The mexican cuisine is one of the favorite and most widespread in the world… and the epitome of its cuisine is the taco. Easy and quick to eat, adaptable to different tastes, there are many fans of this Mexican dish. Although few know that the word ‘taco’ comes from the Nahuatl dialect: tlahco, which means ‘in the middle’ in reference to where the food is placed in the tortilla. This Aztec specialty arouses passions in all latitudes. And Madrid has known about tacos for a long time.
1. Can Chan Chan
Can Chan Chan Chán is a tribute to the less traditional Mexican cuisine. Chef Roberto Ruiz, who already knows what success is with Barracuda MX, has opened this year this restaurant of “craving cuisine”. The result is a menu where you can find tacos of chopitos and pico de gallo or potato revolcona and octopus.
💶 Average price: 40 per person.
📍 Calle de Serrano, 47 (At El Corte Inglés, 3rd Floor)
2. Tobalá Taco Bar
Tobalá refers to an agave (the plant from which tequila is made) and their selection of tacos makes you want to congratulate the chef before you leave. El de lengua or suadero are something from another planet.
It is also an opportunity to try dishes that are not common in impost Mexican restaurants: sopes, chimichangas, chalupas poblanas, panuchos or pozole.
💶 Average price: 15 per person.
📍 Calle de Gaztambide, 35 (Chamberí)
3. Mawey Taco Bar
Fernando Carrasco and Julián Barros, both chefs with extensive experience (in several large Michelin-starred restaurants), are at the helm of this cuisine focused on one dish: the taco. You can’t miss the gobernador, with blue corn tortilla, grilled Oaxaca cheese, ancho chile sauce, sautéed shrimp, pickled onion and quicos powder; or their cochinita pibil taco with roasted pork leg, marinated with achiote and orange juice. These masters in bringing pre-Columbian cuisine to the local gastronomy also have food trucks for events, in case you feel like it at your wedding.
💶 Average price: 20 per person.
📍 Calle de Olid, 6 (Trafalgar); Calle de San Bernardo, 5 (Santo Domingo) and Calle Manuel de falla, 3 (Majadahonda)
4. Taqueria mi ciudad
A classic if you want to eat tacos in Madrid. Any of the Taqueria Mi Ciudad locations serve happiness to the dish. We recommend the chicken taco with mole, chicken tinga, nopales, squash blossom or the classic among classics: taco al pastor. But beyond that, Mi Ciudad also serves a number of must-try snacks like their guacamole with homemade tortilla chips.
💶 Average price: between 8 and 10 euros per person (a couple of tacos, guacamole and cocktail)
📍 Calle de las Hileras, 5 (Ópera); Calle Infantas, 9 (Chueca) and Calle Fuentes, 11 (Ópera)
5. Takos al pastor
There is always a queue to eat one of these tacos for a reason: price and quality are not always at odds. The years go by and the level of their famous tacos remains the same, although the price has gone up slightly. Yes, one of the best tacos in Madrid still has the lowest price on the list. Don’t leave without trying the cochinita pibil and, of course, their specialty, tacos al pastor with the classic achiote marinade.
💶 Average price: around 10€
📍 Calle de la Salud, 13 (downtown)
6. Bakan
Bakan is one of those restaurants that Mexicans themselves recommend. It opened at the end of 2021 near Puerta de Alcalá, after succeeding in Miami. Tradition is at the heart of this cuisine and the key to its success. Your big bets? Chalaqueño blue corn is used to make tortillas for their wide variety of tacos and firewood is used to slow cook the meat.
💶 Average price: 50 per person.
📍 Plaza de la Independencia, 5 (Salamanca neighborhood)
7. Thank you Father
There are six Gracias Padre scattered around Madrid, each with its own idiosyncrasies, but they are easily distinguished by their neon lights and crosses (most of the time merged). Their menu of tacos does not fail, neither in the conventional ones, nor in those that have been innovated, the beef birria has the consommé included. They also serve Jose Cuervo margaritas and a mix with beer. More is more.
average price: between 25 and 30€ per person.
📍 Various locations.
8. Birrä Taqueria
The first taqueria to land in Madrid, and one of the oldest Mexican restaurants, exudes Mexican power in each of its two locations: Calle Don Pedro and Plaza de las Comendadoras. Among its photographs, collector’s items and background music, the two specialties of the house, the taco and guacamole, are warming up the cantinero soul and the palate of its faithful, who are not few.
💶 Average price: 20 per person.
📍 Calle Don Pedro, 11 (La Latina) and Plaza de las Comendadoras, 2 (Conde Duque)
9. Las Mañanitas
It was 1997 when a place abandoned to its fate reopened on Fuencarral Street as a taqueria. In that century, Mexican gastronomy had not yet permeated with all its fury among Madrid’s diners. They later moved to Chamberí and recently opened another new location in Boadilla del Monte.
From the speakers of Las Mañanitas emanate corridos, rancheras and mariachi laments, while the kitchen serves authentic tacos, quesadillas and nachos. All, of course, washed down with margaritas, mezcalitos and chelitas.
A quarter of a century later, this Mexican pioneer boasts of having discovered the charms of Aztec cuisine to two generations of his now loyal customers. In addition to providing food, the Las Mañanitas team offers workshops and tastings for those who want to investigate, discover and taste the truths of the Central American country’s recipes and products.
💶 Average price: 20 per person.
📍 Calle de Bravo Murillo, 5 (Chamberí) and avenida Siglo XXI, 8 (Boadilla del Monte)
10. Xipe
On the opposite sidewalk from the Bernabeu this restaurant serves excellent tacos and even better margaritas. Wrapped in tortillas of different shades, including blue corn (which is grayish), the filling of their tacos follows all the canons, but with some less expected ingredients, such as the calamari governor a la madrileña or carnitas al habanero. And to accompany a watermelon, banana, raspberry or classic margarita cocktail.
💶 Average price: 30 per person.
📍 P.º de la Castellana, 105 (Tetuán)