Good Cheap Mexican Food on Clearwater Beach

Finding a good spot to grab a bite to eat without paying inflated tourist prices along Clearwater Beach can be a challenge. I lucked out and found some good cheap Mexican Food right across from a spot that let me down last month.

Most of the best places to eat in Clearwater are far from the touristy spots along the beach. But right now Clearwater Beach the epicenter of Spring Break. And because of the Spring Breakers, it's actually a good time to visit... not because of the drunken college kids. But the city of Clearwater brings back free downtown parking and a free shuttle over to the beach. Traffic and parking are the two biggest reasons I avoid Clearwater Beach the rest of the year. But when it comes time to eat, Clearwater Beach has a lot of duds and generally overly expensive menu prices. I was in the mood for some good (but cheap) Mexican food.

A few weeks ago, I shared my first experience at Hogan's Hangout on Clearwater Beach. The burger was pretty good. The fries were ok. And the iced tea was just, eh, basic un-home made stuff you can buy in a bottle. So when the bill with tip, tax, and some weird 3% fee came to $40, I wasn't Hulk's biggest fan. Turns out I should have just gone across the street. I found some great Mexican food at a place with the most uninspiring name... Tacos, Tequila and Rum. I mean, I like all 3. But it's just an odd name.

As for what day you should visit, I mean, Taco Tuesday seems to be the no brainer right? On Tuesdays, you can get their tacos for $1 with chicken, beef, refried or black beans. Grilled chicken or steak tacos are $2 each. If you're visiting any other day of the week, their daily special is a 3 item combo for $13.75 with tacos, enchiladas and burritos.

There are over a dozen taco variations on the menu. They have shrimp, lengua (cow tongue), barbacoa (goat meat), fish, and even octopus tacos. If you like Chimichangas, they say their cheese sauce is homemade. They go for about $15.

If you want to visit Tacos, Tequila and Rum, they are at 490 Mandalay Avenue in Clearwater. It's not a fancy place so don't dress up or feel the need to make a reservation. But if you do want to call, their number is 727-953-3343. Their Yelp score isn't mind blowing... a 4.2. Let me know what you think if you go.

Florida is a dream destination for many. Families will come to visit, and then start planning their move to the Sunshine State. Can you blame them? There are many perks of living in Florida like the no income tax, gorgeous beaches, and endless recreational activities. When looking for the cheapest places to live in Florida, you're likely going to be directed to the smaller inland cities. But let's be real, you're probably making this move to be closer to the water. So we found a list of the cheapest places to live in Florida and condensed that list to focus on the places near the beach.

We found our list of the most affordable places to live in Florida from Property Club. They factored their list based on median housing prices, and other costs of living like groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare. For the housing prices, they compared average rents and median prices sold between January 2023 and January 2024. They drew their data from the U.S. Census, Zillow, Rent Café, and more.

With so many people relocating to Florida, it's made the housing market extremely competitive. Locals who are hoping to become first-time home buyers are stuck renting because they can't combat the cash offers from the transplants. According to Redfin, home prices were up 4.5% from 2023, with the median selling price at $404,100. In January 2024, 10.2% of homes in Florida sold above the list price.

Keep in mind when looking for cheap places to live near the beach, you won't ever be directly on the water. Nothing about living ocean-front is cheap. Keep in mind the cost of living in Florida is 1% higher than the national average. Another realtor blog, Norada, listed more affordable beach towns including Pensacola, Port St. Lucie, Tarpon Springs, and Bradenton. You can check out their full list here.

According to our source, the median cost of a home in Jacksonville is about $293,000, which is well below the national average. You can even find 1-bedrooom apartments for around $1,200/month. Jacksonville was also named one of the best cities to live in the south. Plus, there are plenty of job opportunities.

Edgewater is located off the east coast of Florida near Daytona Beach. Despite being so close to one of Florida's popular beaches, the cost of living is about 7% lower than the national average. The median home price here is about $305,000-$325,999.

This one shocked us. With Clearwater being one of the more expensive Florida beach towns, we were shocked to see Dunedin on this list. Don't get it twisted, there is so much to love about Dunedin. It's charming downtown area has so many great restaurants, breweries, and shops. And it's a less than 20 minute drive to the best beach in Florida, or you can head to the less crowded Dunedin Causeway or Honeymoon Island. Despite getting facelifts over the years with new housing and luxury apartments, Property Club says the median home cost is about $349,000. But it definitely won't stay that way forever.

Melbourne is located off the east coast of Florida and southeast from Orlando. It has that small-town appeal with plenty of outdoor recreation like beaches, golf courses, and the Viera Wetlands. The median cost of a home in Melbourne is about $375,000, and one bedroom apartments can be found for $1,300/month.

Cape Coral is going to be one of the most affordable cities in southwest Florida. Bonus perk is that it has one of the lowest crime rates in the state. It's also known for its many canals and gorgeous landscapes. According to Property Club, the median home price here is $391,000, which is just below the national average.