Consumers spend more than $39 Billion at Mexican restaurants in the US every year, that's a lot of tacos and nachos. Unsurprisingly, Texas has the largest share of Mexican restaurants in the whole of the US. With 16.7% of America's Mexican restaurants located in Texas. With so many restaurants, how can you figure out where the great Mexican food in Grapevine Texas is?
With Mexican food being so popular in Texas, it's prompted a whole host of imitator restaurants to pop up. You might go in expecting a high-class Mexican dish and walk out having felt like you've been to a local fast food chain.
To give you the true rundown of where to eat the best Mexican food without falling for the imitators check out the rest of this article. It'll run through all you need to know on the ten best places to eat Mexican food in Grapevine Texas.
What's the Difference Between Tex-Mex & Authentic Mexican Food?
People throughout the world love Tex-Mex food and especially loved in Texas. If you're a fan of nachos, you've no doubt eaten Tex-Mex food before. But what exactly is the difference between Tex-Mex & authentic Mexican cuisine?
If you look into the history of where Tex-Mex came from, you can begin to understand the difference. Back when America was still young, settlers marched westward towards Texas. They discovered an array of exotic Mexican culture and cuisine.
As more people began to settle in Texas, the popularity of Mexican food grew massively. As the limitations of the food production began to set in people began to make it in their kitchens.
They used a majority of quintessentially Texas ingredients like beef and wheat flour which are two ingredients not common in proper Mexican food. As people began to love the food, more Mexican restaurant owners started to incorporate these elements into their dishes, creating an entirely new style of cuisine: The Tex-Mex.
'Tex-Mex' as a term didn't catch on until the 1940's when it appeared in print and caught on fully in the 1970's when food writers such as Diana Kennedy exposed the term in her cookbook 'The Cuisines of Mexico.'
That drew a line in the sand, but what's the difference?
The difference between Mexican food and Tex-Mex food is simple. It's all about the ingredients. The Tex-Mex ingredients are barely found anywhere south of the Rio Grande.
These ingredients include: beef, cheese like cheddar (any yellow cheese), wheat flour, canned vegetables like tomatoes, black beans and cumin.
You may be thinking, isn't that in all Mexican food? What are some traditional Mexican dishes? Well, let's explore that together.
The 10 Best Places to Eat Mexican Food in Grapevine Texas
To give you the run-down of the best Tex-Mex and Mexican food in Grapevine Texas, in no particular order, read on below and get ready for some tantalizing tastes.
El Piquin
Coming in first on our list is El Piquin. Located just off the William D Tate Ave El Piquin offers a mix of family-friendly Mexican food and they specialize in their signature gorditas.
Popular with the locals, El Piquin offers a BYOB (bring your own bottle) service which can help keep costs low when dining. Many people report the service to be fast and friendly and the homemade salsa and homemade gorditas are what draws many people in.
It comes in as one of our cheapest eats on the list which gives it bonus points with most meals coming in under the $10 mark. You can always tell by a full parking lot that the food will be popular.
Not fancy or showy, but a great cheap-eat Mexican place and worth checking out.
Mesa Restaurant
If you want quality Mexican food, you can look no further than us! We want you to come and experience our amazing food and enjoy the taste of authentic Mexican.
The Mesa restaurant, based on the Texas trail, offers a wide selection of both Tex-Mex and Mexican food but many people come to Mesa for their drink selection.
With over 40 tequilas on offer and a spicy margarita that is to die for, it offers something a little different to your traditional Mexican restaurant. The feel of this restaurant is definitely more of an authentic Mexican restaurant compared to a regular Tex-Mex.
If you're looking for something that can stand out and be a little different, you should check this place out.
Our recommendation for something a little different? Try out the seafood enchiladas. We won't disappoint you.
Anamia's Tex-Mex
Serving Guacamole in a big pestle and mortar is always sure to be a crowd pleaser, and Anamia's Tex-Mex Restaurant makes it a valuable addition to our Mexican food in Grapevine Texas list.
Anamia's offers a wide variety of options on its menu including both Mexican classic dishes and Tex-Mex varieties. Although the Tex-Mex combo platters can be tempting due to their value, the quality pales in comparison to their Mexican specialties.
If you've predominantly only ever eaten Tex-Mex after reading the description above, you'll never look back after trying to traditional Mexican cuisine. Rickey's Tacos which feature a charbroiled chicken breast in a homemade soft corn tortilla, which is heavily seasoned is a must-have recommendation.
Served with rice and condiments including onions, diced jalapenos, cilantro and a wonderfully unique fiery red pasilla sauce. One thing that many love about Anamia's that not many Mexican restaurants offer is to season their meat before placing it in the tortilla.
If you're looking to add extra fire to your meal ask for the special 'molcajete sauce,' just don't blame us when you're in the ER from your fiery breathe.
Frezko Taco Spot
The Frezko Taco Spot offers one of the only 'live Taco bars' we have seen on this list. With some of the quickest and tastiest served Mexican food in Grapevine Texas, it's worth checking out.
The Taco platters are incredibly popular due to their low $9 price for four tacos and a cup of beans. It's also fun to watch them making the taco's right there in front of you.
With both indoor and outdoor seating, you don't have to wait for the weather to visit this popular taco spot. Outdoor entertainment games are something offered by Frezko which you rarely see in Mexican restaurants.
Overall it can make for an interesting evening, especially if the Texas weather is on your side. Don't forget about 'Taco Tuesdays.'
Tommy Tamale Market & Cafe
Tommy Tamale Market & Cafe comes in on the best Mexican food in Grapevine Texas which won't surprise many people. If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting this amazing little restaurant, founded in 2009, you may know why it's made its way into our top 10.
Tamale is an ultra-traditional Mexican dish, made up of masa or dough which they steam in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping then gets discarded before eating.
Tommy Tamale is a popular joint for a number of reasons. They have their famous tamale bowls, their frozen tamales to go and all of Tommy Tamale's menu is lard-free, gluten free and 0g of trans fats.
For a healthier tasting tamale, they really hit the spot.
Burritos Locos
Burritos Locos was off our radar for a while but has popped up as one of the more popular Burrito joints and makes it into our top 10 of Mexican food in grapevine Texas list.
With the free beer offer always impressing many visitors who aren't aware of the lack of alcohol licensing, it's always bound to be a crowd pleaser. Offering both drive-through pick-up options and restaurant eating, Burritos locos is clearly the place to go for a good meal and free beer on a Friday night.
Famed for its fantastic Mexican breakfasts, Burritos Locos is the top pick for a classically authentic Mexican restaurant that does some of the best breakfast burritos in town.
Riverwalk Cantina
Mexican food in Grapevine Texas doesn't always have to be cheap and cheerful, and Riverwalk Cantina goes a long way to prove that. Situated next to the Marriott Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, this restaurant's approach to Mexican food is one of a leisurely pace.
Giving you the pleasure of experiencing the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk, Riverwalk Cantina replicates the famed landmark while serving delicious Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican cuisine.
The open-air seating and relaxed atmosphere is what draws people in and has them staying for longer than they usually anticipate. Some of the best parts of this restaurant include the koi swimming past, the gentle sound of water you can hear throughout the atrium and their gorgeous indoor patio.
Uncle Julio's
When people talk about Mexican food in Grapevine Texas, it's rare that they miss out discussing Uncle Julio's. As a big chain restaurant with 31 restaurants in the US people are sometimes reluctant to experience these types of restaurants.
The expectation that you won't get a home cooked meal as you would in a traditional Mexican restaurant shouldn't be a worry at Uncle Julio's. Offering group dining experiences that rival the very best in Grapevine the 'made from scratch Fiestas' are a hit for many guests.
They offer a wide variety of dishes and even have some quirky additions like their chocolate pinata. For this dish, they place the hanging dark chocolate container which is on a tray in front of you.
You are then handed a wooden bat and with one swift hit a combination of strawberries, blackberries, pineapple, and chunks of churros will come spilling out on the tray. The tray is also decorated with whipped cream and raspberry and caramel dipping sauces.
Your mouth is no doubt watering just thinking about it. Don't forget to try out one of the best Margarita's in Grapevine.
You can say what you like about chain restaurants, but this one sure knows how to look after its customers.
Esparza's Restaurante Mexicano
Esparza's Restaurante Mexicano gives you just what you'd expect from a restaurant with such a name. It's a truly authentic Mexican experience that promises to offer great food, sizzling platters, and their signature 'Notorious Margaritas.'
Set in a 19th century home the casual interior and lively interior is what draws so many people to this beautiful restaurant. Mexican food in Grapevine Texas doesn't get much better than this.
A fan favorite is to try the swirl margarita which is a frozen margarita with sangria swirl. They also give you chips and salsa immediately as you sit down which is a nice touch. The views of the downtown area of Grapevine from the patio are spectacular.
Blue Goose Cantina
When a Mexican restaurant offers $2 margarita's on a Tuesday, you have to turn up and listen. As well as spectacular 'Taco Tuesday' margarita prices you can expect to receive an incredible meal at Blue Goose Cantina.
Mexican food in Grapevine Texas has some knockout competition, and Blue Goose delivers on every aspect, the same as other restaurants on this list. As well as offering amazing meals in-house covering Tex-Mex classics like Migas and Fajitas you can also enjoy some delicious brunch options.
If you can't get out of the office, Blue Goose Cantina also offers to bring the fiesta to you with outside catering options. They cater all sorts of events from office lunches, corporate retreats, rehearsal dinners, graduation parties. If you've got a party, they can cater.
Established in 1984 Blue Goose knows a thing or two about delivering excellent service to its customers. It's one of our favorites for Mexican food in Grapevine Texas.
Mexican Food in Grapevine Texas Just Got a Whole Lot Tastier
Now we've done the hard work of showing you folks the very best Mexican food in Grapevine Texas; it's time for you to get out there and experience some fantastic food.
If you have a passion for Mexican food and want to stay in the loop about all things Mexican and Tex-Mex you can follow our blog. If you're interested in trying out some of our world-class food, contact us today to reserve a table.