Mexican restaurants have carved out a delicious niche in local cuisine, from sizzling fajitas to zesty, fresh guacamole. There’s no shortage of spots around town dishing out that comforting crunch — and with Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, there’s no better time to raise a margarita and check out some of the best Mexican food being served in Sterling Heights.
Las Tortugas Taqueria
Las Tortugas is owned by brothers Al and Jesse Rojas, who opened their first restaurant in 2009 in Shelby Township before bringing their authentic take on Mexican cuisine to Sterling Heights in 2020. After initially operating as carryout-only during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve since become a local favorite of residents and businesses along the Van Dyke corridor.
If you’re new to Las Tortugas — or Mexican cuisine in general — co-owner Al Rojas recommends diving in with both feet.
“The meat options we have are a little different than other places. We have traditional steak and chicken, but we also have beef tongue, goat, pork maw — the more authentic meats,” Rojas said. “I like to get people to try that kind of stuff. We take pride in serving Mexican food the way it’s supposed to be.”
With Cinco de Mayo falling on a Monday this year, Las Tortugas is celebrating all weekend long with a tent in the adjacent parking lot, a band on Saturday and a DJ on Monday.
“There’s a long wait that day, so it helps with entertaining the people,” Rojas said. “We’ll have tequila tastings and shot girls walking around. It’ll be a crazy few days.”
Whether celebrating a holiday or just stopping in for a weekday lunch, Rojas said authenticity is one of the cornerstones of the restaurant’s success.
“If you ever go to Mexico, you know the people are very lively and friendly,” he said, “and I want people to have that whole experience here. Our employees really know the culture and the food, so I think that separates us from other places.”
Visit Las Tortugas Taqueria at 40850 Van Dyke Ave., near 18 Mile Road, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Don Patron Mexican Restaurant
From the first dish in the morning to the last plate at night, the staff at Don Patron aims to make every part of the dining experience memorable.
Having spent more than 12 years in the kitchen before becoming assistant manager, Gustavo Torres knows all the right ingredients for a great meal.
“We cook from scratch,” Torres said. "We don’t use cans or anything pre-made. We fry our salsa chips every single day. Broil our own tomatoes. jalapeños, onions, garlic. All those little details make a big difference in your dish.”
Torres’s passion is clear — whether he’s sharing his love for burritos or slapping his stomach while listing each ingredient packed into the massive Burrito Patron. But the most important ingredient, he said, isn’t one you can buy in a store.
“I believe one of the most important things we have here is we cook with love,” Torres said. “We are the third generation, and from one generation to another, we get the same feeling in the kitchen. We don’t cook just because it’s business.”
While Torres is ready for a packed house on Cinco de Mayo, he hopes that first bite keeps customers coming back.
“We have a special reduced menu for that day since our customer traffic is triple that of a normal weekend,” he said. “We want to be able to serve everyone the right portions in a timely manner. But our full menu is beautiful — each bite is so flavorful.”
Visit Don Patron at 43650 Schoenherr Road, near Canal Road, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Pancho Villa’s Mexican Restaurant
Steve Nagi opened Pancho Villa’s in 1998. Known as the “Home of the Flaming Fajita,” the restaurant’s enchiladas and burritos have remained top sellers for decades — even as the city around it has grown and changed.
Pancho Villa’s will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a live singer and great prices on margaritas and other dishes, though Nagi said the holiday “basically promotes itself.”
“We prepare for four days just for that one,” he said. “We open at 11 a.m., and the lunch rush turns into an all-day rush.”
Like every year, Nagi expects a big crowd and welcomes back former employees to help the team stay on top of the turnout.
“My biggest thing is giving everyone great service every time they walk in,” Nagi said. “There’s never an excuse for anyone to have bad service.”
Outside of work, Nagi mentors local youth from Sterling Heights to Dearborn, which is part of why former employees are always willing to return and help.
Nick Hartig, who has worked at Pancho Villa’s for nearly 24 years, said the busy holidays are a great time to reconnect with familiar faces.
“It’s busy, but it’s always fun,” Hartig said. “We just keep the energy up, deliver authentic food and make [Pancho Villa’s] a fun place to be.”
Visit Pancho Villa’s at 4127 15 Mile Road, near Ryan Road, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Raíces Mexican Cantina
The newest Mexican restaurant in the area, Raíces Mexican Cantina opened in April 2025. But owner Maria Aldana is no stranger to the kitchen — she’s worked at and owned several Metro Detroit Mexican restaurants since moving from Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1989.
With so many established restaurants nearby, Aldana knows Raíces has to bring something special to the table. That effort starts with the name.
“Raíces means ‘roots,’ and it explains so much — not just our food that comes from the Earth, but our roots in music, culture and art,” Aldana said. “We really want people to feel like they’re coming to Mexico once they open the door — and then taste it, too.”
That flavor comes from generations of tradition.
“What really sets us apart is that we have our own seasoning for all our own recipes,” Aldana said. “It’s a flavor that you’re not going to find everywhere else. We have a high standard for what we use, and here at Raíces, we believe everything you consume should make you feel good.”
Aldana said she hopes customers will create new memories at the restaurant, just like the ones she holds dear.
“I realized a long time ago that cooking is about memories,” she said, recalling the smell of churros at family reunions. “All our meals come from that sense of gathering with a community, so I really want to create memories for people who’ve never tried [Mexican food] before.”
Visit Raíces Mexican Cantina at 44805 Mound Road, near M-59. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Their official grand opening event is Wednesday, May 14, at 12:30 p.m.