Walt Disney World offers just about every kind of food you could want… if you know where to look. If I’m in the mood for pot roast, it’s the ‘50s Prime Time Cafe; if I’m feeling steak, I’m booking Le Cellier (cliches are cliches for a reason), but before I get too hungry, let’s talk Mexican restaurants.

I’ve been visiting Disney World for 30+ years, and during that time I’ve had countless delicious Mexican meals, some of them at Disney restaurants that are a bit… off the beaten path.

Frontera Cocina

Located in Disney Springs, Frontera Cocina is the brainchild of celebrity Chef Rick Bayless, a 7-time James Beard Foundation Award winner. The eatery offers everything from starters and tacos to entrees, sides, and desserts, as well as freshly made margaritas, craft cocktails, tequila and mezcal flights, beer, and wine. All in a classy, modern setting right in the heart of Disney Springs. 

Last we dined at Frontera Cocina — and enjoyed some live entertainment — we tried the Carnitas Tacos and LOVED them. The $28 dish features low-cooked pork shoulder with an assortment of traditional toppings, including garlic and lime, black bean refritos with fresco cheese, guacamole, pickled red onions, and salsa verde. The meat was cooked perfectly with a great sizzle to it, while being incredibly tender and juicy.

The restaurant is also home to one of our favorite cocktails, the La Cava Avocado Margarita. The $19 frozen drink includes Flecha Azul blanco tequila mixed with melon-orange liqueur, along with fresh avocado, lime juice, and hibiscus salt rim. This was the perfect drink to pair with some light guitar music, looking out over Disney Springs. Pure relaxation. 

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Maya Grill

Located at the Coronado Springs Resort, this two-level restaurant features decorative Mayan motifs of fire, sun, and water, with a Tex-Mex-infused menu of traditional platters along with chef specialties. From an aesthetic standpoint, the open-air/multi-level layout is one of the most unique in any Disney hotel, and definitely adds a different feel to the dining experience. 

Last time we visited Maya Grill, we tried several entree options, including some pretty good fajitas. However, our favorite part of the meal was dessert! Specifically, the Fried Baby Churros. These $10 churros were perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and a hint of doughiness in the middle, all of which combined with the included ice cream and caramel sauce resulted in a sweet and crunchy treat.

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El Mercado de Coronado

Remaining at Coronado Springs, there’s also the El Mercado de Coronado food court. While this food court — with its funky, modern design aesthetic, lit by both large windows as well as string lights — isn’t exclusively Mexican food — there are also burgers, chicken tenders, pastas, and pizza to name a few options — there is one overlooked Mexican offering to highlight.

The food court offers three bowl options: A $16.00 Chicken Tinga Rice Bowl, a $17.50 Barbacoa Beef Rice Bowl, and a $15.00Vegetarian Rice with Esquites Bowl. The bowls include a choice of Spanish Rice, Cauliflower Rice, or House Salad base. Topping options include traditional black beans, roasted peppers and onions, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, freshly chopped cilantro, and lime. However, you should note that these bowls are only available from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM each day, so if you want to have one, your lunch window is somewhat small.

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La Hacienda de San Angel

So, on the surface, this restaurant may be hard to call “overlooked.” After all, it’s located right on the World Showcase lagoon, and provides gorgeous views as well as authentic Mexican cuisine and premium margaritas. However, since it’s located outside the self-contained, indoor Mexico Pavilion, some guests may not be familiar with it, especially since the well-known San Angel Inn Restaurante is located inside.

One of our favorite dishes at La Hacienda on our most recent visit was the Enchiladas de Chorizo. This $32 dish includes corn tortillas filled with plant-based chorizo and topped with beans, Ranchera salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, crema Mexicana, cotija cheese, and crispy onions. The dish is served with a side of plantains, also topped with crema Mexicana and cotija cheese.

This dish was served warm, cheesy, and delicious with a deep, rich tomato flavor and soft tortillas. There were some crispy onions on top for a little bit of crunch, and the plant-based chorizo was mild but had a hint of Mexican spices. The plantains on the side were quite sweet, and there was an interesting flavor mixture between that sweetness and the cheese. They were quite soft and smooth on the inside.

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Next time you’re in the mood for Mexican food at Walt Disney World, don’t overlook any of these spots. Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney World’s food offerings.

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Have you eaten at any of these Mexican eateries? Let us know in the comments below.