Dubai absolutely loves Mexican food, and at last count the city had more than 120 restaurants all claiming to do the best and most authentic dishes this side of Tijuana.
But lots doesn’t mean good. Which is why over the years Esquire has kept tabs on a few of the best new additions to the Mexican food scene in Dubai, as well as some of our personal favorites.
The following restaurants excel in a variety of things; be it from an authentic taco experience to Mexican fine-dining (or staff that dress up as Luchador Mexican wrestlers). Each has its own charm, and each does food good enough to warrant being on the list.
La Tablita Dubai
La Tablita is a funky Mexican restaurant that hidden right at the pack of the Hyatt Regency hotel near Creek Park. This place is deservedly famous for its tacos, which are cheap and cheerfully delicious (especially the fried fish tacos).
Zoco
This high-end Latino bar and restaurant features a fantastic bar, some good cocktails and a great Taco Tuesday deal (AED10 per taco). Live music adds to the overall theme of the restaurant, which gets going at around 8pm.
Maya Mexican Kitchen and Bar
La Royal Meridien’s two-story Mexican features a vast dining room below and a popping bar up top. The tacos and quesadilla are standout here, as are the fajitas. One would imagine any restaurant on the list to be good at those things, but there’s extra attention to detail here and that’s mostly down to the ingredients. Save room for the homemade churros (if you can).
Tortuga Mexican Kitchen and Bar
Located within the vast tourist compound that is the Madinat Jumeirah, Tortuga has stunning views to enjoy alongside your tableside-made guacamole served and purple tortilla chips. The food goes above and beyond the taco and quesadilla staples, with dishes such as meatballs in a rich chipotle sauce.
Luchador
Luchador employs a range of (kitsch?) activities to get bums on Mexican seats; including its fan favorite salsa night. Fortunately, the food holds up to the marketing; the staple dishes are all cooked well but the real star are some of the sides. Expect creamy corn topped with truffle oil and rosemary mayo and three types of guacamole.
Puerto99
The newly opened restaurant in Bluewaters has a lively upstairs bar and downstairs dining area. The views are good, and the restaurant is keen to say it specializes in authentic dishes (no Tex-Mex here). The baja shrimp tacos with large battered prawns are great, as are the steak – both complete with a layer of crispy fried cheese.
Loca Restaurant & Bar
For most people in Dubai, Loca set the standard for Mexican food in the city. The restaurant has been alive and well at the Dubai Marine Beach Resort for a good long time (which given the high rate of restaurant turnover in the city, is no easy feat). That’s because it has a laid-back bar and great Mexican food, and was one of the first restaurants to offer the now ubiquitous table-side guacamole. The portions are also generous, so arrive hungry.
Did we miss your favourite Mexican restaurant? Send us your recomendation.
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Esquire Facebook page and ‘Follow’ on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.
