The best Mexican restaurants in Amsterdam

Mexican cuisine is hot, literally and figuratively. And I’m very happy about that, because this really is the ultimate comfort food. Homemade guacamole, the spiciest salsas and generously filled tacos… Delicious. And by now, our capital city has quite a few Mexican hotspots where you can enjoy all this and more. From North to South; these are our favorite Mexican restaurants in Amsterdam. 

At one, you’re in the right place for an elaborate evening of dining, while at another you’ll want to go for drinks; there’s something for everyone. And okay, we’ve also selected a few odd ones out. Let’s call them Mexican-ish.

Our favorite Mexican restaurants in Amsterdam

1. Coba Taqueria
By now, this Mexican spot in Amsterdam-Noord is a true Amsterdam institution, and it took me shamefully long to go there. But yes, I’m a convert now too, just like so many others. Because Coba is fun, good and above all incredibly delicious. What I also really appreciate is that the tables are generously spaced, something that is becoming increasingly rare in Amsterdam. The cocktails are delicious (with a grasshopper for the daredevils), and the tacos… *Chef’s kiss*
Coba Taqueria, Schaafstraat 4

2. Oaxaca
Oaxaca is a famous culinary region in Mexico, and the name of this restaurant does the region justice. The dishes you eat here are genuinely eaten in Mexico, and are different from what you may be used to from (not-so-authentic) Mexican cuisine. So you won’t find Tex-Mex nachos and tacos at Oaxaca, but “Chicatana Ants” (ants!) and “Chapulines” (fried grasshoppers), local delicacies from Mexico’s culinary capital after which the restaurant is named, are on the menu. A little too adventurous for me, but the dish with the special cheese from Oaxaca and chorizo is absolutely incredible, and the tacos to share with Iberian pulled pork are also exceptionally good. There’s plenty for fish lovers to enjoy here too: soft-shell crab tacos, for example. And do you want to discover why the owners of Oaxaca call mezcal the most beautiful spirit in the world? With 32 types of mezcal in house, a selection considered the finest in Europe, Oaxaca’s mezcalería is the perfect place to do so.
Oaxaca, Spuistraat 279

3. Cabrón
Hidden behind the stalls of the Albert Cuyp, but impossible to miss if you love Mexican food. And whatever you do, if you go here you absolutely have to order the birria tacos with consomé. It’s such a shame that there are hardly any Mexican places with these on the menu, but given their popularity abroad, that probably won’t last long. And they’re delicious here: pulled beef, dipped in consomé. So good.
Cabrón, Albert Cuypstraat 166

4. Sins of Sal
Yesss, Sins of Sal gets it too; the birria tacos are on the menu here as well. Tacos are Mexico City’s ultimate street food: delicious, nutritious and cheap. And if you love tacos, you need to visit Latin street-food bar Sins of Sal in Amsterdam. It’s the ideal place for a Friday evening when you want to enjoy an extended dinner in a trendy setting. Thankfully, the days when Mexican restaurants weren’t cozy or beautiful are long gone; this is truly a restaurant for lingering over a meal, with lots of (fantastic!) cocktails or wine.
Sins of Sal, Westerstraat 86

5. Bacalar
Coba isn’t the only Mexican hotspot in Amsterdam-Noord; Bacalar has also been one of our favorites for a long time. Though its interior is quite different from the places mentioned above; here it’s mainly industrial, unfussy, and you really come for the food. You don’t need much else when the food is as good as it is here — because it really is good. Yes, they have birria tacos with consomé here too, but these are made with goat instead of beef. Also be sure to order their chorizo-and-cheese padron peppers and beef-cheek tacos. Unbelievably good.
Bacalar, Chrysantenstraat 4

6. Selva
Selva is perched high up in the nhow hotel by RAI Amsterdam. If you’re not familiar with this hotel: there are windows all around, which means Selva offers a beautiful 360-degree view over Amsterdam. The menu is Latin American, so not exclusively Mexican, but that only means more choice—and that there’s fantastic Peruvian ceviche on the menu. You can sit at the high or low tables, and come for drinks with some snacks or for a full dinner. Also fun: the adjacent Sonora cocktail bar. The concept behind Selva is effortlessly continued here, so you’ll feel transported to Latin America here too. The cocktails they serve are inspired by the ancient stories and legends of Latin America.
Selva, Europeboulevard 2

7. Fiona
To be completely honest, I don’t often visit the Red Light District, but when I do, nine times out of ten it’s for Fiona—for the Mexican food is good here and it’s always fun. The portions are generous, the cocktails are good, and every seat in the restaurant is nice (always a plus in my book), including at the bar. Fun fact: they’re also open for lunch on Saturdays and Sundays, making it a great stop during a day in central Amsterdam.
Fiona, Warmoesstraat 14

8. Senor Mostachio
Especially in summer, this is a great spot to sit on the simple but sunny terrace. It’s a perfectly good Mexican restaurant, without too much fuss and with the standard dishes you’d expect—but everything is incredibly flavorful. There are two major plus points here: they’re open seven days a week for (late) lunch, and they have plenty of options for vegetarians. There’s even a cactus burrito on the menu—and it’s seriously good.
Senor Mostachio, Ruysdaelkade 183

9. Calle Ocho
If you’re with a larger group and want to eat and enjoy drinks, Calle Ocho is the best place to go. Here too, you’ll mainly find the usual suspects on the menu, but everything tastes good and the cocktails are genuinely excellent. They’re also open late every evening (including weekdays), so it’s always lively here with people having drinks and dinner. I’ve spent many wonderful evenings here with friends; arriving at the table early and not leaving until very, very late.
Calle Ocho, Albert Cuypstraat 226 

10. Cantina Caliente
This isn’t a place where you’ll find only Mexican food on the menu either, but Latin American dishes. It’s a reasonably large restaurant where, during the day (they’re open every day from noon), you can also comfortably sit with your laptop and get some work done. They have plenty of lunch options, and definitely not just tacos and/or burritos. All burritos are also available as bowls—something I love.
Cantina Caliente, Roetersstraat 192

11. De Margaritabar
The name gives it away, but yes: every Margarita lover has to come here. But you can do more than just drink here—you can also eat very well; all the standard Mexican dishes are on the menu. What I like about this Mexican spot is that you can customize every dish yourself, with extras such as cheese or jalapeños, and they also offer a choice of seven different salsas.
De Margaritabar, Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 71

12. Celia
Okay, an odd one out, because Celia is a ‘Californian-inspired restaurant’ rather than a Mexican restaurant. Still, Celia deserves a place on this list. Why? At Celia, in the heart of Amsterdam, you can eat fantastic tacos. Be sure to go on a Tuesday evening, because it’s Taco Tuesday and fantastic tacos are on the menu. I’ll share the recipe for one of my favorite tacos with you right away: blue corn tortillas with mushrooms and queso fresco. But the Carne Asada is fantastic too. And for enthusiasts: Mexican mezcal cocktails are also on the menu. Los gezelligitos!
Celia, Nieuwendijk 60

13. Catuabar
I’m a big fan of good cocktails, but after two I’m guaranteed to fall off my bar stool. That’s why I love places where you can also eat well alongside your cocktail. Enter: Catuabar. Here, Amsterdam conviviality is combined with fantastic South American dishes. Brazilian chef Gui brought a wealth of experience and flavors to the capital and uses them to create surprising dishes—with a whole lot of love. Gui previously worked for the Alex Atala group and at Restaurant Central in Lima, the capital of Peru that has been praised by foodies for years for its incredible cuisine. It was also here that he met Brazilian mixologist Alex, who now creates cocktails here as if it were his life’s mission. Tip: be sure to order a choripán to line your stomach… And then ask for recommendations. From forgotten classics to house batches, the cocktails here are top-notch!
Catuabar, Andreas Bonnstraat 40H

14. Local Dealer
This is another place to keep on your radar if you want to eat really good tacos (and ceviche). Father and son run this colorful restaurant. My little brother, who has a beating heart for birria tacos, recommended it to me. And they’re genuinely excellent here. Definitely order the Birria chilaquiles and the Birria quesadilla. Incredibly delicious—you’ll be licking your fingers. Should we give it a rating? Definitely an 8.4!
Local Dealer, Dapperplein 23

15. Cosmo Tacos
Fresh from the taco press! Mexican Omar Sanchez is no stranger to Amsterdam’s/Mexican hospitality scene; he previously worked as a chef at taqueria Coba Amsterdam. Now, with his Cosmo Tacos, he has found a temporary spot where you can eat phenomenal tacos. Such as chicken Milanese tacos with chipotle salsa and guacamole (what a brilliant fusion dish!) and taco suadero—a Mexican classic made with slowly braised beef, served on a corn tortilla with spicy salsa taquera. Reservations are recommended, but fortunately they always keep some space for people with a spontaneous taco craving. Go soon, because the pop-up is open until the end of 2024.
Cosmo Tacos, Korte Papaverweg 17

Read also:

• 7 Mexican dishes they don’t eat in Mexico at all
• Dining at the Mexican taco bar with a Michelin star: an incredible experience
• 32 of the best hotspots in Mexico City

Header image: Cabrón