These are Bangkok’s best Mexican restaurants

A vibrant cuisine that is loved for its bold and piquant flavours, it comes as no surprise that Mexican restaurants are starting to pop up in the streets of Bangkok. With the arrival of tacos, enchiladas, carne asada and more, the city’s food lovers now have all the excuses to savour the flavours of this Central American country. If you weren’t in-the-know already, here are our top picks of the best restaurants to get your Mexican food fix in Bangkok.

Featured and hero image credits: Touche Hombre

The Missing Burro

The enchiladas alone will be worth the trip to The Missing Burro, a Mexican restaurant tucked away in the bustling Thonglor Soi 7. It’s the venue where the Mexican brothers, Itzco and Tlahui Calva, are cooking up time-tested recipes inspired by the traditional Yucatan cuisine they were raised on back in Mexico. The must-try item here is the Tampiqueña con Enchilada, consisting of hunks of well-seasoned chicken, wrapped tightly inside the tortillas before being bathed and baked in the spice-packed Mexican red sauce. Plumped up with the flavourful liquid, three fleshy enchiladas are then paired with a generous serving of refried beans and a scattering of white cheese and chopped herbs. An insider’s tip? Definitely get a table outside beneath the fairy lights on the front yard, and fill it up with all the specials on the menu, teleporting your senses deep into the authentic aromas of Yucatan.

The Missing Burro, 145 Sing Waet Lom Alley, Bangkok, +6690 913 2131 

Barrio Bonito

First opened in Koh Chang, Barrio Bonito was ranked the island’s number one restaurant on TripAdvisor after getting much heartwarming feedback from both island locals and out-of-towners. To follow the merry success of their first branch, the two Mexican-French owners, Mariana Villalobos Torres and Julien Chardonnet, decided it was time for Bangkok get a taste of their authentic Mexican dishes too.

Situated in theCOMMONS, Barrio Bonita is a new space that balances chic rustic flair with corrugated iron, concrete, and brick elements. With a spirited painting of La Cavalera Catrina just beside its open-plan kitchen, the art and aromas of spices invigorate the restaurant area throughout with Mexican street style comfort. Must-try dishes here include the Tinga De Pollo, a chicken braised in rich tomato sauce until fork-tender, served on warm tortillas. Another is Doraditos De Guacamole, a creamy fork-mashed avocado beautifully seasoned with spices and lime juice, before getting scooped into golden-fried tortilla cones, playfully served on a paper egg carton.

Barrio Bonito, theCOMMONS, Sukhumvit 55 Thonglor 17, Bangkok, +6627 127 832

TacoChela by Mikkeller

Nestled into a quiet street in Ari, TacoChela is a haven for craft beer and taco aficionados, located within an old whitewashed Thai house. Presented by Mikkeller, the bar boasts an impressive 17 taps of craft beers, margaritas served on draft, a vast variety of tequilas, mezcals, small-batch bottles, and cocktails to keep you hydrated. Not a fan of boozy beverages? Try the sweet horchata, a spiced rice milk which will easily quench your thirst or satisfy your sweet tooth — or both.

Slang for taco and beer, TacoChela’s taco menu certainly matches up to its ambitious drinks list. The restaurant offers assorted tacos from succulent braised pork to tilapia fried in beer batter — all served on soft corn and flour tortillas, along with an array of fiery salsas for additional freshness and zing.

TacoChela by Mikkeller, 1 Rama VI Soi 30, Khwaeng Samsen Nai, Khet Phaya Thai, Bangkok, +662 101 4962

Cali-Mex Bar & Grill Thailand

Californians are all about healthy eating. And so, it comes as no wonder that their spin on Mexican dishes revolves around plenty of veggies. If there are days when you feel guilty for savouring way too many fatty foods but still crave a hearty comfort meal instead of a dull salad bowl, head over to Cali-Mex Bar & Grill located at Sukhumvit 22, and you won’t be disappointed.

Originating from Hong Kong, the chain restaurant is serving up California-style Mexican food made with nutrient-rich and grade A ingredients in a laid-back California vibe setting. The menu includes all the classics such as nachos, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and salads, yet the selection also spans grilled delights such as USDA ribeye steak and Atlantic salmon. To quench your thirst, there’s even a beer tap attached to each table, ready to serve up a cold one whenever you need it.

Cali-Mex Bar&Grill, 1 Sukhumvit 22, Bangkok, +6665 210 0658

Touche Hombre

Touche Hombre is probably best known for its impressive graffiti of an Asian tiger and a cobra entwined in battle. Yet whilst the striking decor is sure to leave an exciting first impression, the food here is just as inviting. Originally from Australia, the venue serves up gourmet Mexican delights alongside a full swank bar. There’s a wide selection of dishes to share between dining companions here, most notably the ‘Tres Salsa Seleccion’, a trio of salty, sweet, and sour salsas, or the ‘Fundito Del Touche’, a gooey Mexican baked cheese seasoned with fresh herbs and served with crispy corn chips. As for the mains? These offer many savoury options from braised boneless pork leg to roasted duck and hearty seared foie gras served with, of course, corn tortillas and salsas. Feeling a bit heavy? Wash down the whole meal with their rare selections of tequilas and mezcals at the al fresco garden bar while admiring that famed graffiti view.

Touche Hombre, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit 55 Thonglor, Bangkok, +662 392 7760

Mexicano Restaurante Autentico

The former Senor Pico, now renamed as Mexicano, is beloved amongst Bangkokians for its pristine Mexican charm. Located within the Rembrandt Hotel, the restaurant highlights its menu based on traditional staples, serving up classic fajitas on a sizzling-hot skillet and tacos with big hunks of charred meat on warm tortillas. The quesadillas are made authentic with full-fat, cheese, and cooked steak bites stuffed between two thin layers of flour tortillas, before getting grilled over high heat on both sides until the cheese melts and glues everything together — much like those luscious melted cheese sandwiches we know and love. Not only do they serve up hearty meals here, the restaurant also hosts regular live bands, lighting up the salsa dance floor with lively Latin sounds deep into the night. Those who are in serious need of a place to party the South American way, Mexicano is a must-visit.

Mexicano, Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Bangkok, +662 261 7100

The Mexican- Cantina and Comedor

Nestled within Rajah Hotel Complex, The Mexican is setting itself apart from the others on our list with its Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) theme, celebrating the circle of life (and death) in its décor of Aztec elements and La Calavera Catrina paintings. Amidst its unique and mystical ambience, The Mexican serves up an array of Tex-Mex dishes, cooked with organic vegetables from their own farm in Saraburi. Kick off the meal with a shredded pork taco, where the luscious cuts have been cooked in their own juice until they flake and fall apart at each touch of the fork. Combine this with the hot tortillas and a dollop of house-own sour cream, and you have yourself a flavourful taco that is well-rounded in flavours of juicy meat and creamy acidity. For dessert, we recommend the Mostachon, a Mexican meringue cake, or the golden-fried banana chimichangas coated in a sugar and rum mixture, sure to give you a sugar rush to get you dancing long into the night. Of course, there’s also an exciting list of tequila and mezcals available just in case you get the itch for something strong and fizzy, too.

The Mexican, Sukhumvit Soi 2, Rajah Complex, Bangkok, +662 254 4099