[EJones368]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

They have had a bad habit of not keeping up with food sanitation but food is usually very good

If you don't mind eating unsanitary food.....

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Tequila Cantina isn't really an "authentic" Mexican restaurant. It's a combination Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant. Fajitas are a Tex-Mex invention, they're not on menus or in homes in Mexico.

I wanted steak tacos but they don't offer that, they only offer ground beef or shredded chicken, unless you pay extra for "street tacos" which are actually cheaper to make than the regular tacos. Ground beef on crispy corn taco shells is an American thing, it's not a Mexican thing.

For authentic Mexican I go to the taqueria on 301, called Viva Mexico, up near 42. They make the tortillas to order, the carne asada is not oversalted, it's simple but delicious food, and sometimes a rooster from the farm in the neighbor's yard will come to keep you company as you eat under a tarp on a picnic table.

Their customer base is primarily Mexican. But the women who run the place are English-speakers so you don't have to order in Spanish unless you want to.

They also have a couple of off-menu items, I'm pretty sure I saw one of the customers eating a bowl of pozole, and that's definitely not on the menu.

They're a stationary food truck. They're in the process of moving next door and putting up an outbuilding with an actual kitchen but they were hit with sticker shock when they went to have it built. So that's delayed.

I'd go for the authentic Mexican food. I'll pass on the rooster

[Miboater]

La Palma in Leesburg is pretty good and probably the cleanest Mexican restaurant I've ever been in.

[vinricci]

Fresh Jalapeños on 441.

[ekohan]

Campo azul in summerfield
Excellent food & wonderful atmosphere

[Michael 61]

- Native Californian here as well - good luck finding anything close to “authentic” Mexican in The Villages. The salsa in most places tastes more like ketchup than a good spicy salsa made of fresh ingredients and chilis. There’s a passable Mexican restaurant up in Ocala that is adjacent to a Mexican market. Caters to a Latin clientele, and you hear lots of Spanish being spoken. Good sign! For street tacos there’s a few taco trucks just outside the bubble that serve up good carne asada.

[chuckpedrey]

I have been going to El Ranchito in La Plaza Grande for over 20 years. It’s the first Mexican restaurant in The Villages.

[polirudb]

Always a good meal and good service at Fresh Jalapeños and El Ranchito (the one near Spanish Springs). I do not know enough about Mexican food to know if they are "authentic" or not, but the chips, salsa and main dishes are always good.

[jimleas]

Most of the food I have eaten in Mexico was terrible. So the last thing I would be looking for is AUTHENTIC Mexican food. But that's just me.

[Markkal]

Authentic, Very good. in Leesburg. not too far

Originally Posted by Fran from MI

Looking for the best authentic Mexican Restaurant near The Villages.

[Topspinmo]

My choice Mexican at home, I grow my own Chili’s from seeds I save (NewMex Big Jim’s) Rico’s, jalapeños, pimentos and Cajun belle This year. I find nearly all authentic so called restaurants around here all taste same, kinda bland? Or it could be just me…

[manaboutown]

Anybody know of a nearby Mexican/Tex-Mex style restaurant serving good menudo, tamales, carne adovada and sopaipillas?

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by jimleas

Most of the food I have eaten in Mexico was terrible. So the last thing I would be looking for is AUTHENTIC Mexican food. But that's just me.

I prefer TexMex but just hard find good one.

[rzandbergen]

Los Magueros on 331 by the Ace Hardware is the best IMO.

[Danube]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

(The beans that are ‘refried’ actually come from a powder)

Who told you that? You are obviously not drom the Southwest or anywhere refried beans are common. You can buy refried beans in giant cans from major food companies, like "real Mexicans" do all the time. What would be the point in making beans into a powder except for hikers or survival packs?

Refried beans - Wikipedia