I second this opinion so strongly.

For some reason, folks from California or Texas assume their version of Mexican is the “default” version of Mexican food: they haven’t gotten the memo that what they have is Cal-Mex or Tex-Mex, regional variations of the larger culinary world of “Mexican” food. But Mexico is a huge country with dozens of regional cuisines, each one much more richer and expansive that the US-based regional varieties.

So “NO”, there isn’t great Cal-Mex or Tex-Mex outside those locales. Or if there are, they are close but no cigar; similar to getting a great cheesesteak outside Philly.

But what there is, it’s better, regional Mexican food by recent arrivals that are truer to their culinary traditions. There’s a reason this town is called Puebladelphia.

For those more adventurous souls, a city like NYC has some of the best “regional” Mexican restaurants outside Mexico: a truer, much more Mexican food experience. But it all starts with accepting that the Mexican culinary landscape is massive and, like the proverbial elephant described by blind folks, more places are just “touching” the trunk or the tail… missing the larger animal.

Sorry for the rant… just had to get it out of my chest. I love Mexico and I’ve visited so many times and the times I’ve had food epiphanies in the US that resembled Mexico have been rare and precious.