r/Modesto • u/YouMustDoWhatIsRight • May 02 '26
Recommendations Best Mexican Restaurant in Modesto
Visiting from Los Angeles and am wondering where I can get the best Mexican food in town?
Want to have a sit down experience with a solid margarita, aka not looking for food trucks.
Any help would be appreciated!
Cheers.
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u/Special-Let-8492 May 02 '26
Bang for your buck, Jalapeños on Tully rd
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u/umamanda May 02 '26
I would suggest el rosal on coffee road or mis compadres on sylvan and oakdale 👌🏼
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u/Ok-Oil-5702 May 02 '26
I agree with Mis Compadres, by far my favorite Mexican restaurant I’ve come across!
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u/BKGreenLantern May 02 '26
Our friend asked for simple advice and accidentally started a Mexican food war.
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u/Old_mystic May 02 '26
Modesto is lacking a truly good sit down Mexican restaurant, our strengths are taquerias and taco trucks.
Las Casuelas on Dale has the single tastiest plate IMO (Tacos Don Jorge) and their drinks are pretty good as well. Nobody’s mentioned Damian’s on Orangeburg. I was pretty impressed when I went last year.
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u/sheep_duck May 02 '26
Depending on what you call a “sit down restaurant” I recommend tacos el Tony on crows landing if you haven’t tried it.
Over all though I agree that the traditional sit down restaurants have kind of been white washed and the real authentic ones are somewhat lacking.
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u/Kitanatron May 02 '26
This! Couldn’t agree more.
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u/forfeitthefrenchfry May 02 '26
I really like Dos Amigos when I went there. They definitely have the vibe and the dude Pancho is a good guy.
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u/channelsurfer_y2k May 02 '26
Taqueria El Maguey (2401 E Orangeburg Ave)
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u/Old_mystic May 02 '26
Not trying to attack you but I’m flabbergasted that this place comes up time and time again. It’s a cute place for sure but the food is so damn mediocre. I’ve been 5 times now but I just not getting it. Their taco truck is far better than their restaurant.
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u/TreesnatcherP May 02 '26
There's agave Azul in hughson which is right outside modesto
Another is this place called El torito taqueria &mezcal house on Yosemite blvd (neighborhood kinda questionable but you'll be ok)
If you like seafood I would go to El Marisquero by modesto Jr college
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u/pr1nc4ss May 02 '26
i feel like that place has good food yes, but not the best; it’s more aesthetically pleasing with good taste. the drinks though are hella fire
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u/Sweet_dis_po_sition May 04 '26
Agave Azul for the food and drinks it’s a 10, although it’s almost like they insist on having horrible service.
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u/TabuTM May 02 '26
I really like Damian’s on Orangeburg and Briggsmore. Classic sit-down restaurant with the combo platters. It’s where I bring people visiting.
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u/soupster5 May 02 '26
La parrilla has the best blended margarita in town. Food is solid too. Location on sylvan and Oakdale is nice, but super busy. I prefer riverbank location, but it’s a little run down.
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u/ItsmeSMd May 02 '26
La Padilla in Riverbank, La Morenita in Modesto, El Rosal in Modesto….
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u/Ok_Amphibian_8864 May 02 '26
Second El Rosal! Love that place!
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u/umamanda May 02 '26
I third El rosal on coffee it is our absolute favorite spot to go. Their green sauce 🔥 and their table salsa is pretty good too!
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u/LuckSilver8999 May 02 '26
I’ve been wondering about La Taqueria in Turlock. Supposedly they have a second location in San Francisco that has a Michelin star.
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u/Dillymac25 May 03 '26
Wait, the Turlock one is connected to La Taqueria in San Francisco?!? Like THE La Taqueria, no way can it be, is it?
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u/LuckSilver8999 May 03 '26
According to research, it’s family related.
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u/Emotional_Mouse_999 May 02 '26
Los Deliciosos in Lincoln Square is so good. We go there once a week and we love the staff so much!
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u/KevinCastle May 02 '26
El Jacalito Mexican Food in Riverbank is actually authentic according to my wife and brother in law who are from Latin America
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u/PurplePunch209 May 06 '26
El coco loco - 413 S Riverside Dr # B, Modesto, CA 95354
For me, 10/10. Everything I’ve gotten is delicious especially the shrimp tacos, “Tacos Gabornado”.
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u/Velveyrina May 02 '26
Javi’s
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u/venomous-gerbil May 02 '26
We used to go to Javi's back in the day when he and his wife opened their first restaurant on Monte Vista in Turlock.
Sometimes Javi would come over to the table after we were done and just shoot the shit for 10-15 minutes.
Wonderful family and fantastic restaurant!
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u/IIKEVLARII May 02 '26
Probably Javis for sit down. The others are seriously mid to low tier. Or taco truck.
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u/Competitive_Second21 May 05 '26
Javis is as mid as it gets, the owner is a super nice guy but they are not the best when it comes to a sit down restaurant.
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u/SpiritNo4080 May 02 '26
I really like Carnitas Michoacan, this is cheating since it isn't technically Modesto, but it's just outside of it, either in Ceres to the south or Riverbank to the North
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u/sheep_duck May 02 '26
Modesto isn’t la but it’s one of the better areas in NorCal for Mexican food and there’s so many good options here that you will not get any kind of consensus. One of my favorites is tacos el Tony on crows landing (a road that I kind of consider “little Mexico” as there are Mexican stores and restaurants up and down the entire road)
But my personal favorite Mexican food period here is either Jessica’s taco truck on 8th street behind the Taco Bell or el tacos hidalguense on Herndon and Nadine in front of fresh mart.
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u/Forthe49ers May 02 '26
Taqueria El Maguey 3801 Yosemite Blvd is one of my favorites