Top 5 Mexican Restaurants in Cork Ireland
Ireland has a Mexican community, and if you want to know where the best food spots are, you should go where they go. They’ll lead you to the top Mexican restaurants in Cork that serve the most authentic dishes.
In this article, we’ll talk about the restaurants the Mexican community frequents and what food they offer. We’ll also talk about the overall service and why they’re worth the visit.
On to the article!
The Cost of Mexican Food in Cork
Being the food capital of Ireland, finding several Mexican restaurants in the city is an easy feat. The fascination for Mexican food grew throughout the years, and so did the spots where it could be found.
There are affordable restaurants throughout Cork, but they won’t probably give you the most authentic dishes. If you’re looking for the original Mexican taste, be prepared to splurge a bit.
The pricing for each dish varies across restaurants. We recommend checking their websites if you want to see the menu and the rates.
Top Mexican Restaurants in Cork
We’re listing down the best Mexican spots in Cork using the following criteria:
1. Cafe Mexicana

Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Variety and authenticity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Cafe Mexicana is actually one of the Mexican community’s go-to restaurants if they’re craving a taste of home. According to some of them, the steak tacos and beef burritos never disappoint, and you might want to try those first!
The pricing is reasonable as well. It might not be cheap, but given the authenticity of the taste as well as the large portions, it’s great value for money!
We love that the chefs go all out with the seasoning and spices. The dishes are really flavourful and will have you craving for more.
We want to praise the staff as well for being attentive and polite to the customers. They welcome everyone with a smile and make sure to check once in a while if the customers are comfortable.
We love the ambience too – friendly and not-too-noisy! And if you want a better view and a more relaxing conversation with friends, you can sit outside.
The only thing we hope the restaurant can improve is the speed of service. Some customers tend to wait for 20 to 30 minutes for their food.
Another thing, some staff tend to mix up orders. While quite forgivable especially during peak hours, it can still be an inconvenience to those who are hungry and just want to enjoy their food.
Pros
- Authentic Mexican taste
- Has outdoor seating
- Serves vegan dishes
- Flavourful dishes
- Huge portions
- Polite staff
- Warm ambience
Cons
- Mixes up orders
- Slow service
Customer Reviews
Huge portions
One of my favourite restaurants in Cork. Delicious food, enormous portions, polite staff and really nice ambient. I will definitely come back to this place.— Lucija, Google Reviews
Reasonable pricing
We had a great experience here! Had some finger-licking good Mexican food (nachos, steak taco and dessert) in this small but cosy restaurant! Thanks to the nice music, food and decoration we experienced great Mexican vibes! Also not too expensive; the mains are around 20 euros. Dessert 6 euros. Would really recommend this place 🙂 Also credits to the lovely brother and sister running this place—Anouk, Google Reviews
2. Tequila Jack’s Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar

Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Variety and authenticity | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Tequila Jack’s Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar has an extensive bar menu—from margaritas to tequila, you’ll have a lot of drinks to choose from. And we think this is perfect because a good drink should always be paired with good food!
And the restaurant’s food is great! It has a varied Mexican food menu served in large portions—definitely worth the money you’ll pay for them.
Don’t get us wrong—the food isn’t that expensive, but they’re not cheap either. We can assure you though that the quality of the Mexican food is worth paying the extra euros for!
We also love the vibe of the place—warm and fun! It’s actually a place where you can dance and be loud, and no one will shush you!
It’s also the perfect place to watch sports, by the way, which is probably the reason why it gets too full at times. But there are also outdoor seats if you can’t find a space inside anymore.
Customer service is decent! The staff are really nice and accommodating, which makes the experience better.
We recommend adding more staff though. According to some customers, the restaurant is a bit short-staffed, so, during peak hours, they tend to mix up orders and serve slowly.
Pros
- Perfect place for watching sports
- Has outdoor seats
- Vegan-friendly
- Has a wide range of cocktails and beers
- Fun atmosphere
- Friendly staff
- Flavourful food in large portions
Cons
- Short-staffed
- Long wait for food
Customer Reviews
Fun atmosphere where people can dance
One of the best places I’ve been to in Ireland. I loved the atmosphere and the service. People dancing salsa and Bachata was beautiful.—Luciana Queiroz, Google Reviews
Party ambience
This is a very nice spot for Mexican Food in Cork City. The quantity is good and prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is very nice and the staff are amazing. I would highly recommend a visit for dinner here and/or night out for party or special occasion.—Adrian Sweetman, Google Reviews
3. Boojum

Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Variety and authenticity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
If you ask us what we love about Boojum, we probably won’t stop talking about it. In terms of location, customer service, and quality of food, this restaurant is really one of the must-go Mexican restaurants in Cork!
For one, it serves fresh food, which according to some customers, is the reason why they became regulars. The food is so tasty you’ll know the chefs don’t hold off on the spices and use quality ingredients!
The atmosphere is great as well. The restaurant is clean with decent seating capacity, and the staff are friendly and accommodating.
Another thing we love about Boojum is that it’s kid-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. There’s also a wide range of food choices so there’s always something even for the pickiest eater—there are even vegetarian dishes, by the way!
We think you’ll also love that the food is served in large portions, which makes it good value for money. We recommend going hungry so you can enjoy the food better!
The location is good as well—accessible to everyone whether you’re strolling, bringing a car, or using public transportation.
Just a heads-up though—parking would be difficult. It also gets quite full yet it doesn’t accept reservations—so we also recommend coming during non-peak hours.
Pros
- Kid-friendly
- Vegetarian-friendly
- Fun and warm atmosphere
- A burrito bar
- Friendly and polite staff
- Serves fresh food
- Clean restaurant
- Large portions
- Wide range of food choices
- Accessible
Cons
- Doesn’t accept reservations
- Missing items in delivery orders
- Difficult parking
Customer Reviews
Serves fresh food
The restaurant is clean, with a good amount of seating for its size, arranged in a communal bench fashion. The food is fresh with plenty of options. Portions are large. Parking: No immediate parking in the area, you’ll have to use one of the local paid car parks. The park-and-ride bus stops very close to the restaurant. Wheelchair accessibility: The restaurant is wheelchair accessible but a bit tight on space—Alexander O’Shea, Google Reviews
Extensive menu choices
The food was very tasty, the menu was excellent, something for everyone, the staff were very friendly and helpful, the atmosphere was great, great music in the background, would highly recommend it. Well-managed restaurant.—Brendan Garry, Google Reviews
4. Zambrero

Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Variety and authenticity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
What we love about Zambrero is that it’s a kid-friendly place. So if you’re a family who loves eating out with the kids, then this is the perfect place for you!
First of all, this Mexican restaurant has a kids’ menu. Even your pickiest eater will have something to eat.
Second, the staff aren’t only accommodating to customers, but they’re particularly good with kids! We love how they pay attention to the youngest members of the family, making sure they’re comfortable.
The food is amazing as well! Some customers we’re able to chat with told us that their favorites are beef burritos and quesadillas—definitely a must-try! Though they also recommend chili con carne and tacos!
Speaking of food, you might want to come in really hungry. Zambrero serves food fresh and in huge portions, and you might not be able to finish yours if you’re just moderately hungry.
In terms of pricing, we can definitely say it’s worth paying for. Other than the serving size, it has that authentic Mexican flavour that you’re probably looking for.
Just a little warning though—it gets really busy, so when you come during peak hours, the service might be really slow. There’s also no advanced reservation so it makes it a little inconvenient.
Pros
- Has kids’ menu
- Flavourful and authentic food
- Vegan-friendly
- Accommodating staff
- Huge portions
- Serves food fresh
- Reasonable prices
- Extensive food choices
Cons
- No reservations
- Slow service
Customer Reviews
Kid-friendly
We often come here for Ice Cream with the kids. We get great service and good vibes from Jess and the gang. You have very good leadership here and we really appreciate the attention they give the kids. It’s a good spot—Richard Otto, Google Reviews
Serves food fresh
Have to say I was quite impressed with both the burrito & a bowl that I ordered last Saturday & Sunday. All the ingredients looked & tasted fresh including their daily made guacamole. Both times I arrived late afternoon so can’t say what it’s like during busy times. But all my visits the place was clean and staff extremely helpful & friendly. Thank you Zambrero for bringing delicious Mexican and adding the Feeding the hungry initiative!— Ryan F, Google Reviews
5. The Old Town Taqueria

Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Variety and authenticity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
If you’re a taco lover or just craving for tacos, we recommend going straight to The Old Town Taqueria. According to the locals, it has the best tacos in town, with several types of tacos on its menu!
If you’re not craving tacos, don’t worry because the restaurant also serves other Mexican foods. And we think you’ll love the fact that they’re always served fresh and have that authentic Mexican flavour.
The food presentation is amazing as well! It just shows that the chefs put so much effort into preparing the food, which we think deserves praise.
In terms of price, The Old Town Taqueria has a menu that suits all types of budgets. There are affordable items, but there are those that can be quite pricey.
Another thing we love about the place is the relaxing ambience. Other than the friendly faces, the restaurant plays relaxing background music that adds to the cosiness of the vibe.
The restaurant also has decent customer service. The friendly staff are usually attentive, but during peak hours, they can forget a few orders which can be inconvenient to the customers.
Also, it has limited vegan options. This might be a problem if you’re with people who have strict dietary requirements.
Pros
- Well-seasoned food
- Authentic Mexican taste
- “The best tacos” in town
- Attentive staff
- Great value for money
- Amazing food presentation
- Relaxing ambience
Cons
- Forgets to serve condiments
- Limited vegan options
Customer Reviews
Best tacos in town
This is probably the best place to get tacos in Cork. The style and presentation displayed on each plate are incredible and the tacos available provide an option for everyone from the meaty and rich birra tacos to the light and flavourful seabass tacos, this location is ideal for any kind of pallet. The staff are attentive and friendly, they seem to be finding their feet a little but we’re still on the ball at all times. An excellent experience at great value, give it a go—Sean O’Brien, Google Reviews
Friendly staff
Food was absolutely delicious and the staff were super friendly! Already looking forward to our next visit—Jordan Clarke, Google Reviews
FAQs About Mexican Restaurants in Cork
Here’s where our list ends! We hope you’ve found your Mexican restaurant match after reading our review. If you’re craving other international cuisines, try the Best Thai Restaurants in Cork or the Best Chinese Restaurants in Cork.