Queso and salsa and tacos, oh my! Some days (or every day, no judgement here) Mexican food sounds so tantalizingly delicioso that you would literally trek through the Ozarks barefoot in the middle of January just to reach a steaming plate of beef fajitas. No? Just me? Uhhhh….well whatever level of Mexican food fanatic you consider yourself, we’ve got some fantastic restaurants that deserve your attention!

• Family-owned, fresh ingredients, incredible salsa, and every color of margarita you could ever want. What’s not to love about La Huerta Mexican Restaurant? Their extensive menu is available for your browsing online. Or just check it out in person at one of their two Fayetteville locations on Crossover and College.

• Recipes that originated from the roots of Mexico City: that’s when you know it’s real. And that’s what you can expect to find at Gabriela’s Mexican Grill Restaurant. A covered patio area gives Gabriela’s a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere. But when a long day (or a lot of kids) call for an adult beverage, order up from their selection of domestic + Mexican beers, wines, sangria, and margaritas.

• When do tacos not sound good? Trick question. Tacos ALWAYS sound good. Thankfully Don Tomi Tacos is cooking + serving + satisfying every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Grab you some tacos to-go on your way to work or stay a while and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and the occasional karaoke and live music they’ve got going on! (“Like” their Facebook for more info about upcoming events!)

• The votes are in and the consensus is that La Despensa Latina makes the best pupusas in town! Their sopas also get excellent reviews as does, quite frankly, the entire rest of their Salvadoran menu. Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with a stop at La Despensa Latina.

• Spice up your next date night at AXIS Lounge. Experience all sorts of new realities at this unusual venue, from the historic downtown Fayetteville building in which it’s housed to their menu of tapas-style Mexican high cuisine to the many worlds that await you in their virtual reality lounge!

• Mojitos Mexican Grill serves up an expanded take on traditional Mexican food—because not everyone in the fam might be craving enchiladas as much as you. (I know, they’re totally crazy because enchiladas are DEF the best. I got you.) Besides what you’d expect, Mojitos’ menu items also include a huuuuuge selection of pollo, steak, pork, and seafood dishes.

• Despite its name, the closest you’ll come to fighting bulls at El Matador is tackling their notorious 44-ounce Monster Margarita. If you’re not feeling up for that challenge, you can still kick back and enjoy traditional, made-from-scratch dishes on their open air patio or grab a slightly smaller drink at the bar and can call the Hogs on one of their HD TVs.

• A longtime favorite of locals and college students since 2002, Mexico Viejo is a Fayetteville classic. They’re the proud home of “Steven’s Special,” sliced grilled chicken on a bed of Mexican rice smothered with queso blanco and served with flour tortillas. But if that doesn’t tickle your taco, you’ll have 100 other menu items to choose from!