Country menu guides
How to read a menu in Mexico
A Mexican menu usually starts with entradas (starters) and soups, then antojitos — corn-based snacks such as tacos, quesadillas and sopes — and platos fuertes (main dishes), with drinks and desserts at the end. Prices are in pesos even though they're written with a "$" sign, and must include tax. The tip (propina) is voluntary and not usually on the bill; 10–15% is typical in sit-down restaurants.
How the menu is organized
How to order: antojitos, orders and comida corrida
Tacos and other antojitos are often ordered by the orden — a plate of several — or one at a time at a taquería. Ask for them con todo (with onion, coriander and salsa), then taste the table salsas before spooning them on: the mildest-looking can be the hottest.
Mexico's main meal, la comida, is eaten in the afternoon, roughly 14:00–16:00. Small family restaurants (fondas) serve a comida corrida: a fixed-price set lunch, typically a soup, rice or pasta, a main dish (guisado), an agua del día and sometimes a small dessert. Breakfast (desayuno) is generous; dinner (cena) is later and often lighter — street tacos are a classic choice.
Waiters rarely bring the bill unasked. Say la cuenta, por favor or make a writing gesture in the air.
Regional menus
- Mexico City: tacos al pastor, suadero tacos, tlacoyos, and quesadillas that only have cheese if you ask con queso.
- Oaxaca: several moles, tlayudas, stringy quesillo cheese, chapulines and mezcal.
- Puebla: mole poblano and, in late summer, chiles en nogada.
- Yucatán: cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, panuchos, and habanero salsas served on the side.
- Jalisco: birria, torta ahogada, pozole rojo and tequila.
- The north: flour tortillas, carne asada and dried beef (machaca).
- The coasts: fish a la talla, aguachile, ceviche and seafood cocktails.
Water and drinks
Locals drink bottled or purified water (agua purificada) rather than tap water. Restaurants usually make drinks and ice with purified water, but that isn't guaranteed everywhere; if in doubt, order bottled water (agua embotellada) and drinks sin hielo (without ice). Many places offer an agua fresca of the day — hibiscus (jamaica), tamarind or horchata (sweet rice drink, sometimes made with milk). A michelada is beer with lime, salt and sauces, and some versions include Clamato, which contains clam juice.
Reading prices and the bill
The $ sign on a Mexican menu means pesos. Places quoting US dollars write USD or dlls. Under federal consumer law, the price shown must be the total you pay, taxes (IVA) included, and PROFECO says a tip can't be added without your consent.
When you pay by card, the waiter usually brings the terminal to the table and asks how much tip to add (¿cuánto de propina?). You can give a percentage, an amount, or tip in cash instead. Check the bill first for any servicio or propina sugerida line so you don't tip twice — more in propina.
Words you’ll see on the menu
| On the menu | Meaning |
|---|---|
| al pastor | spit-roasted marinated pork, often with pineapple |
| asado / carne asada | grilled / grilled beef |
| a la parrilla / a la plancha | grilled / cooked on a griddle |
| dorado | fried until crisp (tacos dorados = rolled crispy tacos) |
| empanizado | breaded |
| capeado | dipped in an egg batter and fried |
| guisado | stew; the ready-made fillings at a taquería de guisados |
| a la mexicana | with tomato, onion and green chilli |
| al mojo de ajo | in garlic butter or garlic oil |
| a la diabla | in a fiery red chilli sauce |
| a la talla | butterflied fish grilled with chilli paste (Pacific coast) |
| en salsa verde / roja | in green (tomatillo) / red (tomato or dried chilli) sauce |
| ahogada | 'drowned' in sauce (torta ahogada) |
| quesadilla | folded filled tortilla; in Mexico City cheese is not always included |
| sope | thick corn base with a pinched rim and toppings |
| tostada | flat crisp tortilla with toppings |
| gordita | thick corn cake split and stuffed |
| tlayuda | large crisp Oaxacan tortilla with beans and toppings |
| tamal / tamales | corn dough steamed in a husk or leaf |
| enchiladas | rolled tortillas covered in chilli sauce |
| chilaquiles | tortilla chips simmered in salsa, a breakfast dish |
| mole | rich sauce of chillies, spices, seeds, often nuts and chocolate |
| pozole | hominy (corn) stew with pork or chicken |
| cochinita pibil | Yucatán slow-cooked pork with achiote and bitter orange |
| chiles en nogada | stuffed poblano chillies in walnut sauce (seasonal, late summer) |
| chile relleno | stuffed poblano chilli, usually battered and fried |
| birria | chilli-braised goat or beef |
| carnitas | pork slow-cooked in its own fat |
| aguachile | raw shrimp 'cooked' in lime and chilli |
| guacamole | mashed avocado with onion, chilli, coriander |
| elote / esquites | corn on the cob / corn kernels in a cup, with mayo, cheese and chilli |
| torta | sandwich in a crusty roll |
| res | beef |
| cerdo / puerco | pork |
| pollo | chicken |
| suadero | thin, tender beef cut (Mexico City tacos) |
| lengua / tripa / cabeza | tongue / tripe / head meat |
| chorizo | spiced pork sausage |
| camarón | shrimp, prawn |
| pulpo | octopus |
| frijoles refritos / de la olla | refried beans / whole stewed beans |
| manteca | lard (not butter) |
| queso fresco / Oaxaca / cotija | fresh white cheese / stringy melting cheese / salty aged crumbly cheese |
| crema | Mexican soured cream |
| nopales | cactus paddles |
| huitlacoche | corn fungus, an earthy delicacy |
| flor de calabaza | squash blossoms |
| chapulines | toasted grasshoppers (Oaxaca) |
| tortillas de maíz / de harina | corn / wheat-flour tortillas |
| totopos | tortilla chips |
| con todo | with everything (onion, coriander, salsa) |
| pica / picante | it's spicy / spicy |
| sin chile | without chilli |
| orden / media orden | a plate (e.g. a plate of several tacos) / half a plate |
| comida corrida / menú del día | set lunch of several courses at a fixed price |
| agua fresca / agua de jamaica / horchata | fruit water / hibiscus drink / sweet rice drink |
| propina | tip (voluntary) |
| propina sugerida / servicio incluido | suggested tip / service included |
| IVA incluido | VAT included |
| la cuenta | the bill |
| MN / MXN / pesos | Mexican pesos (the $ sign usually means pesos, not dollars) |
Charges and extras on the bill
| On the menu | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Propina | Tip | Voluntary by law. In sit-down restaurants, typically 10–15% of the bill; it is not normally added to the bill and can't be charged without your consent. |
| Propina sugerida / Servicio | Suggested tip / service | Some tourist-area restaurants print suggested percentages or add a service line. You only pay it if you agree; check before tipping on top. |
| IVA | VAT | 16% in most of the country. Displayed prices must be the total you pay, taxes included. |
| Consumo mínimo | Minimum spend | PROFECO, the consumer agency, says businesses may not make entry conditional on a minimum spend. |
| $ / MXN / USD | Currency | "$" on a Mexican menu means pesos. Places that quote US dollars normally write USD or dlls. |
Allergen traps
| Allergen | Where it hides |
|---|---|
| Pork / lard (diet) | Lard (manteca) often goes into refried beans, tamal dough, some flour tortillas and the fat used for sopes and gorditas; frijoles charros contain pork. |
| Peanuts and tree nuts | Mole poblano often contains peanuts and almonds; chiles en nogada have a walnut sauce; salsa macha and some pipián sauces may include peanuts. |
| Sesame | Many moles contain sesame seeds and are sprinkled with them. |
| Gluten | Flour tortillas (common in the north), tortas, breaded or battered dishes, and many moles thickened with bread. |
| Dairy | Crema and crumbled cheese on enchiladas, chilaquiles and tacos; elote and esquites with cheese and mayonnaise; tres leches cake. |
| Shellfish and fish | Micheladas made with Clamato (clam juice); Worcestershire sauce (salsa inglesa, contains anchovy) in drinks and seafood cocktails; shrimp stock in some soups. |
| Eggs | The batter on chile relleno and other capeado dishes, flan, mayonnaise on elote. |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
Useful phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Una mesa para dos, por favor. | A table for two, please. |
| ¿Me trae la carta, por favor? | Could you bring me the menu, please? |
| ¿Qué me recomienda? | What do you recommend? |
| Me da una orden de tacos al pastor, por favor. | I'll have a plate of tacos al pastor, please. |
| ¿Pica mucho? | Is it very spicy? |
| Sin chile, por favor. | Without chilli, please. |
| Soy alérgico / alérgica a los cacahuates. | I'm allergic to peanuts. (alérgico if you are a man, alérgica if you are a woman) |
| ¿Los frijoles llevan manteca? | Are the beans made with lard? |
| ¿La propina está incluida? | Is the tip included? |
| La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. |
Dishes to know
- Tacos al pastor
- Chilaquiles
- enchiladas
- Mole poblano
- pozole
- tamales
- Chiles en nogada
- Cochinita pibil
- Quesadilla
- sopes
- Tlayuda
- Guacamole
- elote
- carnitas
- Birria
- huevos rancheros
- chile relleno
- Aguachile
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
Frequently asked questions
How much should you tip in restaurants in Mexico?
In sit-down restaurants, a tip of typically 10–15% of the bill is customary, and some people leave more for excellent service. At taquerías and street stalls, rounding up or leaving a few pesos is enough. The tip is voluntary by law, so it's your decision, and it's best given in pesos rather than in foreign currency.
Is the tip included in the bill in Mexico?
Usually not. A tip in Mexico is voluntary, and the consumer agency PROFECO says restaurants can't add it to the bill without your consent. Some tourist-area places print a "propina sugerida" or a service line; you only pay it if you agree. Check the bill before tipping so you don't pay twice, and ask "¿la propina está incluida?" if unsure.
Does the $ sign on a Mexican menu mean dollars?
No. In Mexico the "$" sign normally means Mexican pesos, and a $150 dish costs 150 pesos. Restaurants that charge in US dollars usually say so with USD or dlls. If a price seems surprisingly high or low, ask "¿son pesos?" before ordering. Paying by card in pesos usually avoids poor exchange rates.
What is comida corrida in Mexico?
Comida corrida is a fixed-price set lunch served at small family restaurants called fondas. It typically includes a soup, rice or pasta, a main dish, a fruit water and sometimes a small dessert, and it changes daily. It's usually the best-value sit-down meal in town and is served in the afternoon, when Mexicans eat their main meal.
Do refried beans in Mexico contain lard?
Often, yes. Refried beans (frijoles refritos) are traditionally fried in lard (manteca), and lard also goes into many tamales and some flour tortillas. Some restaurants use vegetable oil instead, but you can't tell by looking. If you avoid pork or eat vegetarian, ask "¿los frijoles llevan manteca?" or order whole beans (frijoles de la olla).
