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    Esquina Cantina

    3.5 (558 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Order Esquina Cantina Takeout or Delivery

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    ESQUINA CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Loud
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Quesadilla
    Melissa T.

    Arrived a few minutes after they opened up and snagged a seat right at the bar. Not that it was very busy inside as a lot of the people coming in were going to the outside seating area. The bartender was great and so friendly. I ordered their house margarita, queso and quesadilla. Loved that they used tostadas as chips. The quesadillas cheese pull was insane.

    Isabel L.

    Highly recommend their happy hour, especially on Taco Tuesday! $5 tacos at the front bar, $10 tacos (2) sitting anywhere else. $6 house marg, $8 other margs, and there's another deal I'm forgetting. I do wish they made the happy hours more apparently since I had to wait until my visit to see all the specific details with prices. The carnitas tacos were so tender and delicious. Sitting on their patio is so nice during the summer!!

    Nicole J.

    Another great night on the patio catching up with friends. We enjoyed some happy hour margaritas and then some food menu items. The salad with shrimp was a secret gem on the menu. It was a massive portion. The service was super friendly and I can't wait for my next visit.

    Ensalada
    Lindsey M.

    Always a great place to catch up with friends or for a local date night! The staff is very efficient and friendly. I love the back patio, margs on a patio is the best combination. I got the salad last night and it was delicious, but the shrimp I added was a bit tough. The tacos, guac, queso, salsa, and rice & beans are always a hit with me and everyone I bring!

    Margaritas
    Samantha R.

    Another amazing meal at Esquina! The birria tacos are always delicious - crispy, melty and full of flavor. The side of sauce and consommé are a great addition. Happy hour means $6 (as opposed to $10) house margaritas that are some of the best in town and $2 off their other cocktails. The cocktail I had today was bubbly, fruity but also earthy. So good!

    Tyler P.

    Fantastic cocktails. The patio is the perfect place to start or end an evening out in Lawrenceville. Service is prompt and the bartenders are super friendly.

    Pollo Asado
    Michelle Z.

    Great tacos and vibes! Went here with a few friends for dinner and we enjoyed it a lot. First of all, the plating is adorable. I'm obsessed with the color scheme of the plates -- the pink is so cute! The food was honestly pretty good for Pittsburgh Mexican food. We got queso to share and each got two tacos. The chicken tacos were really flavorful and topped with fresh ingredients. The vibe and decor inside is really hip and trendy, and feels kinda like a bar. I don't remember having any complaints about the service. Would definitely come back and would recommend if you're looking for a place for a casual dinner but in a really chill vibey environment!

    Outdoor Bar
    Sarah K.

    The name has been updated but the vibe remains the same! We went for drinks and the staff is always so helpful. We love sitting on the patio out back!

    Danielle M.

    this was my first time at round corner cantina and it was a really cool atmosphere and vibe! there are "4" sections of the restaurant and it still isn't that big. You enter to bar seating, then a small oasis of dining tables then an outdoor space with heaters and then an outdoor chalet which is where we ended up. My only complaint was the aggression of the bartender at first when we sat at a high top but they were for a reservation (how would we have know when the hostess said you can go to the chalet!) after that, all was fine when we grabbed seats at the bar! We ordered the tres aperitizos which was salsa, guac and queso. The salsa gave off a tomato soup taste and was really good. The queso was filled with onion, jalapeño and mushroom - yum! And the guac was guac! I ordered the pollo asado tacos - they were filled with grilled chicken and delicious! They do take reservations for the indoor small dining space and outdoor chalet! The location is in Lawrenceville so you def have to give yourself time to find street parking if you aren't ubering etc!

    Tacos
    Michael S.

    Tacos are very very average and overpriced. Don't much filling, not seasoned the best and the shells were dry. In the hipster Lawrenceville scene they can def get away with this and people think it's fine Our waitress wasn't very attentive to us and she forgot our diet pops Def won't be returning and can assure you there are quite a few better spots in Pittsburgh for tacos

    Carne asada, carnitas, calamar
    Gloria W.

    The outdoor patio is lovely, and the tacos are great! Came in with two friends for dinner on a weekday evening and were able to be seated immediately at the outdoor patio. The decor was so charming and perfect for a summer day. We ordered chips and guac (note: the guacamole is market price), calamar, carne asada, and carnitas tacos. I thought the squid ink tortillas were so creative, and the calamar was delicious. There was a lot of depth in flavor, and I would consider this one of my favorite Mexican taco places in Pittsburgh. My friends also wanted to add their own thoughts on their orders: In the carne asada tacos, the grilled steak and cool cheese came together in perfect union, bringing to mind the complex meeting of land and sea. As Melville writes, "Consider all this; and then turn to this green, gentle, and most docile earth; consider them both, the sea and the land; and do you not find a strange analogy to something in yourself?" the carnitas tacos were yummy but dripped a lot and were a little bit dry at the same time. but overall they were pretty good. also i like that the onions were on the side because not everyone wants stinky breath (unlike me) Overall, I think this is a lively stop for a summer outing.

    Halie G.

    Mexican restaurant located in Lawrenceville, right on Butler Street.  Round Corner Cantina is evolving into Esquina Cantina, located on the corner, in an old hotel building- Round Corner Hotel & Bar.  Walk into their amazing bar space with barstool seats ad high top tables.  Amazing drinks and incredible tequila selection.  Indoor guest seating is available throughout, and the back patio is gorgeous and such a vibe!  Within the Patio are tables and cabanas which are cute and perfect for a smaller intimate group.  Their food is incredibly carefully selected with handmade items.  Tried the arroz con macha and added chicken- super flavorful and delicious.  Friendly and attentive wait staff!  Great spot for a girls dinner!

    Al Pastor Tacos Dorados-
    Sarah G.

    We SO wanted to like this place- while everything looked fantastic, it all seriously lacked flavor. On a good note- LOVED the margarita. Started with the queso fundido which literally tasted like straight butter? No spice, no flavor, no cilantro, no nothing. Another good note- the chips were great! Now for the mains... the carne asada tacos were cold and tasted like they were 3 weeks old. No flavor. The birria were a bit better, definitely lacked in seasoning and flavor. Then the al pastor, which were fine. The meat was questionable to me and again flavorless. Price and quality do not align at all here. The restaurant itself was confusing? You have to walk through the whole place to get to the hostess. We sat on the patio which was cute and has a full bar outside, but it was a little cramped. Service was ehh, to me it matched the food. Overall, come for happy hour drinks and chips, don't stay for a meal. Final ranking: 1. Birria tacos 2. Al pastor.... 9. Carne asada... 32. Queso fundido

    Entrance

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    2 months ago

    small portions, expensive, nice atmosphere. over wouldn't come back but fun to try. Yup

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    1 year ago

    Ensenada was very good. I had it with chicken and shrimp. I would differently get it again. Two thumbs up.

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    Page 1 of 14

    Esquina Cantina Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Esquina Cantina

    I heard this restaurant is gluten free, is that true?

    They are! I was last in summer 2023 with my Gluten-free friend, and our waiter said everything in the restaurant is 100% Gluten-free. they only use corn tortillas etc.

    Do they have gluten free options? Corn tortilla instead of flour?

    Yes they do

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    Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila

    Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila

    4.5
    (472 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Tocayo is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Pittsburgh. The decor is so well done. The staff is…read morevery friendly. The food is fantastic. I enjoyed my birthday dinner there one year. Anytime my mom and I are out near Shadyside, we love to eat there. We love Mexican food and they do it so well. My husband loved his pozole soup. I had the tortilla soup today and it had such great flavor. I would be easier to eat if the tortilla strips in it were a little bit smaller. The birria tacos were phenomenal. The shredded beef is so tender and has the most amazing flavor. They're also super cheesy. The consommé really made it too. The chimichangas are very crunchy and you can't go wrong with any protein you choose. The guacamole is so creamy and tasty. Their chips are really good too. I have never had a drink there but they always look good. Go check them out if you like Mexican food. We have loved everything we have tried and you will too. Absolutely loved the birria tacos. So tasty and cheesy!

    Second time here but first review. We live in Shadyside and this is the place for Taco Tuesdays. We…read moregot chips and salsa to start; the salsas are on the mild side (we got roasted tomato and tomatillo and both tasted mild) so if you want spice go for their spicy salsa. The service here is excellent. In both visits the attentiveness has been perfect. The environment is musical, decorative, and darker. It is great for a date, a visit with friend, or a chance to scratch that taco itch. Now, their tacos are so good. My favorite is the chicken taco (sounds boring?); these tacos are amazing. Guacamole cream, kale, and spiced chicken. I also had chicken and chorizo, which is very good, but that chicken one is the bomb!

    Photos
    Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila
    Outside view of the restaurant
    Outside view of the restaurant
    Tres Leches Cake

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    Tres Leches Cake
    Buenatarde Tequila y Mezcal

    Buenatarde Tequila y Mezcal

    4.3
    (103 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    This is a review from an individual who grew up in the Bay Area, California, eating nothing but…read moresome of the best Mexican food. Both of my grandmothers were your typical Hispanic women who made the best Mexican food I had growing up. Living in Pittsburgh, most Mexican restaurants I have visited usually miss the mark and I typically never return. Not with Buenatarde! I usually avoid eating at Mexican restaurants in Pittsburgh, as I'm always disappointed with the quality of the food. Most restaurants seem to use premade ingredients, which is insane cause Mexican food cooked fresh is usually not that hard or expensive. Not with buenatarde, everything we ordered was made in house. The refried beans and rice tasted almost as good as my grandmothers use to cook. Not quite, but close! The carnitas tasted really good, the only issue we had was it was a tad dry. Not sure if it was overcooked, but it did taste good. Otherwise, everything else was great and we will be returning to try the brunch on a weekend.

    The restaurant was decorated fabulous! The staff was nice and friendly. Our waitresses wasn't sure…read moreof some of the questions we had but no big deal. The refried beans with cheese, queso on top of the chimichanga, and plantains were amazing! Unfortunately, the carnitas were dry and bland as you can see pictured. The tortilla could have been cooked longer as well. The chorizo was surprisingly spicy and good. The prices seem high but you get a decent amount of meat. We'd go back again and try the brunch menu or another protein.

    Photos
    Atmosphere, high top seating.
    Atmosphere, high top seating.
    Buenatarde Tequila y Mezcal
    Restaurant Front

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    Restaurant Front
    Tepache Mexican Kitchen and Bar

    Tepache Mexican Kitchen and Bar

    4.3
    (112 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    TL;DR Hands down personal favorite Mexican restaurant AND hands down best nachos you can get in…read morePittsburgh. I logged into Yelp for the first time in ~10 years tonight to leave a review. An objectively biased review. The most positively biased review possible. "Oh no", you're thinking, "*Bias*? Not in MY 5-star rating system." It's true. I admit everything. I am biased by how genuinely great Tepache is. By how *good* their chips are--crispy and flaky and perfectly seasoned. By their price-to-portion ratio, which takes me back to The Before Times--before COVID and politics and 6 dollar gas prices. By the quality of everything they serve which I have tried. All of it is top-notch. And by the good people who keep the place running. This is the thing that is biasing my review the most. Tonight, after a Grubhub glitch dropped our order into a wormhole, they were incredibly gracious and kind and offered to make another *and then drove it out to us*. It made our night good and not-hungry instead of bad and hungry, and for that we are beyond grateful. 6/5 stars. No, wait: 7/5.

    I have been wanting to try this place since it opened and finally got a chance now that I live in…read morethe area, and I know it's going to be a regular spot! The champagne margarita (on special as the featured cocktail that day) was delicious. So was the burrito bowl with steak. The Baja California Brussels sprouts were good but they are spicy!!! Our server was attentive and food arrived quickly. Looking forward to trying more of their menu!

    Photos
    Tepache Mexican Kitchen and Bar
    Southern tamale , northern tamale, nopal salad
    Southern tamale , northern tamale, nopal salad
    Classic Mojito

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    Classic Mojito
    La Palapa, Mexican Cuisine & Mezcal Bar

    La Palapa, Mexican Cuisine & Mezcal Bar

    4.2
    (447 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    We came here for an early dinner around 5 on a Friday. The restaurant was nearly empty. It had high…read moreceilings and brightly colored blue, purple, and yellow walls, with traditional decorations throughout. They have a large cocktail menu and many vegetarian options. To start, we had the jalapeño cheese dip. The jalapeño flavor was subtle, but detectable. However the cheese tasted like American, so it wasn't the most authentic. For my main, I asked if they could add soy-chorizo to the mushroom and cheese enchilada and the waiter said they were not able to, which was a little disappointing. I ended up getting the enchilada with just soy-chorizo. It was tasty, but the soy-chorizo was a bit dry. My husband enjoyed the steak burrito, but found their hibiscus juice a bit too sweet.

    I came for their taco tuesday deal where if you get 2 tacos, you get the 3rd for free (listed as…read more$12.95 on their menu). These tacos are made Mexican style, meaning it comes with onions and cilantro with lime on the side. It also came with a side of grilled onions and potatoes. The potatoes were too soft in my opinion. I think if you were going for grilled side veggies, it's better to make it a tad crispy and browned. For the Taco Tuesday Special, I got the al pastor, steak fajita, and chicken tinga tacos. The best one had to be the al pastor because it wasn't dry and had lots of flavor. I opted for the red morita spicy sauce, and trust it actually has spice and kick to it. The tacos are double layered, which is nice. Decent meal for a Tuesday dinner, their menu is pretty basic for a taco place. For instance, their only dessert is churros with chocolate sauce.

    Photos
    Burrito Steelers
    Burrito Steelers
    La Palapa, Mexican Cuisine & Mezcal Bar
    La Campechana Margarita

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    La Campechana Margarita
    Las Palmas

    Las Palmas

    4.5
    (291 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $

    The tacos at Las Palmas are SUPER delicious and I definitely need to go back there again when I'm…read morein Oakland!! The service is fast, they make it in front of you, and you have the option of picking some stuff up at the grocery store while you are there. Friendly family type ambiance and it feels good to know you are supporting a small business like this. At $4 a taco, when they are generous with the authentic meat filling, double up on the freshly grilled corn tortillas, and allow unlimited toppings made fresh daily make these tacos one of the best deals around. The filling is already super flavorful, so you don't necessarily need extra toppings, but I like adding extra onions and cilantro. For me, a lot of the salsas were extra spicy, so my recommendation is to taste them before putting them on the taco. The ones I got honestly didn't need any extra added flavor. I got the steak and onions and the pork with pineapple and loved them both equally. I got them last week and already miss them - the smell and texture of the meat, the fresh toppings, how your breath tastes after, the combo of everything together - definitely a solid taco joint

    Las Palmas is a local chain business that operates some supermarkets and also sometimes sells…read morepre-made foods in other locations. It specializes in selling Mexican and Central American foods. Its website says that its supermarkets offer several thousand products such as meats, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and more. I do not recall shopping at their supermarkets, but perhaps I should shop there. So far, I think that I have been a customer of only their tent that was set up at the Pittsburgh Taco Festival in 2025. I bought one al pastor (pork) taco and one bisteck (beef) taco for about $8 total. The employees had the meat pre-cooked, so I did not have to wait long for my tacos to be ready. My husband and I shared the tacos, and we both enjoyed them. My husband said that he liked the flavors of the meats.

    Photos
    2 tacos - pork and pineapple and steak with onion
    2 tacos - pork and pineapple and steak with onion
    Al pastor and bisteck tacos
    Al pastor and bisteck tacos
    Outside decor

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    Outside decor
    täkō

    täkō

    4.3
    (2.1k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    I can't tell you how many times I have been here thru the past 10 years since it is my husband's…read morefavorite restaurant in the 'burgh. I also do really like it! I have had everything on the menu more than once and nothing had ever been disappointing. Therefore, it came as a shock when we learn they are were closing for a while. Knowing how long it took them reopen some of their other restaurants, we are a bit sad. Maybe they will make it a little less dark inside which would be great. Sometimes it is a bit too lick like a club in there. Also perhaps they could add the octopus tacos to Tako Torta ! We visited for one last hoorah last weekend. The octopus wasn't on the menu but after checking with our waitress, they still had a few. We got both this one and then queso! I got chips for the queso since I don't do gluten and then corn tortillas with the tacos. The octopus was well cooked as usual. I had a frozen pain killer which was great. See you soon I hope!

    Very small, dimly-lit, Mexican restaurant with delicious food…read more Have a bunch of drinks + taco options. Tacos come in a serving of 2 per order, but they are fairly large so this is enough Their namesake is their octopus taco. I got this, chips & guacamole, + their passionfruit beverage. It was all fantastic Service was unbelievably fast Downsides are that the place's seating is fairly uncomfortable (lots of stools with no backs) and it is pretty loud.

    Photos
    täkō
    täkō
    täkō

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    Esquina Cantina - mexican - Updated August 2026

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