Best Tacos in Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia — updated August 22, 2026
Four Mexican kitchens around Smith Mountain Lake, ranked by how settled their ratings are, from a Huddleston taqueria on the Parkway to a sit-down grill in Floyd.
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Smith Mountain Lake spreads across three counties, so the taco search here is really a driving question: Huddleston, Hardy and Moneta each have one contender, and the fourth is a proper trip out to Floyd. The four below are ranked by how well the reviews back up the rating, not just by the number on the star line. All are independent restaurants, no chains.
1. Tacos Locos
The highest-rated of the group with the most convincing record behind it: 4.7 stars across 477 reviews, which is a lot of agreement for a restaurant on Smith Mountain Lake Parkway in Huddleston. That combination of score and volume is why it leads the list. The address, 2074 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy, puts it on the main east-side route, so it is an easy stop coming off the water rather than a destination detour. Confirm hours before driving out; smaller lake-area kitchens keep their own schedules, and this one does not list a website.
2. El Toreno Mexican Bar & Grill
The busiest of the lake-proper options, with 631 reviews behind a 4.5 rating. That is the largest sample of any restaurant on this list that sits close to the water, and a score that holds at 4.5 over that many visits is proven rather than promising. Find it at 40 Village Springs Dr, Suite 14, in Hardy, on the Franklin County side. The bar-and-grill format means it works for a table of people who are not all ordering tacos, which is a practical advantage over a straight taqueria on a Saturday night.
3. Cilantro Mexican Grill
The Moneta entry, and the newest-feeling record of the four: 4.6 stars from 233 reviews. That is a strong rating on a thinner base than the two above it, so treat it as promising rather than settled. The location, 1035 Mercantile St, Suite 102, puts it convenient to the Westlake side of the lake. It keeps a Facebook page rather than a full website, which is the place to check for current hours and any day it closes. Worth trying if you are already on that end and want something other than the usual stop.
4. El Charro Mexican Grill
The outlier on distance: 302 S Locust St in Floyd, well south of the lake, which is why it ranks last here despite having the largest review count of the four at 716. The 4.3 rating is the lowest on the list, but it is the most thoroughly tested number, so it reflects a consistent kitchen rather than an unproven one. Reasonable if you are making the drive to Floyd for other reasons. Not worth the trip from the lake purely for tacos when Huddleston and Hardy are closer.