Diego's Cantina

4.5

480 Reviews

$30 and under

Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 26, 2025

7:00 PM

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Gluten-free-friendly

Owned and operated by Natasha Kwan, St. Louis Post Dispatch's Best Chef in St. Louis, our elevated Mexican restaurant blends vibrant flavors with a tropical atmosphere that feels like a vacation, taking you far from St. Louis. We’re located in a charming University City neighborhood, just steps from Clayton.

Our menu features plates like queso flameado, costra and crunch tacos, enchiladas, nachos and a few Tex-Mex options. Cocktails and margaritas are crafted with fresh-squeezed juices and premium ingredients. 

We offer all-day happy hour Tuesday through Thursday. We also accommodate parties of 10 or more for special celebrations.

Other accolades:
Best New Restaurant, A-List Restaurant (St. Louis Magazine)
Best Queso (Ian Froeb of St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

To Note:
Gluten free friendly - our fryer is dedicated gluten free so eat all the chips you want!
Many vegan options
Dog friendly patio and sidewalk

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Tex-Mex, Tapas / Small Plates
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Bar Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(314) 553-9906
Website
http://www.diegosstl.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Natasha Kwan

Location
630 North & South Road, University City, MO 63130
Neighborhood
University City
Cross street
Delmar
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Chips & Salsa$4.00
first one's on us
Guacamole$7.00
served with vegetables
Queso Blanco$8.00
creamy white cheese & chiles, house chips
Shrimp Cocktail
jumbo shrimp, cucumbers, avocado, pineapple, serraño, cilantro, onion
Queso Flameado$13.00
house blend, roasted chiles, tortillas, on fire
Sheet Pan Nachos$15.00
loaded with cheese, salsa, crema, tomato, cilantro, radish
Queso Chicharrones$11.00
crispy rolled cheese with roasted chiles
Shrimp Skewer$12.00
5 shrimp, house rice

Salads & Sides

House Salad$9.00
romaine, tomato, radish, cucumber, charred corn, avocado, poblano, cotija, cumin-lime dressing
Escabeche$3.00
pickled vegetables, perfect alone or as an accompaniment to your meal
Esquites$4.00
creamy charred corn, poblano, onion, cilantro, tomato, cotija
Pinto Beans$3.00
House Rice$3.00

Tacos & Tostadas

Diego's Carnitas$5.00
seasoned chicken, onion, cilantro, cotija, lime
Grilled Fish$6.00
barramundi, onion, cilantro, tomato, lime, smoked crema
Costra de Chiles Asados$6.00
roasted chilis, tomato, onion, cilantro, avocado, salsa roja in crispy cheese
Pollo Guisado$5.00
braised chicken, onion, cilantro, salsa verde, lime
Shrimp$6.00
seasoned shrimp, onion, cilantro, salsa verde, lime
Costra de Pollo$6.00
pickled onion, avocado, cilantro in crispy cheese
Shrimp Tostada$10.00
avocado mash, radish, pickled onion, tomato, crema
Vegan Tostada$8.00
avocado mash, cabbage, tomato, cilantro, onion, jalapeño crema

Desserts

Diego's Grilled Banana$7.00
strawberry, caramel, cinnamon, cayenne
Ice Cream & Marranito$6.00
vanilla ice cream, ginger spiced cookie

Drinks

Mexican Coke$3.00
Jarritos Tamarind$3.00

House Cocktails

Viva Los Verde$11.00
herbaceous and savory; El Buho mezcal, lime, rosemary, basil, agave, himalayan salt
Right Hook Fizz$10.00
farm fresh; Crown, black & blue berries, mint, lemon, foam, berry shrub, orange flower water
Tequila Tonic$10.00
refreshing and light; House-made tonic, Espolon blanco, seasonal fruit and herbs

Classic Cocktails

El Burro$10.00
tequila mule, ginger syrup, lime, soda
Paloma$10.00
Espolon blanco, grapefruit, lime, soda
Daiquiri$10.00
overproof rum, agave, lime

Margaritas

House Margarita$9.00
Espolon blanco, lime, orange, agave
Mezcal Margarita$11.00
Montelobos mezcal, lime, orange, agave
Frida's Margarita
Espolon blanco, hibiscus, lime, orange, agave

Featured Flight

taste the difference of time

Espolon Blanco | Espolon Reposado | Espolon Añejo$30.00

What 480 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

St. Louis
Innovative
St. Louis
Healthy
Midtown
Best Value
Midtown
Great for brunch
Midtown
Innovative
Midtown
Healthy
Midtown
Neighborhood gem
Midtown
Great for outdoor dining
Midtown
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Diego's Cantina dazzles with "fantastic margaritas" and "delicious and fresh" Mexican cuisine that offers a "fresh twist." The "service was outstanding," with attentive staff and a "lovely location" perfect for gatherings. While some dishes received mixed reviews, the "fish tacos" and "shrimp fajita bowl" are crowd favorites.

480 Reviews

G
Gianna
Los Angeles
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
our first server was bad, but our second server was amazing!!!
Is this helpful?
D
Darla
St. Louis
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
When I made the reservation for a high table, I guess I did not realize I would be sitting right next to the entrance of the restaurant. The margarita I had had too much lime flavor in it. The shredded chicken in my burrito was dry. Staff was exceptional by being very attentive and polite!
Is this helpful?
E
Emily
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Margaritas were fantastic, food was just ok. Chicken birria taco was disappointing.
Is this helpful?
H
Heather
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Great place to go for decent food, especially if there are vegetarians in your party.
Is this helpful?
L
Lucie
VIP
St. Louis
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on January 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best fish tacos! Great atmosphere & service. Margs great too!!
Is this helpful?
I
Indira
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Went in New Year’s Eve. The ambience was very nice. The waiter was attentive and professional. The food came out quickly and was delicious.
Is this helpful?
S
Shawn
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Food, Service, and Overall Experience 10/10. I highly recommend the shrimp fajita bowl. Delicious!! It was our first visit, and we will definitely be back!!!
Is this helpful?
S
Sarah
St. Louis
7 reviews
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on December 25, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The margaritas were very good but the food was only OK. However the decor and service were great. There are other more affordable Mexican restaurants with more menu options close by; I think I'll stick to them in the future.
Is this helpful?
C
Charles Hoffman
VIP
St. Louis
40 reviews
5.0
40 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
More authentic Mexican than most. Service was outstanding as usual. Comfortable, friendly place.
Is this helpful?
L
Lewis
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food that makes vegan dishes taste great for a non-vegan eater! fresh twist on Mexican food in a lovely location. Recommend!
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FAQs

Diego's Cantina offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (314) 553-9906.

Diego's Cantina is rated 4.5 stars by 480 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 26, 2025

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

630 North & South Road, University City, MO 63130

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Delmar
Neighborhood
University City
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Bar Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Tex-Mex, Tapas / Small Plates
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Natasha Kwan
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.diegosstl.com/
Phone number
(314) 553-9906

Diego's Cantina

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Botanas

Chips & Salsa$4.00

Guacamole$7.00

Queso Blanco$8.00

Shrimp Cocktail

Queso Flameado$13.00

Sheet Pan Nachos$15.00

Queso Chicharrones$11.00

Shrimp Skewer$12.00

Salads & Sides

House Salad$9.00

Escabeche$3.00

Esquites$4.00

Pinto Beans$3.00

House Rice$3.00

Tacos & Tostadas

Diego's Carnitas$5.00

Grilled Fish$6.00

Costra de Chiles Asados$6.00

Pollo Guisado$5.00

Shrimp$6.00

Costra de Pollo$6.00

Shrimp Tostada$10.00

Vegan Tostada$8.00

Desserts

Diego's Grilled Banana$7.00

Ice Cream & Marranito$6.00

Drinks

Mexican Coke$3.00

Jarritos Tamarind$3.00

House Cocktails

Viva Los Verde$11.00

Right Hook Fizz$10.00

Tequila Tonic$10.00

Classic Cocktails

El Burro$10.00

Paloma$10.00

Daiquiri$10.00

Margaritas

House Margarita$9.00

Mezcal Margarita$11.00

Frida's Margarita

Featured Flight

Espolon Blanco | Espolon Reposado | Espolon Añejo$30.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Diego's Cantina offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Diego's Cantina restaurant rated?

Is Diego's Cantina currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information