Mexican Restaurants in Memphis

June 14, 2026

Memphis has a deep and varied Mexican dining scene, anchored by long-running family operations along Summer Avenue and Park Avenue and extended by newer upscale kitchens in East Memphis. Memphis is Tennessee’s second-largest city, with a population of roughly 619,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and that size supports a community of taquerias, sit-down restaurants, and food trucks that cook regional Mexican dishes rather than a single uniform menu. For diners, the meaningful distinction is usually between a counter-service taqueria built around tacos, tortas, and house salsas and a full-service restaurant built around tableside service and a bar, and knowing which a place offers helps set expectations before arriving.

Most diners weigh cuisine and specialties, the choice between dine-in and takeout, and how food safety is handled. In Tennessee, every restaurant must hold a food-service establishment permit and pass routine inspections. In Shelby County those inspections are conducted by the Shelby County Health Department under standards set by the Tennessee Department of Health, and inspection scores are public record. Whether a kitchen is a taqueria griddling al pastor or a restaurant simmering carnitas, it operates under the same permit-and-inspection framework, which gives diners a consistent baseline for cleanliness and safe food handling regardless of a restaurant’s size or price point.

Taxes and alcohol licensing also shape the dining experience. Prepared restaurant food in Memphis is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate of 9.75% in Shelby County, which is higher than the reduced rate Tennessee applies to most grocery food, so a check will reflect that rate on food and non-alcoholic drinks. A restaurant that serves margaritas, beer, or a full bar needs the appropriate license or permit from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), and liquor-by-the-drink sales carry an additional state tax. The contrast is visible on the ground between a taqueria pouring horchata and aguas frescas and a sit-down restaurant with a cantina, and that difference often tracks with how the menu and service are organized.

Authenticity in Memphis tends to come down to regional cooking and from-scratch preparation rather than marketing language. Several of the city’s most respected Mexican restaurants began as taco stands, garage operations, or family kitchens before becoming established storefronts, and many still make their own salsas, chips, and tortillas. The Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), which covers deceptive business practices and is the avenue for complaints about advertising or billing, while food-safety concerns go to the Shelby County Health Department. The three restaurants below are established, locally owned Memphis operations whose details were verified against their own published information and other sources.

Top Mexican Restaurants Providers in Memphis

1. Las Delicias

Address: 4002 Park Ave, Memphis, TN 38111
Phone: (901) 458-9264
Website: http://lasdeliciasrestaurant.com
Services: dine-in, takeout, full bar, tacos, ceviche, enchiladas, burritos, house-made chips and salsa
Description: Las Delicias is a family-owned, locally operated Memphis restaurant that has served authentic and affordable Mexican food since 2003. The recipes and traditions come directly from Mexico through owners Leila and Antonio Martinez, and the business famously started as a taco stand in the owner’s garage before growing into established storefronts, including the Park Avenue location and a second store on Quince Road. The menu leans on scratch preparation, with house-made chips, guacamole made from chunks of avocado mixed with pico, and a ceviche of fresh diced tilapia cooked in lime juice, alongside al pastor tacos, chorizo quesadillas, chicken enchiladas, and burritos. The Park Avenue location offers table service, takeout, and a full bar, placing it in the full-service category while keeping its taco-stand roots in the cooking.

2. Taqueria La Guadalupana

Address: 4818 Summer Ave, Memphis, TN 38122
Phone: (901) 685-6857
Website: https://guadalupanamemphis.com
Services: dine-in, takeout, catering, food trucks, tacos, tamales, chilaquiles, seafood dishes
Description: Taqueria La Guadalupana has served fresh, authentic Mexican food in Memphis since 1999, operating from a long-running storefront on Summer Avenue along with a Cordova Road location and a fleet of food trucks. The menu is built around the taqueria format, with tacos in many varieties including pastor, asada, lengua, and tripe, plus enchiladas, burritos, tamales, chilaquiles, carne asada, and fajitas. The kitchen also runs a strong seafood section, with mojarra frita, camarones, and ceviche, and rounds out the menu with tortas. Service spans dine-in, takeout, and catering, and the food trucks extend the operation’s reach across the city, making it one of the more established taqueria operations in Memphis.

3. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana

Address: 6300 Poplar Ave #115, Memphis, TN 38119
Phone: (901) 623-3882
Website: https://www.delimexicana.com
Services: dine-in, takeout, online ordering, fresh natural juices, carnitas, al pastor, carne asada
Description: Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana is a family-run operation, led by Pepe and family, that describes its food as authentic, upscale Mexican cooking drawing on multiple regions including Mexico City, Toluca, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Acapulco. The East Memphis location on Poplar Avenue opened in 2017 as a companion to the original Germantown deli, and the kitchen is known for carnitas Mexico City, al pastor, carne asada, and a filet mignon preparation, along with fresh natural juices in flavors such as mango, watermelon, pineapple, and jamaica. The restaurant has been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and offers dine-in, takeout, and online ordering, representing the more refined, regional end of the Memphis Mexican dining scene.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Restaurants in Memphis

Q: Do Mexican restaurants in Memphis need a permit to operate?

Yes. Every restaurant in Tennessee must hold a food-service establishment permit and pass routine inspections. In Shelby County, those inspections are conducted by the Shelby County Health Department using standards set by the Tennessee Department of Health. Inspection scores are public record, so diners can review a restaurant’s most recent score through the health department.

Q: How much is sales tax on a restaurant meal in Memphis?

Prepared restaurant food in Memphis is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate of 9.75% in Shelby County. That is higher than the reduced rate Tennessee applies to most grocery food. Restaurants that sell liquor by the drink also collect an additional state alcohol tax, which appears on checks that include cocktails, beer, or wine.

Q: What is the difference between a taqueria and a full-service Mexican restaurant?

A taqueria is generally a counter-service operation focused on tacos, tortas, and house salsas, often serving aguas frescas instead of a bar, while a full-service restaurant offers tableside service, a broader menu, and frequently a cantina with margaritas and other cocktails. Memphis has well-established examples of both, and the distinction usually tracks with whether the restaurant holds an alcohol license and how its service is structured.

Q: Do Memphis Mexican restaurants serve alcohol, and is it taxed differently?

Many do. A restaurant that serves margaritas, beer, or a full bar needs the appropriate license or permit from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Liquor-by-the-drink sales carry an additional state tax on top of the regular sales tax, so the alcohol portion of a check is taxed differently from the food portion.

Q: How can I tell if a Memphis Mexican restaurant serves authentic regional food?

Authenticity usually shows in scratch preparation and regional dishes rather than marketing claims. Several Memphis restaurants make their own chips, salsas, and tortillas, and many started as taco stands or family kitchens before becoming storefronts. Looking for regional specialties such as al pastor, carnitas, ceviche, and house-made aguas frescas, and noting whether the kitchen prepares these from scratch, is more reliable than any single label.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Memphis Mexican restaurant?

For food-safety concerns, contact the Shelby County Health Department, which handles restaurant inspections in Memphis. For complaints about deceptive business practices, advertising, or billing, the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping receipts and notes about the visit strengthens any complaint.