Mariachi and Mexican Restaurants in Medellin

Short on time? If you want to skip the hunt through the best Mexican restaurants in Medellin, head to Dos Santos, which offers up the best Mexican meals in Medellin.

When the dial hits 3:15 (tres quince), a colloquial expression for beyond tipsy, it means the girls from Medellin are ready to throw some Mariachi into the mix at one of the local Mexican restaurants.

Medellin’s mariachi-themed club scene has exploded in recent years following the runaway success of Fonda La Chismosa, first on La 70 and later on Avenida Las Palmas.

The raucous, Fonda-style, late-night party palace has spawned an impressive collection of copycats and variations on a taco- and tequila-flavored theme.

You might not know how to sing along but believe us this is one sure-fire güey to add some spice to your stay in Medellin.

If you’re looking for a hit of tasty Mexican food without the full-blown, tequila-fuelled craziness, this guide is for you. Let’s take a look at some of the best Mexican restaurants in Medellin!

Dos Santos

Dos Santos

Taking the hit formula that made La Chismosa so successful to another level, the popular nightclub’s owners created Dos Santos, a shrine to the pulling power of tasty tacos and live Mariachis.

Located in one of the most exclusive corners of Provenza, this temple to Mexican food elevates the whole Medellin Mariachi experience for a free-spending crowd that prefers not to be seen mixing with the masses.

Good-looking and fired up, the picture-perfect crowd doesn’t care about paying New York- prices for a cocktail as long as they get a chance to be seen flashing their cash in the company of Medellin’s models and movers and shakers. 

IG: @DosSantos.Mde

Address: Cra. 33 #7-165, Poblado, Medellín

La Cruda

La Cruda

Medellin’s beau monde used to come here for the food and stay late into the night in the cutesy nightclub downstairs. This Poblado spot is the perfect place to spend a night!

As the place has become more popular with pretty patrons, the food has fallen down the list of priorities but the tacos-to-go dispensary, Criminal Taqueria, serves up solid tacos to keep you tanked up for the tequila on tap.

The patio of this popular bar from the same stable as Burdo, Egeo, Botanica, Belisario, and Alberta Tastehouse, is the place to be seen on an evening in Medellin.

No live music here but the well-heeled crowd doesn’t care after the second bottle of Don Julio anyway.

IG:@LaCruda

Address: Cra. 35 #8a-125 Poblado, Medellin

La Malsentada

La Malsentada

Hitting a sweet spot that combines top-notch tacos and wicked churros with live music. Still, it doesn’t slip out of control but still gets packed out on most nights with fun-loving groups.

What makes this place great, however, is that the people here also know their limits. You’ll enjoy one of the best live music bars without too much crazy.

The bigger and better version in an old colonial house on the road to the airport offers a superior dining experience. To get here, just turn right after the tunnel to the airport!

Delightfully decked out, the Margaritas are kickass. Plus, the karaoke won’t have you running for the door and the sopa de tortilla has just the right amount of kick.

The lite version in Lalinde works if you’re in the mood for a nachos and fajita fix. Better yet, you don’t have to head up the hill.

IG: LaMalsentadaCo

Airport Location: Sta. Elena-Aeropuerto José María Córdova, Rionegro

Poblado Location: Carrera 36 #10b-30, Poblado, Medellin

Fonda La Chismosa

Fonda La Chismosa

This was the place that first hit on Medellin’s gilded Mexican formula. Mariachis meet mayhem on most nights at this OTT Fonda-themed nightclub. Here, you’ll find a crazy crowd of busty beauties and their plastic-flexing, plus-ones.

A celebrity mix of footballers, models, and musicians, put this place on the map. It first opened its doors on Avenida Las Palmas, and continues to thrive there today.

The girls leave little to the imagination in this contagiously kitsch canteen. If the live Mexican sing-a-long isn’t your thing, there’s a dingy basement downstairs for a bit of perreo.

If you need more Mariachi, La Chula, serves up a similarly spicy, Mexican mix next door. The version in La 70 is where it all started, it’s fun but a little too real for most gringos.

IG: @Fondalachismosa

Address: Cl. 18, Poblado, Medellín

Check Out Some of the Best Mexican Restaurants in Medellin

If you can’t get enough of Mexican food, we feel you. Luckily for you, there are tons of Mexican restaurants in Medellin.

Take your pick of this list and we’re confident you’ll find one that you fall in love with. Just remember to make it your go-to for taco and tequila Tuesday!

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