Authentic Mexican cuisine... some of the best I have had! It gets pretty busy around lunch time.

So so good! My new favourite and great price! I do wish they were open later and on weekends, however.

Excellent authentic Mexican take out food. Very popular. You can also buy products that are made in house.

Went here for lunch, I've been wanting to try it due to the good reviews. Its tacked in a very industrial area. ONLY a small eating area. Great for take out. Food is great and very authentic. I love Mexican food, and this place hits the spot! My friend ordered soft tacos combo tasted fresh the tortillas was nice! beans, rice was also yummy! I had Chicken Enchiladas combo, really good flavours! I like things more on the spicy side so I just added some hot sauce. We also started with a free bowl of chips and salsa (fresh and delis). They also carry food to cook at home and great Mexican delights! Cost was pretty reasonable! I will be BACK! read more

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I heard good things about this place and popped in for a late lunch. It appears to be a mother and son operation, but that's just a guess on my part. Limited menu selection with pictures posted on the wall. Typical choices (tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas) but the guy seemed a little confused when I asked what the chimichangas come with. Apparently, nothing. Just a single piece for $7.95 and he said for two would be double the price. Odd, since the enchilada platter was $8.95 for two and a dollar more for three. Anyway, I went with the enchiladas as I was hungry that day. It took about 10 minutes for my food to arrive and it was lukewarm at best. Tasted fine, but nothing spectacular. Similar to Las Margaritas or Pepitas in Kits. If it was hot, I might've given them another star but it was a bit of a letdown to me. The people sitting next to me received their food steaming hot, so I'm not sure why mine wasn't hot as well. I'd probably go back if someone else suggests it, but I'm not in a hurry to return. read more

El Comal - 2-pc Enchilada platter - $8.95 - Mexican Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

They have the BEST fresh tortillas in the city! They're the best price I've seen and warm when I bought them. Not to mention, they carry a variety of Mexican cheeses and homemade salsas. They also have BOMB tortilla chips that they make in house a good variety of canned foods and dried chilis. OHH and I almost forgot, they have TAMALES!!! Amazing. The lady who I met there was the sweetest lady ever, even though we didn't know how to communicate properly but nonetheless she was a gem. read more

El Comal - All these for under $20! What a steal. 1kg fresh tortillas, cojita cheese, 3 tamales, and salsa verde. - Mexican Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

I am going to say it... Ready? Best Mexican joint I have found in BC so far! There. Step 1. Print out Yelp map to figure out how to get here (holy Burnaby confusing!) Step 2. Order up a large chicken enchilada and a Sidral Step 3. Get a stack (90) of freshly made still warm tortillas to go Step 4. Eat Step 5. Look at map with full tummy and weary eyes to figure out how to get back to civilization Step 6. There isn't one. Just go. Damn it! Oh... and they have killer tamales, salsas, and legit Mexican cheeses as well. And most are made in-house. Brilliant! read more

El Comal - Enchiladas at El Comal, Burnaby BC (website) - Mexican Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

The discussion on lunch places in the hinterlands of Burnaby/Coquitlam kicked me into gear to finally try El Comal. It's not too hard to find, as Winston Street is a pretty well-beaten track for traffic bypassing Lougheed. And it was worth the trek for the super-friendly Spanish speaking staff (authenticity points), good value (combo plates all under $10) and hello, muy delicioso food. I got there after the lunch rush, so didn't have to wait at all and had a table all to myself in the warm and sunny seating area / Mexican grocery store. It probably gets busy in there, but it seemed to me there is room for about 20 people. I tried the taco plate, three different tacos with rice and black beans (can't beat $8!), and it was a flavour party to the last greedy bite. I agree with others about the problem of the tortilla falling apart - a double tortilla would be ideal to hold in all the fillings. I simply let the stray bits fall to the plate and scooped them up with the rice. Afterward, belly filled with taco goodness, I mentally nicknamed the place El Food Coma, and after that, started scheming for more reasons for a midday trip to this particular Burnaby neighbourhood of warehouses and parks ... read more

El Comal - Taco plate - Mexican Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

If there's one thing I love to support, it's small businesses! El Comal is literally a hole in the wall - a small Mexican goods store in an industrial block with an incorporated deli and seating area. Don't be so quick to judge, however, because their Mexican food is authentic and convincingly delicious! I've been here on two occasions and not once have I been disappointed. I am aspiring to tackle their entire menu, but so far, I've only tried the Chile Relleno (roasted poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, lightly battered & baked in a tomato sauce, rice and beans) - vegetarian friendly - and also the Enchiladas with chorizo (stuffed corn tortillas smothered with enchiladad sauce, cheese , cream, rice & beans). What's great about this place is its authenticity, selections of Mexican goods (thank you for having lime flavoured jarritos and green habanero pepper sauce!) and their efficient service. I should also mention that vegetarian options are available and parking is a private lot out front. Cheers! read more

My favorite mexican resto Mind you its a little out of the way. But if your at 8 rinks it's a short drive. Everything is authentic. They have all the products you can take home and get creative with. The taco salad for my son is the best north of the border. Friendly staff that have a passion for the food. You can't fake that. We sat at the rustic wooden table and broke open a bag of tortilla chips and combined withe salsa they were gone in no time. A hide gem in greater Vancouver. read more

El Comal - Taco salad is Excellente - Mexican Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

Another gem for latin food lovers,location is far,parking is very limited,a restaurant and grocery combined,from outside its very ordinary but when you get inside the ambiance is very mexican,friendly people inside and foods will make the place extra ordinary...tamales tacos soup etc unremarkable,noise level low,casual attire,family and kids friendly,i love the wooden chair and tables....plus the wide variety of goodies from mexico...nachos,salsa and drinks....my trip is worth and will come back again.... read more

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If I had to pick one word to describe El Comal, I'd pick "authentic." This place is wholly authentic, from the food to the staff to the décor. I went with a group of friends and we ordered all sorts of dishes. The menu is very limited, as they do not offer much variety, but I went with the chimichangas. Man, what a treat! The food took quite a while to get to us, but once it did, it was great. Very delicious, good portions, good price; it was awesome. One of my friends ordered the enchiladas and it looked amazing, definitely ordering that the next time I visit. The staff was nice. I only spoke to one person, and it was the lady at the register. I'm fairly certain this is a family-run restaurant, but it is no less busy than any other restaurant. You know the food is good when natives of the cuisine line up to eat it! Like I mentioned, the food did take a while to be delivered, so keep in mind that this is probably not the best place to go if you're in a rush. Another interesting thing is that they seem to also sell ingredients and supplies for cooking Mexican food in another section of the restaurant, like a grocery store. Very cool stuff, especially if you're looking to cook some Mexican food at home. In closing, the food was great, the place was easy to find and looked great, and it was overall a very pleasant experience. Now I know where to curb those Mexican cravings in Burquitlam! read more

El Comal - Mexican Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

I was looking a different Mexican restaurant. Too bad the dining area was closed ( effected by pandemic ). However, I saw an adjacent Mexican store beside the restaurant. I was so thrilled I bought chips ( different kinds), salsa ( different kinds) and TAMALES the cashier ( Francine?) was so nice and helpful read more

Finally, great Mexican food in BC!!! Had their chorizo and beef taco and chili rellano. They were all delicious. Yumm! Great friendly service, but a hard location to find. Google map it before you go! read more

The is one of those places I get excited to get food from. And usually go home with a bunch of corn floured tortillas. Which are excellent. read more

* Thanks, Peter! * Ok, Peter S. reviewed this spot and I had to run right over to check it out. Basically they are a tortilla maker that also has a small lunch counter with a few tables. I ordered a taco plate to sample the tortillas in their purest form. It comes with 3 soft tacos, rice, and beans. First the good: 1) The tortillas were nice and fresh 2) Very friendly service 3) The cochinita pibil was nice and tender and well seasoned 4) The beef was the stewed variety and was tender 5) The chicken was the stewed variety and was tender 6) The horchata was not overly sweet and nicely spiced 7) Reasonable pricing of $2/taco or $7.95 for 3 tacos with rice and beans. $2 for horchata. Apparently all prices include all taxes. 8) The highlight was the spicy salsa which was provided as an extra condiment in addition the fresh salsa which came with some chips. The spicy salsa had a truly pleasant smokiness blended with a nice heat. Delicious. Each of the tacos improved dramatically with this spicy salsa. The "I wish they would improve": 1) The tortillas were served room temp instead of having been heated up 2) The tortillas did not have as much corn flavour as you might expect 3) The rice and beans. The beans were the canned refried variety. The rice was not very flavourful at all. I would skip the rice and beans next time. 4) They should squeeze out some of the stewing juices before putting the meat in the tacos. By the time I got to the last one it was soggy and breaking apart. 5) They should do a double tortilla for the tacos. 6) They should put some fresh cilantro in the tacos and perhaps scrap the sour cream and lettuce. 7) A side slice of lime would be fabulous 8) I wish they would offer some non-stewed meats as well Overall it is a solid 3.5 star spot, but I'm rounding up because of the limited selection in Vancouver. read more

Heaven off the beaten path You will need persistence to get there. A GPS might help. El Comal is not really a restaurant, it's a plant where they make some of the best corn tortillas north of Mexico. But they do have a small deli, with extremely limited seating, and exceptional food. Saturday afternoon, and the the parking lot of the business park was empty except for the packed spaces near El Comal. There was a line up on Saturday afternoon, and believe me this place is nowhere close to any residential area or open businesses. Everyone here has come for one reason - the best Mexican food in Vancouver. The deli is cramped. Filled with customers all speaking Spanish. Families with children. Elderly couples. I was impressed. We finally got to the front of the line and ordered. We asked for Chile Relleno and Carnitas. We managed to find a table and waited. Shortly afterwards, our meals arrived. Huge plates of familiar fare. Now I'm in no position to know whether the Chile Relleno is authentic or not, but my husband who grew up in Mexico repeated several times "This is just like it is at home!" He loved it, and that's high praise as he is hard to impress. Chile Relleno is "stuffed chile" - a dish that originated in the city of Puebla. A roasted poblano pepper (a very mild chili pepper), stuffed with melted cheese, delicately seasoned and served in a tomato sauce. It was delicious, although not warmed quite enough. Definitely the best I've tasted in Vancouver. We also tried the "Carnitas", a succulent braised pork dish, also very typical of central Mexico. Again, delicious and the best I've had in Canada. Now in the interest of full disclosure. After we had finished our meal, the owner came out to say hello, and as she was talking with my husband, they realized that their two families were from the same city in Mexico, and that their families had known each other since he was a boy. They spent a long time catching up, and in the end she did not charge us for our meals. I tell you that simply because I think it's necessary to point that out as some could claim it influenced my review. I intended to give El Comal a 5 star rating long before we realized that the two families knew each other and before we found out she was comping the meal. I would recommend El Comal for take-out as the food is phenonemal. Hands down the best in town. As a sit-down venu, well it's cramped, and probably won't be a favorite. read more

Holy guacamole. A solid 4.5 stars. If you manage to find this place, you'll notice that lunch time is super busy and it is packed with all the local workers in the industrial area off Wilson. I knew this place was something special when I started noticing that many of the customers were Mexican and were speaking Spanish. That's a good sign. There are obviously lots of regulars that visit the restaurant, too. I have tried the tacos and the burrito. The flavours are good, the veggie burrito has lots of fillings like zucchini, corn and peppers, so it isn't just a burrito minus the meat. he burritos are giant, so come with a big appetite. I also had the chicken (done in a tinga style) and chorizo tacos, which were delicious, but like other reviews have mentioned, the corn tortillas fall apart and you can't eat the tacos with your hands. I was disappointed with that. A double wrap would do well. The corn tortillas themselves are good, but I was expecting more corn flavour, the same as Marc mentioned. I did enjoy the opportunity to purchase the tortillas which are made fresh there. They serve chips and salsa if you eat in and the staff are very friendly and kind. There's a bunch of Mexican products for sale, and pre-made tamales and other delights in the deli case. read more

Who knew you would find Burnaby's best Mexican on the Winston Slip? This place is a total hidden gem. I've passed by countless times assuming, because it's a textiles district, that it's a foods wholesaler. I was wrong. This place is some serious, delicious, authentic Mexican food. Had the veggie enchiladas (8 bux for 3, rice and beans) and it was terrific. Everything was fresh and delicious. The beans, usually a bland mess, are so tasty. They also sell reasonably priced mexican cheeses like Oaxaca, and Queso Fresco. You can load up on cheap, delicious, homemade corn tortillas. You can stock your cupboards with jalapenos in adobo sauce (for your chipotle puree) this place has got it all, and it's all priced very well. El Comal is awesome, I will return soon for more enchiladas and lime Jarritos. read more

We discovered this place a month ago and have been back 3 times since. Who knew this wonderful little secret was tucked into such an odd neighbourhood. I usually order the Tortilla Soup and it's superb. Broth is full of flavour -- I wish I could do that at home. The soup is served with little bowls of enhancements on the side (sour cream, some cheese and some pork rind things). Fresh avocado on top, tortilla strips throughout the bowl -- mmmm, the perfect treat on a cold winter day like today. We bought 4 different kinds of salsa last weekend and have worked through most of them already. They are tangy, fresh and perfect. Yum. Now I need to start exploring all of the cheeses I see in the display case. The woman who owns this place is a lovely lady. Friendly to all and pleasant to chat with. I wish I worked in this area so I could go here every day for lunch. read more

I've tried to find good Mexican food in the lower mainland, however, felt that it wasn't possible. Thankfully, my last experience at another place reminded my wife and I to consult with yelp. It led us here. FINALLY!! I would like to say this brought me back to my trips to Mexico. Some of the best food I've had. Thanks for the experience. We will be back again soon. Amazing and reasonably priced. I really recommend giving it a try! read more

I love this place. I shop here more than eat but will pop in for lunch on occasion. Since the demise of Que Pasa salsa, I was searching for a decent alternative. After finding El Comal, I wouldn't get my salsa anywhere else. They also have fantastic chips, Mexican crema, dried chillis, bottled hot sauces, and salsas. The best reason to go here though (other than the friendly, helpful staff) is the authentic tortillas. This is your source for proper Mexican corn tortillas in Vancouver and it is worth the drive. I'm not Mexican, but every time I shop here I feel as though I am being welcomed into a Mexican gastronomic secret. Spanish is the dominant language among staff and customers (their English is good too). You won't be disappointed. read more

I couldn't wait to try this place since the reviews were amazing. We walked in and there was 2 other people in line. You have to wait to order, while the lady behind the counter, although seemed very nice had to talk to rack customer for about 5 minutes. So we waited about 10 minutes to order, we sat at a random table and waited. I recieved my polozas fairly quickly. I personally like my soup hot, and to be honest everything we had was room temperate or warm. The soup was alright nothing I would order again as I make this soup 10x better. The soft tacos came next, I was surprised how tiny and small they were. The taste was alright, there was just meat and salsa on it, nothing special. Next was the luke warm tamales, ignore the pictures with loads of rice and beans, what you get is about less than 1/2 of that. Again the tamales were alright, my daughter said I make them better. There was no napkins and forks, when the young girl brought the tamales maybe she thought I would use my hands? So we asked for forks and napkins and 5 mins late she brought 1 fork and 1 napkin? I asked for hot sauce and this was probably the most impressive thing we got during our meal. A little goes a long way and I really enjoyed the hot sauce. We waited in line to pay, because that was what we were told to do, so we waited another 15 minutes in line to pay ? There must be a better way to serve you customers. They should have a condiment, napkin, utensil and cold water station for people that do not want to buy a beverage, and wait for there utensils. Coming here made me want to make tamales and tostadas, which I'm in the process of making now. Sorry wont be coming back. read more

Came here for lunch with friends and it is good! Small menu of 8 choices total plus specials. My friends had the burrito and I had the sopes, 3 was about ten dollars. Fairly priced but probably not as good of a deal as the burritos. They also have tamales available for takeout (only place I've seen in the Lower Mainland.) Great if you're in the area but not positive I'd make a special out of the way trip, especially with the recent increase in tasty Mexican places in town. read more

Ai carrumba! Tamales de puerco eres mi corazon... If you ever come here. Get yourself some tamales. The best I have ever had! It's not fancy, but who cares. We are here for the food! read more

Yelp needs a smellovision feature. The aromas in the parking lot and the store are absolutely tantalizing. The shop is very nondescript but if you're looking for good masa-based foods then you must come here. These must be the best tamales in town. The rajas con queso tamale with spicy peppers and red sauce? Delectable. The store area has a wide selection of salsas and other condiments, plus of course their torillas, taco chips, tostadas etc. In the refrigerated area they have all their house-made salsas, sopes, queso, chorizo, crema etc. read more

Everything you want in Mexican food. Fresh and delicious. There is a small market area where you can pick up your salsa, chips, hot sauce and peppers too. Staff is very friendly. All speak Spanish which adds to the authenticity .... Worth searching out as it is off the beaten path. They close at 5 pm so unless you live in the area Saturday would be your only day you could make it. Lots of kids and family show up Saturday. We brought ours on our way to see the birds at Burnaby lake. read more

Hands down the best Mexican food in metro Vancouver that I've tried, especially for hot dishes and not just tacos. And getting food made with warm corn tortillas fresh out of the factory can't be beat. The only downside is their hours and location: daytime only (no dinner) from Monday - Saturday, and not exactly close to anything unless you work in one of the nearby industrial buildings. But that's no reflection on their food. read more

Good Mexican food in Canada was something I'd never find, but thanks to my fellow yelpers I found it 5 minutes from home! This place is a life saver. read more

El Comal is in the middle of nowhere. It's surrounded by businesses, but it has a big friendly sign and friendly (but very busy) staff. El Comal has a really hot entrance (their kitchen opens to the front and they have some ready-to-go options, but the dining area is a bit cooler. Regardless, it was a hot day and it was more comfortable outside than in. They didn't have any glasses for water (or cutlery for eating), but we got some quickly after asking. The chimichanga was great -- just a drizzle of sauce on top instead of the soup I've seen (and enjoyed) before. It had some crisp, came with salsa, and I really enjoyed it. The enchiladas were okay. The large (with three) isn't that big -- they're small tortillas and less than 2 cm in diameter. But it's under $8 and you get refried beans and rice. The tamales weren't very good. They were generally dry. I had two bites with what felt like that chewy texture of old rice that's dried out. Not sure if I'd go back. Maybe to try the antojitos (for some reason I think they were labelled sopa?) and have another chimichanga. read more

I saw this reviewed on the front page of Yelp on August 7th and decided to book mark this for future reference. It took me a while to get here cause they close at 5. They're a warehouse with a small grocery store and eatery and they often sell out of stuff, therefore, don't go in with high expectations for food availability. Otherwise good and fairly priced. read more

We went for an early-lunch recently, arrived about 10:20am, and dined in. The floor in the main dining-in area was being damp-mopped as we walked in, but was dry and accessible after ordering (with our ordering being a touch delayed, as the woman mopping, was the same woman taking orders at the deli counter). After ordering, we chose to sit at one the larger round tables - it provided a nice 360 view of the rather cute and colourful surroundings. The table and place mats were a touch dirty though - we had to provide some cleaning before settling in. And then after waiting for what we thought was more than sufficient time for some service of water, napkins, knives, and forks, etc., to our table, once again, we provided our own service. So far, not so good, in the service department! But heh, we did get small bowls of tortilla chips and salsa brought to our table before any of our food order arrived. Subsequent food service to our table was consistently delayed by customers coming in and ordering take-out. There was just the one person doing everything - taking orders, serving, cleaning floors, and etc. A heads-up to those who have not dined there - you pay at ordering, and no 'official' receipt (listing what was ordered) was provided. I mention this because we had what bordered on an argument later, while dining, over what had been ordered, and what had been received. I knew what I had ordered and paid (had written it down), but it took a good while to convince the server that she was in error, and we had not received one of the dishes ordered - and that was why we had come back to the deli counter asking asking where the dish might be, after waiting a good long while wondering. She eventually acknowledged fault when she found the plate sitting in the microwave oven where she had forgotten it! We ordered three of their dishes: two-tamale plate (wanted three tamales, but they only had two, they came with rice and re-fried beans) -- three-enchilada plate (which came with rice and re-fried beans) -- three soft tacos plate (chorizo sausage, pork, chicken). The tamales: were served without any banana leaves (as shown on the plate in the picture) in place (thought this a bit strange, had never been served a tamale without the banana or other leaves in place), no separate meat or other filling, just a thick, dry, and quite spicy hot masa - everything on the plate only mildly warm! The tacos: the corn tortillas (one per taco) were thin, damp, cool, and flavourless, and the fillings inside a few tiny pieces of the meat, tomato, chopped lettuce, and 'sauce' - soggy - so eating with one-hand, 'the' appropriate Mexican way, was next to impossible!! The enchiladas: thin, flavourless, and rather cold - and the pictures on the wall looked so good, the tortillas filled, and plump!! The rice was 'ok', but rather tasteless. The re-fried beans, tasted and looked like a canned product, without any real texture or flavour. In summary -- half-decent presentations, but mostly cool, flavourless, and poorly-prepared foods. We were very disappointed with our dining experience at El Comal, we had so hoped for more! read more

As someone who's lived in the South West for years and has eaten many Mexican dishes I can tell you this place is awful. The service was slow and absolutely terrible...they continued to talk in Spanish with their Spanish customers with no regard that the line of waiting customers was out the door. I waited a long time for my food and when it arrived it was cold with little flavor. As an added bonus the grand daughter of the owner was running around unsupervised, yelling, screaming, pushing the furniture, and interrupting our lunch. This little girl about 5 was very neglected with dirt all over her face and doing anything she can to get attention from the customers. It was the worst experience I've had in a "restaurant" if you can even call this place that! read more

Being of Hispanic descent I've often found myself feeling a bit nostalgic and three years out of Mexico seems like a lifetime without that traditional cuisine. People go around saying how stuff like Taco Bell is Mexican food have no idea what they're talking about and finding a decent eatery that will make them eat their words, I thought, wa near impossible. 'El Comal' is small and out of the way but in this manner it in fact embraces the style of some of the best Mexican food places there are. We don't have big fancy restaurants with chandeliers and satin tablecloths or any of all that mumbo. Our best restaurants are often found as the little eatery by the plaza or the taco stand down the street and 'El Comal' captures this perfectly. And the food, all I have to say, is that it tasted as if I were back home, everything, especially the tacos of 'carnitas' tasted, smelled and looked as if I'd never left home. read more

Yummy, fresh, delicious. Must get the food to go again :) A hit!

Sorry but I can't agree with others this is most defiantly NOT the best Mexican food I have had in the Vancouver area. Maybe it's because it's cafeteria style I guess because it's in an industrial area. I ordered the Chili Relleno. Was at my table in less than 5 minutes. Rice was old and crunchy beans were ok. The chille was covered in a very bland tomato sauce. For the $7.95 I would stop back in. read more

This place is advertised as a Mexican grocery. This is far from the truth. I arrived looking for Maseca. There was none on site. I waited for the cashier to spend 20+ minutes figuring out how to enter a 2 item purchase in the cash register. The floor manager kept walking in and out of the cash area and was no help to teh cashier, me, or the other customers who were waiting for that sale to complete. All customers waited at least 15 minutes for them to figure out how to use their cash register for the one sale. When my turn came up the sales person thought there was Maseca on the shelves which I was not able to find in the grocery area. After she looked she was not able to find it either. She said there would be some in the back but it would be frozen. I said that frozen would be OK. She disappeared in the back and 5 mintues later came out and told me that they didn't have any. I should say that there were only 3 customers present during the entire 30+ mintues that I waited there and only one (not me) was able to purchase what they came there for. Pathetic. read more

What happened?? This used to be a great place with great food....now it's just ok. I had bragged about how good it was and then I brought it back to the office for everyone and we were all disappointed. My wife and I went back to see if it was an off day but we got the same forgettable food. Very disappointed read more

The churros are to die for! Had them fresh and hands down best I have ever had. The staff are super friendly and the establishment is very clean. read more

Delicious and CHEAP food! I love the renovations they've done, opening up a dining section. Complimentary chips and salsa are always fresh and delicious. Jalapeño tortilla chips are addictive without any toppings too. They tend to get super busy at lunchtimes so be prepared to wait. I usually go during down time so I've never had a problem with waiting and what not. One time, I tried the salad in a taco bowl and the taco bowl was so disappointingly stale. Other than that, I've only ever had good experiences here. Definitely a gem in the randomest Burnaby location! read more