Best Mexican Restaurants in Tampa, Florida

While there are several Mexican restaurants out there, and I'm sure many of you have watched a lot of them close down, these few I believe are here to stay. If you're looking for the most authentic Mexican food you can find without traveling to Mexico, then you should give these places a try.

Estella's - There are two locations which offer something different when it comes to atmosphere. These actually aren't too overly done up in a Mexican motif, but the food is quite authentic Mexican. The location on Davis Island in Tampa offers indoor and outdoor seating and is located among a strip center which as of this writing is getting a face lift. Don't expect much of a view as the outdoor seating is fronted by parking and the main drag on Davis Island. The service here is friendly, but I must say the salsa and chips delivered to your table are not the best I've ever had. Let's face it, chips are chips more or less but the salsa can make all the difference and this is very plain salsa which seems to me to contain only crushed tomatoes and green chilies. I guess I could be a little hard on that topic because of my own homemade salsa. I feel salsa should have lots of flavors and colors and this just doesn't. The food portions though are large and the price is just right. I usually get a taco platter which I find to be very tasty and loaded with meat and all the trimmings. The rice here is also very good. There is another location on South Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa which is just north of MacDill AFB. I stopped here for lunch last week for the first time and there was a gentlemen just inside the door playing a guitar and it was only lunchtime which made for a nice change in the middle of the day. All the lunches were are under $10 and and the dinners are slightly more. For more information check out their website at www.estelas.com.

El Pancho's Villa (Chico's) - Unfortunately this is not located in Tampa, however since I work near downtown and drive there everyday, this little place is worth the drive if you're looking for authentic, excellent Mexican food. I first discovered this little gem about 10 years ago when I moved to the Tampa area with its only location in San Antonio near Dade City (Zephyrhills) which is a quaint tiny little restaurant that was and is popular with the weekend motorcycle adventurers not to mention just a local favorite. Fortunately, I discovered early on that if you wanted to get right in and get a seat, that required arriving when they opened or for a very late lunch because this place was constantly bustling with hungry diners waiting for a table and believe me, there is no waiting room inside. Apparently the traffic was too much for this little piece of heaven and a second location was opened in Zephyrhills. This then became a weekend regular visit for us as well as others who were familiar with the original location. Recently though, due to personal issues, the restaurant in Zephyrhills has relocated to a new location and will soon change their name to Chico's. The name of the San Antonio location will remain the same. The plus side that I see to this new location is a nice patio area to dine in. However, the food has only become better since this new move and should keep diners coming back for more. The prices are very, very reasonable whether for the food or the drinks and in the ten years frequenting both locations, have never once been disappointed in the food. You can reach the San Antonio location for hours and directions at (352) 588-3037 and the Zephyrhills location at (813) 788.8848.

Tijuana Flats - Since this restaurant, which is fairly new to the area, has many chains, you can check out their web site for the location nearest to you at www.tijuanaflats.com/. Simply put, this is an Orlando-based chain restaurant that features some of the freshest tasting Mexican food around. Personally I have never seen fixings that are brighter and fresher looking and the hot sauce bar can't be beat either. Just watch out and sample sparingly so you don't ruin your tongue before you get to taste the food. The prices are equivalent to most Mexican restaurants, but I can assure you the servings are ample. This is a great restaurant for a work-day lunch break and a meeting place for many. Don't forget to chase down all that hot sauce with an ice cold beer or glass of wine.