Mexican food in Laguna Beach

How Mexican food is spread across town

Six of the eleven places on this page sit in the Village, the downtown blocks around Forest Avenue, Ocean Avenue and Glenneyre Street. Their addresses spread along Broadway (Carmelita’s), Beach Street (Rasta Taco), Glenneyre and Mermaid streets (Laguna Feasts and La Sirena Grill) and South Coast Highway (South of Nick’s and The Taco Stand). Farther down the highway, past Anita Street, Wahoo’s and Avila’s are in the HIP District. Chelas is on North Coast Highway, Las Brisas is on Cliff Drive above the coast, and Coyote Grill is on Coast Highway in South Laguna.

Counters, sidewalks and sit-down rooms

Laguna Feasts and Wahoo’s are described as counter service. La Sirena Grill lists sidewalk dining at its Mermaid Street corner, and The Taco Stand lists outdoor seating. Carmelita’s has a patio, and South of Nick’s is laid out as a full kitchen and bar, with menu sections for combination plates, grill dishes and seafood.

If you are looking for a sit-down room with a view, Las Brisas is the one on this page built around the coast. For the sunset hour more generally, see sunset spots and the oceanfront restaurants page.

Breakfast and seafood overlap

Chelas serves its breakfast menu all day, and La Sirena Grill, The Taco Stand, Coyote Grill and Las Brisas also list breakfast. The breakfast and brunch page covers other morning options. Several kitchens here also cook fish. Wahoo’s is built around fish tacos, The Taco Stand lists grilled and battered fish, and Las Brisas and South of Nick’s have seafood sections. The seafood restaurants page lists more places by that search.

Reservations and walk-ins

Policies come from each venue and can change, so use these as a starting point. South of Nick’s says it offers a limited number of reservations each day and keeps part of the dining room for walk-ins. Las Brisas and Coyote Grill link to reservation pages. For the counter places, call ahead if you have a group. Hours are not printed here because they change; check each venue’s own site or call.

Parking and the trolley

Downtown parking is a mix of metered street spaces and city lots, and the parking guide explains how the meters and lots work. South of Nick’s lists valet parking, and The Taco Stand lists both onsite and street parking. The free Coastal Route trolley runs along Coast Highway from North Laguna through downtown to South Laguna, which suits the places on Coast Highway; the getting around guide has the routes. Broadway, where Carmelita’s sits, ends at Main Beach.

Other cuisines

Looking for something else? The Eat & drink hub lists every page, including sushi and Japanese, Italian and pizza and restaurants in the HIP District.