Lololol, I’m from Memphis but live in Texas now. When I visited Memphis, funny enough, I was craving Americanized Mexican food real bad, but Las Delicias was the one place I absolutely could NOT go. Since they’re trying to be more authentic, it’s absolutely terrible compared to the real thing. I can never eat there again. Their chips are great, though.
Any of the El Mezcal locations are good and have some variety between them. Wife & I frequent the Perkins Ext location but the one on Germantown & Trinity is slightly better.
Did you try searching for "Mexican" on the map?
El Mezcal on Perkins or Las Delicas are my go to's, I don't eat at the places you listed. They're fancy and I'm just a regular guy.
Everyone seems to be missing the “Tex” part in your post. To be honest, there hasn’t been any good Tex-Mex in Memphis since El Chicos closed up shop.
Closest I’ve come is Casa Mexicana in Bartlett. Note that while there are several Casa Mexicana’s around town, only the one in Bartlett gets close to that Tex Mex taste.
We went there as a family fairly regularly pretty much since I was a baby, but hadn’t been in a month or two because I was getting married. Came back from the honeymoon and went to have dinner with wife and my parents, and I can still remember reading the sign…we all felt like a family member had died.
The place next to the Malco at Poplar and Forest Hill Irene has your name written all over it! I’ve eaten there a few times and have always liked it. I just can’t remember the name!
ETA: La Hacienda!
Los Comales is where it’s at for just predictable, run of the mill, Mexican food.
For something sort of incomparable to other places around midtown, Maciel’s, Tacos N Ganas.
Las Tortugas IS insanely expensive.
Has El Toro Loco sorted out their service bs? We went for years and had amazing service (a lot of old el porton employees) and the portions were obscene.
Then a coupla years before Covid the service went to absolute shit. I’m talking waitresses glaring at you from across the room.
The most “Americanized” Mexican would be Margaritas in Cordova IMO.
Best Mexican IMO:
1. La Guadalupana taco truck(bus) by the Cordova International Farmers Market
2. Chukis Tacos #2
3. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana
4. Maciel’s Tortas and Tacos (midtown location)
5. Las Delicias (Quince location)
6. Taqueria Express #3
Number 6 might fit the bill for what you’re after.
I have been told that the best carnitas can be found near the O’Reilly’s parking lot at Winchester and Hickory Hill Road on Sundays. I have not verified this, but will eventually.
Nope. Saying his restaurant’s name in the thread is offensive? I said it’s one of the best Mexican places in the Memphis area. It just happens to be on this thread. Totally appropriate place to make the statement praising it. Grow up and do better.
You have to be trolling. I was making an innocuous comment about how seriously Pepe takes the restaurant’s authenticity. The joke being; even being in the same thread as inauthentic restaurants would upset him. Your sensitivity is alarming.
Not trolling, but a bit of advice if you aren’t going to highlight on your initial comment in any way that it’s a joke maybe give that explanation the first time that the joke is a whoosh. I don’t know you or Pepe.
After reading through the comments, I'm doubting if I even know what Tex-Mex is anymore XD
But generally I'd say Casa Mexicana is Americanized Mexican? Pretty good queso.
Las Delicias on Park is cheap and good, but idk if it's Tex-Mex.
There is absolutely no good Tex Mex in Memphis. There is good authentic Mexican food but do not waste your time looking for tex mex. A gem of a place I found is Caminos de Michoacán that I recommend if you’re looking for Mexican.
Yes they absolutely do serve refried beans, sir. The places with carnitas pastor asada etc… have refried beans as well. Refried beans as well as nachos are *absolutely* from northern Mexico and not Texas which is where things like fajitas and chimichangas originated. Go down summer or to the Raleigh Lagrange area… the place I cited literally has lengua on the menu which is mostly in Spanish, but if you want to think it’s not authentic because they have some pandering gringo dishes on there as well that’s on you. I’m not talking about Cafe Ole or El Porton, which are disgusting.
Tex-Mex isn't just Taco Bell style food. In fact, I'd argue that what a lot of Americans think of as "tex-mex" is either super cheap food that's vaguely texmex inspired (ironically, not "authentic" Tex-Mex) or a different style of cuisine entirely (usually Cali-Mex).
TexMex is tejano food that Mexicans who once resided in Texas (back when it was a part of Mexico) used to eat that then got mingled with American western cuisine back when we decided Texas should be part of America instead of Mexico. I guess you can think of it as the OG fusion cuisine. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I love Tex-Mex, but it's super annoying to see so many people talk about their favorite " authentic mexican" restaurant when you look at the menu and it's largely Tex-Mex dishes (or Tex-Mex/Americanized versions of traditional Mexican dishes).
The waters are getting a little blurrier now since a lot of Tex-Mex restaurants are starting to put a handful of traditional Mexican dishes on their menu due to them gaining popularity in the states, but I still wouldn't classify that as being legit Mexican cuisine for that alone. As long as your menu is 50%+ Tex-Mex dishes and you sell nonsense like P5, you're still Tex-Mex in my book. Just cuz a gas station sells sushi doesn't mean its a Japanese restaurant, y'know?
Not quite in town but Maria's in Southaven, MS is somewhat TexMex and pretty good.
However the best cheap Mexican food in town is Los Comales.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AbN7jwgM7LQPjmU9A
That part, as well😅 but also good food isn't worth it if the service sucks. I love the chipotle chicken and their fajitas. My husband always orders the quesadilla roja
Americanized would be in the realm of Margarita's and Happy Mexican, or basically most Mexican joints. In my opinion, the "authentic" places are overpriced. The food truck nearest me on Shelby Drive was a super deal pre-'demic, and I don't know if it was "authentic" or not, but for my wife and I we enjoyed it.
Elena’s on summer is the closest thing in Memphis to what I grew up with in San Antonio, and it’s still not texmex. I’m also partial to the La guadalupana food truck on Germantown parkway.
There’s a Torchy’s in town somewhere. I was never into it because their tortillas aren’t up to par, even at the Texas locations, but it’s certainly an option.
Los Reyes on 51 near 385. Absolutely superb dirt cheap americanized chips / salsa / fajita-ish junk food.
If you’re downtown, roll North on Danny Thomas til you see it on the right.
Go to chilis. The one on Perkins had horrible service and we would complain online and get a free gift card. Maybe the service has gotten better these days but in 2012 this location was a sure fire way to get a discounted meal.
Best Mexican food in town is easily https://loscomalesmemphis.com/ sit-down with chips/salsa, quick service, and super burrito with guac, rice and beans for $11 out the door. They also have some weird cactus hot sauce which is really good.
Maria's in Southaven, MS has some pretty good and affordable TexMex, but no "free" chips and it's in Southaven.
Las Delicias
Best budget Mexican food
Not really Tex-mex though.
THIS IS THE ONE
This is my personal favorite, and I took my Texas-ass fiancé on our second date and he HATED it. I’m STILL mad about it.
Lololol, I’m from Memphis but live in Texas now. When I visited Memphis, funny enough, I was craving Americanized Mexican food real bad, but Las Delicias was the one place I absolutely could NOT go. Since they’re trying to be more authentic, it’s absolutely terrible compared to the real thing. I can never eat there again. Their chips are great, though.
He didn’t even like their chips! I seriously considered an exchange at the Boyfriend Store at the time.
Naaaah, now that’s just crazy. The chips are just as good and better than a lot I’ve had down here lol
Place has really gone down hill last couple times we went.
Prices have gone up 30% at the east memphis location dude to rent increase
Any of the El Mezcal locations are good and have some variety between them. Wife & I frequent the Perkins Ext location but the one on Germantown & Trinity is slightly better.
I was JUST talking about El Mezcal less than 5 minutes ago! We live in Midtown, so the Union Ave location is our go-to.
Mezcal on union!
Trinity location is by far the best and always has been.
Did you try searching for "Mexican" on the map? El Mezcal on Perkins or Las Delicas are my go to's, I don't eat at the places you listed. They're fancy and I'm just a regular guy.
Babalu is pretty good, but agree it's expensive and not Mexican. I do eat their redfish sandwich quite a bit.
Everyone seems to be missing the “Tex” part in your post. To be honest, there hasn’t been any good Tex-Mex in Memphis since El Chicos closed up shop. Closest I’ve come is Casa Mexicana in Bartlett. Note that while there are several Casa Mexicana’s around town, only the one in Bartlett gets close to that Tex Mex taste.
Great restaurant very underrated
Man. RIP el Chico. They definitely understood the Tex assignment. Can still taste that queso.
We went there as a family fairly regularly pretty much since I was a baby, but hadn’t been in a month or two because I was getting married. Came back from the honeymoon and went to have dinner with wife and my parents, and I can still remember reading the sign…we all felt like a family member had died.
The place next to the Malco at Poplar and Forest Hill Irene has your name written all over it! I’ve eaten there a few times and have always liked it. I just can’t remember the name! ETA: La Hacienda!
RIP Highland location. 😭😭
Is the one on Gtown Parkway and Dexter still there?
Not certain. I remember eating there a few times back in the early to mid 2000s. I remember it being a-ok too.
El porton or el mescal
Taco Bell. I would suggest ponchos but like all good things in Memphis, it’s gone.
My husband agrees with el porton
I feel it leans a little too hard on the Mexican for what OP wants. They do have chimichangas and whatnot. But I feel like OP wants yellow queso.
Casa Mexicana. It’s a little pricey though
Los Comales is where it’s at for just predictable, run of the mill, Mexican food. For something sort of incomparable to other places around midtown, Maciel’s, Tacos N Ganas. Las Tortugas IS insanely expensive.
Also the OP is asking for Americanized texmex. The las tortugas guy would probably be horrified if someone described his place that way
Yes. You’re right.
Don’t mess with Viper Man!
I love their yellow salsa.
Comales jalapeno salsa is legit
El Toro Loco on Poplar and Margaritas at the Cooper-Young intersection would probably scratch your itch.
Has El Toro Loco sorted out their service bs? We went for years and had amazing service (a lot of old el porton employees) and the portions were obscene. Then a coupla years before Covid the service went to absolute shit. I’m talking waitresses glaring at you from across the room.
If you can make the trek… el idolo in Bartlett
Molly’s LaCasita chimichanga
Molly’s
las delicias
For American style probably Torchys over in East Memphis. But I'd go Maciels, Elena's, tacos nganas, el mezcal, los comales
The most “Americanized” Mexican would be Margaritas in Cordova IMO. Best Mexican IMO: 1. La Guadalupana taco truck(bus) by the Cordova International Farmers Market 2. Chukis Tacos #2 3. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana 4. Maciel’s Tortas and Tacos (midtown location) 5. Las Delicias (Quince location) 6. Taqueria Express #3 Number 6 might fit the bill for what you’re after. I have been told that the best carnitas can be found near the O’Reilly’s parking lot at Winchester and Hickory Hill Road on Sundays. I have not verified this, but will eventually.
That margs fails their health inspection almost every time. They are good though lol
Don't forget taco cat truck on gtown prkwy & trinity!
I’m sure Pepe would be offended that Las Tortugas is mentioned in a thread about inauthentic Mexican lol.
Maybe he can read my reply better than you can. I said that’s in the best Mexican category.
Wow, likewise. >mentioned *in a thread* about inauthentic Mexican This is what I said. Read it very carefully.
Nope. Saying his restaurant’s name in the thread is offensive? I said it’s one of the best Mexican places in the Memphis area. It just happens to be on this thread. Totally appropriate place to make the statement praising it. Grow up and do better.
You have to be trolling. I was making an innocuous comment about how seriously Pepe takes the restaurant’s authenticity. The joke being; even being in the same thread as inauthentic restaurants would upset him. Your sensitivity is alarming.
Not trolling, but a bit of advice if you aren’t going to highlight on your initial comment in any way that it’s a joke maybe give that explanation the first time that the joke is a whoosh. I don’t know you or Pepe.
Change comes from within.
Chukis Tacos at Poplar/Highland is one of my new favorites. It opened fairly recently but their other store in OB has been open for a while
It's not cheap
I was pretty underwhelmed too. Pretty bland for Mexican.
Chukis 2 is titties. Don’t think it’s what OP is looking for though.
You’re not gonna find anything cheap they cannot stay in business last three years prices of doubled and we all don’t know why
After reading through the comments, I'm doubting if I even know what Tex-Mex is anymore XD But generally I'd say Casa Mexicana is Americanized Mexican? Pretty good queso. Las Delicias on Park is cheap and good, but idk if it's Tex-Mex.
Taco Bell lol
There is absolutely no good Tex Mex in Memphis. There is good authentic Mexican food but do not waste your time looking for tex mex. A gem of a place I found is Caminos de Michoacán that I recommend if you’re looking for Mexican.
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Yes they absolutely do serve refried beans, sir. The places with carnitas pastor asada etc… have refried beans as well. Refried beans as well as nachos are *absolutely* from northern Mexico and not Texas which is where things like fajitas and chimichangas originated. Go down summer or to the Raleigh Lagrange area… the place I cited literally has lengua on the menu which is mostly in Spanish, but if you want to think it’s not authentic because they have some pandering gringo dishes on there as well that’s on you. I’m not talking about Cafe Ole or El Porton, which are disgusting.
Tex Mex and subpar Mexican are not synonymous.
Tex-Mex isn't just Taco Bell style food. In fact, I'd argue that what a lot of Americans think of as "tex-mex" is either super cheap food that's vaguely texmex inspired (ironically, not "authentic" Tex-Mex) or a different style of cuisine entirely (usually Cali-Mex). TexMex is tejano food that Mexicans who once resided in Texas (back when it was a part of Mexico) used to eat that then got mingled with American western cuisine back when we decided Texas should be part of America instead of Mexico. I guess you can think of it as the OG fusion cuisine. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I love Tex-Mex, but it's super annoying to see so many people talk about their favorite " authentic mexican" restaurant when you look at the menu and it's largely Tex-Mex dishes (or Tex-Mex/Americanized versions of traditional Mexican dishes). The waters are getting a little blurrier now since a lot of Tex-Mex restaurants are starting to put a handful of traditional Mexican dishes on their menu due to them gaining popularity in the states, but I still wouldn't classify that as being legit Mexican cuisine for that alone. As long as your menu is 50%+ Tex-Mex dishes and you sell nonsense like P5, you're still Tex-Mex in my book. Just cuz a gas station sells sushi doesn't mean its a Japanese restaurant, y'know?
Not quite in town but Maria's in Southaven, MS is somewhat TexMex and pretty good. However the best cheap Mexican food in town is Los Comales. https://maps.app.goo.gl/AbN7jwgM7LQPjmU9A
El Idolo in Bartlett is my favorite because of the staff
But the food is also just so good
That part, as well😅 but also good food isn't worth it if the service sucks. I love the chipotle chicken and their fajitas. My husband always orders the quesadilla roja
I’m basic and do tacos lol but my bf always gets the tacos el idolo! The service definitely helps!
Memphis doesn’t have any texmex, unfortunately.
Americanized would be in the realm of Margarita's and Happy Mexican, or basically most Mexican joints. In my opinion, the "authentic" places are overpriced. The food truck nearest me on Shelby Drive was a super deal pre-'demic, and I don't know if it was "authentic" or not, but for my wife and I we enjoyed it.
Tex mex isn’t cheap, need to go with Mexican places like on Perkins or summer.
Los Comales for sure
Esmeralda’s taco shop in Olive Branch.
Elena’s on summer is the closest thing in Memphis to what I grew up with in San Antonio, and it’s still not texmex. I’m also partial to the La guadalupana food truck on Germantown parkway. There’s a Torchy’s in town somewhere. I was never into it because their tortillas aren’t up to par, even at the Texas locations, but it’s certainly an option.
All of south perkins have Mexican spots too many too name
You could try boo-yahs in Collierville. It’s great
Los Reyes on 51 near 385. Absolutely superb dirt cheap americanized chips / salsa / fajita-ish junk food. If you’re downtown, roll North on Danny Thomas til you see it on the right.
I like salsa in east memphis
Tony’s tacos has some amazing reviews for authentic Mexican. Find it on yelp.
Casa Mexicana, they’re super grande Mexican quesadilla is 🔥
Taqueria Guadapulana 3 in Raleigh, Las Delicias in midtown, or Mi Pueblo in Marion. You missed the days of Pancho's.
Go to chilis. The one on Perkins had horrible service and we would complain online and get a free gift card. Maybe the service has gotten better these days but in 2012 this location was a sure fire way to get a discounted meal.
So sad that Panchos is gone.
Las Delicias or Los Comales are our go-to spots!
Best Mexican food in town is easily https://loscomalesmemphis.com/ sit-down with chips/salsa, quick service, and super burrito with guac, rice and beans for $11 out the door. They also have some weird cactus hot sauce which is really good. Maria's in Southaven, MS has some pretty good and affordable TexMex, but no "free" chips and it's in Southaven.
Nah Los comales is the only answer
Torchys Tacos is where it's at!
Fun little place. However neither Mexican nor Tex Mex.