Xalisco Latin Cuisine is one of sixth restaurants in Oregon that topped Yelps Top 100 U.S. Taco Spots list in 2023. 

Xalisco Latin Cuisine in Redmond has the sixth-best tacos in the U.S., according to Yelp.

Co-owner Lupe Medina attributes the restaurant’s success to Head Chef Angel Buenrostro Medina’s culinary expertise. Angel attended culinary school in Guadalajara before going on to design the menu at Xalisco and Redmond’s Carnaval Mexican Grill.

Lupe opened Xalisco in May 2021 with her brother Evaristo Medina and sister Angeles Medina after losing her job in California during the pandemic.

However, there was one detail that Yelp didn’t get right. The article incorrectly referred to Angel as Evaristo’s son, instead of Angeles’. But for Lupe, the error didn’t dampen the prestige of the national recognition.

“I’m just happy — happy with the job that we are doing,” Lupe said, adding that she’s grateful for the community’s reception of the family restaurant. “You can see (the customer’s) faces, that they really enjoy our meal,” she said.

Scratch-made corn tortillas

One of the chef’s secrets is making the corn tortillas from scratch daily. Diners at Xalisco are met with a small stack of complimentary tortillas, kept warm inside a tortilla server and served with a side of salsa instead of the standard tortilla chips.

Spinach and cilantro are rolled into the dough, coloring the tortillas a light green. The tacos are listed in groups of three on the menu and include fried octopus drizzled with chipotle aioli ($17), shrimp flambéed with mezcal ($17) and fried halibut ($17), among others.

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Taste-testing the tacos

I bit into the shrimp tacos to find the expertly crafted flavors immediately apparent. Juicy shrimp were cut into small, bite-size pieces, complemented by the sweetness of the pineapple and the saltiness of the bacon.

The tacos were served in a taco tray with a side of spicy peanut sauce. The most forward flavor of the bright orange sauce was the added chile pepper, which rounded out the tacos as a whole.

The high-quality ingredients were evident in the carne asada, chicken and carnitas street tacos my dining partner ordered from the five types of meat available ($16).

It’s the small details that make a big difference, such as the squeeze of lime and the freshness of the handmade tortillas, he said.

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Yelp Reviews

Yelp reviewers have expressed their appreciation for Xalisco with glowing reviews.

“The salsas were so complex, (and the) flavors rich and perfectly balanced,” said Rachel C.

“One of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at,” said Bob K., who has lived in Redmond for over one year.

Francisco C. said, “I would highly recommend the mushroom tacos to any fungi lovers out there. So moist and flavorful. Definitely the best mushroom tacos I’ve had out at a restaurant.”

Data for Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Taco Spots was compiled by identifying businesses in the restaurant and taco categories on the popular online directory and ranking those spots by volume and ratings of user reviews.

Xalisco is one of six restaurants in Oregon on Yelp’s top 100 taco list and is followed by La Pachanga Mexican Food in Aloha at number 12, Chilango PDX in Portland at number 39, Tito’s Taquitos in Portland at number 64, Matt’s BBQ Tacos in Portland at number 84 and Taqueria Tulancingo in McMinnville at number 91.

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