Best Mexican Restaurants in Burbank: Local Favorites (2026)

El Carpintero at West Olive Avenue sits across the street from Warner Bros, and visitors from the studios and Universal keep finding it by chance. Diners describe a small room with wooden furnishings and a peaceful spot outside. Owners come out to seat tables, and one diner said an owner mentioned eighteen years in business.

The meal opens with free warm chips and a fresh salsa roja. From there, diners point to the burrito al carbon with its char marks, crisp beef flautas with moist filling, and enchiladas smothered in red sauce. The beef fajitas come out sizzling, and the chicken nachos are big enough to share as a starter. Ceviche tostadas, arroz con pollo and chicken taquitos also earned praise, along with horchata and limonada.

Service gets mixed comments, and a few diners found the drinks pricey. Checking the menu before ordering a margarita is simple advice. One diner found a space near the entrance at dinner, so a quick look for street parking pays off.

Guisados at North San Fernando Boulevard is the downtown Burbank branch of a taco chain with several Los Angeles locations, and diners who have been to more than one say the quality holds up. The model is street taco style: a wide choice of braised and grilled meats, each on a housemade corn tortilla that diners describe as thick, soft and flexible.

The sampler is the usual first order. It brings mini tacos with steak picado, bistek rojo, tinga, mole, chicharron and cochinita pibil, and one diner paired it with an elote tamale topped with a fried egg. Cochinita pibil gets repeated praise, the chorizo is recommended, and the shrimp and fish tacos have their fans. A chorizo quesadilla is another favorite, and the mole is solid if not everyone's top pick.

The room is laid back, with a patio and beer on the menu. On busy days, such as when an art festival is nearby, tables fill early. Parking can be difficult, with paid options close by, and a few diners found the prices high for the portion size.

Vitos Tacos at North Glenoaks Boulevard puts birria at the center of the menu, and the diner comments center on it too. Regulars order the birria queso tacos, and one family said they eat there once or twice a week. The tacos arrive hot and loaded, with juicy, well-seasoned meat, tortillas that hold up, and salsas with real personality.

The birria egg rolls are the other item diners keep mentioning, with one visitor calling them reason enough to stop in. The burrito is bulky and juicy without the greasy feel of most fast-food birria. Consomé for dipping is sold separately, and some diners skip it, but others say dipping a taco into it is the right way to eat here. The chili sauce is very spicy for those who like heat.

The counter staff earned a shout-out for friendliness, and a Sunday lunch visit found easy parking and quick food. A couple of diners reported order mix-ups, so double-checking the order at the register is smart advice.

Habanero Mexican Grill at Victory Boulevard is an order-at-the-counter taqueria with a drive-thru, and the only seating is outside. Several visitors found it through a search while flying in or out of Burbank Airport and left pleased. Diners say it opens early for breakfast and stays open into the evening, and the menu is extensive, from breakfast burritos to seafood.

The burrito is the most praised item. One diner called the California burrito and street tacos exactly what was needed after landing, another raved about a birria wet burrito with lean meat, and a third said the chicken burrito was the best of their life, grilled correctly with onions and beans in good proportion. The salsas get notice too: a thin, smoky green with cumin and a red that is very spicy.

Portions are large. One diner noted that cashiers do not always ask about salsa, so asking for it avoids a plain burrito at home. A few diners reported slow or inconsistent orders, so a quick phone check on busy days helps.

Fiesta Taco Y Más on North Hollywood Way is a small taqueria where diners say the cooks make everything to order. The al pastor is the headline: the pork is deeply marinated, tender and smoky, and green and red salsas push it further. One regular orders the five street taco platter with three pastor and two lengua, and another eats there several times a week.

Grilled fish tacos are not on the menu, but diners say the kitchen will make them, and a few call them the best they have had. The crispy potato taco and beef enchilada combo earned praise, the guacamole is called very good, and chilaquiles come in a portion that can feed two. In the morning, the poblano pepper breakfast burrito with sausage is the one to get.

Seating includes a back patio and a couple of tables in front. Street parking is available. Diners note that the salsas vary from mild and smoky to a spicy orange, and a big selection of Mexican sodas rounds out the drinks. Some visitors found the nachos dry, so tacos are the safer order.

Amor A Mi at West Burbank Boulevard is a daytime restaurant that leans into breakfast and brunch, and diners describe a welcoming room with attentive staff. Memorabilia fills the walls and counters, and the playlist runs from the eighties through the two thousands. One diner noted that the staff know the food scene in Mexico well, and another said the flavors feel connected to heritage.

Chilaquiles are the dish most reviewers order, usually with scrambled eggs or steak, and diners call the flavor and portion strong. The breakfast sandwich is a repeat recommendation, and the Frenchicano Toast, with passion fruit whipped cream on brioche, is a sweet option. At lunch, ribeye tacos, barbacoa lamb tacos and the gobernador taco come on tortillas that diners praise as traditional. A white menudo soup also appears in the reviews.

A wait is common at brunch, and a few diners found the chilaquiles sauce or the price of a taco less impressive than the buzz suggested. Arriving early and starting with the sandwich or chilaquiles is the practical plan.

Candilejas at North San Fernando Road looks plain from the outside, and diners say that is part of the charm. Inside is a small, simple, family-owned feeling room with a jukebox, a window view of the mountains and the occasional passing train, and polite servers who explain dishes. One diner called it a diner-style Mexican joint, and visiting pilots have been sent here.

Seafood sets the menu apart. The Tierra, Mar y Cielo plate brings grilled chicken, carne asada and shrimp with sliced potatoes, nopal, grilled onions, jalapenos, fresh cheese, avocado and chorizo, plus rice, beans and salad. Another large bowl pairs grilled shrimp, chicken, beef and cactus over roasted chili sauce. The prawn burrito is huge, the camarones fajitas get praise, and the green chili chicken enchilada is full of flavor. For brunch, diners recommend the chilaquiles divorciados.

Portions run generous for the price, and many diners bring food home. Service is described as great by most, though a few reported mix-ups at busy times, so patience helps on a full night.

Los Amigos Bar & Grill at West Olive Avenue is a roomy Burbank restaurant with indoor tables, a patio and a lively bar. Diners compare the interior to an old rancho, with music in the background that does not get in the way. The menu is long and includes a kids menu and a happy hour menu, and visitors staying nearby ranked it first of the places they ate.

Chips arrive warm with a mildly spicy bean dip, a combination several reviewers liked. Enchiladas, fajitas and mole are the most named mains, with praise for the enchilada sauce and for top-quality steak. Tortilla soup, the tostada, nachos and steak tacos also come up. Margaritas are a draw, and one diner called the cocktails strong and generous at happy hour.

The restaurant fills fast on Friday nights, Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo, but staff keep checking in. Parking is on the street, usually not hard to find. A few diners found portions smaller on one visit, so ordering a shared starter is a safe plan.

Casita Taco Al Carbon at North Victory Boulevard is a charbroil-focused taqueria that looks modest from the outside and rewards diners who stop. Visitors notice the carne asada smell from the parking lot and the thick steaks on the grill inside. Diners describe the owner and his son as friendly, and one regular says they have been coming here since the nineties and found the quality unchanged.

The burrito is the headline, and diners describe it as huge, made to order with seasoned meat, guacamole, melted cheese and fresh ingredients. Tacos al pastor have a smoky flavor from the grill, chicken is a repeat order, and the chicken nachos are praised. The salsa bar offers a wide variety, including cut cilantro and onions, and chips come free with orders.

Prices run low for the portions. A few diners found the meat or sour notes in the burrito less fresh on their visit, so ordering carne asada or al pastor straight off the grill is the safe route. Lunch can bring a short wait.

Taqueria El Tapatio at West Victory Boulevard is a small counter in a unit that has hosted several Mexican restaurants, and diners say this one stays busy for good reason. The dining area is spartan but clean and well kept, and diners describe prompt service and reasonable prices. A traveler flying out of Burbank Airport tried it after learning another favorite had a long wait and left happy.

Breakfast burritos are the main event. One reviewer called them some of the best in Los Angeles and a quicker choice than the long line at Corner Cottage. Another points to the carne asada burrito and the super burrito, and the burritos come with a bag of chips. Beyond breakfast, the super taco plate with chicken is one diner's go-to order, and the al pastor taco gets praise for flavor.

The salsa bar has hot, medium and mild choices plus pickled vegetables and radishes, and diners recommend eating in to try them. The owner is welcoming. A few diners had mixed visits, so asking about substitutions when ordering is wise.