First of all, check out my review from 2013. Am I not so cute?! Kidding (sort of). Anyway! Thirteen years later, I'm bumping it up to 5 stars. Ironically, not for the food. I mean, the food is just fine. It's tasty and no frills. But this is still a 5-star place in Kensington. Whenever I'm in the market on a lovely day, I always come here to sit on the sunny patio (now larger than before!) and enjoy magaritas, micheladas, horchata or whatever else, chips and guac always, some decent Mexican fare...some live mariachi music!...and of course, stellar people watching. I mean, it's a classic case of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Qué padre! read more

A wonderful restaurant and longtime staple in Kensington Market. A place where locals go for GOOD reason. We were greeted with a smile and made to feel at home from the moment we walked through the door. Food is delicious, great portion sizes, and very reasonably priced. If you love good, homemade - authentic Mexican food we HIGHLY recommend. (Spice level is never "too hot" or "not hot enough" -- lots of hot sauces on the table for you to add to satisfy your heat level). read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Service | Quick | filling Service - The service at the restaurant was incredibly efficient and helpful. We never had to ask for extra water or for them to take our meal orders. The entire staff was remarkably attentive, making it easy for us to thoroughly enjoy our meal. Quick - The restaurant's service was incredibly speedy and efficient. Our meals and drinks arrived promptly, and the attentive staff made our dining experience quite enjoyable. This establishment is an excellent choice for a swift lunch or a quick appetizer. Filling - I had the chicken tacos which came in a set of four and they were surprisingly filling. I was not hungry, but I could eat, and it was a perfect kind of appetizer to hold me over for a few hours. Pro tip: The restaurants in this super trendy area make it the perfect spot for leisurely strolls and browsing vintage stores. There are also great places to grab a drink. I highly recommend spending an afternoon or early evening in the area! read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Chicken tinga tacos - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The food was great and everyone working was so nice! They even let me practice my choppy Spanish haha read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Highly Suggest. great people and amazing food. I will be back. Make sure you try pho rojo, it is a very good cocktail.

Was around the Kensington area on a Thursday evening and a lot of the places are closed by 7:30p. El Trompo was one of the few restaurants that were opened and we were able to get a seat right away, as they have a pretty big patio space. We got the al pastor tacos and chorizo tacos which came with 5 small tacos each flavour, about 2-3 bites each which is perfect. We also got the beef quesadilla which we loved. We got the jamaica and the horchata as well. Definitely will come back for some no-frills mexican food read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Al pastor tacos, beef quesadilla, jamaica, horchata - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Lots of patio space, but the tables are small and rather sticky. The servers seem to speak minimal English, so we knew it would be authentic. The menu is extensive! I got the al pastor tacos and my friend got a quesadilla. The tacos were small, well seasoned. However, they were definitely dry and needed some sauce or something. The taco shells seemed doughy in a bad way, like they were raw??? Anyways, I was still hungry afterwards, and they were not cheap, almost $20 after tax and tip. My friend said their quesadilla was only ok. Probably won't go to this spot again, since other reviewers had a similar issue as me. read more

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Place we chose because it was crowded and had seating. I'd say okay food, but for the price definitely wouldn't come back. Admittedly we have high standards from Southern California but I'd try the other Mexican restaurants down the street. Don't get the Quesadilla or Torta. Pescado Taco is delicious but also small read more

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Great and cheap! Can't believe I stumbled into this place only recently. Totally recommend and would go back.

This is another one of those highly rated restaurants on Yelp but ended up being a disappointment. Was super excited to check this place out and ordered the chicken tacos, pollo fajita, horchata, and a cocktail. The drinks were perfectly fine and that's about it. The chicken tacos tasted dry and bland. The tortilla also didn't taste fresh. The fajita was a bit better but still underwhelming without seasoning. I'm not a taco connoisseur but my friend loves Mexican food and mentioned it wasn't good at all. Honestly, not sure why there are so many good reviews. The place was also pretty busy. Won't be back because it was quite pricey. I think ~$34 after tax+tip. Am I missing something? read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

After a few trips, I wanted to give my current review because I like to see if the experience was consistent. Lovely food, loving staff, and uplifting environment. Its as simple as that. Salsa was still deliciously addicting. Combined with a spicy chicken quesadilla, beef taco, and Mexican Coke, it was a pleasant way to end such a busy week with my significant other. The environment is energetic; Everyone is enjoying the moment with music in the back. Waitress and waiters were very polite and patient with us, offering suggestions and excellent service. Thumbs up. read more

I came here for a work lunch on a busy weekday afternoon and my guest and I were able to get a table on the patio right away. While it was a bit cramped, it added to the ambiance of a busy lunch spot in a poppin part of town. Our waitress was super sweet and attentive from the moment we sat down to look at the menu and there were several great options to choose from. We decided to start with chips, salsa, and the fondito. I went with the fish tacos and they were much bigger than the street tacos and came with two, instead of four. The fondito hardened up rather quickly so we had to really get to it asap but other than that, we had no complaints. My tacos were great and I would come back. read more

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Such a cute authentic spot in Kensington Market. There are 2 patios at the store front, they both belong to El Trompo Taco Bar. The tacos are small 2-3 bite tacos packed with flavour. You can get 5 mix and match ones for $12 - what a steal! However, you can only pick from 3 options for the mix and match: Al pastor, Chorizo, Tinga. Highly recommend the Al pastor. Get the pico de gallo. It's nice and refreshing. Feel free to skip the queso (molten cheese) as it was a little blank. Super stringy though and came with tortillas. Can't wait to come back to this restaurant for more tacos. Great bold taste for such a reasonable price. Staff were also super friendly! read more

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I decided to get the bistec taco I was surprised this place was so packed, I wanted to try only one taco but that wasn't the case because the sell it at 5 minimum, oh well, it came pretty fast didn't have to wait too long, I squeezed the lime in there, honestly the taco didn't have much flavour, the tortilla was nice, it was a nice small cozy place but didn't dine in, just to go, the taco was flavourless, I've had better tacos at Wilbur Mexicana I wish they put some spices or something in the beef, it tasted very bland, one of the worst tacos I've ever had in my life read more

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I just visited the beautiful city of Toronto and as a Mexican American originally from Chicago who lives in Texas, I was so excited to try the Trompo Al pastor tacos. I read and heard rave reviews about this place and I'm always on the hunt for good tacos so I had to add it to my Food Tour 2024 list. I've had Al pastor tacos in Chicago, all over Texas, San Diego, Tijuana, Cancun, New Mexico and I hate to say it, but be warned these were awful. I was so dang disappointed in the dry and flavorless pork. It was pretty bad. I tried to fix it with salsa but oh my gahd...that was worse. I literally wanted to go back to the kitchen and teach them how to make a few authentic salsitas. I don't wish to be mean or hurtful but I would hate for anyone to be let down like I was. Go have something else. Those Jamaican patties I had down the street were pretty fire. read more

Tacos were decent. Almost $17 for 4 small ones. You'll be eating again in a half hour ;) Interior is cramped and you'll be a part of every conversation next to you. read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Almost $17..!? - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Pozole was great!! My 10 year old daughter fished her bowel. I had a torta al pastor, delicious! I missed Mexican food coming from Texas read more

If there are three words that will get me into almost any dining establishment it is this "Al Pastor Tacos". If nothing else, the value is great! Five tacos for ~$10 CAD is awesome. Maybe it's not that unusual, but a newcomer is allowed a little wiggle room, right? Anyways, I ordered the Al Pastor Tacos (surprise surprise), and the Jamaica. While the tacos were small, this kept them from falling apart, and 5 was more than enough to fill me up, but not have me loosening my belt. The Jamaica kind of reminded me of homemade fruit compote. Not too sweet, and just the right amount of tart. Overall, the flavours were extremely well balanced. Due to the complexity of them, though, I'd say it was borderline refreshing. Though thesis not a bad thing. The tacos didn't shy away from their authenticity. Nothing fancy-shmancy, just the traditional protein, onion, cilantro, and the pineapple that comes with Al Pastor. The flavours were well balanced, without too much of one or another flavour. However, my gripe is that the pork was rather dry. They did provide two hot sauces, and a lime, and to be fair, they helped, but didn't solve the underlying problem. Furthermore, they lacked anything (this is where sauces and general moisture come in) to help tie the different flavours together. Speaking of hot sauces: the red one was okay, and rather spicy. The green one though is rather undeveloped. I hate to say it, but it almost tastes like when I tried to make hot sauce by blending jalapeños and vinegar. The location has a cool vibe, and the service was very polite. read more

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This place is awesome! Authentic tacos at super cheap prices - 5 for $15 for most options. They're 100% delicious street style tacos and the fillings are super generous. FYI - I got this as takeout and I recommend getting the Al Pastor and the grilled chicken tacos. If you like pico de gallo, theirs is super fresh and worth the spend. My only tiny tiny complaint is that the tortillas should be doubled - I'm used to that in LA - but otherwise it's perfect and totally not worth losing a star over. Can't wait to eat my way through the rest of the menu. read more

Might be my new fav taco joint. There's 5 pieces per order for the al pastor. Loved the pineapple with the al pastor. Def would come back to try other protein. read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Al pastor - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

El Trompo has always flown over my head - I've walked by a hundred times but never noticed it. I'm happy I finally did, because the tacos here are amazing! These tacos are more "street" than Seven Lives', but there's definitely a time and place for them While the tacos here are great, I was incredibly disappointed that the chips + pico I ordered to start seemed to be store-bought tortilla chips - they reminded me of Tostitos. The pico was pre-made, and super cold out of the fridge, another disappointment. Plus, service is spotty. read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The best mexican food in this city. Authentic and delicious, and this is coming from four Latinx:) read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Loved the food, specially the bean soup! The people were soooo sweet, like family. Loved the decor! Very reasonable prices! read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Donald Trompo loves this place. But that doesn't mean you can't too. Just don't let him grab you by the taco. What to get: Um, Tacos. OK. It's not their fault that I am so picky about my Mexican food. Having had the best of the best in San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston, and in Mexico itself, I expect a lot from a Trompo taco. It's one of my favourite kinds. Comes from the Monterrey area, and is wildly popular in Houston, which is right at the top of the highway down to Monterrey. Never expected to find this kind of thing up in Toronto, but gave it a try. Massive brownie points for being fairly cheap (compared to Seven Lives around the corner), and for having absolutely wonderful service from the guy and the girl both. Cute people, too (hi!). The taste was good, it was nice and juicy, I was all about it. I suppose the only reason I dock 1 star is that it wasn't the best authentic Mexican, it was a little Anglicized, Americanized, or Canadianized if you prefer. Wasn't particularly meaty or filling, not that it has to be. And Trompo is usually sliced off the big rotating thing, as is Pastor, but they don't actually have Trompo, they sell Pastor (the more generic Mexican version heavy on the Pineapple). It wasn't sliced directly off the spindle thingy, and I've had much better pastors (such as at my church). Still, much closer to real Mexican food than anything else I've ever tried anywhere in Canada. Can't get much higher of a compliment than that. read more

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I'm very confused on the tacos we received vs all these amazing reviews... First timers at Kensington so we decide on this taco joint because Seven Lives was too long around 1:30p. 5 small tacos come in an order and you can only mix and match Al Pastor, Tinga and Chorizo. So we decided to get 2 Tinga and 3 Al Pastor. The tacos literally came out in 2 minutes after ordering. Too quick :3 The taste was bland and unappealing. I've just attributing this negative review to a bad day at El Trompo... read more

After walking all day this was exactly what we needed. The staff was so friendly and helpful. I had the Al Pastor tacos and they were amazing. I would highly recommend. read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I've never eaten street tacos in Mexico, but El Trompo markets itself as offering exactly those and I imagine that they're not wrong in doing so. These are "street" in the way "street" should connote - quick and simple. They won't blow you away. In fact, the might not even impress you much. But if you're looking for tacos at a reasonable price, these will do the trick. I got the Al Pastor. I'm not a big pork guy, but that's what the menu recommends so I thought I'd give 'em a try. Not bad! None of the porky taste I generally shy away from, and the pineapple is a nice touch. I was worried they'd be dry based on looking at them, but the pineapple substituted nicely for what could've (should've?) been fat. I asked for a shot of their cheapest tequila, which apparently was $7. So not cheap exactly. The truth is this place is underwhelming. There used to be a terrific place for tacos just down the street in a sort of makeshift food court, but it's since shut down. I give El Trompo 4 stars mostly because it's been there a while and I worry what might come after it. Kensington Market is a gem, and I'll be damned if it changes even more than it already has. read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Having moved back to Toronto from Los Angeles I have been missing tacos. I have the Cochina Pibil and my partner had the Pastor. We got five tacos each and at half the plate each. I thought the Cochina Pibil was decent, not great but pretty decent. The Pastor was pretty bland, with the salsa it was ok but the salsa was also too spicy for my partner so they just ended up with bland tacos. A little disappointing. I have had tacos in Mexico, California and across the U.S. These tacos were pretty mediocre. read more

Stopped by Easter Sunday for a quick bite. Got 5 tacos - Al pastor, tinga, and chorizo. These are small tacos and an order is 5 tacos that you can mix and match. Service was super quick and taco was devoured in 5 mins. We also got to sit outside which add to the ambiance read more

Went with work colleagues for lunch. One drink had black stuff in it. Instead of getting a new drink, they took out the black stuff and brought back the same drink and charged my colleague. The margaritas were 12.5$, but were dinky. I would rather spend the 16-18$ to get a drink that would normally be at least 200% larger at a number of other places. Limes are integral to Mexican food. With an order of 5 tacos, they brought 1/16 of a lime (a sliver) and when I asked for more, they wanted to charge 2.5$. I contested as one taco should have one decent slice of lime included. The meat was also very bland. The place used to be better and the restaurant owners are comporting in a very cheap manner. I won't be coming back. Why would I when there are other better Mexican places just down the street! read more

Huge disappointment. Seems deceptively cheap, but way overpriced for what you get. Lured in by the people on the patio with the huge, festive looking margaritas. I am a huge sucker for the alcohol + patio combo. Got roped into ordering food too. Their tacos aren't better than the mom and pop places across the street. Their nachos are pretty nasty - the pico de gallo tastes like it came out of a can, and there was barely anything on our nachos except sweaty cheese and maybe a spoonful of refried beans. Food gets a solid F. The margarita was also pretty disappointing - tasted like it came right out of a mix or a packaged margarita syrup. It had ice in it but it wasn't cold, which made for a weird drinking experience. Didn't have a lot of boooze in it either, which made me sad. Also, HORROR OF ALL HORRORS it was rimmed with sugar, not salt! eww One extra star for the patio - it was reallly cramped. They tried to fit way too many people into a small space. read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Strawberry - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I think I am ready to give up my search for authentic Mexican food in Toronto... I really wondering if they really exist!! El Trompo Taco Bar is one of the better Mexican restaurants I been to in Toronto.. but something is missing... The tacos are good.. small but good...but they did not wow me like the ones I have in Mexico... Al Pastor ($9.75) - Great for snacks.. I can just down those 5 tacos in record time without leaving any for my yelp friend... but I am nice.... - The pork is a little dry and blend... more fresh lime juice might help Pozole ($5.99) - pork and corn soup.. with garnish - really really bland... and the garnish on the side were tasteless too.. - chili pepper with zero hotness? - I almost want to spoon in all the hot sauces on the table to give it a kick!! I have to say El Trompo's food is a toned down versions for the real Mexican food... BTW, if you like me find those 2 salsa tasted like water with colours... ask the servers.. they have the REAL salsa reserved for the special someone that knows... just ask... and you will have the real thing! read more

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Guacamole and nachos no cheese just natural and home cooked amazing. They have veggie option which is nice mushroom and cheese. If you eat meat they have options choose out 3 items. Ok they all come small portion size 5 tacos on one platter but for vegetarians there is no option you have to go with one only. On the other hand i tried pulled pork, beef and chicken. Honestly i didnt like the beef one but rest was all amzing. However, they have more choices like fish tacos and in desserts CHURROS which is available only on Saturday and Sunday. You can decide to eat in or out at patio. Its located rite next to fat burritos in Kensington market. More in drinks to explore but we preferred water instead. Will go there again yes and environment is nice just like a family. Yes i would recommend to give a try read more

Tasty tiny tacos. Creative cactus salad. Delicious all around. 10/10 would try again.

Love this spot, my friends and I come here pretty regularly during the summertime actually. It's a great spot in Kensington, great people watching. Food (5/5)- the tacos are amazing, very authentic. The sauces are great too. We always get the al pastor, delicious. Drinks (5/5)- Get the bulldog margarita. Just do it! Service (5/5)- Exceptional. Very warm and welcoming, super quick to set you, take your order and bring the food out. Vibe (5/5)- The patio is really cute, tiny but always fun! Overall (5/5)- Hand's down a great spot. I go every other Saturday, love it! read more

El Trompo Taco Bar - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Feels like Mexico in Toronto. They make (and sell) the tortillas in the adjoining space. The bean soup made me feel like I had been invited to a Mexican friend's house for dinner. read more

Just love el trompo Our server was nice, and their frozen margarita was awesome!! Be sure to get their guac. Very chunky, and even though their tortilla chips were a little soggy, I blame it on humid summer we had. Tacos? Awesome. Grab a seat on the patio and it's great for people watching ;) read more

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A great stop for Mexican brunch! We sat on the patio on a Sunday morning and they have a brunch menu that includes Mexican coffee. Tried the huevos rancheros with a side of chorizo and it tasted fresh and great! Also had the quest fundido with mushroom, this was just ok and it tasted like French onion soup. Recommend this place! read more

My favourite taco place in Kensington. Particularly, the mushroom taco (Hongo) is amazingly flavourful and moist, and the salsa verde is delicious! The prices are super reasonable, especially considering that most of the tacos come with 5. Definitely will continue coming here. read more

Fast, kind service. Things were out in under ten minutes on a Saturday night, and it wasn't quiet either. Friendly, helpful, and accommodating staff, even when their card reader briefly stopped working. I had the Al Pastor tacos, and split the Flan, guacamole, and Cactus Salad with a friend. He had the Chorizo tacos and horchata. All absolutely fantastic. Also super affordable -- around 15 bucks for 5 tacos, with sides usually falling below the ten dollar mark. Definitely worth the stop if you're hungry in Kensington. read more