and a karaoke room? Enter, El Primo Sanchez, Paddington's colourful bar and eatery which is big on fun and flavour. Come for the tuna tostadas, stay for the Slushy Blushy cocktails (and for one more song).

Santa Catarina is yet another venture from the Milpa Collective - a restaurant group passionate about highlighting regional cuisines of Mexico. It pays homage to Oaxacan municipality, ‘Santa Catarina Minas’. The 100-seat mezcal bar boasts a large wine cellar as well as an intimate private dining room, making it the perfect place for a post-work knock-off, or a weekend out on the town.

CBD restaurant and bar Esteban borrows from all corners of Mexico: scallop aguachile from the Western region of Sinaloa; beef barbacoa inspired by the country’s Carribean diaspora and influences; and tacos al pastor from Puebla’s street food trucks. It’s not bound by any specific area nor by any commitment to making Mexican food in its most traditional or mainstream forms.

This particular stretch of Bayswater Road, where so many restaurants have failed to thrive, is not where we expected to find Sydney’s best Mexican food, but suddenly this barren field is bearing delicious bounty in the form of a whole snapper, deboned and dressed like a traffic light in a zippy green tomatillo sauce on one side of the spine, a smoky red salsa on the other.  What sweet relief to eat tacos from a menu where you didn’t have to tick a box for extra guacamole. 

You’ll want to come hungry and preferably with a crew to this late-night Mexican diner in Penrith. Checho’s has become a red-hot favourite for locals since it opened in 2020, filling a much-needed gap in Western Sydney for contemporary Mexican fare. Pair your fiesta with a weekly changing frozen Margarita special or a Tequila Sour, and keep the drinks flowing late into the night thanks to Checho’s midnight bar licence.

Say hola to Nu’u by Nativo, an authentic 60-seat Mexican taqueria and mezcal bar in Glebe. Nu’u is the second Sydney venue for Michelin-trained chef Manuel Diaz (ex Bar Patrón, Santa Catarina and La Chevre d'Or in France) and partner Diana Farrera – it's the next addition to their colourful Pyrmont joint, Nativo. Tex Mex this ain’t. Nu’u by Nativo’s menu pays homage to the indigenous cultures and cuisines found across the charming and vibrant state of Oaxaca.

This Mexican spot on Bondi Road is grilling up tortillas, seafood and slow cooked meats on a wood fire barbecue. It's the second restaurant from owners and chefs Pablo Galindo Vargas (who hails from Mexico City) and Liber Osorio (they are also behind Bondi's own tiny taco stop, Taquiza) and now they've extra space they've expanded out the menu to include 10 different kinds of tacos.

There's a natural affinity between Bondi and the tiny, cove-like beaches of Mexico's Baja Peninsula: beautiful people, breezy dispositions, weather more amenable to tidbit snacking than multiple-course dining. Headed up by the team behind Potts Point's Sonora, Bondi's Carbon, and nearby Taquiza, Calita is a marisqueria, or seafood restaurant, inspired by the region – but with a little Bondi flavour thrown in. It's nabbed a primo waterfront location too, sandwiched between Bondi institution Sean's Panorama and café Porch and Parlour.

Chica Bonita has been Manly's go-to date-night spot since the dawn of time – and for good reason. The food is tasty, the Margaritas hit the spot, and the vibe is fun. And while it's probably due for a freshen up, Chica Bonita is still a reliable choice for a Mexican feed. Come early and nab a seat by the window and people watch until your heart's content. 

The tacos at El Loco slaps, and feature traditional flavours and toppings just like we've had in Mexico. Our picks? Smoked Wagyu beef brisket with salsa verde, pickled jalapeño, onion and coriander; pulled pork with salsa, pickled red onion, and coriander; and chipotle chicken with pico de gallo and chipotle mayonnaise. Order that and a Spicy Marg and you'll be good to go. 

Sunny surf energy, Californian food and a touch of fiesta – that's what you can expext to find at SoCal in Neutral Bay. Palm trees and hanging plants, a coastal paint palette and coloured festoon lighting channel cool, carefree Venice Beach vibes. And a crowd-pleasing menu coupled with Margaritas are sure to keep spirits high.

Prepare to fill your belly with chimichangas (a type of fried tortilla) and beware going too hard too soon. Though we wouldn't blame you for surrending and eating far too much melted cheese (queso fondido) first up – tomato salsa is melted with heaps of cheese which you scoop up with house-made corn chips. This dish is incredibly moreish but also incredibly filling. Live your life, gal.

Practically an OG of the Sydney Mexican scene now, this joint can be found on Pitt Street in the city, doing a roaring trade in guac and blackened corn, messy, glazed pork ribs, lamb shoulder tacos and agave-glazed caramel fudge. If you are out for a big one then we say get comfy with the massive tequila list as a first port of call.

This little cantina is just a few footsteps from the beach at Narrabeen but even in winter, the beachy vibes keep on kicking. The bar at the back is stocked with tequila ranging from Dos Equis to some serious offerings such as 1942 and Don Julio. The tortillas, when served as soft shell tacos, are char-tinged and soft – they make them in-house with an old-school tortilla press made from two bits of wood and a hinge.

Tommy’s in Darlinghurst is part of the new local vanguard of more aspirational Mexican venues to arrive in Sydney, and you won’t find a piñata, sombrero or Lucha Libre mask anywhere in sight. Gone are the eye-popping paint jobs and stereotypical Mexicana that were once mandatory decor, replaced with an elegantly stripped-back design of simple white-washed walls and exposed brickwork behind the bar. The menu leans heavily on staples of Mexican cuisine that are familiar (and popular), but executed with a level of care and generosity that stands them apart from their high street chain restaurant counterparts.

Anyone who thinks vegan can’t be fun needs to both update their opinions from 1998 and also get to Bad Hombres, stat. What started as a Mexican Chinese mash-up from Toby Wilson (Ghostboy Cantina), Sean McManus (Neighbourhood Surry Hills) and Jon Kennedy (the Sandwich Shop) with a 60 per cent veg-powered menu has now gone the full vegan and we’re into it.