Tacos Villanos — Restaurant in Cancún

Copy-pasting my review from TripAdvisor:

Tacos:

1. The pork belly tacos here are worth coming for alone. Nothing beats it whatsoever, they are so crisp, flavorful, and very authentic. This is an absolute must try, and ought to be their signature taco.

2. Beef rib tacos are phenomenal. Delicious, unlike anything I’ve ever had. The braised beef is so tender. Honestly don’t understand how they have the ability to make something so time consuming cost so little.

3. We caught the shrimp tempura tacos while they were on special. Unlike other restaurants on the strip, they’ll serve specials when they have a fresh catch, rather than when they need to get rid of old ingredients. It translated into the best tempura I’ve had outside of Kyoto.

My recommendation is to try these three tacos separately, you will not be disappointed.

THANK YOU OMAR-LUIS

Drinks:

1. The spicy drinks are usually not my thing, but these were absolutely heavenly. I had a spicy watermelon drink with tequila and I highly recommend it. Jonathan, our bartender for the night, was quick to make suggestions, and has a long list of off-the-menu cocktails he’ll happily put together for you.

2. The sweet drinks here are what they’re famous for. My girlfriend isn’t keen on tasting any sort of liquor, yet she was ordering second rounds both times we came here.

Cheers to you, Jonathan!

The service: Bar: Jonathan was the ideal bartender. Banter was on point, guy just wants to laugh, play the air guitar, and whip up creative cocktails. He competes with snooty/ritzy NYC bars, but he keeps it humble and casual. Amazing work.

Waiter: Humberto truly takes care of his guests, always giving fast service and happy to chat. On our first visit here, he talked us through the menu and gave us fantastic table service. He’s down to banter and good around. Hilarious guy, pleasant to chill with during a lul.

Manager: Ronaldo stitched the experience together. Explained how the theory behind the menu is to represent different local flavors across Mexico, and what history lies behind them. On my second visit, he guided me through the menu in-depth. He genuinely cares about the success of this taco shop, and it shows through the effort he puts into his work.

Thanks to all of you for an amazing time. We’ll...

I only made it to this spot once during my trip to Cancun, and I wish I’d found it sooner—I would’ve been here every night! The tacos were incredible, and the guava agua fresca was absolutely to die for. I don’t really drink alcohol so having multiple aguas frescas to choose from was nice- you just have to ask :). That being said - I did also have a yummy mezcal, since I’m in Mexico- why not?

As a pescatarian, I had the cauliflower with mole (surprisingly my favorite!), the tuna, the mushroom, and the poblano shrimp—each one was bursting with flavor. I’m a small eater and found four tacos super filling, but they were so good I almost ordered more.

The service was just as amazing. All the guys working there were so kind and welcoming—I went solo and felt totally at home. Honestly, I could’ve hung out all night. I didn’t want to leave!

I ate at a few of the so-called “Cancun-famous” restaurants, and honestly, they really disappointed me. Overpriced, overhyped, and underwhelming. This place? This was the real gem—hands down the best of the best. I think I spent the equivalent of $30 CAD with tax & tip: four tacos that filled me up, a never ending guava drink and a mezcal. For anyone complaining about the prices- you’re in Cancun, on the main strip in a tourist zone. Come on.

Great prices, great tacos, great service,...

Taco Villanos is a taco lover's paradise. My wife and I stumbled upon this charming taco bar nestled next to Hotel NYX in Cancun, and from the moment we stepped in, we knew we were in for a treat. We both ate ALOT of tacos, This restaurant has plenty of vegetarian and pescatarian options.

Each bite was a burst of flavor, but some tacos truly stole the show for me: the tuna taco and the mushroom taco. As I indulged, the savory juices dripped down my arm, and I can't say I didn't love it. The brassica/cauliflower taco with a spicy guava sauce, was another highlight of the evening. And let's not forget El Angel Gubernator, a Mexican take on shrimp scampi in a taco and a wonderful finale to our feast.

We couldn't resist trying the spicy margarita, which added an extra kick to our dinner. The staff at Villanos deserves applause; they were attentive, friendly, and truly made us feel at home, especially Aldair. Special mention goes to the bartender, Jonathan, a true master of his craft who creates balanced and beautiful cocktails.

Don't miss out on this gem. We'll certainly be returning for more taco goodness and perhaps a few extra drinks next time we...