Tacos Rigo

Tacos Rigo is a Cancun institution: the place locals and savvy tourists go for authentic, cheap, delicious tacos right in the Hotel Zone. Located at Kilometer 8 on Boulevard Kukulcan (next to the Aloft hotel), this no-frills taco joint has been serving some of the best street-style tacos in the Hotel Zone for years, and it is hands-down the best value meal your family will eat on vacation.

The menu is straightforward: tacos with your choice of filling, plus quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, and birria. The standout is the al pastor: pork marinated in achiote and spices, roasted on a vertical trompo (like a gyro spit) with a pineapple on top, then sliced to order and served on a soft corn tortilla with cilantro, onion, and a squeeze of lime. It is sweet, savory, slightly smoky, and absolutely addictive.

Other popular fillings include arrachera (skirt steak), chicken, birria (slow-braised beef), and for the adventurous, lengua (tongue) and cachete (beef cheek).

For families, the value is almost comically good compared to everything else in the Hotel Zone. Tacos run $2-4 each, and two or three make a full meal. A family of 4 can eat generously: tacos, quesadillas, drinks, for $30-35 total. That same meal at a Hotel Zone resort restaurant would cost $100+.

Kids who are picky can get plain cheese quesadillas, simple chicken tacos, or a burrito. The birria tacos come with a consomme (broth) for dipping that even reluctant eaters tend to love. The salsa bar has options ranging from mild green tomatillo to face-melting habanero. Steer young kids toward the mild options and let tweens and teens experiment at their own risk.

The aguas frescas (horchata, jamaica, tamarind) are perfect kid drinks: sweet, refreshing, and non-carbonated. Most kids prefer the horchata.

The restaurant has indoor and semi-outdoor seating, with counter service (no waiter). It is casual to the point of being almost fast-food in format, but the food quality is genuinely excellent. The atmosphere is no-frills, loud, and busy. Nobody bats an eye at messy toddlers or loud teenagers.

Tacos Rigo opens at 8 AM and stays open until midnight, making it viable for breakfast (they serve a morning buffet), lunch, or late dinner. The busiest period is 7-9 PM, when a short line forms at the counter, but it moves quickly.

If you eat at one non-resort restaurant during your Cancun trip, make it Tacos Rigo. Your wallet and your taste buds will thank you.