Where to eat Mexican food in Tokyo

Kuma Cantina is pushing the envelope by combining the high-quality, fresh ingredients of Japan with a strong foundation of Mexican cooking techniques and culture. It’s not often you find items like birria gyoza or shrimp and crab enchilada topped with tobiko and crema sauce. Even if that sounds offbeat, once you try the sofrito frijoles with chorizo or the homemade tortillas, you’ll realise this place has its fundamentals locked down. It even does regular specials featuring lengua, or cow tongue – a cut of meat both cultures revere – and other interesting ingredients like soft shell crab.

On the weekends the brunch menu lists staples like tacos, chilaquiles and huevos rancheros, along with an array of classic Mexican brunch dishes. A trip to Kuma Cantina wouldn’t be complete without trying the restaurant’s prized tres leches, a sponge cake soaked with three types of milk and topped with blueberry compote and toasted coconut.

‘Conquistar’ is what’s written above the entrance, inside the logos all say ‘Kentaco’, but ‘Tacostreat’ is what this spot is called (or ‘Street Tacos’, if you believe Google Maps). Proprietor Ken Kato works out of a tiny white-tile kitchen with a massive cauldron braising carnitas in its truest form. Stomach, skin, ears – you name the anatomical part and it’s most likely in there. Even for those who may be squeamish about innards, this is your entry point. The mixture of meats has a gradient of textures, none of which go any further than ultra-tender, but if you must, certain parts can be omitted upon request.

Tacos come served on a plate enveloped in a plastic bag along with a slice of lime and some house-pickled vegetables. Tacostreat offers four varieties of salsas: cucumber ginger, tomato garlic, pineapple and a spicy charred mix. For the first bite, Kato recommends you enjoy it with just a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt. Open until 4am, Tacostreat is the spot to hit on a night out before the morning train.

Since opening in 2022, Mil Tacos has blessed the little hill in Sasazuka where it resides. From handmade fresh blue corn tortillas and refreshing horchata to a wide variety of mezcal; it’s clear that this taqueria knows ball. And it checks out, as the kitchen staff hails from Cholula, Puebla and Mexico City. From salty al pastor tacos with sweet grilled pineapple to carnitas tacos topped generously with cilantro, onion and sliced radishes, there’s no rocket science here – they’re just doing things correctly. If you’re looking for authenticity, look no further.

Holding it down since 1987, La Jolla is a Hiroo staple serving textbook Mexican dishes from pozole and mole poblano to nopales (cactus salad). Aside from their coat hangers with adorable animal clips or the straw-hat lamp shades, the highlight of this place is its combination menu which lets you mix and match your favourites. The no-brainer choice is the #9 Enchilada, Taco and Burrito monster trio, a sweet reminder of American portions. The litmus test for a good Mexican restaurant is if all the elements on the plate (ie rice, refried beans, cheese etc) melt into each other, and La Jolla passes with flying colours.

On a narrow street behind a shrine and facing a small park in Kuramae is Cloudy, a wine bar serving stylish tapas and tacos. The storefront is basically all windows, while inside is an L-shaped bar with generous counter space. The menu consists of five tacos: lamb shank, pork carnitas, chicken tinga, seasonal seafood and vegetarian. The clear highlight is the lamb shank on a blue corn tortilla with pickled red onions, homemade yoghurt salsa, cilantro and lime – the juiciest taco here by far. This is a place where you could spend a slow, sunny afternoon sipping a drink and contemplating another taco.

Sometimes when a restaurant in Tokyo is too central you doubt its legitimacy, but Shibuya’s Casa de Sarasa is a different story. By far the best orders on this menu were the elotes, gyusuji (beef tendon) tacos with lime, and the original chicken wings. I know it’s blasphemy to hype up boneless wings, but we’re talking juicy interior, crispy exterior doused in a thick coating of a unique sweet and spicy (swicy?) sauce. It’s junky, it’s indulgent, it’s really that good. The menu is geared toward large shareable plates and massive taco platters, so coming with a big group is encouraged.

Baja is as if a tiny beach shack was lifted from the shores of Ensenada and dropped by the Meguro River. Skateboard trucks as coat hangers, an array of stickers from wall to wall, upside down tequila dispenser for shots; this is the kind of place you want for a quick bite or on a long bender. Don’t skip the Baja fish taco with spicy crema sauce. Baja’s burritos remind us of Taco Bell’s magnum opus, the 5-layer burrito, if it were levelled up a few ranks. The guac and chips here are a good call; they don’t skimp on either and the guacamole is proper good. For a place that serves tacos, this one doesn’t have a great spot for you to wash your hands – but that’s a small problem when the flavours are this solid.

440 Broadway Taco Shop is the product of a Japanese hairstylist falling in love with burritos in New York. Upon his return to Japan, he devoted himself to launching a Tex-Mex food truck at National Azabu supermarket, and has since opened a brick-and-mortar in Ebisu. It’s a delivery hotspot for good reason: the tacos are generous in size and filling. Winning orders include the crispy fish tacos and beef burritos. The shop offers a range of hot sauces, which is always appreciated, but the zesty and herbaceous signature salsa verde is a standout. At 440 Broadway, the burrito is the canvas and the hot sauce is your paintbrush.

Located in Shimokitazawa, Tepito is an ordinary-looking two-storey house converted into a restaurant that’ll make you feel like you’re going over to a friend’s house for dinner. Reservations are a must. The ground floor is a small room with two tables, while upstairs is where the kitchen and the main seating are. If you have the option, go upstairs.

Highlights include fish tacos, mixed enchiladas and their bittersweet chicken mole. This is a case of authentic items on the menu, mostly executed well with vibes to make up the remainder. Tepito also boasts an impressive tequila selection and even offers a tasting to compare contrasting flavour profiles – all for educational purposes, natch.

Day of the Dead figurines, primitive murals and battered, junk-shop furniture set the scene at this classic spot between Yutenji and Nakameguro. The frozen Margaritas are large and lurid. The kitchen turns out a strange Japanese hybrid of Tex-Mex cantina food that’s never less than tasty. Later in the evening it segues into a DJ bar. This is the epitome of what you might call Tokyo-style Mexican food, and Junkadelic deserves a spot on this list for its commitment to the bit alone.