Taqueria TC Latino

Mexican restaurant · Grand Traverse County

Taqueria TC Latino

Mexican restaurant · Grand Traverse County

1

2749 N West Silver Lake Rd, Traverse City, MI 49684

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Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by Stacey Brugeman for Eater
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null
Taqueria TC Latino by null

Highlights

Great Authentic Mexican Food! Great flavors and family recipes. All natural ingredients no canned items.  

Featured in Eater
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2749 N West Silver Lake Rd, Traverse City, MI 49684 Get directions

m.taqueriatc.com

$

Information

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2749 N West Silver Lake Rd, Traverse City, MI 49684 Get directions

+1 231 421 8388
m.taqueriatc.com

$

Features

dine in
takeout
delivery
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wifi
outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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"Judging by the line out the door, everybody knows that Mama Lu’s is the place to celebrate “Taco Tuesdays,” but a lot of visitors don’t realize that the Traverse City region is also home to a handful of traditional taquerias. Run by husband and wife Adolfo Mendez (originally from Veracruz) and Sandra Rios (whose parents were migrant workers for the area’s fruit industry), this no-frills taco shop on the corner of Zimmerman and Silver Lake roads is perfect for getting a carnitas, carne asada, or menudo fix. Taqueria TC Latino has a few small tables inside, but — without a liquor license — anyone who needs a margarita with their tacos should take it to go." - Stacey Brugeman

18 Essential Traverse City Restaurants
View Postcard for Taqueria TC Latino

L D

Google
Food was amazing. Staff was nice and didn't even get annoyed when I went up there for the 3rd time to buy more food and snacks to go 🤣 Also I meant to take a photo of the flan before I ate it but it was so good I forgot! This is the best flan I've had other than a homemade one. Will be back!!

Erin Jackson

Google
Great authentic Mexican food! I’m from Arizona, and it’s been hard to find a mex restaurant I’m satisfied with, and this one is legit. No frills inside, and they seem to cater more to takeout, but there are a few tables to sit at and eat if you want to. Very nice staff.

Jon Andrews

Google
Authentic Mexican cuisine, large portions, awesome guacamole and chips. I never had milk cake before but it was amazing! Take a trip a few miles off the main drag and find this place before you leave Traverse City.

Oliver

Google
T.C. Latino is the light of my life. The food is so reasonably priced, and always delicious. It's both the best and the only authentic Mexican food in this town. Edward has a smile that shines like the Sun, and he always makes me feel welcome while I stand awkwardly in the corner waiting for my meal that doesn't break $10. When offering salsa, you're given two options. But there's a secret third option. Once you know about it, you're welcomed into an elite club where they already know which salsa you want. It's almost as good as having friends. I would do anything for them. Also they have flan!

John W

Google
Pass up all the snooty, overpriced, hipster food in town and eat some real food made by good folks. Best tortas I've had. Carnitas tacos are amazing. The prices, for the amount of food and quality you're getting are at least ⅓ too low. TC has a real gem here, suport this business.

Kristin Joy Elizabeth

Google
Authentic Mexican food and friendly service. Easy take out options with the average pickup time around 10-15 minutes. The tamales are our favorite. Love that they offer cold or hot tamale options so we can order for multiple meals. I've tried nearly every item on their menu now over the past 6 years and have never been disappointed.

Steven Ryder

Google
Tiny little spot for delicious, inexpensive Mexican food, I'm here typically once a week for lunch when I'm working. Very filling, tasty and cheap, I love their verde salsa, huge fan of the al pastor tacos, they have a freezer with Mexican ice cream bars and tons of Mexican candy if you want a treat. You can get out of here with 3 tacos, a tamale and a Jarritos for like 12 bucks, they havw deserts and all kinds of other stuff I haven't tried yet, I'm a purist, I either get tacos or the carnitas platter, 12 bucks for a huge portion. Nothing but good things to say about this place.

Gray McGregor

Google
veggie torta was deliciousssss! everything else looks so good too, i wanted to eat everything on the menu. there’s a huge drink fridge with various sodas, and a big mexican candy selection, too! 10/10 would eat againnnnnnn

Andrzej W.

Yelp
Literally why would you get Mexican food anywhere else when you can just go to TC Latino? It's authentic, fresh, and 100% homemade by a local family. Literally one of the best restaurants in TC ever -- the GOAT. Loooove their carne asada burritos & carne asada tacos (I've tried the chicken tacos, it was alright, but the carne asada is AMAZING ALWAYS). That rice + lime juice + salsa verde is simply on point every time. They don't ever miss. Especially not with their amazing prices. $1.50 for a tamal? Sign me up!! The tres leches is phenomenal, too.

Jeff S.

Yelp
This place is your classic hole in the wall. No ambiance, some cheap tables, some beverage fridges including the classic jarritos drinks in all their glorious flavors, and a ton of mexican snacks on the wall including my favorite "japanese peanuts" which are peanuts coated in this really hard sugar shell, along with an old school business card/advertising bulleting board. Old floor, old counter, seating for maybe 10 people total. Food is good, tacos are good. I was here on a visit some months ago, and I loved the menu on the wall-some pictures taped up with hand-written descriptions. This time I came in, there were a lot of pictures with no descriptions, and a few with. Classic. Anyway, the tacos are great. I had the enchiladas in red sauce with chicken today. The enchis were a little heavy on the salt, but still excellent. Served with a side of really good red rice, and a shredded iceberg lettuce salad with diced tomato and cotija cheese, classic mexican. None of this typical pseudo-mexican food so often shamefully passed off as mexican that is overcheesed and served with a gargantuan portion of rice and beans to fill you up. A basic plate with enough food to leave you satisfied and no more. I can't give it a five out of five as much as I'd like too, just because it's not spot on with the seasoning. But for the price (very cheap) and the quality of the food, it's a great standby when you're hankering for some cheap mexican food.

Catherine C.

Yelp
Delicious ethnic food is harder to find in TC as opposed to Southern California. So imagine my delight at finding a true Mexican eatery in northern Michigan! We ordered a wet burrito (red sauce) and steak/fish tacos. Both were absolutely yummy and rivaled our favorite Mexican restaurant in SoCal (which sadly did not survive the pandemic). Their salsa was a bit too spicy for me, but then again, I don't typically eat super spicy food. The pictures on their menu are helpful if you are new to Mexican food. What I appreciated was calling ahead so that our order was ready for pick-up. We are definitely looking forward to eating here on a regular basis.

Jonathan P.

Yelp
I was looking forward to authentic tacos and burritos but both were filled with burnt meat. The burrito was pastor and the tacos were carnitas. Not sure if I am coming back again

Amanda A.

Yelp
Food is great! New to the area and so far this is the most authentic Mexican food I have found

Ms S.

Yelp
Excellent! We had the carne asada con queso tacos and quesadillas con carne. Good portions, very flavorful. Staff was very welcoming. Cant wait to stop again!

Susan M.

Yelp
This place is the real deal...every Hispanic crew working anywhere near the taqueria comes here to eat! I drove by today and there were at least 6 vans on the perimeter of the parking lot and every space was taken! The food is delicious with layers of flavors from marinating meats and slow cooking! Salsas are super fresh, each delivering great vegetal flavors and just the right amount of heat. This kitchen cooks with love! Seating can be a challenge; that's part of the ambience! We eat here at least once a week and we live in Leland! Tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, nachos...some specials, recently they had Ranch Beans...everything is fabulous!

Ed B.

Yelp
Small Authentic Restaurant with Amazing Food!!! Fast service and Authentic Recipes. Great Find in Traverse City!!!

Kendall H.

Yelp
The most authentic Mexican restaurant in traverse city! If you want good tacos go here! They have a big menu and everything is great! I love to order takeout from here because the food is always quick and never misses. 10/10 recommend trying if you're looking for something new. The staff is always very friendly and eager to help. My favorite are the tacos. The prices are great too!

Molly Z.

Yelp
One of the best burritos I've ever had. Our friends who live in the area order from this place a few times a month. I went with the wet chicken burrito, which came recommended by our friend. The shredded chicken was super tender and flavorful. There was a perfect balance of chicken, rice, beans and cheese. The best part was the green sauce on top. It was killer. Has a bit of a kick, which I enjoyed. I didn't walk in to get our food but I believe there are only a couple tables. Definitely a place to get carry-out to enjoy at home.

Matt G.

Yelp
Great service and food. If you're looking for an authentic flavor in Traverse City, this is the place you're looking for.

Caecilia M.

Yelp
Honestly, I was not impressed. The food tasted old and not fresh. Maybe I'm spoiled by my own cooking. I could not tell the difference between the tripas and lengua tacos. Neither had flavor. The carne asada taco was bland and tough and chewy as well. The hot sauce was ok but not great. The cashier was very friendly and a bright spot to my visit. My husband liked the food but he's not super picky like I am. I've been eating authentic Mexican food all of my life and tacos off the roach coach are more flavorful.

Kali M.

Yelp
I lived in LA for 15 years and this place is on par if not better than many of the local Mexican taquerias. I only had the tacos but they were good and affordable.

Larry B.

Yelp
Poor quality control, had a stone in their Shredded steak that caused a cracked tooth!! Owner refused to speak with me and has not returned calls. Terrible customer service. Stick with Qudoba or La Seniorita in the Traverse area

Carlos B.

Yelp
Just ok. Not too bad but I wouldn't recommend it to a friend. Food looked fresh but not flavor sadly.

Camden G.

Yelp
Service was excellent. Churros were to kill for! Tacos and veggie burrito were very solid! Would come back on the way back from Mt Bohemia.

Tony D.

Yelp
Average Mexican food. Maybe for gringos they think it is "so authentic", it's really just ok. Better than Qdoba and not as good as the average taco stand in Chicago.

Katherine C.

Yelp
My favorite is fish tacos, but I have tried everything on the menu! Everyone is very friendly Fresh homemade yummy! Everything is homemade and fresh. My favorite is fish tacos

Juliet C.

Yelp
I have been coming to this place for a long time. It is always delicious. I am having a problem with their wait times, their lack of understanding orders, and their use of disposables. While the big chains (chipotle, Taco Bell etc) are using all paper products, they are clinging to the polystyrene containers and plastic cups, silverware, etc. TOO MUCH WASTE. Won't be back until they change.

P.J. G.

Yelp
Very fresh guacamole. We had the tacos. Very good. The gentleman behind the counter that took our order was friendly and knowledgeable. We have driven several times and always thought about stopping and finally did. Yummmmm

Bonnie K.

Yelp
Really good basic Mexican food. Nothing fancy but decent tamales and very very good carnitas and burritos at rock bottom prices. This is food I am surprised and delighted to find in TC

Elin B.

Yelp
Just ordered the Chicken Flautas and they were burned! So I tried to eat just the Mexican rice but they tasted like they were burned too, guess cause they were brought home in the same container. The last time we ate there they tipped themselves on our credit card, this is the last time we eat here!

Kaitlin C.

Yelp
This restaurant offers a decent amount of food for the price! However, we really didn't enjoy any of it. The chips seemed to be store bought, not fresh. The tacos did not taste good, we had three different kinds and the meat was chewy and had odd flavors, but the corn tortilla shells were yummy! We had two tamales and they were okay, a bit dry, but decent flavor. We also had a burrito and it was equally disappointing, there was soggy lettuce in it and the meat just wasn't good. There is also much left to be desired about the atmosphere, super loud music and in-attentive service (which we were anticipating and totally willing to accept to get some excellent Mexican food). Would be very unlikely that we'd go back.

Tony M.

Yelp
Que fantastico¡ We stopped here for lunch when we were out and about in TC. It's not fancy, but it's obvious the owner puts a lot of time and love into everything. They have a wide selection, and it looked like a fair amount of daily specials. Everything was tasty, and he checked in several times. He let me try a few salsas, since I asked for hot. The last one he brought me sure fit that bill - my tongue was sizzling after a few chips full of it. Definitely will be back next time we're in town.

Jeff H.

Yelp
The staff are super friendly. The service was quick. The steak tacos were great. The house habanero hot sauce was delicious. I got the taco combo which is two tacos, rice and beans for like $7. I also got a can of soda and a bottle of el yucatero hot sauce which brought my total to $10 and change. I'll definitely be back.

Mark C.

Yelp
Cruised in at noon for 4 pork tacos to go. Simple and easy right? 30 minutes later we got our order. Unaceptable! Last time dining here! Girl at the counter couldn't remember names or orders. OMG avoid this place for now, at least, until they are staffed up and care about customer service.

Max N.

Yelp
Worst service i been i was waiting for a simple menudo taking for ever to take it on the table while all my friends finish eating thats bs they need to hire more staff

Katherine C.

Yelp
This is My favorite Mexican restaurant in all of Traverse City. All of the tacos are outstanding. Tara TARA enchiladas toast Tito short ribs Barito so yummy. Very authentic. Also have great curio. Love it!!!

Tracey A.

Yelp
This little Mom and Pop place makes delicious Mexican food. We ordered the tamales, beef tacos, and chicken enchiladas. Everything was really yummy! Very authentic and worth the 20 minute wait. As you know when you have amazing Mexican food the morning after is usually not the best. This is no exception...be prepared.

Elizabeth M.

Yelp
Craving tacos and this spot delivered !! Super friendly team working there and food was affordable authentic and delicious. Highly recommend

Raizel C.

Yelp
This is the real deal, folks. Quick and delicious super authentic Mexican food with influences from Veracruz! All the sauces are housemade and the food is so flavorful you know it's made with love. This is the only truly authentic Mexican restaurant in the Grand Traverse área so instead of ground beef hardshell tacos, you'll have perfectly seasoned meat of your choice on a double corn soft tortilla with cilantro and onion. Once you have a real taco from here, you can't go back to the taco bell stuff.

Mike W.

Yelp
Taco' fish taco they did them right. Well they did the fish taco right but messed up our to go order. We ordered the dinner and got just the taco's. As this was takeout we ended up searching for more food once at the house. That said the taco's were great. We tend to stop here a lot due to simply good food and service. As for the messed up order, I guess I should have checked the containers.

Kim C.

Yelp
Found out they Lost our order when we went to pick up our food. They were very busy and didn't offer to make our order as a priority. Very understaffed and poorly run

Thelma W.

Yelp
It was amazing very authentic Mexican food hole in the wall worth going loved it will come again when in town.

Jo C.

Yelp
Absolutely wonderful. Best in town! The tamales are rivaled only by that little red food truck that I can never seem to find anymore. They also have cheek and tongue! Every time I eat bad tex-mex, this place mends my anguished soul.

Legion P.

Yelp
This place is great! It took a while to find a good Mexican place but this is it! Their asada tacos I think are my favorite tacos here, the flautas are great. They have a whole wall of sodas from Coke to Jarritos along with a wall of chips and sundries as well as candy.

Gerson C.

Yelp
You a few complaining but the truth is that they are good. Not many authentic Mexican restaurants up in TC to begin with so, this is as close as we are going to get [I grew up in California and have loved in Mexico for about 3 years so my Mexican palate is on point] so, for the Mexican food we are getting this is good. I'll return as many times as possible!

Diana L.

Yelp
Great food great service! Came from Texas and didn't think I'd find tacos as good as there but these come really close! The cashier is extremely nice ordered the small nachos with extra lettuce and it was HUGEEEE

Zach J.

Yelp
Tacos, tamales, beans and rice. Authentic. Delicious. Affordable. Dont screw around. Eat here.

Rob E.

Yelp
Excellent food and awesome service. Came on a visit from out of town and would consider driving a ways just to come here!

Ben H.

Yelp
Best and most authentic tacos in TC. Salsa needs work and is NOT spicy at all. guacamole has entirely too much cilantro and almost no tomato, tamales are pretty solid. Rice and beans are pretty good. This place is great but you can tell it's trying too hard to cater to the TC natives that don't like real Mexican food.

Mike N.

Yelp
This was a very good place to stop and get some good Mexican taco shop food. I had 3 tacos (1 carne asada and 2 lengua) and my daughter had the tamale meal. The tacos were good and had good flavor. They came just as they should with cilantro and onions. My daughter said the tamales were good as were the rice and beans. We also ordered chips and guacamole. The guacamole was good but very chunky with lots of onion and cilantro. The chips were okay. The service was very good and the girl at the counter even gave my grandson .50 for the crane game in the place while we were waiting. Overall, the food was very good, the service was very good and we would be back.

Christian C.

Yelp
I moved to Traverse City over the summer of 2019 from the 818 and this place is so good and authentic it reminds me of my favorite places in the San Fernando Valley AND my favorite places in San Diego and TJ.

Barry S.

Yelp
Awesome service and food! The place is a bit of a dive but clean. Had the Taco (1 steak, 1 shredded pork) combo and a Tamale, all was good, highly recommend the steak meat for Tacos! VERY friendly and helpful service. Will be back!!

Blank C.

Yelp
I am seriously obsessed with Mexican food and this is my favorite spot in town! Best taste, authenticity, and price in town. My go-to spot on the way home from work. My favorite is the enchilada platter!

gerald c.

Yelp
Great fresh tacos, they are a fresher healthier version than most places. The green salsa is the best I've had. We love this place.

Jenn D.

Yelp
Best Mexican place in town hands down!!! Great service everytime I have been there plus great quality food that tastes great

Tom J.

Yelp
Great steak tacos! Addictive flavour. I like them best without cilantro. Highly recommend.

Nick H.

Yelp
Great authentic Mexican food at great prices, friendly staff. You really can't go wrong with TC Taqueria, their wet burritos are fantastic!

George P.

Yelp
Very tasty food, and generous portion sizes. Their pico de gallo is particularly good in my opinion. The guy at the counter is nice. I had the chorizo burrito combo which was very good. I hope to come back again soon!