Where can you find the best Mexican food in Riyadh? Let’s taco bout it. From miniature soft-shells stuffed with shrimp to deep-fried and bursting with barbacoa beef, there are plenty of top combinations that will make you cry “mas, por favor” at the nearest sombrero-wearing waiter.
Live every day like it’s Taco Tuesday and check out these Riyadh restaurants. While some are dedicated to Mexican food only, others add a hint of Asian fusion or have a few taco options as part of a wider menu.
Whatever you’re going for, it’ll be a mexcellent choice (okay, okay, we’ll stop now).
Amigos
Amigos has been serving up Mexican favourites like tacos, burritos and chimichangas to customers since 2003, so it’s a proper Riyadh foodie institution, and you’ll struggle to find a corner of the restaurant without a cactus or sombrero. Talking tacos, the fillings on offer are beef, chicken, shrimp or fish served in crisp shells with cheese, lettuce and tomato – it’s just SAR15 for a single. Or for something different without the crunch, try the taco burger, which stuffs all those delicious fillings into a bread bun.
Open Sat-Thu 11am-2am, Fri 1pm-2am. Al Barud, Salahuddin (011 450 9575).
Billionaire
Amid plush, velvety interiors, fashionably extravagant cabaret restaurant Billionaire serves up an extensive (and pricey) menu of Italian-Asian fusion cuisine to eager diners. Hidden away under the signature dishes is a trio of wagyu beef tacos with spicy guacamole plus a Japanese-style dressing combining soy sauce, sugar, onion, kiwi, apple and pineapple sugar.
Open Tue-Sat 7pm-12.30am, Sun 7pm-midnight, Mon 7pm-12.30am. Dabab St. Sulaimaniya, billionairesociety.com (9200 11916).
Buffalo’s Southwest Cafe
This loud-and-proud chain is shamelessly all-American from the moment you walk in. There’s a whole section devoted to chicken wings served in different ways, but we’re here for the tacos. You’ll find them under the ‘Southwest Specialities’ list in two varieties (breaded shrimp or boneless wings). These Buffalo bad-boys come doused in lettuce, pico de gallo salad and blue cheese dip.
Open daily 8am-midnight. Prince Muhammad Ibn Saad Ibn Abdulaziz Rd, Al Olaya (011 279 2123).
Don Puro
Cast aside your expectations of garish red, green and white decor and loud mariachi music and step in to the surprisingly elegant Don Puro Lounge. Chicken, beef and shrimp tacos are on the menu as well as jalapeno cheese rolls and quasadillas – all served well into the early hours of the morning. You’ll also find a wide range of shisha options on the menu here. Nothing says Mexico like fajitas and fahm (that’s coal).
Open Sat-Wed 5pm-12.30am, Thu and Fri 5pm-2.30am. As Sahafah, instagram.com/donpuro.ksa (050 064 7090).
Firegrill
Burritos, tacos, rice bowls and salads are served up super-fast at Firegrill, which is essentially the Saudi Arabian version of Chipotle. The best bit is that you can customise those tacos to your heart’s content. Kick things off with a dual soft-shell, then pick a protein from options including sirloin stake, lime-cilantro shrimp or chipotle chicken before topping it all off with your choice of rice, salsa and extras. You’ll be taking away those tacos in no time.
Opening times vary. Various branches including King Abdul Aziz Rd, Al Ghadir, firegrill.com.sa (011 422 2446).
Kumar
An Indian restaurant in Riyadh Park by trade, Kumar isn’t your usual taco spot. But diners constantly rave about two particularly inventive dishes on the eatery’s menu with a Mexican twist. The pueblito chicken tacos are wrapped in a fresh, hot chapati bread and doused in tangy mango salsa, while the buffalo version comes with creamy sauce, avocado and rocket. A different take on a classic, but one that’s more than worth trying.
Open daily noon-midnight. Riyadh Park, Al Aqiq, kumarksa.com (058 179 7295).
Mexika
Another option for when you need tacos and need them now, fast-food joint Mexika kicks off its combos with cheese and sour cream in a soft-shell tortilla before layering with everything from lemon chicken to barbacoa and striploin steak. There are loads of options here, including vegetarian offerings, and you can double the fillings for an extra fee, so get experimenting with those combos to find your favourite.
Sat-Wed 10am-1am, Thu 10am-2am, Fri 12.30pm-2am. Al Ghadeer Square, mexika.com.sa (011 234 2100).
Tokyo
What’s a Japanese restaurant doing on a taco list, we hear you ask? Alongside sushi dishes like ngiri and temaki rolls, Tokyo has snuck two hard-shell creations onto the menu and they’re proving a hit with diners. Try the wagyu beef or shrimp versions along with your noodles – it sounds like an odd combination, but just trust us on this one.
Open daily 12.30pm-midnight. Al Urubah Rd, As Sulimaniyah, tokyoarabia.com (9200 09662).
Wabi Sabi
Sample jackfruit tacos while taking in Wabi Sabi’s bohemian vegan vibes and you’ll struggle not to go vegan. Straight from a tropical tree, it closely mimics the texture of pulled meat when prepared the right way. This version, complete with dairy-free sour cream, would give even the most stubborn of carnivores something to think about.Open daily 9.30am-11.30pm. King Muhammad V, As Sulimaniyah, wabisabiksa.com (011 239 9991).
