Seven years ago, I visited El Camino, and it left a lasting impression--their chicken tinga tacos were 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! read more

Came here as a recommendation for dinner on my first trip to Ottawa. We overall liked the restaurant, 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. read more

El Camino - crispy tuna tartare taco - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Not real Mexican food. But if you like it, order it! I ordered a tongue taco and a barbacoa taco along with guacamole and chips. The tongue taco tasted a little sweet. I don't know if it was the jalapeños, which were not hot at all or what it was. It didn't taste bad, it just was not Mexican. The Barbacoa had a sauce in the meat. Again, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't Mexican. It was more like a version of a barbecue taco. The guacamole, however, was good along with the chips. If you're looking for true Mexican food, I would not go here unless you just want guacamole and chips. read more

Noticed my original review was old and out of date, so here goes for a refresh. This location of this business is one of my favorite eat in and take out joints in Ottawa. First of all, the food is reliably delicious. I am partial to their fish tacos, pig head tacos, and ox tongue tacos. All are all standouts. But you really can't go wrong with any tacos on the menu. Service is typically good. Be forewarned though, it's not fast-food. If you order take out at the window plan on a good 10 min wait. Pop around the next corner south and you'll end up on their patio. Order from the truck. Grab a beer and a table. Eating inside also good, but can get loud, hard to have a conversation at times. The space is interesting and easy to enjoy. If you're into it, try one of their cocktails. Great place to go with friends. read more

El Camino - Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Prices have gone up a bit the last few years! I still like to go none the less. The food is tasty so it's worth it from time to time

This is my favorite mexican place in the city. It is really enjoyable that there are two locations right beside each other. There is an area that is more of a food truck area with picnic tables you can pay at the food truck and it comes out of the restaurant kitchen. Great option if you want to spend time with a chill vibe outside. It is a better choice if you have something planned or in a rush since the turn over time is better. The inside is similar to Toronto style restaurants and bars such as El Carnita if you have been there. Both locations have the same menu. Every single item is remarkable and has a great selection of meats, flavors, and styles of tacos. The only downside is that the tacos do not list all the ingredients, it is only listed by meat type and that can make it difficult to choose the flavors you enjoy read more

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Honestly the best place for tacos in Ottawa. I normally go to the Elgin St location and get consistently good tacos. They're a little pricy but worth it for a nice night out. I normally get three tacos - the pig head ($7), Japanese eggplant ($6.50) and the ox tongue ($7). The tequila sours ($14.50) are amazing. read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Pretty much ordered their entire taco menu x2. A mixed bag of hits and misses but we were very satiated regardless. Fave tacos were the El Norte: something about the sweet and savory combo happening here was perfect for this, the tongue was braised to an excellent super tenderness, fish tacos were lightly battered and fried beautifully, the eggplant was soft but not mushy, the pig head had crunchy bits of perfectly rendered chicharron mixed into it and made you wanting more. A great place to people watch during the day and nurse some of their tasty coctail concoctions too. Staff was super nice and helpful as well. Will definitely be back when I'm back in town. read more

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Where do I even begin to describe our first experience dinning at El Camino for what us as a group of 6 people were enjoying a birthday celebration. We wanted to try something new, and we all craved tacos. Out of the 6 people who ordered (each two beef tacos) only two of us ate only one of the two ordered. The other four first time dinners wouldn't even attempt to bite into their taco as the appearance was pitiful and clearly not up to dining standards. However us two that did eat our one taco, both suffered food poisoning promptly following the next day. This is unacceptable worst first time experience to say the least. In addition considering the price of the food, it does not uphold to the quality of food we were served. Don't even get me started on the $16 dollar alcohol beverage that came that was probably better off served in a shot glass as my little petite woman sized hand was bigger than the glass. The quality of the beverage mine as well be described to be equivalent to licking the dirty sidewalk on Elgin Street. Before I end this review I want to call out the restaurant manager an say this one last thing. Get your sh!t together by starting with the quality of food you serve well paying customers. As for anyone who thinks they want to try this place for the first time, I suggest going to Banditos on Bank Street as their food is by far more appetizing as is the service. read more

So I have mixed feelings about this one. Although the menu and fish tacos, margaritas are good I can't say the same about the seating environment provided by the el Camino franchise. It's just okay for that reason, but for the food it's good. Something to think about. read more

So last day before our 3rd lock down we decided to grab a quick bite here. There was a lineup but they take your number and text you when your table is ready so we conveniently waited in our car . Everyone was very friendly from the hostess to the waitress. Food is always fresh, fast and super yummy! It was our first time we try the papaya salad.. super crunchy and lots of flavour. We also tried the tempura shrimp.. it was ok but a bit salty. Tacos are amazing as usual! I also ordered a virgin mojito which was very refreshing and full of flavour. Wishing those businesses the best of luck in these difficult times! read more

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Got tacos at their take out window. It was a bit of a wait for the m to make but it was super fresh. The soft tacos were delicious. The ox tongue taco was my favorite. We also got the chorizo taco but it came in a crispy shell so I felt like I was eating from taco bell read more

El Camino - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Service 5/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Food 5/5 Drinks 5/5 Ambiance is amazing , check in and menus are touch free and done on your phone! Super friendly and helpful staffs- I've been here twice and both times the service was amazing. They're very attentive and know when I need a refill. The tacos are honestly the best tacos I've ever had- don't be intimidated by the word pig head it I was the best one. Meats aren't dry, plain or too salty just perfect. I don't know what to say honestly you have to try this place out I've been here twice in a row and maybe a third time soon.. read more

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Excellent tacos and drinks, fun Atmosphere, I will certainly be back next time I'm in Ottawa! We waited 45 min on a Tuesday night, so call ahead ! It was worth the wait though, we ordered the guacamole and I found it to be a generous portion for the price. We ordered 2 tacos each but I could have eaten another one. I'd suggest ordered 3-4 per person. My favorite taco was the ox tongue, it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. We couldn't resist ordering churros for dessert, they came with this tasty caramel sauce, would definitely order again ! read more

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Probably the best tacos in Ottawa. It's pretty busy so expect to wait 30 mins or maybe longer for a group with no reso on a weekend. My favourites are the crispy fish taco and ox tongue taco! My friends love the fried eggplant and crispy pig head too. Pretty much, you can't go wrong! read more

The food is always great. One of the best Ottawa fish tacos I have had. When guests come to town it's a great place to take them, the byward market location has a great roof top patio. Lovely! The staff is ok. Very hit or miss. Some were very nice and some seemed unhappy with their job. We actually ended up going down the street to get sushi because my friends visiting weren't loving the waitress. The drinks are expensive. Delicious but you wonder what is so special about this 15$ small margarita? And the menu items are ambiguous so you have to ask to get more info about what is 'Barbacoa or Quesabirria' & no description on the menu. Over all, great food and location. For me it's a once and a while thing when I want to treat myself. read more

by far one of the BEST Mexican restaurants I have been too, and I live in the city of Toronto!!! We were seated at the bar until a table was ready for us, but decided to stay at the bar because of how great the service was and how friendly people were. Every single item we got was delicious, that my mouth is watering as I think about it as i write this review. The salsa was a little spicy for me, but it didn't stop me from eating it. My favourite taco was the lamb one, followed by the pork one. as we were leaving i didnt realize i had dropped my wallet after paying the bill, and i had quite a bit of money in there. I freaked out and checked everywhere outside and inside the restaurant and then finally asked the bartender if anything had been returned. to my surprise my wallet was returned to the bartender, untouched with every last penny inside - i wanted to buy a drink for the individual who returned it but they had already left after me! Super thankful for good people that are still out there! read more

El Camino - chorizo taco - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Not the place if you're really hungry and looking to get a whole meal but def a nice place to grab some apps or try diff flavour combos. Some interesting taco types like crispy pig head and eggplant (they were my fave). Salty and some flavours were more overpowering. It is priced around $8-9 for 1 taco. Not as satisfying or filling as I had hoped. Churros were crunchy on the outside but very soft in the inside. Not a fan. Service was amazing. read more

Perfect place for hanging out with friends or grabbing a bite to eat alone. The staff is super friendly and not overly attentive which is great Very causal relaxed atmosphere. I had the cripsy fish tacos, Mexican street corn and the El Fuego to drink. First of all those tacos!!! Wow!! I am from the states and these fish tacos are out of this world and they are not your standard street taco these are legit tacos no small pieces of fish you get a real piece of fish which was cooked to perfection!! The street corn was absolutely perfect just needed a bit more spice for my taste buds but my drink El Fuego took yo for that lol that drink was spicy as hell lol but was good but too spicy for me. I would definitely go back if ever in Canada again read more

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The food is good, and tasty. $8-$9 for tacos is just ludicrously expensive, and they're the same size as street tacos.

Was incredible. But now the flavours and consistency are just not the same. I would still go here as a solid dinner option, but I won't take anyone here too wore them. read more

El Camino is my favourite taco restaurant ever - both in Ottawa and Toronto. I LOVE this place (though, I love the Elgin location, not the Market location). I don't love EVERY taco - I have my favourites that I get every time, which are: EGGPLANT TACO - I'm a big meat-eater, so it's still a surprise to me that a vegetarian taco is my ultimate favourite. It's just SO GOOD. The eggplant texture is (almost always) the perfect texture (somehow it is firm yet soft). It is deep fried in a yummy batter and served on their soft shells. TUNA TARTAR TACO - This used to be my number one, but it's slipping down the ranks because the price keeps going up and the tuna quality keeps going down. It's still on my top 3 list though because it is so unique. The cheese on top adds a really nice flavour to it as well. FISH TACO - this one is hit and miss as well, but when they get it right it is SO RIGHT. I think what sets it apart from the fish tacos at other Mexican restaurants is that it is never a soggy taco. The fish is always fried to perfection and the sauce they put on the taco is fantastic! The rotation specials are almost always really good too - in my photo I have the SHRIMP TOSTADA and it was amazing. Didn't look super appetizing, but the shrimp were sooooo tasty! I also really like the BETEL LEAF SHRIMP - super tasty and nice and crispy. read more

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This is the sister restaurant to Datsun, and serves Mexican food. The ambiance is very fun and hip, it seems to perfectly mirror Datsun. I had tried two types of tacos: fish and crispy pork belly. Both were very good. I liked how they provided us with some hot sauces to add ourselves. I went with two friends and we each ordered two tacos each. I found it a bit strange that they didn't plate the tacos we had ordered on plates for each of it. Instead, they served whatever was ready on a sharing plate. This would've been fine, but I received both my tacos last after my friends had finished eating. In the future, it would be better for them to serve each person what they had ordered on their own plate. We also shared the churros which were fresh and hot. Very tasty! read more

El Camino - Middle: fish tacos Outside: beef? - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Still my favourite tacos in the world-- and I have been to Mexico, LA, New York, and Seattle. We went for the first time after the pandemic, and the food and ambiance were exactly what I remembered about this restaurant I have loved since they opened. We had the ox tongue, crispy fish and barbacoa tacos. They were dynamite. My margarita was perfect and the churros were scrumptious. An excellent way to spend a Friday. read more

Hands down best tacos in Ottawa (Can you tell I'm a big fan?). I was first introduced to El Camino nearly 5 years ago; and I come back time and time again for their Crispy Fish Tacos. It's what dreams are made of (my dreams - at least). Nothing compares to the crunchy exterior of the fish alongside the texture of the jalapeños, radish and cilantro. Extra lime on the side highly recommended. Definitely on my list of Must Try's! read more

This isn't a place I'd normally come, but it's great for late night food. They have seating indoors and outdoors. We were able to snag an outdoor table, but be careful of the mosquitoes! I got bit so much throughout the night. We shared the chicken taquitos, crispy squid, and we each got our own tacos. Our favorite was the crispy squid. The batter was so light. The downside was the plate was very small, so the five of us finished the plate too quickly and had to order another. The chicken taquitos do a better job of filling you up. It comes as two large taquitos, so it's a bit harder to share. For myself, I ordered the ox tongue taco, which was meatier and less rubbery than I wanted. They have this cocktail called The Way that was really refreshing. I like how they stuck a grilled pineapple in it. Overall, 3.5 stars for the great late-night vibe and very friendly staff. read more

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Had a craving for tacos while driving through downtown and popped in to pick up some of the infamous eggplant tacos! They made it with the vegan sauce and my family gobbled it up in 2 min flat. So delicious and the crispyness from the eggplant was incredible. Just wish the prices weren't so high for one taco, as it gets pricey with a family of 4. But for a treat yourself kind of meal this is great. Looking forward to being able to eat at the restaurant once COVID is over. read more

Came here on a Saturday night (during Winterlude) and the wait time was 1.5 hours for 3. (eeeeks!). Luckily they'll call you when your table is ready and there are quite a few pubs nearby to kill time if you have it. We actually didn't have to wait that long. First impression - good menu. There are some options even if you don't want tacos. Tried the ox tongue, pork and fried fish. They were good sized and a couple will fill you up. Try their hot sauce for a nice kick. I tried their margarita - wasn't my favorite, but still pretty good with the tacos. Cool vibe - really liked the bar seating. Totally worth the wait. read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

It is a busy place even when we came at 9:30pm. Proven it is a popular place with really good food. Not cheap, but really really good! we started with tuna tartare taco, ox tongue, pig head and Japanese eggplant tacos, then we ordered again crispy fish taco and prawn betel leaf. I give all tacos 5/5! And the prawn betel leaf as well, it packs tons of flavours! They are so are real good!!! 5 out of 5!!! Updated from second visit: the kitchen is inconsistent, most dishes including these we ordered before were way too salty and spicy. In my opinion any good food does not need over salty and spicy to cover its flavour. Only bad food or cheap food need that to cover its emptiness of poor cooking skills, very disappointed. They need to train their kitchen staff better. Down grade to 3 stars. read more

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This place is great !!! First time in ottawa from LA for business and I'm stingy about my tacos lol. This place more than delivered. The chorizo taco is insane. Guac is the tell tale sign of good Mexican food and they're guac is 8/10 but the tacos make up for it. I had the chorizo and the pollo asado . Drinks are great as well. Megan and Margaret were very helpful. I would definitely come back here and probably will on my trip. Out of towners come here !!! read more

The street corn appetizer and fajitas were just awesome. Not thrilled about paying for chips and salsa but will definitely be back read more

Excellent tacos. Great music, but a wee bit loud. It may take a little bit to get your first tacos, but once you've been served it seems as though the tacos dont take as long. read more

2nd time being here....absolutely hands down amazing!!!! Although it is super busy here all the time, this time we learned to put our names down then go back to our air BnB. The wait took about 1.5 hours but it was worth the wait. I found this place last year though urbanspoon, talk of the town top 10 restaurants in Ottawa....ironically it is still in the top 10 talk of the town list. My boyfrlend and I brought another couple here for dinner this time. We all ordered drinks, Sapporo, margarita (3oz. of tequila), pina colada, and the way (2.5oz. of tequila). The margarita was kind of strong for my friend but I thought the drinks tasted great. I ordered a tequila sour later on the night and it never seems to disappoint. Basically anything on the menu is good. The best tacos from their menu would be the ox tongue taco, the fried fish tacos and the tuna tartare. The sauce on the ox tongue is bomb and the fish taco has the best batter around it...fresh out of the frier with the fish being crispy & crunchy. I didn't take a bite out of the tuna tartare but my friend and boyfriend gave it a 10/10, which says a lot. We also ordered, chips and cheese dip, along with some raw scallops. The cheesy dip was also really great with their two sauces that they left on your table. The raw scallops were seasoned to perfection. It came with a lot of pieces of raw scallops which was a great sharing dish among our group of four. Great atmosphere, great design of the place. I wish the space could take more people. But they also do have a take out window. The only thing is...the don't serve the whole menu at the take out menu, so you don't get to taste a lot of the great delights offered. Would I ever come back???? AWW HELL YESS!! If you haven't been here.....you are missing out. read more

El Camino - The menu - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Must try: - Shrimp in betel leaves - Ox tongue taco - Japanese eggplant taco Avoid: - Crispy fish taco - Tuna tartar taco Hit or miss: - Roasted pig head taco - Chorizo taco Overall my most favorite restaurant in Ottawa. I have tried every item on the menu. I would have given it 5 stars if the roasted pig head and ox tongue taco (my favorite) was a bit more consistent. read more

Great taco place, you get a medium sized taco for about 7$ each. They were very flavourful and filling. The amount of spices they put was just right. I'd suggest ordering 2-3. I thought the fried fish taco was delicious, along with the pig head one I want to come back to try their other taco fillings. read more

El Camino - Fried fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I love el Camino. I've been here a bunch of times and recommend it to everyone who comes to Ottawa for a visit. The restaurant is always busy and don't take reservations so you have to come in and test your luck. The tacos are amazing and have a great mix of flavours. My favourite are the ox tongue, lamb, fish and egg plant. The guac is also great! My absolute favourite is the Mexican street corn, sooo good. They have deserts as well which are great. And have mAny interesting cocktails to chose from. The atmosphere is fun and I always have a great time here. I have also been to the take out window for tacos. Again there's generally a line up and the tacos take a while, but when you get them life is great!!!! Yum. read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I used to live in Ottawa when El Camino first opened and it was our social circles go to late night spot for many years during university. Since then, I make it a point to frequent the Elgin street location every chance I get when I visit my family in Ottawa. El Camino is perfectly situated in a basement location in a very social artery of the city and as such it is good alternative to late night post-pub dinner food. The option to order from the take out counter that is separate from the main restaurant helps is a great alternative for larger groups. The food is fantastic and a refreshing take on tex-mex culinary styles. I highly recommend all their tacos, but my favorite is the ox-tongue and the Japanese eggplant. However, don't leave without trying the handmade churro. read more

I have to say, I'm not usually a huge fan of tacos, but this place can make a taco lover out of everyone! Favourite by far was the ox tongue taco which when hearing the name, at first, did kind of scare me away but it came much recommended and did not disappoint! The chips & guac as a starter was also delicious. Recommend 3 tacos as a main course to feel full! Very cool atmosphere inside as well! A must visit in Ottawa for sure! read more

Meh. Read so many raving reviews about their tacos. So we decided to give them a shot. Ordered the beef, crispy fish, chicken, and beans taco. We paid close to $30 for the four tacos. When we got them, we couldn't believe how little food we got for $30. The fish taco had a good kick to it, but the beef was so incredibly dry. The other tacos we're unmemorable .. we ended up ordering a large pizza from Domino's after . read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Went to the El Camino on Elgin street. Good service though I wish there were more servers so we didn't have to wait so long. Amazing tacos, great ambiance. Definitely will go again :) read more