What a fantastic place to grab some tacos and tostadas with an ice cold pint on a gorgeous Montreal evening!

This review is a bit tough to rate. I would give 4 stars for the food, but 3 or less for service and the restaurant feels a bit rundown. We were in Montreal for several days and decided to go casual on our anniversary and we were craving Mexican food. We made a reservation as the place is crazy busy. We arrived, had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. The hostess looked up our reservation and seated us without saying anything to us. We took our seats and looked at drinks before looking at the menu. Our server took awhile to come to our table, took our drink order and an appetizer order and left. The drinks finally came out along with the chips and guacamole and we decided to make our decision on dinner. We waited, and waited, and waited about 40 minutes for our server to come back to take our dinner order. She was fairly nice, but rushed. Again, we waited and waited and waited for our dinners. We were enjoyed the food, it was flavorful, seasoned well, and really filled our craving for Mexican food. After we finished our dinner, again we waited, waited, and waited for our server to come back to our table. She never checked on us as to how we were enjoying our food. She brought the check, we paid, stood to leave and she said thank you as my husband handed the check back to her. He quickly mentioned it was our anniversary, she stopped and asked if we would want to sit back down and she would bring us a dessert. It was nice to offer, but she could have learned this if she would have taken a moment to talk to us. We didn't need a long conversation, just to feel welcome, and we felt in the way as they were busy. We thanked her, but we didn't want to spend an hour waiting for a dessert, so we graciously declined and left. It really is a shame. If the service was better, and the food came out quickly, they could turn tables quicker. I don't know if they are short staffed, but it really was disappointing. read more

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We stopped in for a light lunch and margaritas while exploring Old Montreal and were really glad we chose Escondite. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed, and the bartender took great care of us. The drinks were excellent, and the service made it even better. Perfect little break in the middle of the day. read more

Escondite - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

The chicken Fajita special was bomb and so was the margarita medianoche! The service was also outstanding. Our bartender, with the cool haircut and super cute earrings was amazing. Hmmm...maybe we can drop in again before we leave for home. P.S. I had already started eating before I took the pic. Sorry. read more

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Escondite was packed on a Sunday for lunch. We got extremely lucky that there was an empty table to seat 6 outside. There is a lovely outdoor patio area with flowers and plants. We enjoyed the energy and vibe of the outdoor seating. The menu is primarily tacos, salads, and appetizers with a unique twist on many items. The portion sizes are small and the prices in turn reasonable. We ordered some chips and guacamole, corn bread, El General Chapo, Gyoza Nacho, and Baja Tacos. I enjoyed the Baja Tacos. It had a generous portion of cod and was very flavorful with the crema and red slaw. The guacamole was also tasty. Service was friendly. Our orders arrived as they were ready, so we all received our food at different times. Even the appetizers and salads came at different times. read more

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Surprisingly good tacos! I came in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the tacos were! I had the steak tacos and the Baja fish tacos and both were delicious. A few things to keep in mind - tacos come in 2s and you can't mix and match. Also it is a bit loud in here. Food came out quickly and the service was friendly. I'd definitely come back for another round of tacos! read more

Escondite - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Mid. The food was honestly just ok especially coming from California where Mexican is so yummy and plentiful. The service was also just ok the girl was kinda nice. We sat outside and the vibe was just mid, kinda run down. Anyway wouldn't go back but didn't hate just meh. read more

We are from California, and have had our share of Mexican food. We were really surprised to find such an exceptional Mexican restaurant here in Montreal. The food was outstanding, and the service was extremely friendly. A special thanks to Enrique, who was more than kind and accommodating. In particular, the fish was very fresh and the al pastor was flavored beautifully. Please don't miss the beautiful mural on the wall. We will go back, and we highly recommend this restaurant read more

The vibes are great.. what brought us in. The food and drinks were top notch. Jalapeño cilantro marg to die for! Def recommend! read more

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Nice little spot in downtown Montreal, tried the Shrimp Tacos they were really good. Parking is difficult nearby but that's the case everywhere downtown. The service is really good and fast. Ambience is also delightful. read more

Escondite - Shrimp Tacos! - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Exceptional service and excellent food. We had the guacamole, Baja and El Paso tacos. Being from Arizona, this place was delicious! Highly recommend! Only negative is the outdoor patio is very rickety and feels like a teeter totter so wouldn't sit there! read more

Great food even better drinks! Bartender Darlene was amazing and the vibe was cool and relaxed. Highly recommend the tasting menu!

Who would have thought that one of my best meals in Montreal would be Mexican food? And I live in So. Cal and have traveled in Mexico (not just tourist destinations,,,). I know and like Mexican food. Now, this is more of an Asian-Mexican fusion, but we have that as well, and Mexican food has long embraced fusion (where do you think al pastor comes from)? We ate light, splitting the nachos, the steak tacos and the quesadilla. The nachos were like tasty won tons with guac. Yummy and easier to eat, and far more cheesy, than slathered chips. he tacos featured a Korean style beef rib, not quite a Kogi-truck taco, but not too far from it, with nopales as well. The quesadilla was very standard... with the exception of the truffle flavoring to give it some more Unami. I am a fan. read more

Just had a delightful meal. We ordered the dinner tasting menu and it was a treat. They were able to keep it gluten free too. Great service and good vibe in the restaurant. We had guacamole, ceviche, 4 different tacos and dessert. What a blast!!! read more

Crispy cauliflower tacos are incredible!!! Would be a regular here if I lived in Montreal.

The waitstaff at Escondite are above and beyond the best folks around. The person helping us checked in on us, made helpful suggestions and when a rain storm interrupted our outside seating, got us inside seating at the bar on a packed night so we could wait out the rain. Definitely recommend stopping by and ordering a spicy magarita. If you're looking for food, the mango salad and a baja 2.0 taco are excellent choices. read more

Escondite - Inside at the bar of Escondite - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Came on a Sunday evening and the restaurant wasn't too busy so we got seated pretty quickly. Food was also served surprisingly fast. We started off with the cocktails Miss Paloma and Margarita Media Noche. Both were good but the Margarita was a bit more unique so I'd suggest trying it over the Paloma. The Baja tacos were delicious and I highly recommend trying them out. The cod was fried perfectly and tasted good paired with the slaw. The Al Pastor tacos were on the pricier side considering the size and the fact that it only came with two. I did not try them but my boyfriend said they were good albeit average. Ambiance in the restaurant was nice and staff were friendly. Would definitely consider coming back. read more

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I suggest making reservations if you're a big group and want to visit on a weekend. The tables are cozy and tight, also gets busy quick! the portions are on the small side, their 2 for $10.95 tacos are only 2 of the same tacos - sadly, you cant mix and match. read more

Drinks and tacos are good, but we expected more options than just tacos. Also our experience was not perfect, they are open till 10 and we arrived at 9. The waiter said the kitchen will close at 9:45, so we got our first round of tacos and wanted more. Tried to put in another order at 9:30 and waiter said the kitchen is closed..... he said they decided to close earlier. I was pretty disappointed in the poor communication from our server. read more

went on a Thursday and it was awesome. great service, great food. went on the following Sunday, sat down and didn't even get a drink - sat there for 20 minutes didnt even get a hello - and left. so who knows what you get when you go. good luck! read more

Some excellent drinks and a pretty good, fresh ceviche made my night. I'm American but felt like one of the locals here. A nice welcome.

One of the better Mexican restaurants in Montreal. What makes this one unique is there tequila selection. Expected to spend little bit more $$, but you won't regret it (that's if you're a fan of quality tequila). Their tacos are excellent they have a great selection and the quality there. there has been some comments and I am one of them where I found the fish taco a little bit fishy, but that's just a type of fish. So if you're sensitive to the fish smell there are plenty of other selections. the prices are reasonable however it does add up fairly quickly so if you're at a birthday or you feel you might want avoid making too many calculations in your head just get the tasting menu. The portion is more than enough and you get the best bang for your buck. read more

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I had the fried chicken tacos with iced margaritas and the guacamole chip app. Overall pretty good stuff but a bit small. My fried chicken was a little dry but it was my only minor hiccup. The chips with the gauc had a chile seasoning that I really liked. The iced margaritas were on point and quite refreshing. The inside was cool looking with funky seating, wall art and an outdoor patio. The service was super nice and chatty. Def a place to go have lunch or dinner and worth it. read more

Escondite - Tacos!! - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Fun place, great tacos. Waitress with her belly hanging out of her shirt was not the most appetizing...

Honestly the Food is quite good but the potions are a joke. I wouldn't recommend big groups to come especially with the fact you're paying 40$ and you don't get to choose what you want to eat, the chef decides for you. The AC it seem to be also down. If you have a big appetite this place isn't worth it read more

Escondite - L'expérience Escondite is a scam - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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The pouring rain didn't stop us from checking out Escondite on your recent weekend getaway to Montreal! It was downtown and we were able to walk it from the hotel. Make reservations! We arrive at 6:30pm on a Sunday, without reservations and the place was already jumpin'. There were a few small groups ahead of us and the wait looked like it was going to be a long one. But we got lucky! Since it was only two of us, a table was available for a hour and a half so we snagged it. We weren't planning on hanging out for hours - although I could see why you would want to, the vibe was lively and casual atmosphere, great spot to have drinks with a small group of friends. The service was excellent and really fast. The food - we opted for tapas - was tasty - shrimp tocos and two soft shell tostadas. For dessert we opted for the key lime pie (not our fave) and churros. It was tapas and we weren't hungry so the portions were just right. It hit the spot. Would definitely go back! If you're in Montreal with a small group and want Mexican food with a cool vibe, check it out (make reservations) read more

Escondite - Tostadas - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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One of the best taco places I've ever been to! The decor was awesome, and not tacky. The staff were very friendly, and didn't treat us poorly b/c we only spoke English. The menu was incredible with some really unique dishes. My friend and I shared the nachos and 4 tacos each. There was WAY too much food, and we ended up taking 2 tacos home for later (And they were still good). The nachos weren't your typical nachos, but they were full of flavour. We had the orange crush taco - something I didn't think I'd like b/c I don't love orange crush, but you couldn't even taste it. It just made the meat so juicy and flavourful! The al pastor was just okay. The baja on the other hand was amazing! We also had the fried chicken taco. I didn't care for the taco spice myself, but the chicken alone was tasty! Most importantly, nothing was too spicy, which was good for my friend and I b/c we can't take spice! Can't wait to go back. read more

Escondite does a great job of combining a fun vibe with quality Mexican food. While the food isn't pure perfection, it's pretty damn tasty and a good time is nearly guaranteed when you eat there. When I was a kid, Mexican food in Montreal meant Carlos (or Marcos) and Pepes; Americanized garbage....hard shell tacos filled with mystery meat, plates swimming in cheese and red sauces, heated and reheated in a microwave, and finished off with the requisite oversized frozen daiquiris and margaritas made from a mix. I'm not suggesting that Escondite is the most faithful representation of authentic Mexican food. Even they would admit that they take certain liberties. Nevertheless, we are miles away from generic chimichangas and sizzling fajita platters....and that's a good thing. I've eaten here 3 times over the last year and a half. Recently, we started the meal with the guacamole and the house made chips. While it won't change your life, it's a perfectly passsable home made guacamole. The house made chips are oversized and a little too crispy/hard. They are only mildly salted and spiced. Often, Mexican chips will be addictive. These are good for a few bites, and then you are ready to move on. The corn and jalapeño muffin is quite good, but should be served in a larger portion to share an order. They have a dish called nachos 2.0 which I consider to be ill conceived in every way. It's basically japanese gyoza dumplings topped as nachos. This is served in a small portion at a large price. I call complete BS on this dish. Someone might actually be in the mood for some great nachos, but they would be out of luck at Escondite. When done well, they can be life altering. Case in point: Lord William Pub in Griffintown. Check it out. Their mango salad is excellent and well conceived. Served with julienned mango slivers, peanut, and cilantro, this dish has the potential to be the perfect ratio of sweet, refreshing and savoury. Unfortunately, as my sister-in-law points out, 2 out of 3 times one orders this dish, it is prepared with mangoes that are not fully ripened. They ought to buy their fruit at National in Westmount. The problem would be solved. Where they really excel is their tacos. Served in pairs, the al pastor combines sweet pineapple with savoury pulled pork. The fish taco and shrimp/chorizo taco are both excellent. They charge extra for some salsa verde on the side. This ought to be included. Also, a few slices of lime would be nice. We ordered spicy margaritas which were delicious and strong. On previous visits, I had ordered the King mohito and found it to be very weak in alcohol content. (A bar can commit no greater sin than serving a weak cocktail. If a drink is going to cost ten bucks and up, there better be a decent amount of booze in it. Don't play games with ice, juices, and garnish.) I will give Escondite credit that on this last visit, service was excellent, and drinks were refilled quickly and often upon request. I finally tried their churros this time after passing on dessert on previous visits. Served with a Nutella like dipping sauce, the churros were tasty but overfried. The inside should be moist and soft with a crispy exterior. Instead, the whole thing was a bit of a crumbly mess. So why am I giving this place 4 stars when the review reads as a solid 3? For some reason, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Maybe it was the tequila shots, maybe it was the conversation. Maybe I was just hungry, and maybe I just enjoy eating here. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good. read more

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This is my second visit to Escondite (the first one being on Drummond st. 2 weeks ago) absolutely love this place! Our server Bianca was soo friendly and attentive. She spent time going over the menu with us even though the bar and seating was extremely packed. We also did not have to wait for water or refills on our beer and margaritas. My husband and I were way too hungry to take pictures of our food but let me tell you, the best quesadilla we've ever had! They're made with truffle mushrooms!!! How can you not like truffle oil and mushrooms?? We also had the corn which is not the typical corn on the cob, it's corn kernels in a bowl which was also devouring. We ended up sharing tacos for our main course as we were so full from our apps. Ended up ordering the Tinga tacos on tostadas. Never thought I'd like a Mexican place this much outside of Mexico. A must "go to" spot if you're in Montreal!! read more

They serve the most interesting Mexican food. When you stop by, you should expect some unusual twists on the traditional Mexican dishes. The place is really hopping so make sure you make a reservation in advance. They have some original Tequila and Mescal based cocktails, but the wine list is somewhat limited. We ordered several dishes and ate family style. Each dish comes up fast so you can order to your order as you dine read more

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Escondite is a good place for tacos if you're planning on getting multiple plates and making it more of a "tapas" thing. I had the chance to try this highly buzzed about restaurant 9 months ago. We were a group of 15 and made a reservation about 2 weeks before. They still managed to squeeze us into a tiny space that fit about 10 people usually. It was a very hot summer day and their AC was deficient for some reason so let me tell you we weren't extremely happy about that. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is very dark with beautiful paintings on the wall and some cool decorations around the bar, as well as in the bathroom. Yet again, everything feels squeezed and tight. The waitress was very nice and listening, she helped me with my choice since everything has cilantro in it and I cannot eat that. She was very patient, too bad I can't remember her name. The food is good. When you ask for spicy, it comes extremely spicy so be careful! The portions aren't very generous for the price, had to order churros at the end to feel like I had eaten enough. My friend and I split the "ensalade de mangos" as an appetizer, and then we had the "Al Pastor" and the "Baja" tacos but it still left us hungry. The drinks are delicious. I would definitely recommend the mojito del' king to share with friends. Finally, the service was quick! We were a big group and after we ordered it took about 7-8 minutes to get our appetizers and not even 10 minutes later to get our food. read more

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Another place that I've heard many great things and my bf went there (without me) and he loved it! This place is always packed. Went there for lunch with some colleagues and we got there 10 mins after the opening time (11:30) and the place was already full. We could only get seated at the counter tables which we didn't mind. The staff recommends ordering 2-3 items /person. We were 3 and ordered 6 items. Ordered a shrimp ceviche...thought it was missing some flavours...missing a punch element and the shrimps didn't have the crisp texture of freshness. We followed with some spicy chicken wings...wished they were also more crispy but flavour was good. After that we had 3 kinds of tacos. All were good but the one that stood out was the pork one with pineapple...the sweetness of the pineapple elevated the taste of the taco. Was hungry in between so also ordered a serving of tortilla chips with guacamole. Chips were good but he guacamole was a bit fade...a pinch a salt could have helped. All in all, good but not the best I've had. read more

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Wow, holy taco! I'm impressed by the quality of everything served there. The prices are good and the drinks are strong and flavorful. I had the ribs, they were fall off the bone with an amazing sauce. The ambiance is great too. Definitely make a reservation if you want a spot. We got lucky. read more

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I love this place, it's so amazing that it's always crowded. The Mexican decoration will have you thrilled. The food is succulent. Great spices. I definitely recommend this place the only thing I would like them to change is the opening hours and services, that's why I'm giving a 4 star. There's a service that ends at 8pm leaving you the impression that you need to rush out. I like to take my time and enjoy my food with great company. But if I get there around 6:30-7 gotta hurry up and be done by 8. But for their excellent warm corn bread and jalapeño mojito, I forgive them. read more

Escondite - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Cute little spot with affordable and tasty meals. They do however make very small portions if you're super hungry it might not be the place for you. Their margarita was amazing and so were the tacos as well as the chips & guac. Service was extremely fast and waiters were kind too. read more

My new fav taco place ! Loveed it the service was so fast and professional and OMG the tacos ! Definitely coming back ! read more

Escondite - All you need is love tacos and mojitos. - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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I would give this a 5 if the Portions were slightly larger. Portions are on the small side but flavor wise, my mouth is doing somersaults. We tried the tacos 2.0 and the oven pork and deep Fried chicken tacos. All were amazing. I also had a mojito which was delicious. Would come back. read more

Escondite - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Ive only tried this place twice, Their portion are small, the tacos are kind of tasty. The ceviche is extremely disappointing, it feels like a dish for presentation not even for sharing or having it individually. Ive had my fair share of Mexican food , this is definitely not something i would go for again. I havent tried their drinks but a lot of the people that ive sat with there said good things about them. read more

Escondite - Shrimp ceviche - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Really cool mexican place. The food was even better then 2 years ago! We had the shrimp tacos, deep fried chicken tacos, the ribs and churros with nutella. Cocktails are good and original. I had the Mojito del'King and it was great! Young trendy customers. Good ambiance. Well located downtown close to "The Bay" and "Birks". A perfect perfect place for a birthday dinner with a group. read more

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Came in to try the taco scene in Montreal. I had some very well seasoned tofu tacos and my fiancé had a whole assortment of tacos. The tacos did not disappoint and my fiancé seemed impressed with the tasty tofu tacos. It's not something he would usually order but it was cool to see him try it. The vibe here was really chill. Little noisy, but great for a date over some tacos and drinks. The mojitos were muy bueno, highly recommend them. read more

Escondite - Tofu tacos and assortment of tacos on the other plate - Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec