There are more than 50 Mexican restaurants in Berlin, according to a search on Google Maps. But how many of them are good? Amid the Que Pasas and PocoLoco chains there are some places trying to bring the city out of its sub-par Mexican food slump. Let’s take a look at some of the shining stars in a sea of mediocrity and see if we can find the Best Mexican restaurant in Berlin.
Where to Eat Proper Mexican Food
Maria Bonita
Boasting “real authentic Mexican food”, Maria Bonita has been in Prenzlauer Berg since 2009. It’s a small place, better for a quick bite or for takeaway. The menu offers streetfood standbys including tacos, burritos and quesadillas, alongside lesser-seen dishes like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros. They also offer some tasty margaritas. In warmer months you can get your food to go and walk 15 minutes to eat it in the Mauerpark.
Address: Danziger Str. 33, 10435 Berlin
Neighborhood: Prenzlauer Berg
Oh La Queca
At this restaurant in Neukölln you’ll find the standard tacos and quesadillas seen on many menus around Berlin. But there’s also top-notch chilaquiles and lesser-seen dishes like mole, enchiladas and pozole. Before opening the restaurant, the owners had a pop-up selling corn tortillas, so you know you’ll get top-notch bases for the tacos and chilaquiles.
Address: Reuterstraße 36, 12047 Berlin
Neighborhood: Neukölln
Taqueria El Oso
This eatery inside the Markthalle Pfefferberg is widely considered the best place to get authentic Mexican food in Berlin despite only serving one dish: tacos. But those tacos are fantastic, with somewhat rare (for Berlin) fillings like Mexican chorizo and al pastor. What knocks them out of the park is the access to the salsa bar, where you can choose a mild or spicy addition to your tacos. If they added some more dishes to the menu, this would be in the running for the best Mexican restaurant in Berlin. Pro tip: On Sundays they serve birria tacos, which is braised goat or beef served in tortillas alongside some of the braising liquid for dipping.
Address: Schönhauser Allee 176C, 10119 Berlin
Neighborhood: Prenzlauer Berg
Pancho-Villa Cantina
Calling itself a “proper Mexican cantina”, Kreuzberg’s Pancho-Villa has a lineup of tacos and quesadillas, but also offers special dishes that you can find announced on their Instagram page. In recent weeks they’ve had days where they serve tamales, cochinita tacos, green chilaquiles and barbacoa de cordero (tacos served with consomme). If you like to sing after eating Mexican food, you can go to one of their karaoke nights.
Address: Reichenberger Str. 120, 10999 Berlin
Neighborhood: Kreuzberg
Tortilleria Mexa
We’re hopping over to Friedrichshain for this taqueria with a secret weapon: Homemade tortillas. You can find a selection of tacos filled with pork carnitas, chicken tinga and nopales (aka, cactus), as well as quesadillas and other dishes served in a bright dining room. While the menu at Tortilleria Mexa isn’t as robust as other places on the list, the tortillas are fresh and you can even buy some to go.
Address: Boxhagener Str. 49-50, 10245 Berlin
Neighborhood: Friedrichshain
Sabor a Mí
If you’ve been to the Streetfood Thursday event at Kreuzberg’s Markthalle Neun, you may have come across Sabor a mí. The good news is that they now have a brick-and-mortar location near Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain. While they do have tacos, you can also find other dishes like sopes and tostadas that aren’t always seen on menus in Berlin. Or place a pre-order for enmoladas, which are tortillas filled with chicken and covered in mole sauce. Even the tacos offer something different: Lengua (beef tongue). Wash down your food with a frozen margarita, michelada or an agua fresca and you may have the perfect meal.
Address: Grünberger Str. 83, 10245 Berlin
Neighborhood: Friedrichshain
Bonus: El Amigo Tacos
I know we’re talking about restaurants here, but there’s also a taco truck called El Amigo that deserves a mention. They’ve been around since 2021 and park near Weinbergspark five days a week, as well as doing pop-ups. You’ll find an array of tacos with fillings like asada (steak), birria, al pastor, chorizo with cheese and vegetarian options. Check out their Instagram for up-to-date hours and location.
Address: Veteranenstraße 21, 10119 Berlin
Neighborhood: Mitte
Pinning down the best Mexican restaurant in Berlin is difficult because it depends on what you’re looking for. For tacos with fresh salsa, Taqueria El Oso is your spot. But if you want a plate of chilaquiles, head to Oh La Queca or Tortilleria Mexa. And if you want some Mexican food to go eat in a park, try Maria Bonita or El Amigo. In truth, though, you can’t go wrong with any of the places on the list.
Andrea Heisinger 
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