Sacramento’s Mexican food scene runs deeper than most visitors expect. This is a city with multigenerational family restaurants that have been filling the same booths since the early 1990s, modern kitchens earning Michelin recognition for their heirloom corn tortillas, and local chains that have been dusting tacos with Parmesan since 1954. Finding the best Mexican restaurants in Sacramento means knowing which of those threads to pull.
What follows is a short list of spots that locals actually recommend, with enough practical detail to help plan the visit.
Zócalo (Midtown Sacramento)
Zócalo occupies a 1925 Spanish Revival building on Capitol Avenue that once housed a Hudson Essex car dealership. The owners—the same family behind Ernesto’s, two blocks away—converted it in 2004 into a lively space with serious cocktails and regional Mexican cooking.
The menu draws from recipes across Mexico rather than sticking to any single regional tradition. The cochinita pibil, a slow-braised Yucatecan pork dish, is the dish regulars return for. The bar program leans on tequila and mezcal, including a tequila-based Old-Fashioned that shows up on cocktail lists across the region. Michelin has listed Zócalo in its regional guide. Brunch runs Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10 a.m.
Zócalo: 1801 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA 95811 | (916) 441-0303 | zocalosac.com
Ernesto’s Mexican Food (Midtown Sacramento)
Open since 1991, Ernesto’s sits two blocks from Zócalo and operates on a different register—more neighborhood restaurant than destination dining. The kitchen turns out traditional plates: carnitas with a citrus note, ceviche, Cowboy Shrimp, and fajitas. The house margaritas, including a raspberry mint variation, are a consistent draw.
Ernesto’s keeps regular hours seven days a week: Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Worth noting for holiday planners: the restaurant closes on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and Easter Sunday.
Ernesto’s Mexican Food: 1901 16th St, Sacramento, CA 95811 | (916) 441-5850 | ernestosmexicanfood.com
Tres Hermanas (Midtown Sacramento)
Tres Hermanas has been on K Street since 1996, which makes it one of Midtown’s longer-tenured Mexican restaurants. The menu is rooted in northern Mexico—chile rellenos, pork burritos, the kind of cooking that prioritizes sauces built over time rather than composed plates. Weekend brunch starts at 9 a.m. and brings out chilaquiles alongside the regular menu.
Both indoor and outdoor seating are available. Hours can shift, so calling ahead before a first visit is worth the extra step.
Tres Hermanas: 2416 K St, Sacramento, CA 95816 | (916) 443-6919
Nixtaco (Roseville and Folsom)
Nixtaco sits outside Sacramento proper—one location in Roseville, one in Folsom—but it earns its place on this list for its five consecutive Michelin mentions since 2021. The concept is straightforward: tacos made with handmade tortillas pressed from heirloom corn sourced from a Pleasant Grove farm in Sacramento County.
The mushroom taco has been called out in several reviews, alongside a rotating vegan option and a California 75 cocktail that keeps the drinks list from being an afterthought. For Sacramento-area Mexican food that has drawn national attention, Nixtaco is the name that comes up.
Nixtaco Roseville: 1805 Cirby Way, Unit 12, Roseville, CA 95661 | (916) 771-4165
Nixtaco Folsom: 185 Placerville Rd., Ste 150, Folsom, CA 95630 | (916) 790-8479
Jimboy’s Tacos (Multiple Sacramento Locations)
Jimboy’s started near Lake Tahoe in 1954 and planted roots across the Sacramento region over the decades that followed. It is now part of the city’s food vocabulary in a way that few regional chains manage. The signature is a Parmesan-dusted taco—a combination that sounds odd until the first bite explains itself. Jimboy’s has been voted best tacos in Sacramento more than once, and the accolade tends to come from longtime residents, not just newcomers discovering it.
Sacramento locations include Arden Way, Stockton Boulevard, Watt Avenue, 29th Street, and four others. Full addresses and hours are listed at jimboystacos.com.
Jimboy’s Tacos: Multiple Sacramento locations | jimboystacos.com
The Details
- Zócalo — 1801 Capitol Ave, Sacramento | (916) 441-0303 | Modern regional Mexican, Michelin mentioned, brunch Sat–Sun from 10 a.m.
- Ernesto’s Mexican Food — 1901 16th St, Sacramento | (916) 441-5850 | Traditional Mexican since 1991 | Sun–Thu 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Tres Hermanas — 2416 K St, Sacramento | (916) 443-6919 | Northern Mexican since 1996 | Weekend brunch from 9 a.m., call ahead for current hours
- Nixtaco — Roseville: 1805 Cirby Way, Unit 12, (916) 771-4165 | Folsom: 185 Placerville Rd., Ste 150, (916) 790-8479 | Five Michelin mentions, heirloom corn tortillas
- Jimboy’s Tacos — Eight Sacramento locations including Arden Way, Stockton Blvd, Watt Ave | jimboystacos.com
Bottom Line
Sacramento’s best Mexican restaurants cover a wide range: the decades-old neighborhood anchor on 16th Street, the regionally recognized taco kitchen earning Michelin mentions for its heirloom corn, the Midtown corner that introduced tequila Old-Fashioneds to the Sacramento bar scene before most places caught on. All five are worth a visit on their own terms.
For more local dining, see the guide to best fine dining in Sacramento, or check the rundown of best cocktail bars in Sacramento for where to drink around any of these restaurants. The best brunch in Sacramento guide has options that overlap with a few of these neighborhoods too.
