A beloved Nashville Mexican restaurant has been named one of the best in the country. Here's everything you need to know before you go.
Julio Hernandez first launched his journey into restaurant ownership with a griddle and some handmade tortillas. Now, he has a restaurant in a primo spot in the Gulch where there are tacos, yes, but also excellent steaks, ceviche and mole.
The combination of handcrafted Mexican food in a warm environment, complemented by excellent cocktails and attentive service, has helped propel Maiz de la Vida into nationwide recognition, with Hernandez netting a James Beard nomination.
Today, Maiz de la Vida has made even more news with its inclusion on USA Today’s 2026 Restaurants of the Year list. The local spot, along with Junior in East Nashville, was named one of the top 39 places to eat in America.
What makes Maiz de la Vida stand out
It's unsurprising that this modern Mexican restaurant, where corn both forms a back-bar mural and serves as the backbone of the menu from tortillas to nixtamal grits and stock for rice, has captured so much attention.
Inside, the restaurant glows with warm light, bold colors and textures that make the room feel lived-in and loved, but also modern.
As vivid as the murals and rotating Latin-made art that give the room its warmth are, the menu stands apart. It's full of dishes that draw from Hernandez's Mexican heritage while leaning on his culinary training at vaunted restaurants such as Becco and experience in Southern country clubs.
The frequently changing creamy stoneground grits set serves as a perfect example. Whether layered with a chile-spiked sauce and seafood or pork belly and winter citrus, the dish's flavors and ingredients always pay homage to the culinary traditions of both the American South and Mexico.
Maiz De La Vida named one of the best in the nation by USA Today, offers a taste of Music City with colorful plates and rich flavors.
What to order at Maiz de la Vida
Start with the salmón chileatole, named for a pre-Hispanic soup made with corn, pungent epazote and chiles. Here, those flavors beautifully complement the creamy, risotto-like Calasparra rice served with it.
The restaurant has a way with salmon, and the salmon belly ceviche, with its deeply flavorful leche de tigre spiked with ají amarillo, is one of the menu's most consistent standouts.
Don’t miss the carne asada, made with a generous portion of perfectly cooked New York strip, garlicky potatoes and blistered chiles. Layer everything into the warm corn tortillas that started it all and don't be shy about the peppers.
Save room for dessert, in particular the modern take on tres leches, which melds classic flavors with other notes that help nudge it into tiramisu territory. It's a knockout end to a great meal.
What to drink
The margaritas are excellent, and the tequila selection encourages liberal sampling. The cocktail menu deserves a long look, too.
The Paper and Ash, made with mezcal and piloncillo sugar, leans smoky and lightly sweet. The mezcal's earthiness is rounded by warm vanilla and a whisper of cedar, creating a drink that feels rugged yet elegant.
The bar at Maiz De La Vida restaurant at 606 8th Ave. South Thursday, Nov 20, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean
La Calaca (a mix of reposado tequila, Mexican rum, corn falernum and tropical fruit) is an agave-forward riff on a tiki classic. Bright and lush, it arrives en fuego in a skull vessel, a festive flourish that lives up to its name.
Need to know
Hernandez’s rise mirrors Nashville’s own culinary evolution, where independent restaurants spiced with personal heritage help shape the city’s identity.
Maiz is also always evolving, with a menu that changes frequently. That means old favorites may occasionally rotate out, but that also means new dishes are on the way.
Details: 606 8th Ave S store 100; 615-499-4248; maizdelavida.com
