EM — or Employee Meal — is an homage to the staff meals that take place before service commences, which here means expertly-executed regional Mexican specialties. Owner Joe Bongiovanni brings flavors inspired by the Mexican chefs from his other businesses, Market North End next door to EM and O.W.L. in Royal Oak. Vibes are modern, but not too fancy, so as to attract locals. Order from the daily trompo — featuring different styles of meat each day — whole fried snapper, and Sinaloa-style aguachile, in addition to an impressive, agave-leaning cocktail menu.

One of metro Detroit’s best-kept taqueria secrets is tucked inside a Mexican market in a strip mall off John R. Road. While most patrons go for the corn tacos that are served with the standard cilantro, onion, and lime accoutrements, the restaurant’s enormous tortas are some of the best sandwiches in town.

Residents of Berkley can rejoice because they’ve got access to award-winning tacos and other Mexican specialties in an unexpected space. Chef Amado Lopez was named a semifinalist in the Emerging Chef category for the 2023 James Beard Awards for his work during the pandemic to transform the community’s Atomic Dog hot dog restaurant from fledgling diner to a pop-up operation, and eventually a full-time taqueria. The specialty here is braised meats, such as the pork braised in red chiles, as well as vegetarian and vegan options, like the mushroom taco or vegan beans and rice. Guests still thinking about those Atomic Dogs can reminisce while enjoying Amado’s Sonoran hot dogs topped with bacon, green chiles, and garnishes of pickled onion, jalapeño, and roasted chile sauce.

The long-awaited Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen quietly opened its doors in Ferndale in March, ushering in a much-needed boost to Oakland County’s Mexican food world. The bar features 30 different types of agave spirits, while the menu includes an impressive lineup of tacos, including birria, fish, campechano (a blend of chorizo and carne asada), and alambre — with bacon, chorizo, melted cheese, and choice of chicken or steak.

Chef Norberto Garita is just as adept at making mushroom and ricotta ravioli as he is with mole poblano, which makes for a one-of-a-kind experience at El Barzon Restaurante. This fine dining institution pays homage to the cuisines of Italy and Puebla, Mexico, in an upscale atmosphere that includes an expansive wine list, great cocktails, and a lovely brick patio. In recent years, Garita’s efforts have been getting national attention and earlier this year, he was named a semifinalist for a James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region.

Mexicantown carryout restaurant Tamaleria Nuevo Leon has been serving tamales to Detroiters since the 1950s. The restaurant keeps the menu simple with fast, friendly service. During the week of Cinco de Mayo, all varies of tamales are available. Expect fillings like pork and chicken alongside rotating specials such as cheese-jalapeno. This spot is cash-only.

Chef-owner Junior Merino brought this refined Nuevo Latino street food restaurant to Dearborn in 2017, and it became a sleeper hit. M Cantina serves a variety of tacos and tortas with fillings like duck carnitas and braised short rib alongside snacks like grilled elotes. The menu is halal and showcases a variety of fresh juices. Merino also happens to be a celebrated mixologist so cocktails — both boozy and n/a — are on point here.

It’s a supermarket with a bountiful butcher’s counter and house-made chicharrones. But La Jalisciense has also made a name for itself as a dining destination. The restaurant features standbys like tacos, quesadillas, and tortas, along with a decent breakfast menu with Mexican favorites like huevos rancheros, birria de chivo (goat), and a full-service bar. The multi-generational family-owned business also pays attention to the latest trends in Mexican cuisine. Recent specials have included a quesadilla made by hand with freshly-prepared masa and a michelada infused with house-made blueberry juice.

Everything that comes out of the kitchen of this humble cash-only spot is made with love. The slender burros are filled with tender guisado de res, its earthy red mole with chicken is rich in flavor, and during the 2022 Southwest Detroit Restaurant Week, owners Carol and José Luis Durán developed a special green mole, which we’re hoping will make more frequent appearances.

Mi Pueblo, a Detroit stalwart, started off years ago as an informal weekends-only taqueria in a house but has become a destination for its vast menu, friendly atmosphere, and colorful decor. Staples include weekend-only birria, pozole, and menudo, bountiful tortas, and house-made chicharrones served with red salsa.

Named after the highlands region of Jalisco, Los Altos offers a variety of shareable appetizers like queso flameado, guacamole, asada fries, as well tacos, tortas, gorditas, fajitas — all with diners’ choice of meats — seafood platters, and soothing caldos like birria and caldo de res. A full bar features cantaritos, micheladas, interesting takes on margaritas, and Mexican beers.

Got a craving for mariscos but not in the mood for eating at a sit-down restaurant? Look no further than El Imperio, a seafood-centric food truck that’s reliably parked across the street from the Huntington Bank on West Vernor Highway. Giant styrofoam cups of shrimp cocktails, to-go platters of oysters in a half shell, ceviche-topped tostadas, and even aguachile are all available at El Imperio. All choice options for hot summers in Detroit.

The pastry institution is a destination for a quick breakfast snack and a coffee, or a special occasion. Load up on all manner of fresh pan dulces — seasonal pan de muerto available around Dia de los Muertos, chocolate-dipped orejas, gingerbread cochinitos, and more. 

For a seafood paradise with nightclub vibes, Mariscos El Salpicon is the jam. The menu is inspired by the Mexican coastal Nayarit region, with specialties like the molcajete de mariscos that’s literally overflowing with citrusy shellfish, tostadas available with a variety of seafood toppings, spicy shrimp a la diabla, and equally huge cocktails and micheladas.

This Southwest Detroit gem is great to splurge on a steak flavored with poblano pepper or savor a plate of grilled fish tacos. Reservations are not required, but highly recommended for indoor dining or for seating — parties of four or more — in one of the all-season, enclosed outdoor luminarias. Trays to go at this all-halal spot are perfect for large parties.

El Parian has a fleet of do-not-miss taco trucks in six locations throughout the neighborhood. For a sit-down meal and a full bar offering margaritas, pop by La Palapa del Parian, its brick-and-mortar spot, for four-for-$7 Taco Tuesdays, live mariachi performers every Sunday, and an expanded cocktail menu.

Downriver arguably has some of the state’s best Mexican food, thanks to the steady migration of Mexican Americans from Southwest Detroit to the suburbs. Chef Galindo serves up a specialty of his hometown of Mexico City: the torta. Served in big, flaky bolillo, the monstrous tortas are prepared in a dozen different varieties, including El Chapo — which comes with breaded chicken, pork, American cheese, queso Oaxaca, and pineapple. Other Mexican classics like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas are also available.