The tuna tartar taco was one of the best bites I've ever had. Our service was great, very kind and helpful, and willing to interact with the kids. Had a fun time trying the different flavors and adding on more tacos than we anticipated. It's a little bit pricey, but they sure present them well. I didn't love the other tacos (I'm just not normally a beef fan), but that tuna taco sure makes up for a lot. read more

My first time having tacos in Canada, and they were quite impressive. They have quite a nice selection of different types and they are all delicious. They have 2 floors, as well as indoor and outdoor seating options. The staff are friendly. I will say though that the tacos take an absurdly long time to come out. I do not know if they are understaffed in the kitchen or making every single thing from scratch, but I had to wait 45 minutes for the tacos to come out. Maybe it is their strategy to starve you so that you order more tacos. read more

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Hands down: the best tacos in Ottawa! Ok. I haven't actually tried all the tacos in Ottawa. Truthfully, I would be doubtful of any tacos in Ottawa but I got this on a recommendation from an American. I don't think he was wrong. I would find it hard to believe that there were any better in town. They are expensive, though. We were only stopping in because of the recommendation on the way to our actual dinner. I'll be back to try more from the menu. read more

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El Camino is a Mexican bar with a small taco menu, a good drinks menu, busy and loud. The inside seating is all high tables, and there were quite a few full large tables - so it seems like a popular meet up place. The tacos are large, flour tortillas with a focus on fusion fillings. The fillings themselves were a bit of a hit and miss - we both loved the Ox Tongue, and both disliked the Cauliflower (too spicy that overwhelms any other flavour). The other three tacos - pork belly, Japanese eggplant and beef barbacao) - were middling. The cost however is too high - 8-9 dollars for a single taco. That's the price of a high end gourmet eatery that knocks each taco out of the park. And tacos come with accompanying salsas that are not Tabasco light. I feel that this is more of a tourist trap - there are lots of great places in Byward Market; this is not the best meal I have had there. read more

Don't get me wrong - their tacos are absolutely delicious, and the staff is friendly and quick. I took away one star because each taco is like $8-9 (one, not two!) and then at this price point the interior should be twice as nice, which is why I removed another star. That brings us to three stars. I would say if it was half the price, this place would be an absolute gem. Right now, the ROI is pretty low. read more

Stopped by El Camino over the weekend to pick up a quick bite. This spot was actually my last meal dining out before the lockdown back in March 2020 so I was excited to eat their food again. Since it was a Saturday afternoon, my two takeout tacos took 25 minutes to be ready. I got my two favourites: the ox tongue and cochinita pig face tacos. The tacos come on a sturdy tortilla which doesn't have that much flavour in and of itself. The ox tongue was tasty with a thick slab of smokey grilled tender tongue, topped with avocado, sliced radish and cilantro. The cochinita pig face tacos on the other hand isn't what I remembered it to be. It consisted of mostly shredded pork meat, not the chunky snappy face meat I was expecting, and there was none of the crispy skin bits I recall having in the past. It was also a bit underdressed with just some sliced onions and a sliced radish on top. Service comes off a bit standoff ish. Overall a 3.5* experience. read more

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At first I was turned off by this place because of how skimpy the menu was and how much one taco cost. However, we gave it a chance and were pleasantly surprised. Ok, let's break this down. The menu is literally half a page long with a backside. The left side is a choice of about 10 different taco types. The right side is comprised of two options, chips with guacamole or nachos. Now, don't get too excited, the backside is...just drinks (soft drinks, water, or beer). Brace yourself for this, each taco cost around $8-$9, which I think is very pricy for A (yes, single) taco. Don't get me wrong, they are good. I had the pollo and pork belly. Both were very tasty, especially the pork belly, which was muy caliente by the way. The place is nice and large on the inside and has plenty of covered outdoor seating. The service is good and fast, and our guy gave us a nacho recommendation that was not on the menu. Also, the flavored water they serve is very good, if you like flavored water. Overall, this is not a bad place. Good tacos, overpriced but still tasty. Go, try it, and see what you think. read more

I came here alone as I was taking a walk around Bayward Market, but it seemed like all the waiting staff were shocked to see someone eat by themselves and showed a bit of attitude! Especially since I asked them to give me a table on the rooftop. I ordered "Pina Colada", "Crispy Fish Taco" and "Polo Asado Taco". I enjoyed my fish taco, but I didn't like the Polo Asado taco since I don't like chicken skin at all; but the waiting staff didn't bother to mention the ingredients when I asked her, to help me choose what is best for my taste. read more

El Camino - Crispy Fish Taco Polo Asado Taco - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Service was great. Jacob was our server and he was wonderful The cauliflower taco was delish. The pork belly was ooookay. I have had better Music was on point! I enjoyed the Hey y'all read more

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

Ordered take-out so I can't say much about ambiance or service Pork belly taco was really good, a bit spicy tbh. And i got something similar to a chicken read more

I love this place! I've tried half of the tacos on their menu and they are all so good! This time I tried: - Japanese eggplant taco (my fave!!) - cauliflower taco with peanut macha salsa - ox tongue taco - pork belly taco Their service has been great. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food and the atmosphere of the restaurant is great for catching up with friends. I highly recommend! read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I haven't been dinning in El Camino for about 5 years. On Easter Monday, my wife and I went to the market and accidentally saw el Camino on clarence street I decided to drop in having some tacos. I had their tacos before and I always think their tacos are the best in Ottawa and sure enough they are still the best. Other than their Tacos, I also love their salsa that comes with the chips. read more

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Disgusting poor service expensive only 2 outta 6 people are and caught food poisoning

This place has been recommended as one of the best places for tacos in Ottawa, and I totally understand why now! Their tacos are YUMMY! I went here for lunch on a Saturday and sat on their patio. I got in very easily because it was very overcast out. Food: I ordered 3 tacos and tried the chicken, beef, and fish. All the tacos came in a nice soft shell (the way all tacos should be!!). The chicken was very yummy, classic tasting, and probably my favourite. The beef taco was a close second, it was very flavourful and the side sauce was very good adding even more flavour. The fish was my third favourite and had a nice crunch to it. I like that you can mix and match, and try different types of tacos here, since you order each taco individually. I think they are a bit pricy for the portion, but they are delicious, flavourful, and topped nicely so its worth it in the end. I do wish their menu was a bit more extensive since all they really offer is tacos and a few other items. They should also add descriptions of their food on their menu so customers know what to expect and incase of allergies. Overall, this is a great place to go for drinks and tacos with friends. They also have a great rooftop patio that overlooks byward market. I look forward to going here in the future and trying their more unique tacos like the ox tongue taco! read more

El Camino - Fish taco ($7 each) and Pollo Asado Taco ($6.95 each) - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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As a vegetarian I highly recommend this place, they now have two options for tacos and a lot of the sides are also vegetarian. The eggplant taco was by far the best taco I've ever had- it had a delicious sauce which pro tip the server was able to get the sauce to be without any fish sauce. I also loved how the eggplants were crispy in the taco. Be aware they do add jalapeños so ask them to remove it if you aren't a fan I also got a side of corn on the cob which was delicious, it was covered in cheese and had a great tang to it read more

El Camino - Corn on the cob - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Some of these reviews are really harsh. Its a taco place!! Lets just start with that. I only came here because of a recommendation, otherwise based on reviews I wouldn't have. Its not the best taco place I've ever been to, but its definitely nowhere close to the worse. Its really good overall, so don't hesitate. I recommend the salt and pepper squid and tuna tartare tacos. read more

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I loved this place, the tequila sour drink was fantastic and so were the tacos! The service also was super friendly and the terrace was vibrant and pleasant. I definitely recommend and would comeback myself read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Unique, fresh, and flavourful variety of tacos with a kick! Well-filled tacos with a good blend of soft and crunchy ingredients. Restaurant has a cool vibe and good music. Why not 5 stars? Music gets a bit loud at night so it's difficult to have conversations with your table. Also uneven service of tacos so half the table is eating at a time. And for us, two of the tacos came out immediately and before our drinks which is unusual pacing. Regardless, would go again and would recommend for anyone craving tacos. read more

Great patio. Tacos were pretty good, but on the pricey side. Limited menu. Margaritas are very good. Service was friendly, but very slow and they also forgot to bring some things that I had ordered. Seems like a cool place and I would give it another try. read more

After hearing so many great things about El Camino, I really wanted to love love love this place. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't really "wow"ed. A friend and I went for lunch on a weekday, so it wasn't very busy (in fact, I think there was maybe one other table seated when we arrived). My friend ordered the chilaquiles (but without the pork) and I ordered the Chorizo and Soft Scramble Tostada. Since they are known for their tacos, I also ordered a Pollo Asado Taco, so that I could see what all the hype was about. I will say that in terms of the taco, I was not disappointed. The chicken was nice and juicy with lots of flavour, but I did think that for almost $7 it was on the small side. I found the chorizo to be extremely salty. I'm not sure if that's the norm, I'm usually a fan of chorizo and haven't had any this salty in a while. The flavour for me was a bit much and as someone who isn't crazy about cilantro, I have to say this had a bit too much of that as well. It might not have been too bad, however service was slow for a day where they weren't busy, and we didn't even get any water refills (which would have greatly helped with my salt situation). If a friend wanted to stop in, I would be willing to try El Camino again to try some of their other taco options. read more

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I usually venture the Elgin Street El Camino, but they are closed on Mondays, and I was craving tacos, so the hubby and I decided to make our way down to the market. I was expecting the joint to be packed at 5 pm, but it was actually pretty empty. We were seated at the high tables that are setup for groups of two's, and found the seats to be super uncomfortable. If the hostess seats you there, try and move to another table, trust me! Service was friendly, but the food came out a tad slow, or maybe I was just hungry? We ordered two fish tacos which are must haves, an eggplant taco, and taco del norte. Fish taco was nice like always, but the eggplant taco (which is usually my fave) was pretty soggy and the cut off the eggplant was pretty thick that I ended up eating most of the taco with a knife and fork. All I know is it was missing something. Washrooms are upstairs and were pretty yucky at the time of visit, but not the worst I have seen in the market. Prices have increased on the tacos as well, which doesn't make it necessarily a cheap eat (see attached photo of updated menu). The vibe of this restaurant was OK, but my heart stays with the original Elgin Street. There is a reason that location has a line up down the street before they open. Today's visit was a 3.5 in my books, and I clench my teeth as I right that, because I really love El Camino, but I think it was just an off night. If you are in the area, and you haven't been, I definitely still recommend checking it out, and grabbing a couple fish tacos! read more

El Camino - fish, eggplant and taco del norte at the end - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Nice and tasty tacos but they are pricey at almost 7$/taco! Tried the ox tongue and the fish taco. Flavors were there, but not sure if it's fully worth the 7$ for 1 taco. There was also no air conditioning in the restaurant which made it very humid and stuffy read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I cannot wait to come back to this restaurant. The service is great, the food is amazing and the atmosphere is fun. I got the chicken taquitos and was far from disappointed. They were full of flavour and had great texture. The taquitos were somewhat thick, which was a good thing (they were loaded with chicken). The toppings paired perfectly with the main meal and the extra spices were also really good. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great and reasonably priced Mexican meal. read more

El Camino - Chicken Taquitos - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I was headed to Ottawa to visit a friend and I obviously had to do a ton of research for food! Thankfully, I have tons of Foodie friends from Ottawa. I'm all about Tacos and El Camino was highly recommended. Located in Byward Market which is bustling with cute boutiques and local produce joints. It was about 5:30pm so it wasn't too busy yet. We ordered Margaritas which were delicious! We ordered our mains and they came out pretty fast. I ordered the beef, chicken and chorizo! A tip, if you're allergic to fish they might not have a lot of options for you. The chicken and beef were not memorable at all but the Chorizo was excellent and that saved El Camino from a 3 star review. The chorizo Taco was SO flavourful and juicy, the meat was tender and perfectly cooked! It was so good that I ordered another soon after. I can't hit any taco joint without trying their Churros, these Churros were delicious. They were a bit on the thinner side which I actually liked because it was extra crispy, and it came with a side of salted Carmel sauce. If I was in the area and needed a quick taco fix, I would only get the Chorizo! Keep Eating, Angela read more

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Really good tacos! Beef - pretty standard Crispy fish - tasty with a nice crunch Japanese eggplant - nice alternative to meat, well balanced bite Ox tongue - THE BOMB! I've never had ox tongue before but this made me love it! We loved it so much we had to order another Pina colada - nothing special The tacos are on the pricier side though at $7 a pop but they are better than you ordinary tacos. Their standard tacos are soft shell but I think they do hard shell too on request. Seriously, don't think about it! Order the ox tongue taco! read more

El Camino - Top to bottom: beef, ox tongue, crispy fish x2, Japanese eggplant - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Friendly service and delicious food. Quite pricey for what it was but the table enjoyed everything we ordered which was the pig head, beef and fish tacos, the salt and pepper calamari, and guacamole with chips. Service was fast and the restaurant was not too busy for 630 pm on a Tuesday. Very enjoyable experience read more

Very nice place for summer evenings and nights. Recommendation: outdoor seats! Second floor would be the best choice!! Tuesday!!!! selected tacos for $4.5 cad (available before 6pm) Highly recommended to hangout with friends here. Crispy fish tacos and ox tongue tacos also awesome!! MUST TRY!!! read more

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Fish tacos and the price of good tequila whee awesome. Very polite and playful staff working together to make our experience the best. We joined our large group in stages and no issue . read more

The tacos were a tad pricey but worth it! I had the Ox tongue, pig head, and Japanese eggplant tacos and would HIGHLY recommend the pig head taco. The pig head is presented in similar manner as regular pulled pork, so don't expect a pig eye to roll off your plate and don't be afraid to order it! The piña cola was satisfactory but I'd recommend going with the margarita instead. The $14 guacamole and chips seemed overpriced since neither the guacamole nor the chips were very impressive. However, the serving size was large enough to share with at least two people! I based my rating on the fact that both times I visited the restaurant the service was mediocre. One example was that they didn't bring my table sauces with our tacos, both times I visited the restaurant (even after we had requested them). Additionally, the music that was played never sat quite right with me (aka didn't match the restaurant). Based on its location, cocktails and tasty tacos I'd likely recommend this location to a friend. read more

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The days past, the El Camino in the Market had a quality problem. It just wasn't as good as the one on Elgin. That has changed. Just as a I love the other branch, this El Camino's food and drink are amazing. My favourite place in Ottawa! read more

Since they've opened up a second location in the byward market, I've been curious to try them out. I actually feel it's cozier here! It's dim inside, and it's busy enough that there's a good amount of conversation going on. I sat at the bar and tried a cocktail, the manhattan. It was strong and delicious, the way cocktails should be! I also got the patatas bravas as a quick bite to eat, and they were crispy and had just enough sauce to add flavour. I've tried all of their tacos before, as well as the pork belly, and the churros, and they're all very hearty and well-made. My favourite tacos are the tongue and eggplant! Service is friendly, and I really enjoy the atmosphere. Would be back again! read more

El Camino - Cocktails! - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We stopped in while strolling through Byward for a quick bite and a beer. The table we wanted, upstairs, was unoccupied but we could not sit there because there were only two of us and they wanted three or four at that table. We ended up downstairs, outside in the sun. There were no shaded seats for 2 available! We were ignored for the first 10 minutes until the waitress, cashing the table out beside us noticed that we did not have water or menus, yet. She got them promptly. We each ordered a beer while contemplating what to order. I ordered the beef taco based on the waitress' recommendation that one is sufficient. It took 25-30 minutes to get one taco. I was three bites! Not enough for an appetizer little own a lunch. After the fact she told me most order 2-3 tacos. Now she tells me. We finally left very disappointed. Never again! read more

Well, really great if you are in the right mood. Started with a guacamole and chips for the table of four. Really authentic and yummy. Had a nice lime and jalapeno kick. I really liked it. This is a taco joint and they had some really good tacos. I had an ox tongue taco and a pigs head taco. Loves them both but really like the pig's head but would certainly recommend both. Our server, Maeve, was just excellent. What a great hire. She was bright, warm and genuinely friendly. Good servers like her make the meal experience so much better. Casual but excellent value. read more

I had been meaning to come to El Camino for a while because of its stellar reviews but I just didn't get around to going. I finally went a few days ago and was disappointed. Our party of four originally wanted a table on the roof, but there were only seats at the bar, which we didn't like as much. The host was very accommodating and found us another table on the patio. We started off by ordering the chips with avocado salsa which was quite delicious and fragrant. Since I had read so many reviews raving about the ox tongue and Japanese eggplant tacos, I decided to order those two. My expectations were high, so it wasn't as amazing I had thought it would be. The Japanese eggplant taco was slightly better than the ox tongue, but not amazing at all. I wanted to like the ox tongue but I just couldn't. The meat was not very flavourful and just overall a boring taco. I actually had to save it with the avocado salsa from earlier! As for the service, I give them an A+. Our waitress was knowledgeable and friendly. She told us all about the tacos, the most popular ones, her personal favourites, etc... and answered any questions we had. Our water glasses were also refilled promptly. I just wish the tacos could be just as good as the service. read more

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Great tacos in hip, vibey bar setting. At $6-8 for a taco, it's just a little pricier than average but the location and food make up for it. Friendly servers and efficient service. Ordered the pig head and the chorizo tacos, both of which were highly recommended. The crema on the chorizo was like eating fluffy cheese ice cream shavings. Pig head was soft and tender, but just a little too salty for my liking. Both super messy to eat, but very flavorful and well presented. read more

Food is actually really good. There are really great options here and it has potential to be one of Ottawa's gems. However, service over the past few months has been incredibly slow and almost apathetic towards customers. With better service this place could be so much better off. Expect to wait. read more

Don't believe the recent poor reviews... This place is great! Our server was super friendly, and the tacos were delicious! Place was not super busy and it's nicer to sit down than to go to the take out window on Elgin. Those who complain that the tacos aren't authentic or too pricey can go down the street to corazon de mais for traditional fare - which is also an amazing taco place! Those who enjoy wonderful flavors and can think outside of the box, enjoy El Camino! I recommend the pork head, cauliflower, and crispy fish tacos! Also tried beef, eggplant and regular pork. Tip: don't get the pork taco! Get the pig head instead, it's so much better. Pig head is cheek and neck, not brains, snout and ears! ;) read more

We sampled a variety of tacos and all were good and some were creative. I was a bit surprised by the price. Each taco was 5-6 Canadian dollars. read more

A wonderful lunch while visiting downtown Ottawa. The whole menu looked great and there were many dairy fee options. We started with the salt and pepper squid, the sauce was very unique and a great start to our meal. For the tacos we had the ox tongue, crispy fish, cauliflower and pork belly. The ox tongue was the most mild. The cauliflower was a great spicy vegan option. The pineapple and ginger balanced the spice on the pork belly taco very well. The staff were kind, and offered us extra chips (no charge) to finish the salsa we had left, although we were too full from the tacos to agree. I look forward to eating here again next time I visit Ottawa. read more

Great location, great service, great drinks and great selection for AMAZING tacos. The first time I came here it was very busy but my girlfriend and I were seated immediately. Service was very quick and the food was amazing. I tried the pulled pork, fish and squid tacos for my first order and absolutely fell in love. I made a second order of just fish tacos afterwards due to how freaking good they were! I've returned several times now and tried nearly all of their tacos but I've yet to be disappointed with anything. The ox tongue and eggplant tacos have such a different but great flavour! Each time I will return, I will keep ordering those fish tacos! Highly recommend! read more