Had a spontaneous date night with my husband here on the weekend. We came by 20 minutes before the…read morekitchen closed on a Sunday night - so not many people were around, the staff were gracious and attentive. We'd been here when Pura Vida first opened, and noticed that they completed renovated the space - the tropical decor was pleasantly kitschy and warmly lit. We got: watermelon and ginger lemonades, jackfruit tacos, the seafood soup and casado with beef stew. Drinks were a little too sweet (but that's likely just my palette) food was delicious, especially loved the fried plantains and jackfruit.

If you're looking for a cozy, tropical escape without leaving Toronto, this is your spot! Tucked…read moreaway on St. Clair West, this charming Puerto Rican is a gem. The customer service? Impeccable. The staff was genuinely kind and attentive without being overbearing. I felt welcomed from the second I walked through the door. I ordered the Avocado Salmon Toast paired with the beautifully pink and perfectly named Pink Flamingo drink. My friend went for the Sweet Berry Waffle and a classic lemonade. Let me just say--the flavors did not disappoint. The salmon was fresh, creamy avocado was piled high, and the toppings were thoughtfully layered. My only tiny critique (and I say this with love): the toast itself was a little too crispy for my liking. It made the dish a bit tricky to cut into, and the texture leaned dry. Next time, I'll definitely ask for it untoasted or lightly toasted. A softer base would really let those flavors shine without the crunch competing. Now let's talk about that Pink Flamingo--WOW. It was tropical, sweet, and honestly gave me vacation-in-a-glass vibes. I almost ordered a second, but adulting (and budgeting) called me back to reality. That said, it's worth every sip! I snuck a few bites from my friend's Sweet Berry waffles, and yep--I'm getting that next time!! Light, fruity, tasty!! I can't wait to come back and try more from the menu. Who knows, maybe next time I'll get to sample a few more dishes Seriously though--support local and give this place a try. You'll leave full, happy, and already planning your next visit.

Love Mexican food and this place does not disappoint! Everything we had was delicious. The guac…read moreand chips were a great start, followed by corn ribs that were unlike any I have had before. Lightly coated and flavourful! An autumn salad with a lime dressing and bierria tacos rounded out our meal. Server was friendly and efficient HOWEVER, she was chopping on gum and it grossed me out. Servers should not be chewing gum while serving so that would be my complaint about the place. It was spacious bright and clean.

I stumbled upon this place while visiting Toronto. The decor and music caught my attention. I…read morewalked in this restaurant and all the staff were very friendly. We decided to order the fish tacos and carne asada tacos. Surprisingly, The tacos were delicious. We ordered adult beverages. The mojito and strawberry margarita tasted like they forgot to put alcohol in it. I can best describe the mix drinks as virgin mix drinks. They are very stingy with the alcohol. Overall Rasa's has great food and mix drinks needs major improvement.

This small shop offers an assortment of latin fares, including pupusas, empanadas, tamales, and…read moreceviche. On weekends, they serve up freshly-made pupusas on a hot plate from the sidewalk. I've ordered the shredded pork and cheese on a few occasions and it always satisfies the cravings. They top it off with a tomato sauce and coleslaw (very delicious pairing), as well as an optional green salsa (spicy). The dish is hearty and comforting with all the South American flavours.

We were strolling around Kensington Market and we saw these nice empanadas being displayed on the…read morecurbside of this restaurant. I got a spicy beef one and it was just ok... The dough was a bit wimpy and not baked fully enough to be firm and crusty. The filling was good but not hot enough. Overall a place for a quick bite but nothing spectacular.

We were hanging around Kensington today waiting for our son to wrap up some meetings at the…read moreUniversity of Toronto, and we came upon this cute little place on the corner! Doesn't look like much from the outside but... Best guac we have ever had! Amazing plantain chips freshly fried! Baja fish tacos and cactus tacos were melt in your mouth delicious! This little gem is perfect for a light lunch... don't let the outside fool you, it's authentic and delicious, and reasonably priced! Super high quality food, and perfectly cooked!

This place was the choice of our meetup.com host who has a penchant for karaoke which seems to be a…read morehighlight for La Cevicheria. Otherwise, it's pretty much a dive in Kens with long tables with everything else sketchy enough you don't want to look too closely. I had a Michelada which was quite good and really hit the spot! Then I remembered someone recommended the shrimp tacos, which I always enjoy so I ordered those. Someone at the table ordered nachos which definitely looked good. But when I got my tacos I was confused as to why the shells were on the shrimp still (heads off). Not sure why that would be and it's too obvious to be a mistake, and in hindsight I should have sent that order back to the kitchen as I couldn't eat it like a taco. Instead I had to pick each shrimp up and peel it before eating which was messy because of the mayo, and took long enough that the shell was soggy by the time I got to it. Not ideal and made me think that there were not any Mexicans in the place. My only guess is that they could be Filipino? They would serve shell-on shrimp in some of their dishes which would be fine, being with noodles or rice. Also the karaoke thing made me think of Little Manilla lol, as the bar up there was heaven for out of tune singing 100%. I see now they are closed for the winter 2025/6 and back in April which makes a lot of sense since Kens is often a ghost town when it gets cold out.

Best Peruvian couisine in the area! generous, tasty and colourful dishes…read more Superb service and relaxed ambience.

Having been to the original El Inka location in Burlington, we gave their newer location in…read moredowntown Toronto a visit as we had a great experience at the Burlington location. This location was a lot busier and more packed compared to its suburban sister restaurant, and it was for a good reason - the food and service here were outstanding. Everything was delicious, and portion sizes were quite big. Reservation is recommended, especially on weekends, since they can get super busy. The place had an energetic ambiance as all the servers seemed to be always on the go, yet they were able to maintain an organized flow and excellent & friendly service. The outside patio was half covered, half wasn't. The inside had a somewhat open-concept kitchen. We were able to customize some of our orders to make everything non-spicy, and also got to customize the side sautéed vegetables to be just boiled / plain vegetables without the sauce (I remember them being very salty the first time we got them in the Burlington location) - so bonus points for that. Soon we could see why this place was always packed: great authentic Peruvian food (hard to come by in downtown with all the fusion twists), nice and attentive service, and the dishes came out relatively fast. Everything that we ordered was satisfyingly tasty: 1) Quatro Causas (Yukon gold mashed potato "cubes" topped with tuna, shrimps, octopus, aji amarillo, and lime juice) - Causa is a very classic cold Peruvian layered potato dish made with seasoned mashed yellow potatoes, yellow pepper paste, and a savory filling. Here at El Inka, they took a creative spin to the traditional causas by making them into 4 small cubes, each one topped with a different protein filling and sauce. Very pretty to eat. 2) Pulpo a la Parrilla (grilled octopus with asparagus, purple potatoes, radish, choclo, aji panca, chimichurri, and huancaina) - One of my favourite appetizer dishes here. I could taste the char / grill taste of the octopus - very tender without being rubbery, and I loved everything that it came with (the asparagus, purple potatoes, radish, and choclo). The huancaina (creamy, spicy yellow cheese sauce from Peru) gave it a bit of a kick, but it wasn't overly spicy. 3) Choros a la Chalaca (6 New Zealand mussels with red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, choclo, aji amarillo, and lime juice) - These were alright - the veggie toppings gave the mussels a nice and refreshing taste. 4) Ensalada El Inka (spring mix leafy greens, cucumber, tomato slices, red onion, avocado, and hemp seeds with avocado dressing) - Simple and a good accompaniment to all the other dishes. 5) Pescado Ceviche (tilapia, lime juice, cilantro, red onion, sweet potato, choclo) - Out of all the ceviche varieties out there, I like Peruvian-style ceviche the best because it always comes with sweet potato and choclo. Portion size of all the ceviches here was big - good for sharing. 6) Vegano Ceviche (broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, cucumber, red peppers, edamame, avocado, sweet potato, choclo) - I ordered this one because I was curious (never encountered a "vegan" ceviche before), and I just wanted extra broccoli and cauliflower. But there was more avocado here than the broccoli and cauliflower (only a few pieces). They must've used a whole avocado, sliced. The sweet potato that it came with added a nice sweetness contrast to the vinegar-y / more acidic rest of the dish. 7) Arroz Con Mariscos (Peruvian-style paella with octopus, calamari, shrimps, mussels, green peas, carrots, red onion, cilantro, aji amarillo) - This was favourite main dish at El Inka. Out of all the "Arroz Con Mariscos" dishes that I've tried at numerous Latin American restaurants everywhere, this was 'up there'. The rice was flavourful, the sauce was perfect (in amount and taste), and all the seafood varieties blended well together with the rice, creating a concoction of full deliciousness in your mouth. 8) Side Sautéed Vegetables - We were able to request customization of this to be without the sauce (just plain boiled or sautéed), yet they were able to make them still somewhat flavourful and still tasted fresh & crisp. This quickly became my favourite side dish. I liked that almost every dish came with some form of vegetables (even if they were just a bit of leafy greens, diced tomatoes / bell peppers, or red onion), and that choclo (Peruvian large-kernel corn) was present in every dish.

Puerto Bravo specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine, offering tacos, tortas, quesadillas, birria,…read moreand other traditional dishes made with recipes inspired by different regions of Mexico. The restaurant has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation, recognizing its high-quality food at a good value. The décor is bright, colourful, cozy, and welcoming, creating a relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to stay and enjoy your meal. The space feels casual and friendly while still offering a memorable dining experience. The menu features a variety of traditional Mexican dishes and seafood specialties. In addition to the food, they also carry Mexican snacks, beverages, and specialty products that are not always easy to find elsewhere in Toronto. We tried the "ClassicMargarita", "Camarones Bravos Taco" and the "Ceviche", and both dishes were amazing. The flavours were fresh and well balanced. They also have a patio during summertime.

This quaint eatery serves up some seriously good Mexican fare! We made a reservation (thank, god!)…read moreand came in for a our pre-show dinner for an unforgettable night with outstanding Irene Tu at the Comedy Bar. The small restaurant was half full when we got there but it filled up within 15 min of us sitting down, so yes, make a reservation. The small menu leans heavily on the seafood side which was fine by us and we ordered all food to share. We especially loved our Aguachile with raw shrimp and the street corn appetizer. The seafood tacos were beautifully presented with meticulously prepared tacos that tasted like explosion of the ocean in your mouth. Only downside was that the entire dining room was being served by one very hard working server who was also busy packing take-away orders, so the service was a little slow at times. Perhaps we noticed this more as we had to leave the restaurant by certain time to get to the show. Although the overall experience with the food and service was excellent, I had to take away one star because of the noise level. My friend and I could barely hear each other without shouting across the table, as the sound really carried at the restaurant. I am not sure how the restaurant could remediate this, but definitely something I hope they can improve on for our next visit.

Hands down my favourite Mexican resto in the city! Great value, excellent food, and terrific staff…read moremake this an experience not to be missed. The food is always fresh, and it's an excellent gluten free option for anyone who is a celiac. From lunch meetings to date night, El Pocho is a perfect spot to grab a margarita and some tacos with a side of ceviche - you'll be glad you did!

I noticed this mexi spot while driving on Bathurst and had to check it out for me and my daughter's…read moretradition of Mexican food for Father's Day. The service was top notch and the place is well staffed with skilled people. In a different neighbourhood this could easily be a dive with cheap tacos, but at this location a place like this needs to be more upscale and El Pocho delivers with everything living up to a quality experience, yet having a neighbourhood casual atmosphere. Decor is rustic yet clean and nice! Food was impressive with good portions and bar was capable and well stocked. Great experience and can recommend!

Sinaloa Factory operates with the gleeful audacity of an establishment that has decided, quite…read moredeliberately, to dismantle the orthodoxies of raw seafood dining. Tucked into the vibrant irreverence of Kensington Market, this is a kitchen that refuses to be disciplined by convention -- and is all the more thrilling for it. For too long, raw seafood has been held hostage by a single culinary narrative: the austere rituals of Japanese cuisine, where centuries of mythology and meticulous branding have elevated simplicity into near-religion. Sinaloa Factory has the audacity to ask: what if raw fish were liberated from that carefully constructed mystique? The answer arrives on the plate with remarkable conviction. Here, the pristine quality of fresh seafood is married to the bold, unapologetic flavours of the Mexican Pacific coast -- chiles, citrus, herbs -- and the result is a union that feels not like fusion, but like long-overdue honesty. The kitchen's confidence is matched by the warmth of its ambiance: vibrant murals, pulsing norteño rhythms, and a spirit that is unmistakably Sinaloan. The hot sauces command attention -- layered, genuinely fiery, and without compromise. Authenticity here is not performed; it is simply lived. One leaves not merely satisfied, but liberated -- reminded that great food has never belonged to any single tradition.

Authentic as it gets in Canada ! The food delivers a real glimpse of Sinaloa's iconic cuisine, it's…read morelike being in the coast of Mazatlan except you're watching the snowfall in the background ! Great service the waitress and cooks/chefs are friendly. We'll definitely be coming back