Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Ahora Mexican Cuisine

    3.7 (217 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Ahora Mexican Cuisine Takeout or Delivery

    Ahora Mexican Cuisine Mexican Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    AHORA MEXICAN CUISINE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like Ahora Mexican Cuisine

    Recommended Reviews - Ahora Mexican Cuisine

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Sauce bar
    A Y.

    Our late lunch experience was subpar. The corn tortillas of the tacos were difficult to chew. They were dryer than acceptable. The rice didn't taste right, as if it was cooked in seasoned water only for the color not the taste. The self serve sauce counter was good. Fresh cilantro. The venue was very clean. The restroom was very clean.

    Kemi M.

    I had the best chips and guacamole i've had a in long time! Definitely a must try. Great Mexican food and the staff are lovely. My only concern was the shrimp. I didn't like the cook on them, I think they were overcooked and they were very small. I would be back the next time I crave Mexican to try different dishesl.

    Marie-louise B.

    I went there in may I had chicken quesadilla good everything is home made it feels like ur in Mexico

    Tostado with chicken
    Stephanie T.

    Good price + tasty food = great value. This restaurant is in the basement, and it's nothing fancy inside, but I'd recommend everyone who likes Mexican food to come try the food here. Not only is everything well priced, but food is authentic and tasty, and they have a free salsa bar. The waitress seats you and provides menus upon entering, but you have to go to the front to order and pay. Then, you can serve yourself water and salsa. The waitress will bring your drinks, food and cutlery to your table. In this case, I can't tell if you are supposed to tip or not, because it's like partial service? Anyway, service was prompt and polite. We had large nachos with chicken for the table, and it was really, really good. The cheese was layered well, they were generous with toppings, and guac doesn't cost extra! I highly recommend this dish. I got the tostada with chicken, and this was also very good. The portion was very generous as well. It's a crispy shell filled with beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guac, and chicken. I added the pico de gallo, which was labeled as hot but I didn't find it hot at all. My coworkers all got a different burrito, and they all made positive comments, so I assume they were good, too. The burrito portion is also looked like more than enough, plus you get rice, chips, or salad on the side. One thing to note is I saw some people order tacos, which come in 2 and are small, so it doesn't seem as good of a deal for about the same price as a burrito. Overall, I'd recommend this little restaurant for a filling and affordable meal, and I definitely see myself coming back!

    people eating at tables

    The place is okay and it's a bit small, the servers were nice and friendly but got a burrito plus rice, the rice was very bland so I had to put the fillings of my burrito on it the chicken in the burrito was a bit burn. The food I pretty authentic I guess, but if you come here don't expect to much.

    Gjoa A.

    Quaint place with fantastic food. Nice servers. Excellent margaritas and tortilla chips Condiment buffet of salsas in all heats. Excellent and unique idea.

    Outside
    Wei C.

    On a packed Saturday night in Byward Market the kids wanted Mexican so decided to come here as our first choice El Comino was packed but turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Ahora Mexican Cuisine is located in a basement unit offering cheap but authentic Mexican food. Its a semi self serve set up where you get seated, order and pay at the front and then have your food delivered to your table. The food was great and portions large. We all enjoyed our meals from the burritos to the tacos to enchiladas. They also had a great selection of condiments from salsas, hot sauces and even pickled jalapeños! Service was very good and food came out quickly. It seemed to be a popular place for university students as well. Great place for some Mexican fare!

    Colourful kitsch :)
    Jerry Y.

    Great spot for cheap Mexican food. Authentic in the way of "Mexican" as popularized by norteamericano Latino restauranteurs, this place will satisfy those who want a damn good burrito, and disappoint those who "discovered" tex-mex in white-walled taco-infused eateries frequented by hipsters and served by basic baristas named Amber and Britney. If you want good cheap Mex eats with a varied salsa bar of unlimited sauces in a kitsch-colourful basement, try here. If you want communal oak tables under wire-frame air plants and filament bulbs as you sip craft microbrews with a vegan tortilla, try someplace else.

    Mixed enchiladas with rice and beans
    Murray W.

    Looking for places to eat in the Byward Market, I came across this quaint family-run shop in my interweb searches, and knowing that my wife is a big fan of Mexican food, settled on Ahora for our refueling stop during some Ottawa adventures. Down a couple small set of steps from the street, the brightly coloured resto makes up for the basement location. We were greeted by the friendly staff and took seats in the mostly empty joint, having arrived slightly past the lunch rush. Perusing the menu, it was mostly variations of recognizable Mexican dishes likes tacos, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas and the like. I was feeling pretty hungry, so I went with the mixed enchiladas plate, along with rice and beans. My wife got the tortilla soup for us to share, and then a chicken burrito, with salad for the side. We ordered at the counter and also got mango juices to drink. There's also a wide selection of Jarritos, as well as some Mexican beers, and a salsa bar to the right. The tortilla soup came out quite quickly. Scorching hot, it was hard to resist the rich tomato flavour and its hint of spice. Damn my delicate mouth! The fried tortilla strips added some flavour, and of course crunch. Our mains came in quick order as well. My plate was quite hefty - filled to the edges with rice and beans, with the cheese-topped enchiladas on top. They were all pretty good - the chicken and steak were tasty, and not overcooked, and the chicken had a nice flavour from roasting. The veggie enchilada was pretty simple, loaded up with tomatoes and guac. There's rarely a rice I don't enjoy, and this rice wasn't about to break that trend. A supple medium rice, with the signature red hue from the seasonings common to Mexican rice, I eagerly dug in. The black beans had the perfect texture - not at all grainy, but not overcooked to mush. The mango juice was light and refreshing, but as far as mango drinks go, pales in comparison to a good Indian lassi. Ahora isn't doing anything groundbreaking for Mexican food, but what they are doing is pumping out quality Mexican favourites that we all love.

    So many sauce options ranging from mild to spicy
    Raina A.

    The hype is not real. The food is good but not great. Their enchilada special is yummy and large enough to share between 2 people. The quesadilla was below average. I suggest getting rice and beans for your sides not the salad. The price is pretty good for the amount of food you get. I enjoyed that they offer a sauce bar which you can add to your meal. The service was very poor. Our server behaved like she hated her job (maybe she does??) it made us a little intimidated to ask for extra napkins but anyhoo.. for a big serving for a low price, check it out. For authentic food, it's a pass for me.

    Chicken asado
    Sam L.

    The "best Mexican restaurant" in Ottawa is decent but not spectacular. It's in a basement but it's got a good vibe and service is friendly. We got a chicken burrito and vegetarian burrito. Chicken was a bit overcooked. Portion size was decent. Vegetarian was standard. Water is self served and comes from a water dispenser with lime. It tasted a bit stale and old.

    Where we sat. I love the decor!
    Kendrah E.

    I'm upset to have to review this place just 2 out of 5 stars as the other reviews speak so highly of this cheap eat. We came here because everyone gloats about it being so inexpensive and the quality so great, but I found neither to be true. My boyfriend and I got tortilla chips with a bean dip and then two soft taco's which came with more chips. This cost us $20 and we weren't even full! The bean dip wasn't anything special and I actually hated the steak and chicken tacos we got. They were dripping with oil and fell apart. I would like to give this spot another chance, but perhaps with recommendations from the people who work there. Don't try this on a limb! Take advice and research first! I wish we had done this. Perhaps we'll come back and try again when we're in the area as I really enjoyed the vibe.

    Enchiladas with black beans and rice
    Krista B.

    When I first heard about the location, I thought it was a little sketchy; a basement on Dalhousie street. But, was pleasantly surprised. Food was delicious. Location is quite small, but it's cozy.

    Quesadilla de camarones with chips. I'm the culprit who unceremoniously dumped the salsa on the quesadilla :)

    See all

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A Y.
    92
    1171
    3790

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A G.
    0
    6
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gjoa A.
    0
    40
    47

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Wei C.
    185
    290
    3132

    9 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adam D.
    2056
    2217
    4936

    11 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mira S.
    39
    26
    51

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mimi J.
    177
    550
    2297

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anshika A.
    106
    19
    15

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Coy W.
    608
    1212
    775

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dean D.
    158
    446
    1042

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lara G.
    11
    33
    40

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Ahora Mexican Cuisine Reviews in Other Languages

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Mexican 1,982 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    El Camino

    El Camino

    3.9(350 reviews)
    1.6 km
    $$

    Seven years ago, I visited El Camino, and it left a lasting impression--their chicken tinga tacos…read morewere the best I've ever had. When I returned to Canada, I knew I had to go back. Though I was disappointed to find they no longer make those tacos, I tried the barbacoa, and it was amazing--one of the best tacos ever! The chicken asado was good, but the barbacoa was truly outstanding. I also ordered a drink called the El Camino, not realizing it was very spicy due to Serrano peppers. When I mentioned it, the waitress was incredibly understanding and swapped my drink without making a fuss or charging me. Five stars for the delicious food and exceptional service!

    Came here as a recommendation for dinner on my first trip to Ottawa. We overall liked the…read morerestaurant, staff was friendly & the food was good. On a Sunday night, it was not super busy but there were enough people that it didn't feel empty inside. A bit pricy but we also got drinks, and most trendy Mexican restaurants are like this these days. To start, I shared guac & chips - no complaints, we enjoyed and it was very fresh. The added tomatoes were nice. I ordered 3 tacos - the beef barbacoa was fine but the portion of dipping jus was tiny for 3 beef tacos. The best taco for me was the tuna tartare crispy taco. Loved the flavours and the fish was just delicious! My friends had the chicken tacos and said they were spicy but they liked them a lot. However, I did not enjoy the ox tongue taco and didn't finish it. I ordered it because all the reviews about it were so positive, but I didn't like how they just put two huge pieces of meat in a taco. It tasted very gamey and I didn't like the spongy texture either. The piña colada cocktail was yummy - I could taste fresh pineapple and it was very creamy.

    Photos
    El Camino - Kitchen

    Kitchen

    El Camino - Tuna tartar taco

    Tuna tartar taco

    El Camino

    See all

    Burrito Gringo

    Burrito Gringo

    2.9(18 reviews)
    9.8 km
    $$

    I had lunch at Burrito Gringo recently and it was ok…read more For the longest time I had been avoiding Burrito Gringo because many years ago I had a burrito at the Burrito Gringo on St. Laurent (which is now called "John Juan Burrito Mexican Grill") and I broke out in hives. However, I ate at countless Tex-Mex places prior to that experience and also since that time and it never happened again. So I decided to live a life of danger and go back to a Burrito Gringo without an Epi Pen, haha! I am happy to report that I had 3 tacos and no reactions :) I like how you can choose between hard and soft tacos, and with soft tacos you can choose between corn or wheat. I got 3 soft corn tacos ($10.75). You can get different meats on each taco, so I got chicken, steak, and pulled beef. At most places the taco toppings are just the protein, salsa, cheese, lettuce and sour cream, but here I was also able to add rice, beans, and sauteed vegetables, hurray! There was just 1 type of rice (lime rice), and sauteed vegetables (onions and peppers), but there were 3 types of beans: refried, black, and pinto. I got the pinto beans. I loved how the tacos were full of toppings. They were super messy to eat as a result, but I didn't mind, I just used a fork. The tacos tasted ok. I didn't get any real strong flavours, it's like the flavours were muted. The food wasn't bland as they used adequate salt, it just lacked oomph in the flavour department. Staff were nice and service was quick. This location is in a strip mall. Same strip mall as Metro and next to Alterna Bank. Lots of free parking.

    Really disapointed. Not what it was several years ago!!…read more$75 for 2 adults and 2 kids cold food flies all over the place The place was empty and really dirty at 4:50pm Never going back

    Photos
    Burrito Gringo
    Burrito Gringo
    Burrito Gringo

    See all

    Margarita Restaurant - Authentic and Amazing Mexican food

    Margarita Restaurant

    3.4(17 reviews)
    3.2 km

    I made a reservation and was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance here. It was a wonderful summer…read moreevening to start the weekend. I came in a party of two and sat at the patio. Our server was extremely nice and checked in on us a few times. We ordered a few margaritas, chips and guac and tacos. All were very delicious! I especially loved the shrimp tacos. Huge shrimp that were cooked in batter and tasted delicious with the toppings. I'm looking forward to more evenings there. Thank you to the team at Margarita!

    When I saw they had a chapulin taco here, I had to have it! It's a soft corn tortilla with pasilla…read moresauce, queso fresco, onions, cilantro, guacamole, and the star of the show, spiced GRASSHOPPERS!! And lemme tell you, they did not hold back on the grasshoppers. I thought that they would sort of be sprinkled on top or something, but nope, they really went for it! It honestly tasted more roasted than anything, and they were whole, so they were crunchy, but other than that, the lime plus the medium and extra spicy hot sauces I got on the side added the most flavour. The hot sauces were vinegar-based, not burn your mouth kind of hot, and had good flavour. The extra spicy was spicy but not overly so. I also tried the carnitas taco and it was delicious. The pork was very tender and juicy. It came with radish, guacamole, fresh salsa verde, and it was supposed to also have homemade pickled onions, but I didn't see or taste any. I believe they make their tortillas in-house, so that added to the flavour of the tacos for sure. I was excited about the tamales (one order comes with two). Every time I order tamales they sort of just come on their own, wrapped. These came served in the banana leaf, but unwrapped and topped with sour cream, queso fresco, and cilantro. They were vegetarian, stuffed with chipil, which I've never had before. It's a leafy green vegetable and Google says it's like a cross between watercress and spinach, and I'd say that's pretty accurate. To my surprise, there was also a big piece of cheese in the middle (lengthwise). As a big cheese lover, I approve haha! The tamales were so, so good. Nice change from what I normally have. My husband had the nachos with chicken - protein was an extra $6.50 but guac (two scoops!) was included. They were also topped with beans, cheese, pico de Gallo, pickled jalapeños, and sour cream. They were the most expensive item (already $20 without the chicken), but they were tasty. My husband's not into guac, so I ate both scoops and I can't complain lol. He got the Mexican Coca-Cola and I got the cafe de olla (Mexican coffee). The Coke is different because it's made with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and it comes in a bottle. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I did enjoy this one because of the different spices in it. I also wanted to try the Mexican hot chocolate but they ran out. Next time!

    Photos
    Margarita Restaurant
    Margarita Restaurant
    Margarita Restaurant

    See all

    Ahora Mexican Cuisine - mexican - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...