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The 2023-2024 Flagpole Guide To Athens, GA

Restaurants Mexican and South American

  • Agua Linda Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

    agualindarestaurant.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2080 Timothy Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-543-0154 View Map

    • 1376 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-5711 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • A mix of Americanized Mexican and more authentic stuff in a family atmosphere. Normaltown location has a gorgeous rooftop bar with a mural and nice views. The restaurant's food truck (La Carreta) pops up around town, including at breweries, and has great birria tacos that are occasionally available at the brick-and-mortar locations.

  • Barberitos Southwestern Grille & Cantina

    barberitos.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1880 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-354-0300 View Map

    • 1739 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-1866 View Map

    • 1860 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-549-9954 View Map

    • 259 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-9008 View Map

    • 2 S. Main St. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-1228 View Map

    • 680 N. Hwy. 29 Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-5299 View Map

    • 1180 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-1701 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer (Clayton St.), catering, outside seating, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally owned burrito chain has expanded throughout the Southeast but remains Athens-y. Serves health-oriented Mexican-ish fare, highlighting low-fat options. Everything is customizable to your taste/dietary needs: burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, tacos, nachos and salads, lots of veggies; vegetarian and vegan options.

  • Birrieria & Taqueria Jalisco

    birriadejalisco.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 494 Broad St. Nicholson, GA 30565. 678-767-2912 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Tacos, grilled meats and Mexican standards, but the real attraction is the birria, a meaty stew highlighting goat or lamb, darkly spicy with ancho chiles. Pendergrass location, too.

  • Cali 'N' Tito's

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1254 Cedar Shoals Dr. Athens, GA 30605. 706-355-7087 View Map

    • 1427 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30605. 706-227-9979 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Outside seating, beer, wine and margaritas (Eastside), delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Both locations of this Athens original do Latin American food with a Peruvian influence: lomo saltado, big sandwiches, plantains (sweet and savory), yuca, tacu tacu (rice and beans topped with eggs) and much more. Lots of veggie choices. Eastside location is bigger and full of quarter-operated kiddie rides. Lumpkin has a small fee to BYOB. 

  • Celia's Bakery

    facebook.com/celiasbakeryga

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 9029 Hwy. 29 N. Hull, GA 30646. 706-850-2021

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Seven days. • Donuts, tamales and an absolute rainbow of Mexican sweet breads (conchas that resemble jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween and much, much more), all well priced and nicely made.

  • Chipotle

    chipotle.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 165 Alps Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-7210 View Map

    • 1797 Oconee Connector Oconee, GA 30622 . 762-234-5100

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Counter service, take-out, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Dos Palmas Mexican Grill

    athens-dospalmas.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 3523 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-7771 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, catering, curbside pick-up, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Americanized Mexican staples done well: tacos, burritos, nachos, fajitas, quesadillas, big burritos, enchiladas, queso, fish tacos, fried ice cream. Margaritas, lots of tequilas.

  • El Bajío Restaurant and Taqueria

    facebook.com/elbajioathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 400 Hawthorne Ave. Ste. 12 Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-1191

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • You can get Tex Mex or Americanized Mexican stuff here, but the better bet is to dig into the seafood section of the menu. The siete mares soup is particularly good.

  • El Barrio

    elbarrioathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1331 S. Milledge Ave. Athens GA 30605. 706-850-0708

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Full bar, curbside pick-up, delivery, outside seating, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Most of the restaurant is outside, and the lawn is often busy with a Five Points crowd. Tacos (including veggie and vegan choices) that change out regularly, plus other Mexican-ish standards, kids menu and a serious bar with lots of tequilas, a selection of mezcals, beer buckets and build-your-own margs.

  • Garfias Mexican Restaurant

    garfiasmex.odoo.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 225 Cherokee Road, Suite 1 Winterville, GA 30683. 706-899-0250

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, outside seating, take-out, beer and wine. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • New Mexican place in Winterville has a big menu (with a section for kids) that includes your standard dips and quesadillas, fried and grilled fish, seafood soup, "tacos gringos" (hardshell with ground beef or chicken, lettuce and cheese), churros and lunch combos. Margs, aguas and horchata to drink.

  • Iguana's Mexican Grill

    iguanasmexgrill.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 2024 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-5324

    File UnderMexican and South American. Features: Delivery. Hours: Lunch, dinner, late night. Cheerful, colorful Mexican and Americanized Mexican restaurant with a big chalkboard menu, enabling flexibility. Giant burritos, good rajas tacos, sandwiches, loaded fries, tasty esquites in a cup. Kids menu. Kitchen is open until midnight.

  • J&J Flea Market

    jandjfleamarket.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 11661 Commerce Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-613-2410 View Map

    File Under: American, Mexican. Features: Outside seating, counter service. • Wander around the flea market inside and outside and find some eats while you’re there. La Michoacana…es Natural has its ice cream/paleta truck there most weekends. Options inside include Taqueria Mi Tierra and a place that offers pizza and other crowd-pleasing foods.

  • Kique's Kitchen

    instagram.com/kiqueskitchen_

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 18 Barnett Shoals Rd Athens, GA 30677. 706-705-6066

    File Under: Mexican and South American Features: Catering, outside seating, take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Birria-focused, adorable, family-run restaurant in a new location with some seating inside and out. Quesatacos, ramen, burgers, ceviche, plus the hearty meat stew that forms the basis of most of its menu. Kids menu. Aguas frescas made in house.

  • La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant

    lacabanamexican.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2061 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-769-4490

    • 2971 Monroe Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 678-661-0571

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Americanized Mexican in a stone-walled interior (both locations). Queso, burritos, combo plates, fajitas, quesadillas and lots of lunch specials. Yes, you can get a margarita or a Mexican beer, as well as a pineapple topped with chicken, chorizo and cheese. Kids menu.

  • La Fiesta

    facebook.com/lafiestaofathens

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1395 College Station Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-549-5933 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Popular Americanized Mexican fare: burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, taquitos, nachos, tacos and quesadillas. Special entrees and combo plates. Margaritas, Mexican beers, domestics and house wines.

  • La Michoacana Antojitos Mexicanos

    instagram.com/michoacana_aths

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 3750 Old Jefferson Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-206-5260

    File Under: Frozen Treats, Mexican. Features: Counter service, take-out, outside seating. Hours: Seven days. • Hundreds of flavors of popsicles and ice cream in this shop attached to La Jalisco grocery store and taqueria. Also: street-food snacks like a grilled ear of corn encrusted with Hot Cheetos, agua fresca with ice cream, sliced mango with chile powder and a fruit cup topped with spicy gummy worms.

  • La Michoacana Es Natural

    instagram.com/lamichoacana_esnatural

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1635 Glenn Carrie Road Hull, GA 30646. 706-521-8008

    File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies, Mexican. Features: Outside seating. Hours: Seven days. • Astonishingly good Mexican ice cream shop that makes flavors fresh in-store daily (including queso, tequila, eggnog and more), as well as gorgeous paletas full of fruit, smoothies, aguas frescas and street-food snacks like Dorilocos and loaded potato chips. Its food truck shows up at the J&J on weekends with ice cream and savory stuff.

  • La Montaña Mexican Restaurant

    Find us on Facebook

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 4115 Lexington Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-6765

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Take-out, full bar, live music. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Big Americanized Mexican restaurant has a multi-page menu with all kinds of fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, lots of seafood. Grilled stuff is a highlight. Kids menu. Mariachi music sometimes.

  • La Tienda Los Amigos

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 109 Rowe Road Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-9637

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Walk inside the grocery store to find this taco counter next to the butcher counter. Weekends usually find the tortilla press working hard. Tacos (including "American" style with lettuce, tomato and cheese), tortas, burritos and specials like shrimp cocktail and chiles rellenos. Horchata and aguas frescas to drink, or snag a Jarritos from the store.

  • Lalo's Tacos & Cantina

    lalostacoscantina.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1725 Electric Ave. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-1414

    File UnderMexican and South American. Features: Catering, full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. Weekend brunch. • Atlanta vibe at this cheffy Wire Park restaurant that brings you three salsas instead of one and offers lamb and octopus in its tacos as well as chicken and steak. Good vegetarian and pescatarian options. Mezcal in addition to tequila. Swanky cocktails. Kids menu.

  • Los Primos Taqueria Express

    primostaqueriaexpress.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 7990 Macon Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6195

    File UnderMexican and South American. Features: Drive-thru, delivery, beer and wine, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Fast-casual Mexican, both drive-thru and dine-in, with surprisingly good tacos (both more traditional offerings on corn tortillas and things like a quinoa taco with a whole-wheat tortilla that is absolutely worth your time), enchiladas, burritos, rice bowls, kids menu, aguas frescas and more.

  • Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1880 Hwy. 29 N. Athens, GA 30601. 706-227-8308 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Delivery, outside seating, full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • One of the best Mexican restaurants around, with excellent tacos (filled with cilantro, onions and fish, al pastor, barbacoa or lengua), big tortas, menudo, tostadas de ceviche, 7 mares, gorditas, sopes and more, plus a mangonada margarita.

  • Paloma Park

    palomapark.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 235 W. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-7356

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, outside seating, trivia. Hours: Dinner and Sunday brunch. • Huge bar with live DJs, loud music, gigantic TV for football games also serves a full menu, which recently changed from small plates to Tex Mex: elote street corn "ribs," jalapeno poppers, tacos, taco salad. Brunch involves fried egg tacos and "brunchos." Kids menu.

  • Poquitos

    poquitosathens.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 195 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-8706

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Beer, counter service, outside seating, wine, take-out, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Get an elaborate michelada preparada, a pambazo (a torta soaked in red sauce) and some wet wipes, and you'll be thrilled. Lots of taco fillings, including an array of vegetarian choices that go beyond beans. Good, cold tres leches cake. Beer buckets.

  • Punta Cana Latin Grill

    facebook.com/puntacanakitchen

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 367 Prince Ave., Ste. 1 Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-8960

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Delivery, full bar, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Darling Dominican resto serves typical rib-sticking fare featuring a lot of rice and meat, including mofongo (plantains mashed with tons of garlic and broth), tostones, seafood, empanadas and churros. Full bar serving all your favorite island drinks.

  • Sabor Latino

    facebook.com/saborlatinogrill.oficial

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 2131 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6333

    • 1550 Oglethorpe Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8299

    File Under: Mexican and South American, Bakeries. Features: Delivery, full bar, take-out, outside seating (Oglethorpe). Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Looks like your standard Americanized Mexican from afar but is actually Uruguyan, with choripan, chivito, churrosco del sur and more hiding on the menu at both locations. Great baked goods, especially Latin American sweet breads (Watkinsville location), and tasty empanadas, both sweet and savory. Kids menu.

  • San Angel Cocina and Cantina

    instagram.com/sanangelcocina

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2226 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • This large Mexican restaurant with a rooftop bar should open this year in the former Applebee's that has been underrenovation for a while.

  • Sr. Sol

    srsolathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2455 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-7112 View Map

    • 175 Tallassee Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-1570 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, delivery, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • One location (the original) next to a gas station and the other in a much bigger space on Broad Street. Both serve reliably very tasty Americanized Mexican standards but also lengua, buche and tripe tacos. Chilaquiles and surprisingly good hamburguesas.

  • Surcheros

    surcheros.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 700 Baxter St. Athens, GA 30605. 706-842-6887

    • 1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Ste 312-A Athens, GA 30606. TBA

    File Under: Mexican Features: Catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Taco and burrito franchise where you can pick carnitas, grilled chicken or ground beef to go in a bowl, burrito, taco, quesadilla or salad. Add a bunch of toppings and a sauce. S'mores quesadilla for dessert. Side tacos and margaritas.

  • Taco Mama

    tacomamaonline.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 265 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Taco bar franchise based in Alabama is taking over the former Fuzzy’s Tacos downtown later in 2023, with tacos, burritos, a kids menu, margaritas, bowls (of course), nachos, salads and queso.

  • Taco Stand

    facebook.com/thetstand

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 2270 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-549-5481 View Map

    • 670 N. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-2894 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer, outside seating (Milledge), take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Not a Mexican restaurant, but an Athens restaurant. Milledge location has been open since the 1970s, with very little in the way of change, as it should be. Burritos, veggie chili, quesadillas (nuked or grilled), gigantic nachos. Eastside has some different options and a much more squeaky clean vibe.

  • Tacos los Plebes

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 675 Danielsville Road Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-8077

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Excellent traditional Mexican inside a former Huddle House: pollo, lengua, cabeza, al pastor, chorizo, carnitas, barbacoa, asada and tripa. Menudo on weekends, horchata and great sopes.

  • Taqueria del Sol

    taqueriadelsol.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 334 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3890 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, catering, counter service, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Chef-crafted taqueria with a focused menu. Pork, brisket, fried chicken, carnitas, fish and veggie tacos, plus weekly specials and a blue-plate special. Great selection of premium tequilas, build-your-own margaritas and bottled beers.

  • Taqueria Juaritos

    instagram.com/juaritostaqueria

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 3875 Jefferson Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-521-5260

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Counter service, catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Great taqueria inside the Petro Express does tacos, sopes, gorditas and burritos with fillings including asada, chicken, al pastor, barbacoa, carnitas, desebrada (shredded beef), tongue, tripe, chorizo and buche (stomach), plus hot wings and really good soups. Excellent condiment bar.

  • Taqueria la Jalisco

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 3750 Old Jefferson Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-316-3560 View Map

    File Under: Mexican. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Taqueria inside a full-service grocery store with a butcher counter. Menudo, carnitas, chorizo, tortas, al pastor and a few freshly made salsas. Great baked goods in the grocery section and paletas/helados next door.

  • Taqueria la Parrilla

    lapa.us

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1431 Capital Ave. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-310-9991 View Map

    • 2439 Jefferson Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-549-4977 View Map

    • 855 Gaines School Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-548-5040 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar (Jefferson and Gaines School), beer and wine (Watkinsville), delivery, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally owned small chain Mexican restaurant has chips-and-salsa-type standards and will give you fried ice cream on your birthday, but also serves Mexican-style tacos and good tortas. Kids menu. Margaritas, Mexican beers, regular bottled stuff and pitchers.

  • Taqueria Tsunami

    taqueriatsunami.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1791 Oconee Connector Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-0040

    • 320 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-621-7999 View Map

    File Under: Asian, Mexican and South American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Outside seating, take-out, delivery, full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Small Atlanta-based chain does Asian/Latin fusion tacos: bulgogi and shiitake, teriyaki chicken with pineapple pico de gallo, tofu with sesame-soy vinaigrette and more. Apps, bowls and salads. Margaritas, cocktails, sangria and craft beers.

  • Tlaloc El Mexicano Restaurant

    facebook.com/tlalocmexicano

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1225 N. Chase St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-9301 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Full bar, outside seating, drive-thru. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days. • Central American and Mexican food at this cult favorite. Pupusas, massive tortas, regular specials and fantastic mole; lots of seafood options. Breakfast, which includes chilaquiles, starts at 10 a.m. and is served all day. Margaritas, beer and aguas frescas.

  • Willy's Mexicana Grill

    willys.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 196 Alps Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-1920 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer, catering, counter service, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.