El Vez
401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd (in the W Hotel), elvezftlauderdale.com
Funky décor, an excellent value weekday happy hour and a great breakfast menu for anybody who wants to get their taco on in the AM hours – El Vez brings some much needed caliente style to the beach.
Alegria Taco
3801 N Andrews Ave., Oakland Park
Blink and you’ll miss this tiny place. But the attentive Andrews driver will be rewarded with an authentic mom-and-pop place that serves classic, authentic Mexican food – and leaves some change in your wallet. Because of the size, take-out is the easiest option, but there are several tables.
Casa Frida
5441 N Federal Hwy., casafridamexicancuisine.com
Named for Frida Kahlo and with décor inspired by her work and that of her husband, Diego Rivera, this place offers a stimulating cultural trip across all of Mexico’s regions. The menu intersperses familiar favorites with dishes that might be less known to patrons of traditional American Mexican restaurants. It’s definitely worth the trip.
La Bamba Mexican & Spanish Restaurants
4245 N Federal Hwy. & 1901 Cordova Rd., labamba123.com
This Fort Lauderdale institution – the two Fort Lauderdale restaurants make up a third of the overall number of La Bambas, with two each also in west Broward and Palm Beach – does things big and fun. Ample, cheesey Mexican-American food is on offer, as are traditional American dishes and a great margarita menu.
Taquería Doña Raquel
791 S Dixie Hwy., Pompano Beach, taqueriadonaraquel.com
You’ll likely get to meet Doña Raquel herself in this family-oriented spot where $10 will get you, for example, a slow-cooked lamb taco, a grilled steak taco with sausage and a pulled ribs taco. And the restaurant even has its own Mexican folkloric dance group, Grupo Folklorica Timanati, founded by Doña Raquel’s daughter, Maria.
